Students who want to pursue a career in acting professionally should think about enrolling in an acting program where they can learn the performing arts with accomplished professors and other aspiring actors. Thankfully, numerous universities in England and the United States provide degree programs in professional acting for aspiring actors.
The following list of the best acting schools can launch any performing career for aspirant students who want to pursue a career in theatre, screen, or voice-over acting.
Best Acting Schools in the World
1. Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (London)
- One of the UK’s oldest and best acting schools, the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), is based in the heart of London and was established more than a century ago.
- This academy has a history and reputation for individuals wishing to hone their acting skills in the active and exciting London acting industry. It offers programs on television, radio, theatre, and movies for aspiring filmmakers.
- Five live performance theatres and one movie theatre are located on the RADA campus, providing students with plenty of opportunities to demonstrate their developing acting abilities in front of educated and affluent London audiences. Additionally, the RADA offers students countless opportunities to work with other actors on stimulating and difficult performances.
- If students are seeking chances to perform for the Royal Family, RADA can be the ideal option.
Notable Alumni
Diana, Princess of Wales, served as the school’s president from 1989 to 1997, and Queen Elizabeth II is RADA’s Royal Patron. Fiona Shaw, Alan Rickman, and Vivian Leigh are some notable former students.
2. Northwestern University (Evanston)
- Northwestern University provides undergraduate degrees in dance, theatre, and performance studies through its Department of Communications.
- The theatre programmes at Northwestern University are consistently regarded as one of the best performing arts programmes in the country. They are packed with unique performance incubators and seminars focused on theatre, dance, playwriting, and musical performance.
- Due to Northwestern University’s proximity to Chicago, one of North America’s most cutting-edge theatre performance cities, its students have unparalleled access to the city’s renowned acting and career in performing arts.
Notable Alumni
Some notable former students are Stephen Colbert, David Schwimmer, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus.
3. USC School of Dramatic Arts (Los Angeles)
- The University of Southern California School of Dramatic Arts in Los Angeles is one of the best acting schools to learn acting if you want to be close to the heart of the Hollywood film business as a student.
- The USC School of Dramatic Arts is a private drama school with a reputation for being one of the greatest acting programmes in the nation. It may help you launch a career in any form of acting, stage management, technical direction, and sound design.
- All students have plenty of possibilities to learn about and develop as artists in their chosen subject at this 1945-founded school, which yearly presents over 20 shows in four cutting-edge performance spaces.
Notable Alumni
Leigh Allyn Baker, John Ritter, and LeVar Burton are a few notable former students.
4. UCLA School of Theater, Film, and Television (Los Angeles)
- Consider a scenario where students wish to attend a prestigious university with a long history in their field of study in the Los Angeles area. In that scenario, the best acting school is the University of California Los Angeles School of Theater, Film, and Television.
- This university opened its doors in 1947 and was the first to combine the study of theatre, film, and television into a single department. This pioneering mentality is still present today.
- Students will perform on some of the most legendary stages in the nation, including the Billy Wilder Theater and the Geffen Playhouse.
Notable Alumni
Jack Black, Carol Brunett, Nancy Cartwright, and Francis Ford Coppola are some notable former students.
5. The David Geffen School of Drama at Yale University (New Haven)
- Students interested in various acting and performing areas should research this prestigious Ivy League institution.
- The David Geffen School of Drama at Yale University, established in 1924, is one of the world’s best acting schools and competitive acting programmes. The school is the place to be for the best and brightest aspiring actors because it only accepts a small number of students each year.
- The school was endowed in 2021 with a $150 million contribution from billionaire David Geffen, making tuition completely free for students accepted.
Notable Alumni
There are far too many notable graduates to list them all, but a few are Meryl Streep, Henry Winkler, Angela Bassett, and Lupita Nyong’o.
6. East 15 Acting School (Essex)
- East 15 Acting School, one of the top-ranked and best acting schools in the UK, is a fantastic university choice for students looking for a British acting education outside of London.
- Students are trained in acting, stage design, directing, and technical design at East 15 Acting School for acclaimed international stages.
- East 15 Acting School offers students the chance to study with some of the top acting instructors in the world, thanks to its illustrious roster of foreign acting instructors.
Notable Alumni
Alan Ford, Arsher Ali, and Elizabeth Henstridge are just a few of the notable former students.
7. NYU Tisch School of the Arts (New York)
- Students should consider enrolling at the NYU Tisch School of the Arts in New York City if working on Broadway is their ultimate aim.
- Tisch was established in 1965 and serves as a gathering place for budding authors, actors, and stage performers. It’s just icing on the cake that your educational experience will take place against the backdrop of New York City.
- There may not be a better school to develop your skills and make contacts than this one if students want to find their way into a Broadway profession. In 2016, Tisch had more active graduates working on Broadway than any other acting school.
Notable Alumni
Familiar names like Angelina Jolie, Spike Lee, Joel Coen, Ang Lee, Alec Baldwin, Martin Scorcese, and Whoopi Goldberg are among the notable alumni.
Conclusion
The education provided by these best acting schools will not only make students better actors, but it will also give them a chance to connect with other aspiring actors and network with professionals in the acting and performing arts industries. Many successful actors attend acting classes to launch their careers. Students can learn from top instructors while honing their acting abilities by following their example and emulating them.
Want personalised advice on pursuing a career in acting from a seasoned professional? If you’re interested, look into career counselling online.