Tips for Recording your
Self-Tape
- Watch the short film clip above offering advice and tips on recording your audition video.
- Stand away from the background which should be plain and not distracting.
- Pick a quiet room with some space to move and no background noise.
- Be aware of your distance from the camera/mic and speak up (project) when further away.
- Make sure the room is bright and you can be seen clearly – lit from the front rather than above.
- Do not place yourself in silhouette – be careful of the position of windows.
- Try and use a tripod – not handheld. If you don’t have a tripod, spend a bit of time experimenting to ensure that your smartphone is secure.
- Your eyeline should be to the side of the camera when you are performing your monologues, you may find it helpful having someone standing just to side of the camera, out of shot, for you to talk to.
- Avoid props, costume and make up. We are interested in you and your ability.
- Please ensure that you check the video for any audio issues etc before you upload the link to the application form.
- Please also ensure that the settings are not set to “private” and that there is no expiration date on the video.
How to Apply
Applications for September 2023 entry are now open! Thank you for taking the time to read through the application details below. Please follow the 4 steps below before submitting your application.
We advise applicants to submit their application with us by April 2023 so that we can allocate recall auditions. All our recall auditions are held in person at the school so submitting your application earlier in the season allows more opportunity to allocate you a recall date within your available dates. As the season closes, we can only run a limited number of recall days therefore, you have more chance of being seen at recall stage if you apply earlier on in the season. Final applications close at midnight on Monday 22 May 2023.
Entry Requirements
Entry is by audition only; there are no academic requirements for any of our courses.
We are unable to accept international students on our Three Year or One Year course unless they have UK residency with indefinite leave to remain/settled status.
Applicants from the EU/EEA/Switzerland who do not have settled status in the UK are eligible to apply for the Six Month Foundation Course.
Minimum age for acting courses:
Foundation Course – 18 years
Three Year Course – 18 years
One Year Course – 21 years
There is no upper age limit for any of our courses. It is essential however, that you meet the minimum age requirement by the time the course starts in September. e.g. if you would like to apply for the One Year Course and you will not turn 21 until June 2023, for example, you are able to apply.
Audition Fee
The First Round audition is by self-tape and the audition fee of £15 is paid on application. We have a lower fee for the First Round self-tape audition to give more people the opportunity to audition for the School.
Please note that the audition fee is non-refundable, and applications received without the audition fee will not be processed.
The Recall audition is held at the School and the audition fee of £30 is paid when confirming your place at your First Recall audition. All Recalls are held in person and include a workshop alongside your individual audition with the panel. You will not be asked to pay any additional audition fees if you progress to the Second (final) Recall stage. The Recall audition fee must be paid by the deadline in the email because this confirms your attendance at the First Recall Audition. If you are unable to attend then please let us know so that we can allocate the space to another applicant. Please email: auditions@oxforddrama.ac.uk if you have any queries.
Audition Fee Waiver
An Audition Fee Waiver aims to increase access by offering a free audition to eligible applicants who aspire to train at drama school. The Oxford School of Drama is committed to ensuring fair access to students who have the talent and potential to benefit from our training, regardless of their background. To support this, we are able to offer 100 audition fee waivers to people whose financial circumstances may prevent them from applying to us. To be eligible for the audition fee waiver you must meet all of the criteria listed below:
• You are resident in the UK
• You are new to higher education
• You live in a household with a gross annual income of below £35,000
Please download the Audition Fee Waiver Application Form and email the completed application and income evidence to auditions@oxforddrama.ac.uk before applying to the School. Please note, in order to get this fee waiver, applicants must apply for it before they submit their application. We are unable to reimburse audition fees once we have processed your application.
The Application Procedure
The First Round audition is via self-tape and the First Recall and Second/final Recall audition is held in person at the School and includes a workshop alongside your individual audition with the panel.
Please follow the instructions below regarding submitting your First Round audition with your application. Click here for the instructions in a downloadable format.
Submitting Your First Round Application Self-Tape
Before completing your application form, you will need to film and submit your introduction and answer to the question below along with two speeches of no more than 2 minutes each, no more than 6-7 minutes long in total. You are required to upload one link with the three parts (you can film in one take or use a programme to edit them into one) onto your application. The speeches are of your choosing, but if you would like to take one of our suggestions for your classical speech, please click here to view the list. For those unsure or unconfident about your classical piece we would encourage you to take one of our suggestions.
1. Film a close up of your face introducing yourself (state your name, the course(s) you are applying for, why you wish to train at the Oxford School of Drama and the details of your speeches) and then answer the following question: Why do you think we tell stories? (2 minutes in total).
Change position by moving back from camera to a waist up shot and deliver the two pieces. Your eyeline should be to the side of the camera.
2. A classical speech from the 16th or 17th century. This can be Shakespeare or any other writer from that period; for example, John Ford, Ben Jonson, Mary Pix, Christopher Marlowe, Aphra Behn (2 minutes long).
3. A contrasting (a different subject, theme or emotion) contemporary speech from a 20th or 21st century play (2 minutes long).
4. Upload your audition video to Vimeo/YouTube making sure the link works for someone who isn’t logged in, that settings are set to either public or set to private only if people with the link can still access it. Copy and paste the link into the indicated field on the application form. Please also include the names of your speeches in the indicated fields. Please make sure there is no expiry date for viewing the link because we may want to access your audition at recall and waiting list stages. The link should be in this format: https://vimeo.com/000000000
To apply, press the APPLY NOW button at the bottom of the page to start your application. On the application form you will be asked to fill in your contact details, confirm your eligibility, your course choice(s) (you can apply for up to two courses), list any dates that you are unavailable to attend a recall audition if invited, list your education history and fill in the Something about you section. Please use this section as an opportunity to talk to the Panel; to inform them about who you are, what you have done up until now and why you want to study at the School.
Once you have submitted your application you will receive an automatic email confirmation. Please allow up to 4 weeks for us to get back to you regarding the outcome of your First Round audition to allow the Panel time to view your audition.
Please be ready to confirm your First Recall audition by making the Recall payment by the date requested in your First Recall invitation. This is usually within 2 working days.
We will contact you via e-mail, so please make sure that you also check your Spam folder for any communication from the School. Please contact Admissions if you haven’t heard from us: auditions@oxforddrama.ac.uk.
If your First Round audition is not successful, we will email you a letter to inform you. You will be able to call the School to obtain feedback on your audition from the Admissions Administrator on the days stated.
