Apply for 2026 / 2027 intake.
Study at The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama
- Location
- London
- Founded
- 1906 (college of the University of London since 2005; Royal title 2012)
- Students
- about 1,000
- Type
- Public conservatoire; college of the University of London
- Main intakes
- September
- Study levels
- Undergraduate, Postgraduate, Research
The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, known as Central, is a specialist drama conservatoire and a college of the University of London. Founded in 1906 by Elsie Fogerty as the Central School of Speech Training and Dramatic Art at the Royal Albert Hall, it moved to the Embassy Theatre in Swiss Cottage, north London, in 1957, joined the University of London in 2005 and received its Royal title in 2012. With about 1,000 students, it is one of Britain's smallest higher education institutions, offering intensive practice-based training across acting, voice, movement, theatre-making, production crafts and applied theatre. It is a member of Conservatoires UK and the Federation of Drama Schools, and supports doctoral research alongside professional training. Its alumni include Laurence Olivier, Judi Dench and Harold Pinter. Teaching takes place in working theatres and studios, and students regularly present public productions as part of their training.
Location and student life
Central is based at the Embassy Theatre on Eton Avenue, Swiss Cottage (NW3), in the London Borough of Camden in north London. It is a single-site conservatoire, with teaching rooms, rehearsal studios, workshops and performance spaces grouped around the Embassy Theatre. Swiss Cottage is a residential neighbourhood with shops, cafes and green space nearby, and the theatres of central London, including the West End, are within easy reach. As part of the University of London, Central students can also use the University's intercollegiate halls and wider student facilities in Bloomsbury. The school runs small-group campus tours through the year for prospective applicants.
Courses and subjects
Central does not use a faculty structure; courses are organised across acting, theatre-making, production and applied practice. Undergraduate options include BA acting degrees in streams such as Classical and Contemporary, Contemporary and Devised, and Musical Theatre, alongside degrees in areas such as Drama and Applied Theatre, theatre crafts and making, design, scenography and stage management. Postgraduate options include MA and MFA degrees in areas such as Acting (Classical and Contemporary), Advanced Theatre Practice, and Actor Training and Coaching, plus research degrees including PhD study. Training is practice-based, with acting courses assessed largely through audition and workshop. Exact course titles change, so applicants should check the current course list on the school's website.
Entry requirements for international students
Admission is selective and, for performance courses, centres on audition, interview or portfolio alongside academic qualifications. International applicants whose first language is not English typically need an IELTS Academic score of around 7.0 overall, with some undergraduate courses asking for no component below 6.0; the school sets its minimum at CEFR level C1. Requirements vary by course, so applicants should check the English-language requirements and course pages on the school's official website for the exact scores, audition speeches and deadlines for their chosen programme.
Accommodation
Central has no halls of its own. Students can apply for an annual allocation of rooms in the University of London's Intercollegiate Halls, and the school also partners with iQ Student Accommodation at sites including Haywood House and Sterling Court. Many students rent private flats, shared houses or homestays across London, and the school's Student Advice Service offers guidance on housing options. Because places in university halls are limited, applicants should arrange accommodation early.
Scholarships and funding
Central publishes named awards on its scholarships, bursaries and awards page. The Embassy Scholarship offers between £2,000 and £5,000 to incoming BA, MA and MFA students, including overseas students, with around 50 awards made. The Rye Family Scholarship offers £5,000 to acting students. Eligibility, values and the number of awards change each year, so international applicants should check the school's official scholarships page for the current round before applying.