6-Month Dramatic Arts Diploma Program
Get the Skills to Advance Your Acting Career
Our Dramatic Arts Diploma Program is an emotional, comprehensive and intensive six month, full-time diploma course. Its purpose is to give students a solid foundation of acting principles and is designed to challenge actors to achieve their highest potential. Tools learned during this acting diploma range from script analysis, character research, audition skills and scene work to improvisation, voice, movement/body, and on-camera techniques, which will all be needed for your demo reel project.
"Out of all the acting programs out here in Canada that I had applied for, VADA is the only academy that was genuinely concerned for my well being as a person, as well as the most direct in helping me on the journey towards my acting goals. One of the most interesting and helpful experiences that separate this program from the rest of the acting programs in Vancouver is the Field Trip to Hollywood, Los Angeles in which we attended intensive workshops with directors, producers, writers, actors, and casting directors. I learned so many tools of the trade from these veterans, including the reality of the industry and being able to get a good taste of the experience of being in LA.." - Emmanuel Ghattas - Dramatic Arts Diploma
Diploma Curriculum Course Includes
• Text & Script Analysis • Improvisation • Character Analysis & Development • Standard American Dialect • Camera Tech • Career Planning & Goal Setting • Set Etiquette & Terminology • Getting an Agent Seminar • Monologues • Headshots & Resumes • TV & Film Cold Read Auditions • Audition Reel Projects • On & Off Camera • Commercial Auditions • Professional headshots included in tuition
Includes your Professional Package
Staff assists students in putting together their professional package; cover letters, resume, headshots and demo reel for applying to agencies for representation and look for opportunities for students to audition for student films, indies, short films, corporate videos or TV commercials.
Upcoming Course Dates
March 11th, 2024 to Sept 6th, 2024
Sept 9th, 2024 to March 7th, 2025
Time: Monday to Friday 9am – 1:15pm
Course Duration: 6 months
Step 1: Initial Application
Applicants must also have one of the following additional prerequisites:
17 years of age or older with a copy of Grade 12 diploma (or transcripts) from a Canadian high school or an equivalent institution worldwide, or
Successful completion of Government Equivalency Diploma (GED), or
Mature Placement: If applicant does not possess a high school diploma or GED, the may apply as a mature student (over 19)
Note: High school students may apply for the one year study program option during their final year of study (Grade 12), however cannot begin studies at VADA until proof of graduation is provided
Additional Requirements:
Application Fee: $75
300 Word Essay (minimum) on the subject of:
Why would you like to become an actor?
Why do you feel VADA is the right school for you?
1 Headshot photo (Does not need to need to be professionally done).
Copy of Valid Passport (May be sent AFTER learning of acceptance decision)
Step 2: After submitting applications and support documents
Staff will follow up to request/confirm documents received.
Staff will schedule an Entrance Interview (conducted by phone or Skype with a member of the Admissions Board).
Step 3: Audition Monologue
If an applicant successfully passes Entrance Interview:
Applicants will be assigned a monologue to audition
The applicant is given 4 days to prepare, perform, videotape, then send back their performance by email attachment
Staff will follow up to confirm that the monologue has been received
Staff will confirm if the applicant has been accepted
Step 4: Letter of Acceptance and Tuition Deposit
Applicant is accepted into the program and sent an email with the acceptance package
Applicant will be given 2 weeks to send their tuition deposit to hold their seat in the program:
30% deposit (Domestic students: Canadians & Permanent Resident Visa holders)
Note: Payment plans can be created for the remainder of tuition (Note: There is a $250 administrative fee on a payment plan)
Course Duration: 24 Weeks + 2 Week Break Monday – Friday 9:00 am – 1:15 pm
Course Fee: $11,000
Applicants may apply online or in person (please contact the school to book an appointment if applying in person)
Step 1: Initial Application
Applicants must have one of the following prerequisites:
17 years of age or older with a copy of Grade 12 diploma (or transcripts) from a Canadian high school or an equivalent institution worldwide, or
Successful completion of Government Equivalency Diploma (GED), or
Mature Placement: If applicant does not possess a high school diploma or GED, the may apply as a mature student (over 19)
Note: High school students may apply during their final year of study (Grade 12), however, cannot begin studies at VADA until proof of graduation is provided
Additional Requirements:
Application Fee: $75
300 Word Essay (minimum) on the subject of:
Why would you like to become an actor?
Why do you feel VADA is the right school for you?
1 Headshot Photo (Does not need to be professionally done)
Copy of Valid Passport (can be sent AFTER learning of acceptance decision)
International Students (English Requirement)
Must provide all of the above requirements and proof of one of the following English Proficiency Test Scores:
International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score of 5.5 or higher
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL iBT) score of 65 or higher
Pass an oral interview with an Admissions Advisor.
Step 2: After submitting applications and support documents
Staff will follow up to request/confirm documents received.
Staff will schedule an Entrance Interview (conducted by phone or Skype with a member of the Admissions Board).
Step 3: Audition Monologue
If applicant successfully passes Entrance Interview:
Applicants will be assigned a monologue to audition by the Admissions Board
Applicant is given 4 days to prepare, perform, videotape, then send back their performance by email attachment
Staff will follow up to confirm that the monologue has been received
Staff will confirm if applicant has been accepted
Step 4: Letter of Acceptance and Tuition Deposit
Applicant is accepted into the program and sent an email with the acceptance package
Applicant will be given 2 weeks to send their tuition deposit to hold their seat in the program:
50% deposit (International students)
Note: Payment plans can be created for the remainder of tuition (Note: There is a $250 administrative fee on a payment plan)
Course Duration: 24 Weeks + 2 Week Break Monday – Friday 9:00 am – 1:15pm
International Student Course Fee: $15,500.00 (CDN)
Applicants may apply online or in person (please contact the school to book an appointment if applying in person).
Request Program Information
Full Curriculum
Acting classes cover all aspects of acting technique, theory and prep work–starting with script analysis and exploration, character development, making strong choices, high/low status, sense memory, listening drills, subtext, taking actions and achieving the acting goals that you set for yourself.
As a student, you will also learn the technical side of acting for the camera including camera angles, shot sizes, continuity, marks and hitting them, lighting, closeup vs wide shot acting adjustments, the basic way of shooting a scene, on-set equipment and terminology and much more.
Building on what you learn from the “Acting & Camera Tech” class working on Film & TV scenes, here you explore contemporary play writing.
The refined and challenging writing of plays not only sharpens and enhances the actor’s abilities, it enables them to then take a Film & TV script (from a locally shot production as an example) and approach it with ease and confidence, giving them a better success rate in getting acting gigs.
The audition process is an art onto itself. It is the few moments when the quality of your performance determines getting the job or not.
Cold read audition techniques are drilled on and off-camera until confidence is achieved. Focus is also put on making a believable performance in an unreal environment.
All work in this class is filmed on-camera and reviewed, allowing you to improve your skills by visual critique.
Many Commercials, Features Films and TV series employ improvisation in the audition room as well as on set. Students are taught the art of improvisation so that they may call on these skills at any time.
We use exercises in character, spontaneity, focus, give and take, comic pairings, listening, short and long form and a whole host of others to round out this course.
There is an agent seminar included in the tuition as part of the Dramatic Arts Diploma Program. Two professional Agents join us for the day and impart their knowledge on to you! This is the chance of a lifetime for you to meet these people in a relaxed setting and ask any questions, find out what is needed and expected of you as an actor.
Show them your headshot, resume and cover letter — a package you’ve put together while attending the program. Also, perform an audition for them to receive immediate feedback. Normal costs for such seminars run as high as $200/day.