National Institute of Dramatic Art

General entry requirements for accredited courses are as follows:

• Have completed a Higher School Certificate or equivalent qualification at the end of high school for undergraduate courses.
• Be 18 years of age by 31 March in the first year of enrolment for domestic students in undergraduate programs.
• Be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Have skills and knowledge appropriate to the level and discipline into which the applicant is seeking to gain admission.
• Have an evidenced interest in the performing arts.

Applications are encouraged from domestic applicants who:

• Have previous higher education study.
• Have vocational education and training.
• Have work and life experience (having left school more than two years ago).
• Are recent secondary education applicants.
• Identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander.

Applications are encouraged from international applicants who:

• have successfully completed a Genuine Temporary Entry (GTE) interview.
• have completed the equivalent of a Year 12 or final year of high school qualification
• have an English language proficient equivalent to IELTS 7.0 with no band score less that 6.0
• Are 18 years of age at date of enrolment for international students.
• Have skills and knowledge appropriate to the level and discipline into which the applicant is seeking to gain admission.
• Have an evidenced interest in the performing arts.

Selection criteria

NIDA encourages applications from students from diverse backgrounds, with different levels of experience in theatre, film, television or other areas.

We select students who:

• Demonstrate commitment and motivation in relation to the arts, entertainment and related industries, to their chosen discipline, and to the course of study.
• Provide evidence of their capacity to work creatively and imaginatively.
• Demonstrate an aptitude to collaborate with peers as part of a creative process.
• Demonstrate a range of knowledge, skills, technical abilities and/or problem-solving techniques relevant to their discipline.
• Demonstrate cultural and contextual awareness.
• Articulate and communicate ideas clearly.

You will receive information about attending your enrolment audition and/or interview upon application.

Acceptance of offer

Offers are usually made in December each year. Successful applicants will be advised by telephone and in writing.

Deferment

Due to the highly competitive nature of NIDA’s admissions process, you must enrol for the year for which you have been offered a place. You cannot defer acceptance of a place.

Fees and charges

All students are required to pay tuition fees. Information on tuition fees for each course are available via the NIDA website. International students enrolled in NIDA’s BFA are required to pay international student fees. Information on tuition fees for courses open to international students is available on the NIDA website.

FEE-HELP supported degree programs

Eligible domestic students can apply for FEE-HELP, a loan scheme that assists eligible fee-paying students in paying all or part of their tuition fees. New Zealand citizens pay domestic student tuition fees but are not generally eligible to apply for a FEE-HELP loan. Refer to the Study Assist website for more information. Permanent residents of Australia pay domestic student tuition fees but are not eligible to apply for a FEE-HELP loan. For more information, and to check your eligibility, go to the Australian Government’s Study Assist website.

Scholarships

NIDA offers scholarships for students from a background historically underrepresented in the screen and stage industry experiencing financial need, including First Nations students. NIDA is committed to building a diverse community of students and strongly encourages applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people who are Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) and people with a disability.

Scholarships can provide support for:

• Accommodation and living costs
• Travel for interstate, regional and remote students; and sometimes
• Tuition fees

Visit the for NIDA website more information about scholarships.

The award-winning NIDA campus is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities to foster creativity and innovation.

There are six dedicated performance venues – including a 700-seat proscenium arch theatre and an outdoor event and performance space – all with the equipment necessary to mount full-scale professional productions.

Teaching and rehearsal spaces include dedicated screen-work areas, high-end acoustically treated rooms for voice work, specialised studios for design, lighting, multimedia and sound recording, as well as an extensive costume and properties store. The Costume, Scenic Construction and Technologies, and Properties and Objects courses each have dedicated industrial workshops. NIDA’s spacious foyer is used as an exhibition space for student work.

Accommodation

NIDA does not have on-campus accommodation for students, and students are responsible for arranging their own accommodation. Visit the NIDA website for information about options available to you.

Library services

The Rodney Seaborn Library is a specialist library for NIDA students, graduates and staff located at the NIDA building in Kensington. A small makeshift library was first created for NIDA staff and students within the grounds of UNSW in 1980. By 1988 the library moved to a purpose-built facility within the new Stage I NIDA campus situated on Anzac Parade. The renamed Rodney Seaborn Library was established in 2002, relocating again to a much bigger space on the newly-built southern wing of the Stage II site. The Rodney Seaborn Library is since recognised as one of Australia’s leading performing arts-based libraries.

Student Safety & Wellbeing

NIDA is committed to providing a safe and nurturing environment for all students to thrive. Maintaining and developing a learning environment that is safe, secure, and professional is a responsibility of all people in the NIDA community including staff, students, and guests. Student safety and wellbeing takes many forms, and below we’ve listed just some of the ways students can access support and student services.

Visit the NIDA website for more information.