Qualification | Certificate of Higher Education
Course Leader | Erica Lawrence
Validated by | University of Chichester
Location | Woking
Course Length | 1 Year, Full-Time
Start Date | September 2025
Italia Conti’s CertHE Musical Theatre Performance is designed to train students in the triple threat skills needed to embark on a full-time degree course in musical theatre and the performing arts.
Our one-year full-time course delivers an intensive skills training in the disciplines of Singing, Dance and Acting, alongside rigorous audition technique training in all three disciplines, designed to fully prepare students for drama school applications and auditions, and a range of Musical Theatre rehearsal and performance opportunities.
Students will be trained in improving performance and audition confidence, audition etiquette, how to prepare for online auditions (including self-taping) and rehearsal and performance practice, ready to face the challenges of a variety of performing arts school auditions, and to embark upon their three-year training. Students will train with the same core faculty that also teach on our degree and diploma courses, and benefit from the wealth of knowledge brought by a world-renowned performing arts school that has been training successful artists since 1911.
Applications Now Open
The course is organised into modules concerned with the acquisition of core skills in Acting, Singing, Dance and Voice. These provide the foundation for students’ training as a Musical Theatre performer, along with multiple classes to hone and perfect their audition technique and preparation, ready to audition for 3-year BA programmes. These core skills are brought together in the Musical Theatre Rehearsal and Performance module where students will learn to apply the skills they have learnt holistically in musical theatre performance, with equal emphasis placed on all three.
Tuition Fees | £9535 per academic year, (paid in advanced termly instalments) Audition Fee | £45 (non-refundable) Deposit | £275 (The deposit is refundable within 14 calendar days of the payment being received by Italia Conti but will not be refunded thereafter for non-enrolment. It will be held by the School and will be refundable on completion of the course, without interest, less any outstanding sums owed by the student to Italia Conti.)
For further information, please see our International Applications page.
Terms and conditions apply upon acceptance to Italia Conti.
The CertHE course offers the following funding options:
Italia Conti welcomes applications for audition fee waivers for those who are eligible.
Italia Conti welcomes applications for deposit fee waivers for those who are eligible.
“The building and staff inside welcome you with open arms, guide you through your training and proudly push you, prepped with the best tools for the job.”
“I feel as if I have already made so much improvement in a short space of time. I love how equally balanced the course is, as I know with some musical theatre courses it’s hard to find a balance between all three disciplines, but this course really delivers.”
“italia conti is such an inclusive place for everyone. The diversity on the first intake of students for the cert he course is incredible and I cannot wait to see how this course betters students in the years to come!”
“The influx of inspiring people flowing through the building creates an atmosphere for greatness and I am honoured to be a part of that.”
After completing the application process, you will be invited to submit an audition tape where auditionees will be required to demonstrate a variety of skills. Successful applicants will be invited to a recall audition on site. Information about auditions can be found below.
Application to the Cert HE course is to be made through both UCAS and direct application via the link below. Applicants must complete this form and pay the audition fee (£45) in order to be considered for the course. Applicants cannot apply through UCAS alone for this programme.
Audition fees are non-refundable. These fees act as both an administration fee for processing your application as well as a non-refundable deposit for a place on an audition day.
Application Form (italiaconti-apply.co.uk)
Direct application is now open. Please note that our listing on UCAS is shown as a University of Chichester course.
UCAS Institution Code | C58 UCAS Course Code | W3IC
Applicants who have applied through UCAS and who have not completed Italia Conti application form should click the link above or contact admissions@italiaconti.co.uk for support.
In line with our admissions policy, Italia Conti reserves the right to alter or withdraw offers at any point. Places on our courses are limited; it is usual for drama schools to make more offers than there are places. Acceptances are dealt with on a first come first serve basis and so early acceptance is advised.
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First round applicants will receive the result from their audition submission within 3-4 weeks of receipt. This is to ensure that every submission deserves our full time and attention.
Auditionees should prepare one speech, no longer than one and a half minutes in length, from a Contemporary British Play written after 1990.
Auditionees should prepare a song, no longer than one and a half minutes in length, that they enjoy singing and can sing well.
Please ensure that the recording is a true reflection of your acoustic singing voice. Do not edit the audio or add any effects to the recording in any way. Please record the audio using the video camera device so you capture an accurate and unaltered recording of how the voice sounds in a room.
Please record yourself performing the following Kicks and Pirouette combination & Jump combination exercises as taught on the video.
Auditionees should prepare one dance piece in your preferred style, no longer than one minute. This should showcase your strengths and highlight any special skills.
Please wear tight fitting clothing to allow the panel to see your movement fully.
Recall auditions will take place at our Woking campus.
Auditionees should prepare an additional speech that is contrasting to their first audition piece. Both pieces will be seen at recall. This second speech could be contemporary (after 1990) or classical. Again, this speech should be no longer than one and a half minutes:
Auditionees should prepare two musical theatre songs, each cut to one and a half minutes in length, that they enjoy singing and can sing well:
Suggested composers/lyricists can include: Rodgers and Hammerstein, Rodgers and Hart, Cole Porter, Learner and Leowe, Leonard Bernstein, Kurt Weill, Jerome Kern, Frank Loesser, George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Irving Berlin.
Suggested composers/lyricists can include; Stephen Schwartz, Stephen Sondheim, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Alan Menken, Boubil and Schonberg, Jason Robert Brown, Lin Manuel-Miranda, Kander and Ebb, Jule Styne, Cy Coleman, Marvin Hamlisch, Tom Kitt, Laurence O’Keefe, Jerry Bock.
You will be required to participate in three dance classes at your recall; Ballet, Technical Centre Practice and a class where a set piece of Jazz choreography will be taught. Each class will last 30 minutes.
Required dress: Jazz shoes or trainers that are suitable for dance (i.e. no Converse or similar fashion shoes that are not designed for dance). No loose clothing or jewellery is permitted.
During the day you will be invited for a short interview with a member of the Senior Leadership/Course Management team.
Qualification | Diploma
Course Leader | Dan Fulham
Validated by | Trinity College London
Course Length | 3 Years, Full-Time
Qualification | Degree
Course Leader | Dan Fulham / Bradley Hawkins
Validated by | University of Chichester (pending validation)
Qualification | Foundation Degree (FdA)
Course Leader | TBC
Course Length | 2 Years, Full-Time (with top-up to Degree in third year)