The Top Drama Schools in the UK 2025

If you’re aspiring to become a professional actor, one of the most reliable paths is through attending a drama school. While there are similarities between studying drama or theatre at a traditional university and attending a drama school, the latter specialises in intensive training focused on acting skills, techniques, and industry preparation. Over the course of three years, a drama school equips you with the tools needed to launch your career in acting.

Choosing the Best Drama School in the UK

When deciding where to study acting, it’s important to look for industry-recognised institutions. The Federation of Drama Schools is an excellent resource, as it represents the top UK drama schools with the highest standards of training, student satisfaction, and post-graduation success. By choosing a school endorsed by this organisation, you can be confident you’re receiving the best possible preparation for your acting career.

List of the Top Drama Schools in the UK 2024

ArtsEd

London-based and a very popular school, ArtsEd is one of the leading drama schools in the country and has excellent courses for both acting and musical theatre BA degrees. Graduates from the Musical Theatre course regularly go into West End musical casts within a year or two of graduating.

Alumni include: YungBlud, Lashana Lynch and Omari Douglas.

Bristol Old Vic

A prestigious drama school based in Bristol, it only takes a small number of actors on every year. Famously opened by Laurence Olivier, it is one of the UK’s most successful drama schools and has two previous Luke Westlake Scholarship winners - Sol Taibi and Tamzin Khan.

Alumni include Daniel Day-Lewis, Olivia Colman and Naomi Harris.

Drama Studio

Based in central London, it was established over 50 years ago and offers a range of courses for actors. The courses are aimed at actor-training only and have Olivier Award-nominated alumni.

Alumni include: Forest Whitaker and Emily Watson.

East 15

Based in Essex, the school is a part of the University of Essex and has been churning out actors for the past 60 years. Offers a range of courses, including foundation acting courses and has a campuses in Loughton and Southend. It also has a very successful international actors programme.

Alumni include: Alison Steadman and Blake Harrison.

Guildford School of Acting

Based at the University of Surrey campus, GSA is well known for its musical theatre courses. It offers a variety of other courses, including multiple acting BA and MA courses to suit any aspiring actor’s needs.

Alumni include: Kobna Holdbrook-Smith and T’Nia Miller.

Guildhall School of Music and Drama

Based in the artistic hub of Barbican, Central London, Guildhall’s reputation has grown considerably in recent years and is now one of the most sought after drama schools in the UK for actors in training. Their BA acting course is notoriously difficult to get into, but offers some of the best training in the country.

Alumni include: Damian Lewis, Daniel Craig and Ewan McGregor.

Italia Conti

With a new campus just opened in Woking, Surrey, Italia Conti flies the flag for the oldest theatre training school in the world. It continues offers high-level acting and musical theatre courses.

Alumni include: Layton Williams, Naomi Campbell and Sir Noel Coward.

LAMDA

Based in Central London, LAMDA needs no introduction. It’s world-class training is admired globally and it continues to develop some of the greatest stage and screen actors - including 5 Academy awards. It sets the standard for elite-level drama school and is one of the best known institutions in the industry.

Alumni include: Benedict Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Brian Cox.

What does LAMDA stand for?

LAMDA stands for the London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art.

LIPA

Liverpool’s flagship drama school, LIPA offers a wide range of exciting and diverse courses for actors - including stage and screen focused degrees for both BA and MA candidates. 

Alumni include: Jamie Lloyd and Liz White.

Manchester School of Theatre

A part of Manchester Metropolitan University, it’s one of Manchester’s leading actor-training schools. Though it only offers a limited amount of courses, the training is held in high regard and is based in a city where arts, screen and stage is thriving.

Alumni include: Zawe Ashton, Steve Coogan and Julie Walters.

Mountview

Having recently relocated to a brand new, purpose built centre and building in Peckham, South London, Mountview are historically known for their excellent musical theatre training and graduates. Offering a range of courses, it now sits in one of the most popular and bustling towns in the capital.

Alumni include: Giles Terera, Denise Welch and Amanda Holden.

Oxford School of Drama

Despite not being a part of Oxford University, this conservatoire has been praised for the high level of training and student satisfaction in recent years. It’s based in the idyllic Oxfordshire countryside and works hard to maintain London-links for 3rd year showcases in front of agents and casting directors. It has also recently started delivering exceptional talent into the industry from its BA acting course.

Alumni include: Claire Foy and Nicola Coughlan.

RADA

The most famous drama school in the world, RADA offers elite-tier training for actors. It has trained and developed some of the best actors in the history of the entertainment industry and continues to do so. Based in central London, the school offers a limited selection of courses for actors and it is historically difficult to get into. RADA transcends the normal standards of actor training and has a plethora of elite alumni.

Alumni include: Ralph Fiennes, Jessie Buckley, Ben Wishaw, Kenneth Brannagh and Gemma Arterton.

What does RADA stand for?

RADA stands for the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts.

Rose Bruford College

Based in Sidcup, South East London, Rose Bruford offers a huge range of courses for actors. It’s renowned internationally and has recently absorbed the entire ALRA student-base after the latter’s collapse.  It also serves one of the most successful international acting courses in the world.

Alumni include: Gary Oldman and Rosalie Craig.

Royal Birmingham Conservatoire

Regularly placing highly on the student satisfaction survey, the Birimingham-based conservatoire offers a large variety of courses in music and drama. With the Birmingham Rep attracting star named shows, like Tom Hiddleston, in recent years, the city offers a break from London without losing the rich levels of art and culture.

Alumni include: Catherine Tyldesley and Danielle Pinnock.

Royal Central School of Speech and Drama

Another world-famous school, Central offers a huge range courses for actors and creatives. Based in Central London, they are a part of the University of London and have excellent training facilities in the capital. It also boasts a fantastic alumni list.

Alumni include: Judi Dench, Andrew Garfield and Riz Ahmed and Sir Laurence Olivier.

Royal Conservatoire of Scotland

Based in the historic, culture-centric Glasgow, this conservatoire offers some of the finest training in the UK. Constantly ranked in the world’s top 10 institutions for actor training, some of the best actors of this generation have trained there.

Alumni include: Ncuti Gatwa, Billy Boyd and Colin Firth.

Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

Located in Cardiff with state of the art facilities, Royal Welsh is beginning to make its mark on the industry after a few years of developing world-class talent. With two previous Luke Westlake Scholarship winners hailing from the school, it also produces its own theatre productions.

Alumni include: Anthony Boyle, Anthony Hopkins and Ruth Jones.