Semester Programme Classical Acting (Autumn 2026)
Semester Programme
From September - December 2026 for one semester.
Immerse yourself in classical text at the oldest drama school in the UK, learning from expert practitioners.
Highlights
Join organised theatre trips and explore Britain's cultural scene.
Become part of the diverse, talented and thrilling LAMDA community.
Worth 15-17 college credits (US students) or 60 credits (UK students).
Is this course for me?
Age Requirement: 18+
There are no academic requirements, but previous acting experience is needed.
Overview
Location
In-Person at LAMDA
Course Fees (Autumn 2026)
UK Applicants:
£5,347
International Applicants:
£12,938
Application Fee
£21
Course Length
One Semester, Autumn 2026
Monday 7 September – Friday 4 December 2026
Application Deadline
Friday 14 August 2026 (BST)
Applications might close early if the course reaches capacity before the deadline. We advise early applications.
About the course
Experience renowned British conservatoire training across one intense, exhilarating semester in the heart of London.
Running each Autumn and Spring, our Semester Programme is designed to introduce you to LAMDA’s leading actor training. You’ll explore classical and contemporary texts from across British theatre history – taking you from Elizabethan playwrights through to writers working in the Post-War era.
Structured around the core skills of acting, movement and voice, the course is taught through project-focused, practical classes, immersing you physically and textually into the character, language and narrative of the classics.
Each week is designed to enhance your performance skillset, giving you the opportunity to work closely with specific plays within the classical cannon – including William Shakespeare, John Webster and Carol Churchill – and integrating specialisms of historical dance, singing and stage combat into your work. Your semester culminates in informal sharings performed for an invited audience of LAMDA peers and staff.
At its heart, this course represents LAMDA’s ethos and commitment to the ensemble, nurturing individual students’ unique talents whilst promoting the shared responsibility of working creatively together. Through this course, you’ll gain the tools to become an independent and creative artist from an internationally recognised performing arts institution.
Looking to train at LAMDA in the Spring instead? Find out more.
Course Highlights
- Join organised theatre trips and explore Britain’s cultural scene. Recent cohorts have visited Cymbeline at Shakespeare’s Globe and Hamlet at the RSC in Stratford-Upon-Avon.
- Participate in stage combat sessions – a historical tradition at LAMDA.
- Learn from specialist practitioners and experienced directors.
- Become part of the diverse and talented LAMDA community, including participating in a range of extracurricular activities like Poetry Night and Bravo and Encore.
- Worth 15-17 college credits (US students) or 60 credits/4 modules at HE Level 5 (UK students).
“I’ve really had such a wonderful time at LAMDA these past few weeks. It’s taught me a lot about myself and the type of theatre that I want to pursue. LAMDA does such a wonderful job of prioritising process over product and ensuring that there’s a well-rounded ensemble culture.”
Is this course for me?
Our Semester Programme provides an intensive burst of actor training and takes place each Autumn and Spring. The course is designed to deepen your engagement with classical texts and develop your repertoire of practical acting skills, helping you to achieve your potential as an actor.
Taught across one semester, the course is ideal for students who are looking to study abroad in London and who are keen to experience British conservatoire-style training. Some acting experience is required, but this does not need to be professional.
Key Information & FAQs
Semester course admissions for Autumn 2026 are by personal statement and may be followed by a telephone interview.
This course does require some acting experience and this must be detailed in your application.
If you have a question or need assistance with your application, please contact our Admissions Team.
This course is designed with international students in mind and typically suits those from North America as a study abroad programme. However, some places are available for those from the UK. Apply online to avoid disappointment or email us on [email protected] to check availability.
You will need some experience of acting, which will need to be detailed on your application.
We also require a level of English that is approximately IELTS 6.5. It’s not mandatory for English language tests to have been taken prior to attending this course. However, we recommend that non-native English speakers who have not completed Level 6.5 IELTS must have the equivalent English language experience.
You can apply through us directly or, for international students, through the Study Abroad Office of your home university or college. We’re also happy to accept applications from individuals who are not currently studying at a university or college.
Course Fees (Autumn 2026)
UK Applicants:
£5,347
International Applicants:
£12,938
Application Fee
£21
Funding
There is no UK government funding available for this course. If you're thinking of applying, you will need to be self-financing.
If you're from outside of the UK or EU, you should speak to your home university for information on study abroad programmes.
Our semester programmes are not eligible for the US Federal Direct Loan Program. Find out more information regarding funding for International Students.
Terms & Conditions
Please see below for information about our cancellation / refund policy.
An external student housing provider is available in London for those booked on the Semester Programme as LAMDA does not have its own on-campus accommodation.
Rooms are on a first-come, first served basis and you must be over 18. Please contact [email protected] for further information once you have a confirmed place on the course.
The accommodation fees for this course are in addition to the tuition fees mentioned on this page.
Teaching takes place at LAMDA in Barons Court, West London.
You will take part in at least 30 hours practical work a week. This will be spent in both class and rehearsal. Classes typically take place Monday - Friday, from 9am - 6pm.
In order for you to get the most of your time with us, there may also be sessions on Saturdays, as well as a series of evening masterclasses with special guests.
All teaching staff are experienced and active industry professionals. In addition, many key staff hold, or are working towards, Fellowship or Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (now Advance HE).
Our student and academic services team provides access to a full range of appropriate academic support, including study skills, support for learners with dyslexia or dyspraxia, and other physical equipment or software needed to support you.
Student and academic services also arrange access to any specialist help needed to support your physical or mental wellbeing, such as physiotherapy, vocal health or counselling. You’ll also have free online support with our digital health and wellbeing platform - Togetherall.com
Your course work will be assessed using UK higher education marking criteria and you will be provided with official transcripts of the course. Additional information about grading and assessments can be found in the Course Handbook, the Academic Regulations and the Credit Framework. The team in Student & Academic Services can help you convert marks into US credits and GPA or ECTS credits if you wish. Final decisions about onward use of credit lie with your ‘home’ institution.
If you have any queries about this, get in touch with our Admissions Team for further details.
Further Resources
Find out more information about the application process, training at LAMDA and funding on our website. Sign up to our emails to keep up to date with the latest news and events.
