Ready to Take the Stage?
Applications for September 2027 are open. Apply online in 10 minutes.
UAL Level 3 Diploma In Performing & Production Arts – Acting
You want to act, properly. Not just read scripts in a classroom, but get up, perform to real audiences, and understand what it actually takes to work as an actor. This course is built around doing: 60% practical performance, live shows, and collaborative projects with other performers. You'll study techniques, practitioners, and scripts, and then put it all into practice in our performance spaces. Most students continue into Year 2 for the Extended Diploma, giving you two years of intensive training and a qualification that drama schools and universities take seriously.
Got a question? Ask us
How you’ll learn
Train Like an Actor, Not a Student
You won’t be sitting in rows reading scripts. From day one you’ll be on your feet — learning techniques from practitioners like Stanislavski and Brecht, breaking down characters, and performing to live audiences. You’ll rehearse in our dedicated drama theatre, work with directors, and develop the ability to create a character and hold a stage. By your end-of-year collaborative project, you’ll know what it actually feels like to act — not just study it.
You’ll also complete 30 hours of work placement in a professional performing arts setting and build the critical skills that set you apart at audition. There are no sit-down exams — it’s 60% practical performance and 40% written coursework (reflective journals and research, not test papers). Most students go straight into Year 2 for the Extended Diploma, which carries UCAS points for drama school and university applications.
Performance Units
- Principles of Performance
- Engaging with an Audience
- Performance Skills and Context
- Collaborative Performance Project
Professional Development Units
- Introduction to Professional Practice
- Critical and Contextual Awareness
- Production Skills and Context
- Preparation for Specialist Study
Entry and progression
What you need and where it leads
- Entry requirements
- This course Level 3
- Further study
Entry requirements
- 4 GCSEs at Grade 4 or above, including Maths and English
- A short audition as part of the interview process
- A genuine commitment to acting. We want to see your passion, not a polished performance
Need GCSE support? If you're still working towards Grade 4 in Maths or English, you can study for these alongside your course. Financial support and learning support assistance are available for everyone who needs them.
Not sure you meet these? Talk to us and we will help you find the right starting point.
Careers it can lead to
- Actors, Entertainers and Presenters £30,900 a year
- Arts Officers, Producers and Directors £36,200 a year
- Events Managers and Organisers £25,000 a year
- With further study or experience Teaching Professionals £18.01 an hour
Typical pay is the UK median for each job (Lightcast, October 2026).
Life on the course
See what it’s really like
Our facilities
Where You'll Train
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Rehearsal Space
Full-length mirrors, professional sound system, sprung floors. This is where you'll train, learn, and rehearse. It's your space from day one.
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Drama Hall & Performance Space
A dedicated performance space where you'll rehearse and stage live shows for real audiences throughout the year. This isn't a classroom with the desks pushed back, it's a working theatre space where you learn what it actually feels like to perform under proper conditions.
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Industry Guest Speakers
Every year we bring in working professionals from across the performing arts industry: actors, directors, choreographers, producers, and backstage specialists. They work directly with our students. You'll hear how they got started, what the industry actually looks like, and get honest advice from people who do this for a living. It's one of the things our students consistently say makes the course feel real.
Stage real performances
Our students performing in our own drama hall
Student Voice
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College has helped me become more open-minded and step out of my comfort zone. I’ve loved the opportunities, especially the work placements. I plan to follow my passion for performing. It’s been a great experience—I’ve learnt loads and made memories with amazing people.
For parents and carers
Supporting your child’s journey
A Friendly, Welcoming Place
Students are often surprised by how friendly and welcoming college is. It's a supportive community where they'll build genuine friendships and feel part of something.
About student lifeMental Health & Wellbeing
College is a big change. Our wellbeing team is here for every student, whether they need someone to talk to, help managing stress, or ongoing support. No referral needed.
Wellbeing supportGCSE Support Built In
If your child needs to resit GCSE English or Maths, it's built into the timetable, not bolted on as an extra. They'll get structured support alongside their main course.
About student supportQualifications That Count
These are nationally recognised qualifications with real academic weight. Your child will develop practical skills and knowledge that employers and universities genuinely value.
See the full unit listYour next step
Apply now, come and see us first, or ask us anything.
Want to visit first?
FE Open Event – 12th January 202712th January 4:30pm to 7:00pm
Got a question?
Ask us about the course, entry requirements or funding.
Call 0800 358 7575
What happens after you apply
1
You apply
Apply online and you’ll get a confirmation email.
2
You meet your tutor
We’ll invite you to an interview to talk through the course and your plans, and make sure it’s right for you.
3
You get an offer
We’ll email you a conditional or unconditional offer.
4
You get ready to start
Come to a taster session in the summer, then enrol in August, bringing your results.