Degree auditions
Important information about in-person auditions for our degree programme
Dates
In-person part 2 auditions will be held at the National Centre for Circus Arts building in London on:
Tuesday 14 April 2026
Wednesday 15 April 2026
Thursday 16 April 2026 (TBC)
Applicants must participate in part 2 of the audition process, which is by invitation only once you have submitted your application form and part 1 video. We advise you not to make travel arrangements until you have been formally invited to an audition.
We recommend you are available for all the above dates as we cannot guarantee that we will be able to schedule your preferred date.
What to expect on the day
Over the course of the day, candidates will follow working sessions similar to classes held on the course. After the presentations, the audition panel will assess which candidates are to stay for a discussion with members of the HE team.
Indicative schedule*
An indicative schedule of the audition is as follows (order and times may vary):
08:45 – 09:00 Arrive and sign in
09:00 – 09.15 Introduction with the audition panel
09.15 – 10:30 Movement
10:30 – 10:45: Break
10:45 – 12:00: Theatre
12:00 – 12:30: Tech requirements meeting
12:30 – 13:30: Lunch
13:30 – 14:00: Set up for presentations
14:00 – 15:00: Presentations
Break (Selected candidates will be informed to stay)
15:30 – 17:30: Individual Discussions and Q&A
*Daily schedule is subject to change.
Full Video Auditions
If you are based outside of the UK or are unable to attend one of the scheduled part 2 audition dates, you can apply to audition fully via video. Please email admissions@nationalcircus.org.uk to request a full video audition. Video audition requests will be based on individual circumstance. Our full video audition requirements and criteria can be found below.
Audition results
In-person:
Candidates auditioning in-person will be notified of their audition result by email within three weeks of their final live audition.
Full Video:
If you are auditioning by full video application and submit this by 30th March 2026 at 13:00 (BST), your application will be considered alongside the in-person audition applications and an outcome sent to you within 3 weeks of those auditions taking place.
Any full video applications received after the April auditions will be considered on a rolling basis, and you will typically hear back within 3 weeks of your video submission date. Although the final deadline to apply is 14th August 2026, we strongly encourage you to apply as early as possible to secure your place before the course reaches capacity and so you are able to start the course on time.
The presentation
The 1.30-2 minute presentation is an opportunity for the candidate to demonstrate their performance ability and personal artistic approach. Preferably this should also demonstrate their ability and competence in a physical skill coherent with the practice of circus arts, but at BA1 level this is not a strict requirement. The panel observing the presentation will be attentive to your: creativity and imaginative response, stage presence, physical execution of any technique presented, movement quality, expression and connection with the audience.
Presentation Pieces will be presented to all other audition candidates and panel members.
Each candidate is responsible for:
Individual Discussions and Q&A
Selected candidates will be asked to stay for a discussion at the end of the audition day with at least two members of the audition panel. This is a chance for the audition panel to get to know a bit more about you, your suitability for the course and to discuss with you your aspirations.
Running alongside the individual discussions will be a group question and answer session. This enables applicants to gain as much information about our degree course as possible, helping them to make a more informed decision about whether the National Centre for Circus Arts is the right place for them.
What do we look for in auditions?Â
The audition panel are looking for your suitability to study on our degree course and potential for a career in circus arts. Having experience in circus skills is desirable but not essential and does not exclude you from getting on the course. The main areas the panel will be looking at is your:
Panel scores and comments from both parts of the audition will be used to select candidates for individual discussions.
Please read our audition criteria to see what you will be assessed on.
