Admission process

Application extended to February 15, 2023
For the Production Digital and Technical Arts program only

Start your application

Details about the application process

Registration fee for 2022-2023: $80 CAD per program.
Please note that the registration fee is non-refundable.

Please have the following items readily available:

  • A recent digital photo; close-up of your face (in jpg or jpeg, maximum 5 Mo)
  • Your method of payment: credit card (Visa, Mastercard), certified cheque or money order (personal cheques are not accepted)
  • For applicants to the Acting, Directing, Playwriting, Set and Costume Design, or Production Design & Technical Arts programs: 3 references (Teachers and/or Theatre Professionals who know you - names and contact info. If you don't have references of theatre professionals, these can be teachers or bosses in other areas.) 
  • For applicants to the Directing, Playwriting and Production Design & Technical Arts program: your résumé

Can candidates apply to more than one program?

Yes, you can apply to more than one program. Candidates must:

  • Fill out a separate form for each program to which they apply
  • Include a $80 registration fee for each chosen program.

Instructions about the selection process will be sent starting FEBRUARY to all the candidates who have submitted a complete application form and paid the registration fee by January 31.

APPLICATION PROCESS

  • You must fill out the application form by January 31, 2023.
  • The selection process runs from February to June.
  • Candidates receive the date and location of their interview or audition ahead of time. They are responsible for any travel costs.
  • Juries conduct a careful evaluation process. Final decisions are officially communicated in May. The School does not share the details of the evaluation.
  • The School does not have a provincial or regional admissions quota.

PROCESS PER PROGRAM

Production Design and Technical Arts

Each candidate to the Production Design and Technical Arts program is contacted for an interview. Following the interview, all candidates are required to write a production concept for the mounting of a play chosen by the School. Candidates have one month after the interview to prepare this test.

Set and Costume Design

Candidates to the Set and Costume Design program have one month to design the set and costumes of a play to be chosen by the School. Candidates who pass this initial step are invited to an interview during which they are asked to present a portfolio of recent art or theatrical work.

Acting

Applicants to the Acting program must audition (prepare two short monologues that must not exceed two minutes each). A number of candidates are then selected for a callback workshop.

Consult our list of monologues

Directing

IMPORTANT: The Directing program accepts applications once every two years. Next application period: September 2023. 

Once the application has been submitted, candidates to the Directing program are subsequently required to submit a portfolio that will include: a letter of intention, a resume, and a written treatment of a text from a list of plays supplied by the School. After consideration of these submissions, selected candidates will be invited to attend a workshop which will include an interview.

Playwriting

Every Playwriting application must be accompanied by two plays of at least 20 pages each, a letter of intent, and a resume. Several candidates are invited to an interview before the final selection is made.

TUITION FEES - 2022-2023 SCHOOL YEAR

Canadian citizens and permanent residents

Acting, Production, and Set & Costume Design programs: $5,098.50
Playwriting and Directing programs: $5,896.75

International Students

Acting, Production, and Set & Costume Design programs: $10,197
Playwriting and Directing programs: $11,793.50

Frequently asked questions

Is there an age limit for enrolment?

Yes. Candidates must be at least 18 years old as of December 31 of the year of entry at NTS.

Can I apply to several programs at once, including applying to an English program as well as a French one?

Yes, absolutely. Candidates must then:

  • Fill in a different online form for each program; and
  • Include an $80 application fee for each program to which they apply.
Can the National Theatre School offer credits for courses successfully completed at another school?

No. All courses are obligatory; students must complete their entire program of study regardless of their chosen discipline or previous studies. The School does not grant course equivalencies, exemptions or substitutions. Only one status is recognized, that of a full-time student.

Are there prerequisites to be accepted to the NTS?

There is no academic diploma or degree required for any of NTS’s programs.

How long does it take before knowing if my application has been accepted?

The final results are officially communicated to candidates during the month of June.

How can I check the status of my application throughout the selection process?

The selection process for all programs lasts from February to June. At each step of the process, candidates are notified in advance of the date and location of their interview or audition as well as the status of their application.

NEED ANY HELP?

Read the Frequently Asked Questions

CONTACT OUR ADMISSIONS TEAM
admission@ent-nts.ca
514-842-7954, ext. 134

COME EXPERIENCE NTS

Book a tour of the School, it's free ! 

Discover the NTS campuses and the NTS campus life!

Learn more about financial aid opportunities! 

Discover the daily experience at NTS! | Subscribe to our Newsletter

The National Theatre School: 1 art school, 9 professional training programs