Undergraduate Course

Certificate of HE Acting for Stage and Screen

How to apply

Overview

The details

Course: Acting for Stage and Screen

UCAS code: W410

Start date: October 2026

Study mode: Full-time

Duration: 9 months

Location: East15 (Loughton) Campus

Based in: East 15 Acting School

The Cert HE Acting for Stage & Screen is an intensive programme designed to give you a practical foundation in acting for both live and recorded performance. The course offers you the opportunity to start your first year of professional actor training. This can prepare you for further study, either at East 15 or at other acclaimed acting schools in the UK or internationally.

Through focused conservatoire training, you’ll develop your performance skills, deepen your understanding of the acting process, and widen your intellectual curiosity. You’ll build your skills in acting as well as voice, movement, singing, improvisation, text work, and devising, as well as audition technique. Over the course of three terms, you will learn the differences between acting for stage and screen, how to produce an effective self-tape, and how to perform a piece in an in-person audition.

You will develop your technique in classes, as well as through the following performance project modules:

Narrative & Storytelling, where you explore what it is to be part of an ensemble, to develop presence and spontaneity, and to communicate with your fellow actors and the audience.
Classical, where you develop your storytelling skills further and apply them to heightened text.
Performance Project, which offers you an opportunity to apply everything you have learnt in a larger performance space.

You will have regular opportunities outside of your studies to make the most of the wealth of plays, music and dance performances, as well as to visit art galleries, films and historic sites nearby.

This course is taught at both our Loughton and Colchester Campuses. You'll spend the duration of your course at the campus where you've been offered a place.

Please note: The Colchester campus variant of this course will commence in January 2027. This variant will be delivered in a condensed format, providing nine months of training over a six-month period, enabling you to complete the course at the same time as the Loughton campus variant. Both variants offer the same training content and are eligible for the same funding opportunities.

View more undergraduate courses from East 15 Acting School, including further Actor training programs as well as behind the scenes courses in Creative Producing and Stage & Production Management.

Why we're great.

One year intensive acting skills development in stage and screen.
Audition technique coaching for stage and screen roles.
Preparation for further and advanced acting training.

Our expert staff

Our training is by professionals and for professionals, allowing our graduates to work successfully across the globe.

Our international, outstanding teaching faculty is made up of professionals from all areas of live and recorded performance.

Learn more about our staff here.

Specialist facilities

Loughton Campus

Our Loughton Campus is located at the edge of East London, giving you easy access to the city while studying in a peaceful setting. We are just a ten-minute walk from the London Underground station of Debden, allowing you to get to the centre of London in just thirty minutes.

We have three sites at the Loughton campus:

Hatfields is a beautiful Georgian dower house set in five acres of green land, boasting rehearsal spaces, dance studio, radio recording room, library, screening rooms, café and common areas.
Just a short walk from Hatfields is Roding House, containing rehearsal rooms, green room, black box theatre space and our costume department.
Next to Roding House is Unit Four, a £1.5 million facility which houses our Stage Management department. The Unit contains a large workshop, paint shop, prop shop, prop storage facilities and teaching spaces.

The Corbett Theatre, based at Hatfields, is our own, fully-equipped theatre. Converted from a medieval tithe barn, the theatre has tiered seating for 130 people, alongside dressing rooms and teaching facilities. We use it extensively for student productions, as well as a practical training hub for BA Stage Management students.

Colchester Campus

From Autumn 2026, all East 15 Acting School courses currently delivered at the Southend Campus will move to the Colchester Campus.

This campus is set within 300 acres of parkland and located just two miles from the historic city centre of Colchester – England's oldest recorded development. The campus is easily reached from London and Stansted Airport in under one hour.

The Colchester Campus is home to some great facilities, including the 200-seat Lakeside Theatre and the landmark Albert Sloman Library. Other facilities include the Silberrad Student Centre, a selection of cafes, restaurants and street food outlets, the SU Bar, social spaces, the sports centre and gym, and a food market on Thursdays.

There is also a range of accommodation options which are within walking distance of campus facilities.

We’re undertaking work to create bespoke East 15 studio spaces and other specialist facilities at Colchester. In the meantime, you can take a virtual tour of the campus and accommodation facilities.

Your future

During the year, you can audition for places on one of the acting courses at East 15. East 15 Cert HE students also frequently go on to train at other drama schools or at university drama departments across the world. You will be supported to choose and prepare scenes for audition purposes.

“The Cert HE course was one of the best years of my life, I learnt so much in a very intensive, safe and fun environment. The course is headed by an incredible teaching staff who all have or still work in the industry, giving the best possible up-to-date advice and training.”

“It’s an excellent course for anyone wanting to gain groundwork in actor training or wanting to further their studies to a three-year course at drama school.”

Nadia Devereux, Certificate of Higher Education in Acting for Stage and Screen (who went on to study BA Acting at East 15)

Entry requirements

UK entry requirements

Applicants will need to be successful in an interview. Applicants should also have, or expect to have:

A-levels: E, or equivalent in UCAS tariff points.
BTEC: PPP, or equivalent in UCAS tariff points.
T-levels: Pass with E in core
IB: A Higher Level certificate grade 3
IB Career-related Programme: We consider combinations of IB Diploma Programme courses with BTECs or other qualifications.

International & EU entry requirements

We accept a wide range of qualifications from applicants studying in the EU and other countries. Get in touch with any questions you may have about the qualifications we accept. Remember to tell us about the qualifications you have already completed or are currently taking.

Sorry, the entry requirements for the country that you have selected are not available here. Please contact our Undergraduate Admissions team at ugquery@essex.ac.uk to request the entry requirements for this country.

English language requirements

If you do not require a student visa to study in the UK then we will assess your English language proficiency/ability at your interview or audition.

If your first language is not English and you are an international student that requires a student visa to study in the UK then you will need IELTS 5.0 overall, with a minimum of 4.0 in each component. IELTS tests must be a UKVI IELTS taken at an approved IELTS test centre on the UKVI’s list, available here, in order to be accepted for entry to below degree-level courses. Tests must be taken within two years of the start of your course.

Please see our immigration webpages for the latest Home Office guidance on English language qualifications.

Structure

Course structure

Our training draws upon more than 60 years of East 15 traditions, while being continuously updated to stay in tune with the latest developments and emerging opportunities in the acting industry.

Each week, you'll receive training in key skills such as voice and movement alongside practical sessions in acting. Through classes, workshops and small projects, you'll explore topics such as rehearsal techniques, audition technique, approaches to text, screen acting, acting honestly under imaginary circumstances, and devising performances.

As you progress through the course, you will build upon what you've learned each term, honing your craft. Our carefully selected modules will enable you to develop a grounded and personal process, equipping you to succeed in future studies.

We understand that deciding where and what to study is a very important decision for you. We'll make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the courses, services and facilities as described on our website and in line with your contract with us. However, if we need to make material changes, for example due to significant disruption, we'll let our applicants and students know as soon as possible.

Components and modules explained

Components

Components are the blocks of study that make up your course. A component may have a set module which you must study, or a number of modules from which you can choose.

Each component has a status and carries a certain number of credits towards your qualification.

Status	What this means
Core	You must take the set module for this component and you must pass. No failure can be permitted.
Core with Options	You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component but you must pass. No failure can be permitted.
Compulsory	You must take the set module for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail.
Compulsory with Options	You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail.
Optional	You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail.

The modules that are available for you to choose for each component will depend on several factors, including which modules you have chosen for other components, which modules you have completed in previous years of your course, and which term the module is taught in.

Modules

Modules are the individual units of study for your course. Each module has its own set of learning outcomes and assessment criteria and also carries a certain number of credits.

In most cases you will study one module per component, but in some cases you may need to study more than one module. For example, a 30-credit component may comprise of either one 30-credit module, or two 15-credit modules, depending on the options available.

Modules may be taught at different times of the year and by a different department or school to the one your course is primarily based in. You can find this information from the module code. For example, the module code HR100-4-FY means:

100

The department or school the module will be taught by.

In this example, the module would be taught by the Department of History.

The module number.

The UK academic level of the module.

A standard undergraduate course will comprise of level 4, 5 and 6 modules - increasing as you progress through the course.

A standard postgraduate taught course will comprise of level 7 modules.

A postgraduate research degree is a level 8 qualification.

The term the module will be taught in.

AU: Autumn term
SP: Spring term
SU: Summer term
FY: Full year
AP: Autumn and Spring terms
PS: Spring and Summer terms
AS: Autumn and Summer terms

COMPONENT 01: CORE

(15 CREDITS)

COMPONENT 02: CORE

(15 CREDITS)

COMPONENT 03: CORE

(30 CREDITS)

COMPONENT 04: CORE

(15 CREDITS)

COMPONENT 05: CORE

(15 CREDITS)

COMPONENT 06: CORE

(15 CREDITS)

COMPONENT 07: CORE

(15 CREDITS)

Teaching

Term 1

In the first term you explore different means of communication imaginatively while learning about the roots of the craft of acting. You will:

Focus on acting, voice, singing and movement studies
Work on audition technique
Storytelling through performance.

Term 2

Your second term focuses on:

Continued focus on acting, voice and movement studies.
Understanding different approaches to analysing texts (including heightened, poetic and classical texts and characters)
Working on Devised Theatre

Term 3

Your third term brings together the skills and experience you have developed through the course. You will:

Have dedicated sessions on acting for camera
Take part in a final, directed performance

Fees and funding

Home/UK fee

£9,790

International fee

£22,600

If your course has the option to include a placement year or study abroad, and you choose to do so, you will pay the following:

Placement year

20% of your standard tuition fee for that year

Study abroad

Full year abroad

15% of your standard tuition fee for that year

Single term abroad

Standard tuition fee

Scholarships and financial support

There may be scholarships, bursaries or discounts available to help with the cost of this course.

Fees and funding guide

Home/UK fees and funding information

International fees and funding information

What's next

Our events are a great way to find out more about studying at East 15. We run Open Days at our Loughton Campus each year, which give you the chance to:

tour our campus
get answers to your questions about our courses, student finance, student support and more
meet our students and staff

We also occasionally offer course-specific Visit Days, which enable you to discover what each course has to offer.

You can apply to our full-time undergraduate courses through either the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) or the University of Essex Direct Application Form.

If you choose to apply through UCAS, you can find step-by-step guidance on how to fill your UCAS undergraduate application. UK students (as well as some EU and international students) who are still in school or college may apply through their institution. Your school will help you complete and submit your UCAS application. The option to apply through UCAS is also available to independent UK and international applicants.

The UCAS code for the University of Essex is ESSEX E70. The individual campus codes for our Loughton and Southend Campuses are ‘L' and ‘S' respectively.

In addition your UCAS or University of Essex application, you must also submit an East 15 Application Form.

For full details on how to apply, please visit the Applying for an Undergraduate Course page on the East 15 website.

Apply now

Auditioning

Applicants to this course must submit a Round 1 video audition as part of your East 15 Application Form. If successful at this stage, you'll be invited to a Round 2 audition, which may take place on our campus, online, or at a regional or international audition.

We no longer charge an audition fee for Round 1 auditions. There is a £10 administration fee for Round 2 auditions. Administration fee waivers are available for eligible applicants. You can check your eligibility for a waiver on the Applying for an Undergraduate Course page.

Our staff regularly travel to conduct auditions worldwide. So if you're not based in the UK, it's likely that we may hold auditions near you. These will be one-on-one auditions. You can find the locations and dates of these auditions on our International Auditions page.

Offers for this course are made only after successful auditions.

For details of what to prepare for our auditions, please visit our Preparing for Auditions page.

You’ll be in intensive training at one of the most prestigious and internationally respected conservatoires in the country, gaining the skills and knowledge necessary to pursue a career in the performing arts. You'll arrive at a campus with state-of-the-art study and performance facilities, nestled in the stunning grounds of a country house.

But fear not! It’s not all work and no play at East 15 Acting School in Loughton and you're just a short step away from the bright lights and big city of central London.

Find out more

At Essex we pride ourselves on being a welcoming and inclusive student community. We offer a wide range of support to individuals and groups of student members who may have specific requirements, interests or responsibilities.

The University makes every effort to ensure that this information on its programme specification is accurate and up-to-date. Exceptionally it can be necessary to make changes, for example to courses, facilities or fees. Examples of such reasons might include, but are not limited to: strikes, other industrial action, staff illness, severe weather, fire, civil commotion, riot, invasion, terrorist attack or threat of terrorist attack (whether declared or not), natural disaster, restrictions imposed by government or public authorities, epidemic or pandemic disease, failure of public utilities or transport systems or the withdrawal/reduction of funding. Changes to courses may for example consist of variations to the content and method of delivery of programmes, courses and other services, to discontinue programmes, courses and other services and to merge or combine programmes or courses. The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will also keep students informed appropriately by updating our programme specifications. The University would inform and engage with you if your course was to be discontinued, and would provide you with options, where appropriate, in line with our Compensation and Refund Policy.

The full Procedures, Rules and Regulations of the University governing how it operates are set out in the Charter, Statutes and Ordinances and in the University Regulations, Policy and Procedures.