Applicants are offered after a successful audition and interview.

If you can demonstrate exceptional talent and can satisfy the panel of your ability to successfully complete the course, you may be considered for a place irrespective of your academic background. Details of your examination results will be requested upon application.

International Students

If you are applying to Emil Dale Academy as an international student, please contact admissions@emildale.co.uk before applying.

Currently, international students must have an eligible visa to reside in the UK that does not require Tier 4 sponsorship. The visa must not depend on student status, but rather must carry a different status to allow you to reside in the UK.

If you have a British passport, you may qualify for the degree programme but you must have lived in the UK for 3 years prior to starting the course.

UCAS

You do not need to apply through UCAS for this course.

To apply, please CLICK HERE. You must pay an audition fee of £40, which is non-refundable. This is a one-off fee payable upon applying and covers the cost of the workshops and panel auditions, as well as any recall auditions if required.

We ask you to complete your application as robustly as possible, including detailing any specific access requirements you may have that need to be considered to ensure you have a fair audition opportunity.

Audition process

We audition throughout the year.

There are four things to prepare.

You will need to learn two monologues of your choice lasting approximately 2 minutes, and two contrasting musical theatre songs with sheet music (you must bring the sheet music with you), cut to 2 minutes also.

You will take part in one jazz class where you will be taught and asked to perform a routine, and may also be invited for an interview at the end.

In some cases, students may be recalled to a later date, with advice as to why we need to see them again. There are no additional fees for this.

We are looking for trainability. Many people come to us as a strong singer or a stronger dancer. Do not let anything hold you back!

We also offer free open days. To apply for an AUDITION / OPEN DAY please CLICK HERE

Open Day

Emil Dale Academy’s One-year course with Cert-HE in Musical Theatre Performance includes the following:

• Access to the Emil Dale Academy facilities – 56,000 square foot building, one of the most beautiful places to train in the UK
• Up to 30 contact hours per week
• Teaching delivered over 3 terms (30 weeks)
• Intensive performance and audition preparation
• Weekly private 1-to-1 singing lessons
• Multi-discipline classes ranging from acting techniques, to singing to dance
• In term three, the students will perform in a professionally supported Showcase of work at EDA’s own Factory Playhouse Theatre

The course is designed with student opportunity and progression at the heart of the training and delivery. Working alongside university partners, the Cert-HE element has been designed specifically for Emil Dale Academy to benefit students by giving them the practical skills to progress on to the next level of training. Private sector classes supplement the learning of the Cert-HE, giving extra opportunities to progress student skills with classes that EDA has deemed fundamental to being able to reach that next level, whether it be further HE study or professional work. The one year course is also designed to help students establish whether musical theatre is the course for them, without committing to a full three years. Faculty provide students with opportunities to understand and explore other careers within the sector also.

The Cert-HE element of the One Year course at Emil Dale is made up of a number of units across the 1 year, all at Level 4. Each unit has a specific credit rating which indicates the amount of learning hours it will require (each credit equates to ten learning hours). You will study 120 credits in the academic year.

By the end of the course, you will be well equipped to move on to the next stage in your performing career, whether that is in higher education or professional industry work. Staff and visiting practitioners’ research and professional practice ensure a rich, current and challenging curriculum.

The course is structured to develop your practical knowledge of and skills in acting, dancing and singing and the ways they are produced and performed in combination in Musical Theatre within a broader understanding of the industry’s histories and contexts.

Cert-HE modules are:

• Musical Theatre Repertoire and Industry Development
• Musical Theatre Dance Technique and Choreography
• The Actor for Musical Theatre Performance
• Analysing Performance

These modules and private sector classes are delivered through a series of the following classes weekly:

• Private 1-to-1 singing lessons for every student
• West End Jazz classes
• Acting classes (Including acting for stage and screen, text deconstruction, monologues, audition technique, acting projects, improvisation)
• Technical Ballet classes
• Ensemble Singing Classes (Technical harmony workshops)
• 30-minute cardio sessions
• Tap dance classes (Streamed in ability)
• Song and Dance classes
• Performance analysis and industry development
• Acting Through Song workshops
• West End Masterclasses (Taught by professional working in top UK Touring and West End shows)

(Please note that a condensed timetable is run during show terms to accommodate rehearsals and shows)

Additional weekly classes may include a combination of the following:

• Voice classes
• Commercial dance classes
• Contemporary dance classes
• Performance workshops
• Professional development (Learning about the industry and gaining understanding of casting, job roles, submitting tax return, nutrition and more)

Students will also participate in a Musical Theatre project and the course culminates in a final Showcase performance at EDA’s own Factory Playhouse Theatre at the end of term 3.

Apply Now To Audition!

Emil Dale Academy – Cert-HE Fees & Funding (2025/26)

Emil Dale Academy is both a funded and private fee-paying college.

We offer a one-year Cert-HE in Musical Theatre Performance, in partnership with the University of Bedfordshire.

Course: Cert-HE in Musical Theatre Performance (1 year)

Awarding Body: University of Bedfordshire

Total Annual Cost: £11,285

(£9,535 tuition fee + £1,750 private training fee)

1. University Tuition Fee – £9,535 per year

• Paid to: University of Bedfordshire
• Covers: All academic delivery and support for the Cert-HE qualification
• Student Finance: Most UK students are eligible for a Tuition Fee Loan of up to £9,535, which covers this in full. No upfront payment is required.

The University of Bedfordshire is the awarding body for the Cert-HE, which is delivered at Emil Dale Academy. The University pays EDA a percentage of this fee to deliver the course.

2. Private Vocational Training Fee – £1,750 per year

• Paid to: Emil Dale Academy
• Covers: Additional private sector vocational training hours
• Breakdown: £1,460 + £290 VAT
• Payment Options: Upfront, 10 monthly instalments, or 2 termly payments
• Deposit: A deposit is required to secure your place (see offer pack for details)

Important: Private sector hours are optional. They are not required to complete the Cert-HE qualification.

What Are Private Sector Hours?

Private sector hours make up 10–15 additional studio-based hours per week, enhancing your one-year training experience with:

• Weekly 1:1 singing technique lessons
• Ensemble singing
• Guest masterclasses
• Jazz, commercial, contemporary
• Acting, acting through song, performance class
• Cardio

These hours are not linked to the University of Bedfordshire and are separate from the Cert-HE qualification.

Scholarships for Private Sector Hours

Emil Dale Academy offers full and part scholarships to support access to private sector hours:

• Awarded based on audition results and means testing
• Limited availability – not guaranteed
• Scholarships are internally funded (not externally replenished)

Maintenance Loan for Living Costs

Students may also apply for a Maintenance Loan to help cover living expenses (e.g., rent, food, transport).

Typical Annual Maintenance Loan Amounts:

• Living with parents: Up to £8,877
• Living away from home, outside London: Up to £10,544
• Living away from home, in London: Up to £13,762

Tuition Fee Loans are not means-tested. Maintenance Loans are based on household income. Loans are usually paid in three instalments (one per term).

Learn more: www.gov.uk/student-finance

Student Finance After the Cert-HE

Students who complete the Cert-HE may still be eligible for three more years of student finance, providing no other higher education has been completed.

Example:

If you progress to a 3-year BA programme:

• Duration: 3 years
• Plus 1 additional year allowed
• Minus 1 year already funded (Cert-HE)
• = 3 years of funding remaining

If you do not complete your Cert-HE or future course, each year of funding is still counted toward your lifetime entitlement.

Here at Emil Dale, we appreciate that this will be the first time that many students will be away from home which can be daunting – we have a Welfare Officer as well as a Head of Student Experience who can help students cope with independent living.

There are two options for accommodation - privately let houses with other students or host accommodation.

EDA sets up a private EDA Facebook "accommodation page" which allows new students to be contacted by existing students with information on houses and rooms that are available. This private web page is also constantly updated by EDA with links to prospective housing.

Host families are available in the local area who rent out their rooms. EDA has a referral scheme to local hosts, and we require them to hold a valid DBS check.

Costs

• Rent is approximately £120-150 a week (depending on property)
• Council tax is exempt for students for the period of the course that they are on.
• Students usually set up a house account which they pay approximately £40 each per month into to cover utility bills.

We are driven by results! Take a look at student destinations by CLICKING HERE

Emil Dale Academy is in partnership with the University of Bedfordshire, who are responsible for overseeing the delivery and quality of the Cert-HE course. You pay £9250 to them (via student loan or privately, whichever works for you). The University then pays EDA a percentage of this to deliver the course on-site at EDA’s specialist facilities.

In addition, EDA thinks it is important to be able to give you more classes than just the qualification parameters to give you the best possible chance to prepare you for auditions and a career in Musical Theatre. Therefore, we have additional “Private Sector” classes which have nothing to do with the qualification. This is associated with the £1500 fee (inc. VAT) which covers these classes and the cost of the end of year showcase. You do not need to complete the private sector to get the Cert-HE qualification.

You are required to pay a deposit of £300 towards the private sector fee to secure your place on the course within 1 month of your audition. You will then have an option to pay the remaining fee upfront, monthly from 1st July (with the final payment due in April of your year of study = £120 per month) or in 2 instalments (July £600 and January £600).

Note* if you audition late in the academic year or are offered late in the year, the above details may be subject to change depending on whether payment milestones overlap (for example if you are offered a place on 10th July, you may be asked to pay the £300 deposit as well as the £120 monthly fee to ensure you are aligned with the fee payment options.

There are uniform/ kit list requirements, which we estimate at £200. EDA does have a second hand uniform shop which may help reduce those costs.

Yes - Scholarships are means tested and based upon audition scores. As EDA does not get funding from any other sources, we are unable to help everyone that applies for a scholarship, but we consider every application carefully and try to help as much as possible. We ask prospective students to provide as much information as possible so that assessments can be made fairly and accurately.

Upon completion of this course, the student loan company will make the following calculation about your eligibility for funding for subsequent courses e.g., 3-year training programmes such as those offered by HE providers in the Federation of Drama Schools and the Alliance of Musical Theatre Conservatoires:

a. Duration in years of your new course

b. plus one year

c. minus the number of years on any previous HE course

For example, if you were offered a 3-Year BA programme at EDA or another provider, your calculation would look like this:-

3 + 1 – 1 = 3

This means that you would be entitled to funding for the full three years of your BA programme, once you had completed your Cert-HE year.

If for some reason you were not able to complete your Cert-HE or any subsequent programme, each year of student finance that you had already received would be deducted from any future application.

Yes, eligible students can also get a maintenance loan, which is means tested through student finance. This would be something the students themselves have to apply for to determine what level of maintenance loan you would qualify for.

There is no guarantee of a place on our BA hons course after the successful completion of the Cert-HE. Students will be required to audition for the BA hons separately.

In some cases and in some institutions this may be possible if you meet their criteria for progression – this would need to be determined by the relevant institution. This is not possible at EDA – if you then gain a place on EDA’s degree you would start in year 1.

Yes! It is an option to do a non-funded and therefore non-qualification route with Emil Dale for 1 year – this would fundamentally follow the same path as the Cert-HE but you will not be required to participate in some of the more theory-based classes if you do not want to. The course fees for this are £7800 (inc. VAT) and payable directly to EDA.

You will need to prepare two monologues of your choice lasting approximately 2 minutes, and two contrasting musical theatre songs with sheet music (you must bring the sheet music with you), cut to around 2 minutes also.

You will take part in one jazz class where you will be taught and asked to perform a routine, and may also be invited for an interview at the end.

Applicants are offered after a successful audition and interview.

If you can demonstrate exceptional talent and can satisfy the panel of your ability to successfully complete the course, you may be considered for a place irrespective of your academic background.

80% of the course is practical and not academic. The other elements are introductory to higher education study, and as such a lot of support and guidance is offered to students to help them through the modules that have written/ academic elements.

However, academic elements include a presentation and a portfolio, as opposed to essays.

The work is largely reflective, so therefore talking about what you have learned in class, with elements of research required to back this up. There will be specific classes to guide students on the expectations for the academic work, and a support tutor will have 1-to1 bookings available to meet with students.