Skip to main content
Two students are rehearsing a scene with scripts in their hands.

Actor Training: Blended Short Courses

Year-long Blended Credit Rated Short Course

Overview

New credit-rated intensive actor training blended programme – online weekly classes, with a 10-day residential stay in Glasgow, Scotland.

Kick-start your career as an actor and learn from one of the world’s most respected institutions on this part-time, evening programme.

Delivered online every Monday and Wednesday evenings, learn from the comfort of your own home from teaching staff at the Conservatoire and industry professionals. And you can also join us in Scotland on a 10-day intensive actor training residential stay.

Explore Acting for both Stage and Screen, Voiceover Technique, Movement and Voice, and be given career development sessions to prepare you for moving on after the programme. On the 10-day residency stay, you’ll work with other participants on your final showcase, presenting to family and friends in one of the RCS performance venues.

On successful completion of the Actor Training: Blended programme, participants will have learnt key acting techniques, have a solid foundation of skills to build upon and earned 30 credits at SCQF level 7 (RQF Level 4) (EQF Level 5).

The important details

Age:
17+

Cost:
£2200

Date:
20 January 2025 - 11 July 2025

Time Online:
Mondays and Wednesdays, 6:30pm - 9pm

Time In-Person:
Monday - Friday, 10am - 5pm

Venue:
Online and Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, 100 Renfrew Street, Glasgow, G2 3DB


This programme is for people that wish to:

  • Develop and explore skills in performance before applying to a full-time course
  • Begin actor training without having to leave your current employment or course of study

This is a practical, part-time, online acting programme suitable if you:

  • Want to experience training at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
  • Are passionate about acting and would like a practical experience in a professional environment – as well as the flexibility of learning online
  • Would like to gain confidence as a performer and work with other actors from around the world.
  • Are considering studying acting at either BA or MA level and would like to be better prepared for the audition processes involved for these courses.

If you have any questions about this course before you book it, please get in touch with us at shortcourses@rcs.ac.uk.

Course Information

Entry to the course is by audition only. All auditions will be via video applications. You will need to be aged 17+.

Application deadline: 4 November 2024 for enquiries about late applications please email credit-rated@rcs.ac.uk

Please submit the following through our online booking system:

  • one classical and one contemporary monologue*, each monologue should last no longer than two minutes each.
  • short two minute video of you introducing yourself your background and why you wish to study on the course.

At the beginning of your monologue videos please introduce yourself and tell us the name of your character and the play that your monologue is from.

Here is a short video from Ali de Souza, lecturer on the BA Acting with some tips on filming your audition.

Your monologues will be assessed by our lecturers and if successful you will be invited to an interview via Microsoft Teams call. These will take place within two weeks of the closing date. We aim to let you know the outcome within 7 days after your interview.

 

* The Contemporary Monologue

It is safe to consider anything written in the latter half of the twentieth century onwards to be contemporary.  However, even a period play written in the late nineteenth or early twentieth century if it has been adapted by a living author is considered as contemporary. So for example Tom Stoppard’s adaptation of Anton Chekhov’s Three Sisters or Zinnie Harris’ adaptation of Strindberg’s Miss Julie would both be fine. A good rule is if the author is alive, or could theoretically still be alive if they died young (e.g. Sarah Kane) then you can consider the work as contemporary. Of course finding a speech from a relatively new work (e.g. from the last ten years or so) gives us some indication of your knowledge, understanding and passion for theatre today, so the more recent the work, the better

  • Plan and prepare to attend all classes.
  • Dress comfortably in clothes which are suitable for the activity you are taking part in.
  • Bring a notepad and pen/pencil in case you wish to make notes.
  • Please bring a bottle of water to stay hydrated during your class (even when at home)
  • A laptop or desktop computer with access to Microsoft Teams*

*You will need access to a device such as a desktop computer, laptop or tablet which allows you to access the internet with a screen large enough to see the group members during online sessions. You will need internet connection which is fast enough to take part in video sessions on MS Teams and to watch film footage.

You may also want to consider whether you have a space you can use where you can work without interruption. Please keep in mind that the other students taking part in the course will be able to see what’s behind you when you are online.

Before applying all applicants should ensure that they have:

  • Computer or tablet with ability to access Teams, with webcam and microphone capability;
  • Internet Access;

Any course specific preparation will be sent to successful applicants ahead of the course start date.

This course is ideal for those who want to experience drama school training but are not ready or able to go into full time study.

It is for self motivated people, who are able to work as part of an ensemble but also on their own.

Students should be open, generous and and show commitment by attending all classes.

Credit-rated short courses are designed in accordance with the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF).

This course is credit-rated at SCQF Level 7, 30 credits.

By studying a credit-rated short course, students can benchmark their learning against national standards, and credits may be used towards further education programmes at many institutions throughout the world.

By studying a credit-rated course, you will need to be matriculated to RCS*, we require some additional information from credit-rated students for this reason. Please read through the section below thoroughly before you submit. If you have any questions about what is required, please email credit-rated@rcs.ac.uk and we can help you.

* Please note although Credit-Rated Short Courses students require matriculation to get their accreditation, you will not be a full time matriculated student of RCS. Credit-Rated Short Courses do not qualify for student visas due to the short term nature of the course. You will also not qualify for a student email address or student card.

Please read the following eligible evidence dependant on your nationality and immigration status:

Scottish/Welsh/English/Northern Irish 
(Please provide 1 of the following)
– Passport
– UK Driving Licence
– Other Photo ID

Irish (Please provide all of the following)
– Passport

Europeans with Settled or Pre-Settled Status (Please provide all of the following)
– Passport
– Online Immigration Status (via Sharecode)

Europeans (post-Brexit) (Please provide all of the following)
– Passport
– Proof of Entry to the UK
– Online Immigration Status (via Sharecode)

Non-Europeans who can use the e-gates (Nationals of the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Singapore and Japan) (Please provide all of the following)
– Passport
– Proof of Entry to the UK
– Vignette
– Biometric Residence Permit (BRP)

Online Credit Rated courses:
– if studying an online credit-rated course from your own country (outside of UK) you are only required to submit your passport.
– if studying an online credit-rated course within the UK, but do not hold a UK passport, please follow the guidance from above.

The Credit Rated or Admissions team may require further information or proof from individuals, and may be in contact with you to provide further evidence.

Providing a ShareCode
If you are providing a ShareCode as part of your evidence please visit https://www.gov.uk/view-prove-immigration-status and follow the instructions to access your code, and provide it in the Experience section of the Booking Form.

The course fees for the full course are £2200 which can be paid in full or instalments throughout the year.

This course will run on-line weekly on Monday and Wednesday, 6.30pm – 9pm, plus a 10-day in-person intensive. Please find the term dates below:

  • Term 1: 20 January – 26 March 2025, Mondays and Wednesdays (Online), 6:30pm – 9pm
  • Term 2: 14 April – 18 June 2025, Mondays and Wednesdays (Online), 6:30pm – 9pm
  • 10-day Intensive: 30 June – 11 July 2025, Monday – Friday (In-Person), 10am – 5pm

 

Summer Accommodation

We are pleased to welcome students from across the world to our Summer Schools. Our course fees do not include accommodation or food, and these should be organised by the student. Our campus is located in Glasgow city centre, and you can find the addresses below.

We recommend Base Glasgow, as purpose-built accommodation for Conservatoire students, with Rehearsal Rooms, Practice spaces and Dance Studios. Base Glasgow is perfectly suited for our summer school students; both safe and secure, with 24/7 staff presence and only 3 mins walk from our main Renfrew Street building, keeping travel costs to a minimum.

Classic En-Suite rooms come with a 3/4 bed, en-suite bathroom, ample storage, mirror, study desk and chair. The shared area includes a spacious lounge and kitchen area.

Please note that Short Courses staff are not affiliated with BASE or on site outwith the summer school teaching hours, and therefore cannot take responsibility for students outside of these hours.

For more information about booking accommodation at BASE Glasgow you can contact them directly via website BASE – Student Accommodation in Glasgow or email baseglasgow@herestudents.com.

Alternatively, there are plenty of hotels, hostels, and b’n’b options available. We are located close to transport links should you wish to stay outside the city centre. If you are travelling to Glasgow for a course, we strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance that covers course fees, travel, accommodation, and cancellations due to COVID-19 – as RCS will not refund in this circumstance. You can view the Cancellations and Refund policy for full information.

For students under 18 years old, we strongly advise travelling with a responsible adult should any emergency situations arise during class. Students are only monitored by staff during class times.

Renfrew Street Campus: 100 Renfrew Street, Glasgow, G2 3DB
Wallace Studios Campus: 210 Garscube Road, Glasgow, G4 9RR


Further Information

We want to ensure as many children, young people and adult learners as possible can access the performing and production arts education that is offered through Short Courses at RCS. Financial support options available for Short Courses include:

Agnes Allan Bursary

Agnes Allan was a teacher, passionate about inclusion, and this bursary scheme exists to offer support to students to participate in the performing or production arts.

The Agnes Allan Bursary provides some support to students who may require financial assistance to take part in a short course in dance, drama, music, production or screen.

Anyone who wishes to take part in our Short Courses and faces a financial barrier can apply for bursary support to help meet the cost of tuition fees.

James McAvoy Drama Scholarships

BAFTA-winning and Golden Globe nominated actor James McAvoy is committed to nurturing the creative potential of young Scots who experience barriers to access and participate in drama at RCS Short Courses.

James is a graduate of the BA Acting programme at RCS and Patron of the Junior Conservatoire of Drama. The Glasgow-born actor has funded the new James McAvoy Drama Scholarships to enable young people to experience the world-class drama training at RCS as he did.

The scholarship aims to support applicants who would otherwise find meeting the cost of tuition fees at RCS a barrier to accessing pre-Higher Education drama training at the Royal Conservatoire.

You can find more information about these funds on our Financial Support page.

We run various promotional offers for our Short Courses and Summer Schools. You can view our current offers on our Promotional Offers page.

You should contact us at shortcourses@rcs.ac.uk to request your discount code before booking a course.

Please note, only one promotional offer can be applied per course and should be used at the time of booking as we are unable to apply a discounts retrospectively.

Please see our Short Course FAQs for more information about all aspects of choosing, booking and attending your course.

Please see our Short Courses – Terms and Conditions for more information about your contract with Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, and Cancellation and Refund policies.

Sign up to our mailing list to receive the latest updates of courses, offers and news from Short Courses. You can do this by completing this short online form found here.

Short Courses
shortcourses@rcs.ac.uk

Summer Schools
summerschools@rcs.ac.uk

Credit-Rated
credit-rated@rcs.ac.uk

Bursary and Scholarship
bursaryscholarship@rcs.ac.uk