Bristol Old Vic Theatre School Shuts Down Undergraduate Program

The Bristol Old Vic Theatre School has announced that it will no longer be accepting applications for its undergraduate degree programmes and will not be admitting any new undergraduate students from September 2025. 

For almost 80 years, the school has prepared talented students from all walks of life to join the creative industries through inspiring training with world-leading practitioners, including the likes of Daniel Day-Lewis, Olivia Colman and Patrick Stewart.

However, a statement on the school's website cites "recent challenges that are having a widespread impact across the sector" resulting in the school's model becoming "financially unsustainable" as the reason for closure. These challenges include capping of student fees, restrictions to international student visas, cuts in grants, and increases in costs of living and teaching. 

The school will continue to deliver its suite of postgraduate courses, which include MFA Professional Acting, MFA Professional Voice Studies, MA Screen Acting, MA Drama Directing, MA Drama Writing and MA Performance Design, as well as accessible short courses.

Fiona Francombe, Principal & CEO of Bristol Old Vic Theatre School said, “Along with many Arts and Higher Education organisations, we are facing unprecedented funding challenges which we need to address as our current training model, focusing on teaching undergraduate degree courses, is not viable in the future.

“As a result, we will no longer be offering undergraduate training from September ’25 but will continue to provide postgraduate training and other courses. By taking this decision now we are able to plan for the next two academic years calmly, and with our students’ best interests at heart. 

“It is our intention to create a long-term sustainable future for the School where we can deliver high calibre training for which the School is renowned but we need time and space to work through the options and our current focus must be on existing students and staff."

It has also been noted that this does not affect Bristol Old Vic Theatre, which has been a separate organisation since 1986.

Read the full statement on the school's website here.