Acting Schools and Programs in Australia

Acting Studies in Australia

Melbourne, AustraliaThe opportunity to study acting in Australia can be the cultural experience of a lifetime.  An island continent between the Indian and Pacific Oceans, Australia is a mix of varied landscapes and a population that is multicultural, unique and welcoming.  Founded in 1788 as a British convict colony, Australia was once a place of banishment, but that all changed with the gold strikes of the mid 19^th century, which ultimately led to the country’s independence from the UK in 1901, with a constitution modeled after that of the United States.  Once a strictly rural country, today nearly 85% of Australia’s 22 million residents live in urban areas and the living standard there is one of the best in the world.  Australia is home to numerous metropolitan regions, including Sydney—the country’s largest city—Melbourne and Canberra, the nation’s capital.  Its higher education system is highly regarded and its graduates hold prominent positions in countries throughout the world.

Acting Education in Australia

Acting is offered as a degree or professional program at numerous Australian universities, including the University of Ballarat (UB), an institution at which acting studies lead to a Bachelor of Arts degree in the discipline.
 
At UB, acting is offered by its School of Education and Arts.  The degree offers focused theater study, allowing the acting student to develop and hone their skills and gain the necessary techniques to become a professional actor.  Classes are instructed by respected artists and teachers, together ensuring that the perspective gained by emerging performers is not only relevant, but rigorous and contemporary as well.  The course is underpinned by a philosophy of blending practice with theory, incorporating workshops, rehearsal and research. Subjects include Voice, Dance, Acting (for theatre and film), Performance Studio and Critical Studies. Studio and public performances occur at each level of the program, which typically spans three years for full-time students.

Why Study Abroad in Australia

The number of reasons for choosing Australia for your study abroad adventure is immeasurable.  Their universities offer focused degrees, in which students choose their major in their first year, and begin studying their chosen topics in a focused curriculum as opposed to the broad-based curriculum of the United States and Canadian universities.  Bachelor degrees in Australia span only 3 years, as opposed to four years in other region of the world, allowing students to gain their academic qualifications more rapidly and enter the workforce in their chosen field.  This also leads to lower overall tuition rates, which means you’ll have more money in your pocket to pursue a variety of activities during your stay in the country.

Like the U.S., Australia has a diverse and multicultural society, and therefore, making the cultural transition from North America or Europe to Australia is usually fast and easy.  Australia has numerous scholarship programs, student bursaries, and other support programs to help transition international students into Australia, and it presently has the third-largest largest international student enrollment, after the USA and the UK. 

The excellent living standards in Australia are another reason to study here.  Australia is ranked as the world’s best country in which to live and work.  It has fantastic weather, with the sun shining at most times throughout the year, an affordable cost of living, and friendly people who like nothing more than welcoming international students into their country and showing them around.