How and when to apply through UCAS

Detailed instructions on how and when to apply are available on the UCAS website.

All applications for undergraduate courses (ie. BA degrees) at Central must be made online through UCAS; we are unable to consider direct applications.

Please note that The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama is part of the main UCAS Undergraduate scheme, not UCAS Conservatoires.

If requested during the course of your application, the institution code for The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama is C35.

Individual course codes are listed at the top of each course page. Please ensure that you use the correct code for your chosen course as it may be difficult to switch if you make a mistake.

A campus code is not required for applications to Central.

If you make a mistake or have difficulties with your application on the UCAS system, you will need to contact UCAS directly as their system is external to Central, and we won’t be able to help.

Applicants for the BA (Hons) Acting programme will be considered for all three strands (Acting, Acting (Collaborative and Devised Theatre) and Acting (Musical Theatre)) from a single choice.

Please do not use separate UCAS choices for each of the Acting strands as you will still only get one audition and you will have used up one or more of your choices unnecessarily.

Undergraduate Application Deadlines

Central’s BA (Hons) Acting programme closes to applications on the January UCAS Equal Consideration Deadline – usually the last Wednesday in January (please check this on the UCAS website).

Applications must be with us in full – including references – by this deadline, so please ensure you leave enough time for your referees to add their statements when you apply.

First and second round auditions for BA (Hons) Acting, and recalls will continue beyond this date.

Please note that our other BA programmes – BA (Hons) Contemporary Performance Practice and BA (Hons) Theatre Practice – remain open to applications and will continue to interview beyond the January deadline but we strongly recommend applying before this to guarantee an interview and the best possible chance of being offered a place.

You can apply to second-year entry to some undergraduate courses if you have already undertaken first year study at another institution on a relevant course, such as a HNC or HND qualification, or have relevant experience.

To apply for second-year entry, you must make an application through UCAS and select ‘Level 2’ when prompted as you apply for the course.

Acceptance to second-year is dependent on whether there is space available as well as your suitability, which is determined through the application and interview process, as usual, and through assessment of your current qualifications and experience.

Please read and familiarise yourself with the Student Transfer Procedures before applying.

Please note: Our BA (Hons) Acting programme does not accept transfer applications – you must apply and audition to join the first year in the usual way via UCAS (see above).

It is sometimes possible, on an extremely limited number of undergraduate courses, to transfer after you have started your training. If you are a current student looking to do this, please read and familiarise yourselves with the Student Transfer Procedures before requesting to transfer within Central.

Please note: BA (Hons) Acting does not accept internal transfer applications – you must apply and audition to join the first year in the usual way via UCAS (see above). In practice, this means applicants cannot transfer to the BA (Hons) Acting at Central having started on a different programme.

Clearing opens on 5 July each year for those yet to secure a place in the main UCAS applications cycle. Please check Central’s Clearing page during that time for information on courses with spaces available.

Please note the following important points:

• You will be required to submit – and pay for – an application via UCAS as part of the Clearing application process, if you haven’t already. Please check the UCAS website for the current application fee.
• If you applied and paid for only one choice in the main applications cycle, UCAS will ask that you pay an additional fee to add more choices in Clearing (regardless of where you choose to apply).
• We ask that applicants only add Central as a choice during Clearing if they have received an offer following an interview – you will be told when to add us as a choice.
• If you already applied to Central during the main applications cycle and did not receive an offer, you will not be able to submit another application for the same course strand in Clearing. You may wish to consider a different strand within the same programme.

Check UCAS’s own website for further information on Clearing and how to apply.

Due to the ensemble nature of many of the courses at Central, and because the overall standard of applications often varies year on year, we are unable to grant requests for deferral other than in very limited circumstances.

You can read the School’s Deferred Entry Policy and contact us if you feel your circumstances meet the criteria to defer your place.

All applicants require at least one reference, whose details you will need to enter onto your UCAS form. If more than one is required, you will be notified later.

Referees will usually be someone who knows you well, such as a Personal Tutor, Head of Year or Careers Counsellor from your school or college, if you are applying through them.

If you are a mature applicant and not applying via a school or college, you are welcome to enter the details of a senior colleague or supervisor who is able to comment on your suitability for higher level study.

UCAS has published advice on how to choose a referee, as well as how to provide a reference, which you and/or your referee may find helpful.

Though we do prefer to receive your reference via UCAS, you may ask your referee to complete and return the reference form below as an email attachment if this isn’t possible.

Please note, a reference form is not required if you have already entered your referee’s details on your UCAS application.

Ensure your referee clearly states the following in their email:

• your full name (the name you used in your application)
• the course to which you are applying
• your UCAS ID number

Please also make them aware that we are unable to open files in .pages format (Word Documents or PDFs are preferred).