Overview
Embody your fullest self and unlock your potential on stage and screen. Our undergraduate acting programme is contemporary, highly practical, project-based and designed to prepare you for a career as a versatile actor in today’s ever-changing media and performance landscape. You’ll gain the skills, experience and confidence to tackle a huge variety of acting roles in a vast range of formats and media, as well as the necessary self-sufficiency and proactivity to secure opportunities in the industry.
Whether in rehearsal, on set or in practical workshops, you’ll be guided through your acting training by industry-acclaimed practising professionals. You will also have the opportunity to work in collaboration with our film, music and photography students and star in a range of productions.
You can study this programme either as a full three-year BA degree or the first year only as a one-year HE Certificate.
Key skills you'll gain
Throughout this course, you’ll develop a versatile toolkit that prepares you to perform confidently across stage, screen and contemporary media.
- Confidence performing with truth, presence and adaptability across styles and genres
- Collaboration and communication skills built through ensemble work and cross-disciplinary projects
- Technical understanding of acting for camera, stagecraft and professional rehearsal practices
- Vocal, physical and emotional control to embody complex roles with clarity and intention
- Awareness of industry standards and self-sufficiency in auditions, casting and creative freelancing
Your authentic artistic voice – strengthened through ongoing practice, reflection and personal exploration.
Your creative playground
Train for the stage and camera in our rehearsal and performance spaces
“You always feel challenged to directly open up your self… I’m proud of myself. I’m more happy and confident and I feel more like an artist.”
– Shanice Trustfull, actor and Acting alumna
Spotlight on collaboration
As part of our specialist acting school, you'll benefit from a range of collaboration opportunities, not only with your fellow acting students but also with students in our Film & Visual Media and Music & Sound schools.
You'll get challenges with demanding deadlines and engage in working methodologies that resemble the usual everyday rough and tumble of industry life. At the same time, this 'real world' experience comes with an essential safety net – a chance to fail gloriously with no impact on your reputation, your income or your pride and then to get back into the rehearsal room and try again!
Course structure
Year 1 (HE Certificate)
Step into the world of acting through constant practice, challenge and collaboration. You’ll work on fast-paced “impossible briefs,” performing almost every week on stage or screen while rotating through cast and crew roles. This immersive environment sharpens your craft, adaptability and teamwork as you experiment with freshly written scripts and diverse directing styles. By the end of the year, you’ll have a solid foundation in acting technique, voice and movement - and a showreel and live performance to showcase your growth.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of Year 1, you will be able to:
- Practise and apply core acting, voice and movement techniques.
- Perform confidently for both camera and stage.
- Develop your own creative voice and professional profile.
- Understand the basics of screenwriting and story structure.
- Navigate the acting industry and prepare for professional opportunities.
Year 2 (BA)
In your second year, the focus shifts from quantity to quality. You’ll take on fewer but more ambitious projects, forming an acting company with your peers to write, direct and perform original works. This year deepens your artistic identity while sharpening your technical craft, exploring what it means to be an actor today. You’ll engage with contemporary tools and technologies, develop stronger character work, and refine your professional profile through collaboration and self-driven creation.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of Year 2, you will be able to:
- Deliver advanced, high-quality performances that meet professional standards.
- Apply refined acting, movement and vocal techniques to complex projects.
- Critically analyse your own work and that of others.
- Develop and maintain a polished professional profile and showreel.
- Collaborate effectively within a company to create original, character-driven work.
Year 3 (BA)
Your final year places you firmly on the runway toward your professional acting career. You’ll take full creative ownership of your work through major and minor projects, developing original ideas from pitch to performance. This is your chance to refine your artistic voice, strengthen your industry readiness, and confidently step into your chosen path. With a focus on independence, collaboration, and audience engagement, you’ll leave with a polished portfolio that reflects your growth and individuality.
Learning outcomes
By the end of Year 3, you will be able to:
- Deliver a complete creative project from concept to final performance using industry-standard practices
- Identify and engage with a niche audience for your work
- Develop advanced collaboration, leadership, and self-reflection skills
- Build a strong professional portfolio and public-facing presence
- Prepare for a sustainable career within the evolving film and theatre industries
Is our Acting programme for you?
This course is for you if:
- You’re passionate about exploring human emotion and storytelling through performance.
- You want to develop a deep understanding of acting for stage and screen — from character work to camera technique.
- You’re curious about how to bring truth and presence to every role you play.
- You enjoy collaboration and want to grow alongside directors, writers and filmmakers.
- You’re eager to refine your craft through practice, feedback and real-world experience.
- You see acting as both an art and a discipline — a way to express yourself, connect with others and make an impact through story.
Progression & Careers
As a graduate, you’ll be ready to shape your own creative path as a performer, collaborator or storyteller. You could work as:
- An actor for stage, film or television
- A voice performer for animation, gaming or audio projects
- A motion capture or immersive media performer
- A presenter or live performer across diverse platforms
- A drama facilitator or creative collaborator in education or community arts
You’ll be equipped to collaborate with film and theatre companies, independent productions, casting agencies and emerging media platforms. Your experience at Catalyst will also prepare you to develop your own projects, pursue postgraduate study or create a self-directed practice that reflects your unique artistic voice.
With the confidence, adaptability and creative resilience you build here, you’ll be ready to thrive in an ever-evolving performance industry – and beyond.
A future-proof creative toolkit
Developing your acting practice means more than learning techniques and scripts. You’ll gain:
- Practical experience performing for stage, screen and camera
- A deep understanding of movement, voice and character development
- The confidence to take initiative, collaborate and lead within creative teams
- Emotional resilience and self-awareness to navigate the demands of the industry
- Critical and reflective skills to refine your craft through practice and feedback
These creative and personal capabilities will support you across performances, roles and careers – helping you stay adaptable, expressive and grounded in an ever-evolving creative landscape.
Creative futures, real-world skills
Success means different things for different creatives – whether it’s completing a powerful project, building an audience or making a living from your art. Alongside your main studies, you’ll have access to extra opportunities for growth, such as our Self-Development & Creative Leadership course – designed to help you build clarity, confidence and creative momentum.
You’ll explore how to take action, lead projects, communicate your vision and overcome personal blocks. And beyond that, you’ll find wellbeing resources and personalised support to help you stay grounded and thrive – in your practice and beyond.
Student experience
At Catalyst you develop your acting inside a living, collaborative environment. Rehearse in dedicated studio spaces, work on set in black box film studios and move between screen and stage projects with directors, writers and fellow performers.
Our extracurriculars keep you connected: take part in Etikett Radio conversations and creative workshops, join interdisciplinary meetups through Artistry Connect and engage in Guest Sessions with visiting practitioners. Perform in student productions, collaborate with filmmakers and screenwriters, then reflect on your work through peer and tutor feedback to refine your craft.
You also have access to wellbeing support and coaching, helping you manage the demands of performance training, build confidence and grow with intention.
“There are endless opportunities to collaborate with like-minded people… All of this allows you to form friendships and professional connections that will stand the test of time.”
– Giulio Brizzi, actor and Acting alumnus
Admissions
Entry requirements
All applicants will be asked to provide: personal and educational information, documentation of their education experience, an audition tape (download monologue), and a written statement of motivation. Visit our How To Apply page for more detail.
Minimum entry requirements
- Standard entry: graduation from high school at a level which would normally permit entry to university in the country where it was gained. This would be A-Levels in the UK and the Abitur in Germany, for example.
- Non-standard entry: We recognise that not all education happens in the classroom and it may be possible to admit you through a non-standard access route. If you do not possess the required formal qualification, but have acquired relevant professional or life experience, please contact our Admissions team.
- Language: The language of instruction in all our courses is English and applicants must demonstrate a level equal to IELTS 6 (equivalent to B2 in Germany and other EU countries). You can either submit a language certificate or can take our free 90 min online test.
For more information, please contact our Admissions team and we’d be happy to discuss your opportunities to come study with us.
Course dates and application deadlines
Course start: Mid-September 2027
Visa-required applicants
Applicants from countries requiring a visa before entering Germany:
- Priority: 26 February 2027 (includes early enrolment bonus)
- General deadline: 30 April 2027 (subject to processing time and availability)
We are accepting applications until late May, but if you need a visa to study in Germany, we strongly recommend applying now, as processing times vary by country and can take several months.
EU/visa-exempt or post-arrival applicants:
Applicants from EU/EEA, Switzerland, or countries allowing visa-free entry (e.g. USA, Canada, Japan, South Korea):
- Priority: 31 March 2027 (includes bonus & guaranteed spot on preferred course)
- General deadline: 4 June 2027 (granted on a rolling basis)
- Late applications: until 31 August 2027 (subject to availability)
Priority deadlines & early enrolment bonus
Apply by the priority deadline to secure your place and receive a €1,000 discount on your total tuition.
🖤 Top-up your early enrolment bonus with a free hoodie when classes start, by applying before 31 December 2026!
What does “visa” or “visa-exempt” mean?
Financing and funding opportunities
As an officially accredited higher education institute based in Berlin, Catalyst offers access to a range of national funding opportunities for eligible students, including BAföG and other public financial aid schemes available across Germany and the EU.
- Visit our funding guide to explore the most common options available to our students, both in Germany and across Europe.
Early enrolment bonus
Apply by the priority deadline to secure your place and receive a €1,000/year discount on your tuition – totalling €3,000 across three years. Top-up your early enrolment bonus with a free hoodie by applying before 31 December 2026!
Multiple-course bonus:
If you decide to enrol in both a 4-week Summer Short Course and a degree course with us in within two years, you will receive a discount of 500€ on the total tuition.
Open days, Q&As and taster workshops
Get a feel for Catalyst and our courses at a range of both online and in-person events. Join us at a Virtual Open Day or an Open Day at our campus in Berlin, chat to our programme leads at Meet The Tutor, or try a taster workshop.
Submission requirements
When you're ready to apply, you'll need to upload your work to an online platform (such as Vimeo, Youtube, Tumblr, Soundcloud) so that we can review it online. We do not accept file download links. For each work, you’ll also need to add a short description in the application form (telling us the inspiration behind it and how you made it).
For Acting we ask you to:
We want to see you performing on screen. Pick one monologue from our 2026 audition selection*.
Rehearse it and when you’re ready, record it. We’re interested in your potential as an actor, which means we’re not focusing on the production values. In other words, don’t worry too much about the background or camera quality.
We review every tape submitted to us and after we have reviewed yours, we will contact you by email about the second round of the audition process. If you make it to this round, you will be asked to submit another audition tape (and sometimes a third) in response to feedback from our Acting department.
Include a Written Statement of motivation telling us why you’d like to join our community at Catalyst (450-500 word PDF), including:
- Why did you choose this course and what do you hope to achieve during your studies?
- What are your ambitions for your creative career?
- What has influenced your creative path so far?
- What obstacles have you faced on this journey and how can we help you face any challenges in school?
*monologue scripts are available directly on the application form or can be downloaded as a PDF here.
Tuition fees
Our fees are the same for all students, no matter where you come from, and stay consistent for throughout your studies. For a more detailed breakdown, please download our course guide.
| Tuition | With early enrolment bonus | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition fees | Acting | |||
| Per semester | 6,000€ | 5,500€ | Annual enrolment fee €895 |
| Per month | 1,083€ | 1,000€ | Annual enrolment fee €895 |
| Per year | 11,640€ | 10,640€ | 3% discount by paying each year upfront. Annual enrolment fee €895 |
Ways to connect
Whether in person or online, we can't wait to meet you!
Learn from the experts
Throughout the programme you’ll learn from industry-acclaimed experts in their field, with a passion for passing on their knowledge to others.
Your programme lead
Rachael is an international stage director and choreographer working across new writing, music theatre, opera and film. She holds a BA Honours in Dance Studies from Roehampton University and a Master's in Choreography from Middlesex University. As a director and storyteller, physicality is integral to her creative process.
Student work
In the end, it’s our students’ work that counts. Take a look at a selection of recent films and projects below.
Behind the scenes
Stories from our creative community
