Welcoming students from around the globe
Every year, we welcome new students from all over the world to train at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School (BOVTS). Bristol is truly an international city, but one where the close-knit feel of the School will help you settle in straight away. By choosing BOVTS, you are joining a school with a world-renowned pedigree for theatre-making, based in one of the UK’s most lively and creative student cities.
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Our Reputation
Bristol Old Vic Theatre School is one of the most well-respected conservatoire drama schools in the UK, having trained a range of award-winning alumni, including Oscar winners Olivia Colman (The Favourite; The Crown), Sir Daniel Day-Lewis (Lincoln; There Will Be Blood; Gangs of New York) and Jeremy Irons (Reversal of Fortune; The Lion King). Our alumni work in theatre, film and arts across the globe, cementing our reputation for providing world-class training.
Welcome to Bristol
In the 2016 referendum, Bristol voted strongly to remain a member of the European Union; if you choose to study here, you will find that the Bristol community is welcoming, friendly and has a cosmopolitan, global outlook. Bristol was also recently voted as the best place to live in the UK (The Sunday Times, 2017). Bristol is well known in the UK as the city of Banksy, balloons and Brunel’s suspension bridge. But there’s so much more to discover – a thriving arts culture, the buzzing harbourside, lush green spaces and an edgy music scene. It’s easy to see why so many of our students fall in love with the city’s free spirit and laid-back attitude.
Making your application
We welcome applications from international students for all our technical and creative subjects*. We additionally offer specialist postgraduate Masters of Fine Arts (MFA) courses in Professional Acting and Professional Voice Studies, which are specifically designed with international students in mind. All applications are made via the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).
*Please note that international applicants are not eligible to apply for the BA (Hons) in Professional Acting, but we do offer a 10 week summer foundation course for those wishing to gain a taste of conservatoire training. For further information about our programmes, please see our course finder.
Auditions and Interviews
The audition or interview process varies depending on the programme that you are applying for. For the MFA in Professional Acting, we hold auditions annually at a range of locations, including in Canada, the US and Australia. For interviewing courses, including Professional Voice Studies, first round interviews are typically held over Skype. For further information, please see our auditions and interviews page.
Studying in the UK
If you need a Visa to study in the UK, our admissions team can provide you with guidance about what you need to do after accepting your offer. Support is available throughout your time at the School to help you understand your Visa conditions.
If English is not your first language, you will need evidence of English language proficiency, normally through a test such as IELTS. Check the relevant page of our programme finder for further information.
