Accommodation & Student Support
Options for support whilst studying at the National Centre
Accommodation
The National Centre for Circus Arts does not operate any housing of its own, but we do help students in finding suitable accommodation in London.
We advise students to look for housing with other students at the National Centre and we connect them together through a private WhatsApp group once they accept their place with us. We do not necessarily recommend private student halls as they are expensive. Our students tend to live in East or North-East London, areas such as Hackney, Islington, Tower Hamlets, Haringey, Newham or Waltham Forest.
An information pack will be sent to successful applicants detailing helpful information on finding and securing accommodation.
If you require further advice please contact us via admissions@nationalcircus.org.uk
Supporting our students
The National Centre for Circus Arts has a strong tradition of providing student care and support services and commits considerable resources to this purpose. Many students who are embarking on a course will be living away from home or abroad for the first time and may face challenges during their training. We aim to provide the necessary services to help all students overcome these and ensure that the highest level of individual care is offered.
Medical support –Limited access to in-house and external physio services for the purposes of triage and treatment. We also offer help and support in finding a local GP and other NHS services. Additionally our students can apply for a discounted student equity membership giving them access to medical scans for new conditions among other benefits.
Counselling – for students in need of further support we will be able to arrange counselling through a variety of routes.
Learning Support – support and assessment for students who have Specific Learning Differences and support for students whose second language is English. All students have access to support for assignments.
Financial Support – We are supported by the Leverhulme Trust which awards grants to students on our Degree course in order to try and help students in exceptional financial hardship who might not otherwise be able to afford to continue their studies. The National Centre also offers bursaries to eligible students from low-income backgrounds, care leavers and estranged students. For further information please visit our fees and funding page.
Natasha Fernandes
Performing Arts Physiotherapist
Natasha Fernandes has had more than 20 years of experience with a BSc. (Hons) degree and two Australian postgraduate qualifications: Postgraduate Diploma in Sports Physiotherapy and MSc.in the field of Sports Physiotherapy.
She has had an exciting varied career treating both elite athletes as a team physiotherapist at the Sydney Olympics in 2000 and recreational athletes from many sports including netball, track and field, runners, swimming and tennis players. She has extensive experience treating student and professional circus artists in London.
She uses a variety of skills including manual therapy , Western acupuncture ( AACP certified ) and clinical Pilates ( APPI fully trained) to provide optimal results. Over the years she has worked with Alexander teachers to develop her analysis of posture and movement patterns which has proved invaluable for managing injuries. She enjoys keeping up to date with research and using sound clinical reasoning to provide evidence based practice and rehabilitation. Her main interests are in management of shoulder, hip and knee injuries.
Bethany Shum
Performing Arts Physiotherapist
I’m Beth Shum, a Chartered Physiotherapist specialise in Pain and Performing Arts Medicine (MSc). As an ex-gymnast, I believe no athlete should have to navigate injuries or pain with uncertainty or feel dismissed by professionals who don’t understand their demands.
I started my career in the NHS before specialising in chronic pain, where I developed a holistic, compassionate, and evidence-based approach to my care. My work as the physiotherapist for Team England ParaCheer (2019), the Gymnastics Commonwealth Games (2022), and Sir Matthew Bourne’s Dance Production (2025) has further shaped the way I support performance athletes today. I’m currently the physiotherapist and lecturer at the National Centre for Circus Arts, where I help circus artists recover and prevent injuries and pain.
Academic Support
Specific Learning Differences
All students entering a course of Higher Education at the National Centre for Circus Arts can be screened for specific learning differences such as dyslexia, dyspraxia, and ADHD. If you know that you have a Specific Learning Difference, we strongly encourage you to let us know so that we can discuss any needs you might have and put any support in place as soon as possible. All students will meet individually at the beginning of the course with our Student Support Manager to discuss any support needs in detail.
English Language Support
All students have access to English language support for assignments whilst on the course. Students with English as a second language are strongly encouraged to maximise their exposure to the English language prior to arrival in the UK. Conditional offers may be given on the basis of applicants passing the Secure English Language Test (SELT).
Support for Disabled Students
We are committed to making our provision as accessible and inclusive as possible and welcome applications from disabled and neurodivergent people, including those with physical, sensory, learning, mental health and long-term health conditions, including neurodivergent conditions such as ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and dyspraxia. Applicants are encouraged to disclose a disability to us from the point of application. If you have any questions or concerns that you would like to discuss before you apply you can contact our Admissions and Registry Manager (admissions@nationalcircus.org.uk) or our Student Support Manager (Antigone@nationalcircus.org.uk) directly. At this stage, you may not know what support you may require; however we will be able to discuss the audition process with you and any reasonable adjustments that can be put in place. Any information that you do raise will be treated with confidence and will only be discussed with other members of staff with your permission.
Disabled Students Allowance
Process and application:
If you are offered a place at the National Centre for Circus Arts we can also help you apply for the Disabled Students Allowance (DSA), where appropriate, and help you arrange any specialist support you may be entitled to. This can help cover the cost of specialist equipment necessary for your studies, including software and study skills tuition or mentoring. Unlike a student loan DSA does not have to be repaid. Applications are made through your awarding body, for example Student Finance England. In order to apply for DSA the awarding body will require evidence of any impairment or disability. This may be from a Doctor or by an assessor of specific learning difficulties. The student support manager can assist you with this once you have been offered a place.
Mental Health and Wellbeing
The National Centre for Circus Arts is doing ongoing work to promote mental health and wellbeing. Details about all Student support can be found in our Guide to Student Support.
Visas and Immigration (including EU, EEA and Swiss Students)
UK institutions must be registered with UK Visas and Immigration to recruit international students. Once you have been accepted onto a Higher Education course at the National Centre, you will be required to apply for your visa online at GOV.UK. Students are responsible for ensuring that they have the correct visa for entry to the UK, but we will support you with this process.
The UK Border Agency requires you to present your visa and passport on the first day of term at the National Centre for Circus Arts to enable you to enrol. We will make photocopies of these and keep them on file. We are also required to hold current contact details for all international students, so you should ensure that the Higher Education team are notified of any changes to your address or contact details.
New Points-Based Immigration System
All prospective international students coming to study in the UK on or after 1 January 2021, including those from the EU, EEA and Switzerland, will need to apply for a Student visa through the Student route and receive a decision before they arrive.
The student route, which falls under the UK’s new points-based immigration system, improves on the previous Tier 4 route making for a more streamlined experience for both sponsoring institutions and students.
International students who graduate and successfully complete the degree course will also be able to apply for a graduate visa through The Graduate Route. More information on the graduate visa can be found here.
More information about the UK’s new points-based immigration system can be found here. Further guidance for EU, EEA and Swiss students, who from 1 January will need to comply with the new system can be found here.
EU, EEA and Swiss citizens resident in the UK before 31 December should apply to the EU settlement scheme.
Further information on visas and being an international student in London can be found at www.ukcisa.org.uk and www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk
The Building
We are based in Coronet Street, Hoxton in a former electricity generating station. The site has level access throughout the ground floor and lifts to upper floors.
There is an accessible toilet on the ground floor and a further accessible toilet on the second floor. These accessible toilets are self-contained and gender-neutral and we then have four further self-contained, gender-neutral toilets around the building. For students we offer a shared locker room for storing bags with six self-contained, gender-neutral, shower and changing cubicles. There are also a further two self-contained, gender-neutral toilets in this space. We have a quiet room available on request.
All performances scheduled at the National Centre for Circus Arts are accessible for wheelchair users. There are currently no signed performances or hearing loops.
Further information
If you would like to view further information please see our Student Support and Inclusivity and Equality sections for some of our resources and guidelines to promote equality and diversity.
Please contact the Admissions and Registry Manager to discuss any support needs during the application and audition process or to request any further information via admissions@nationalcircus.org.uk
