Course contact details
Admissions
Email:admissions@surrey.ac.uk
Phone:+44(0)1483 682222
University of Surrey
Guildford
GU2 7XH
Why choose this course
Our Foundation Acting (CertHE) programme aims to nurture and develop skills and techniques for those who aspire to train within either a conservatoire or higher education environment, in pursuit of a career within the creative industries.
This course is the perfect step to your professional career offering a mini-taster of what drama school is like if you wish to study acting further.
Many of our CertHE students go on to study further undergraduate programmes with the Guildford School of Acting (GSA), the University of Surrey, and other higher education institutions. It is a great stepping stone to reaching your professional goal.
Please note that this foundation course does not form part of our BA (Hons) Acting degree and does not offer automatic progression to other degrees.
We’re preparing you for the future by integrating AI into every course, building digital skills, confidence and creativity that employers value in tomorrow’s workplace.
What you will study
This is both an innovative and intensive programme-led course and is taught by GSA’s highly skilled tutors and industry professionals. You will have the opportunity to:
Develop a broad range of performance skills relevant to the actor
Receive guidance and preparation for the selection and delivery of monologues required for auditions onto professional performance programmes
Study audition technique
Access support and guidance for the submission of applications to conservatoires and higher education institutions
Enjoy practical workshops
Engage with basic camera techniques and skills required for further screen acting training
Perform in a performance project of work within one of GSA’s performance venues.
To see the full range of modules for this course please visit our website – the link is under the Course contact details. You will also find full details of the programme, including programme structure, assessment methods, contact hours and Graduate prospects.
The following entry points are available for this course:
Discover what it's like to study Foundation Acting at University of Surrey: insights on the course, making friends, personal statement tips, uni prep, and recommended books, podcasts, and videos.
Applications are considered on an individual basis, taking into account qualifications achieved, predicted grades, personal statement and academic reference. Conditional offers are specified in terms of required grades; we do not make offers in terms of overall UCAS tariff.
Candidates who can demonstrate exceptional talent, and can satisfy the panel of their ability to successfully complete the programme, may also be considered.
We understand that predicted grades are an estimate and will consider applicants who have predicted grades that are a little lower than our published requirement. Any offers we make will align with the grades shown above unless a grade reduction can be offered under our Contextual Admissions policy or our In2Surrey scheme. Details can be found here: https://www.surrey.ac.uk/schools-colleges/contextual-admissions-policy
Applicants with a mixed qualification profile (e.g. those taking A-levels and BTEC qualifications) are encouraged to contact admissions@surrey.ac.uk for guidance on the grades accepted.
| Test | Grade | Additional details |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic) | 6.5 | 6.5 overall with 6.0 in Writing and 5.5 in each other element. |
https://www.surrey.ac.uk/apply/international/english-language-requirements
This section shows the range of grades that students who received offers were previously accepted on to this course with (learn more).
It is designed to support your research but does not guarantee whether you will or won't get a place.
Admissions teams consider various factors, including interviews, subject requirements, and entrance tests. Check all course entry requirements for eligibility.
We are unable to show previous accepted grades for this course. This could be because the course is new, it's a postgraduate course, there isn't enough historical data, or the provider has opted out of sharing their entry grades data for this course - learn more.
This report uses your grades to show how students with similar results have done when applying to this course in the past. Sometimes, there isn’t data for every possible set of grades. When that happens, universities and colleges occasionally fill in the gaps for sets of grades that are typically accepted.
Subject Spotlights give you the chance to try a higher education course before you apply. Delivered by the lecturers themselves you will gain insight into what it's like to study the course and give your personal statement a boost.

| Location | Fee | Year |
|---|---|---|
| England, Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland | TBC |
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website.
Please see our website for up-to-date information on our fees for 2027/28:
https://www.surrey.ac.uk/fees-and-funding/tuition-fees/undergraduate-2027-entry
The University of Surrey offers a range of scholarships and bursaries to support our students, please visit https://www.surrey.ac.uk/fees-and-funding/scholarships-and-bursaries for more details.
Email:admissions@surrey.ac.uk
Phone:+44(0)1483 682222
Guildford
GU2 7XH
At University of Surrey