1-YEAR PROFESSIONAL ACTING DIPLOMA
Acting Coach Scotland Full Time One Year Acting Course - Stage and Screen
Next course starting SEPT 2025
Next course starting SEPT 2025
Apply Here
Apply Here
Imagine waking up each morning and doing something you love all day.
Imagine learning the craft of acting from professional actors, directors, producers, agents and casting directors.
Imagine performing at the world's largest theatre festival for three weeks!
Imagine finally following your dreams.
Imagine preparing for a career on stage and screen
This 1-Year Professional Diploma is an accredited qualification, but let’s face it: only your family care about whether you get a bit of paper. If you can’t act, the industry won’t be interested in your certificate... and if you can act, they won't want to see your certificate either.
So...
We designed our own 1-year acting course which means we cut out all the crap you don't need to learn and focus on what's going to get you employed, because that's the real goal.
Our course is recognised by the industry; our students are members of Equity, the Actors' Union and Spotlight, which means when you graduate, you're ready to start auditioning for work. Our past students are working in the industry all over the world in television, film and theatre.
The next course begins September 2025.
"I have completed 2 full time courses at ACS and I can honestly say that they have changed my life. It's more than a school. When you go to ACS you will enter a family of people who truly care for you and your development. I have developed into a great performer and I know I couldn't have done it without their continues support and guidance, even after graduation. If you want to not only change your career but also your life... choose ACS." EJ, PD Graduate
THE 1-YEAR ACTING PROFESSIONAL DIPLOMA
If you can commit one year of your life - you can begin your acting career right here.
We take people from all over the world, from all walks of life and train them together intensively for one year, and give them the tools they need to THRIVE.
We don’t want to change you. We don’t want to strip you down and rebuild you. We just want to help you get out of your own way, and let the ability you already have shine through.
Our mission is to train actors so that they can go to work. We do this by immersing you in a professional environment from Day 1. We give you the practical tools, skills, knowledge and experience to help you get the job. And once you have the job? To nail it, so you build a reputation that people trust.
Our students appear in major televisions series.
Some of our students have appeared in Hollywood movies
Our 1-Year Full Time Acting Course involves intensive training in acting, voice, improvisation, stage combat, and performance psychology. Practising and learning all day, every day. Building team work, individual skills, developing knowledge and gaining experience. Doing. Because that’s what matters: hands on practice in the craft of acting under expert tuition.
In the first half of the year, you'll perform in public in every term. The greatest (and hardest) lessons are learned through doing. You'll take part in One Act Plays, a full length production, then perform a run at the Edinburgh Festival.
You’ll also learn about the techniques of acting for camera, and you'll learn about the Business of Acting and meet industry people such as agents, casting directors, theatre and film makers. You'll also get multiple opportunities to put that camera training into practise as we produce up to three scenes with you to showcase your skills.
You'll learn about self-taping and how to audition for theatre, film and television. You'll graduate with Graduate Spotlight Eligibility - which means you'll be able to start auditioning for work as soon as you graduate.
This course also encourages the other skills you possess; the organiser, the creative, the teacher, the producer, the writer and the director. Because when you leave, we want you to be ready to work. And when you're not working, we want to give you the tools to create your own work, if you want to.
ARE YOU WHO WE'RE LOOKING FOR?
We’re looking for creative, motivated, committed individuals with original ideas and the determination to succeed in this most competitive industry.
PLEASE NOTE WE ARE NOT YET A TIER 4 VISA SPONSOR - as such, we are limited as to who can apply for our course.
Applicants between the ages of 18-30 from Canada, New Zealand and Australia can come to the UK under the Tier 5 Youth Mobility Scheme Visa. Please check to see if this applies to you.
DOES THAT SOUND LIKE YOU?
We Accept a limited number of students in any year, and practical class size is restricted to 12, which means you’ll get plenty of attention from our coaching staff.
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This is a private acting course. As such, students are responsible for providing their own funding.
As a Community Interest Company, all of our student fees go toward the actor training we provide, keeping it ethical in its delivery and delivering top quality training.
At ACS, you make a one-off deposit of £1500 on acceptance, then spread the rest of the costs through monthly payments.
That's a total of £9000, plus a £250 admin fee, and we assure you: you'll get the benefit of every penny.
Our course and its students receive NO SAAS/ government funding. Public colleges receive tuition fees AND government funding per student. Our OTHER Full time courses, the2-Year HND in Acting & Performance and Foundation Acting Course, starting in September each year ARE publicly funded for students who are residents in Scotland.
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The cost of running a course with so much practical experience and training is considerable. There is no funding for this course. However, we allow our students to pay per month, which many do.
For the September 2025 intake, we’re honoured to introduce The Duncan Llywelyn Campbell Bursary. More details on the bursary and eligibility found here.
Here’s what we offer:
SMALL CLASSES/LONG HOURS:
If you want to learn skills, you need a lot of hours of training. Training is scheduled between 9:30am-5:30pm, but you may be expected to complete assignments, preparation and rehearsal outside of these times. Classes run from Monday to Friday. During the Fringe, Saturdays are required.
UNRIVALLED ACTING FOR CAMERA EXPERIENCE:
There is no acting course that matches our level of acting for camera tuition and experience. After lots of intensive Acting for Camera training, it's time to make your scenes for Spotlight, which will be professionally shot and edited. You will leave with a range of clips that you can include in your Spotlight profile.
INDUSTRY GUESTS & MOCK AUDITIONS:
Show the industry what you can do - get connected to the people that matter in the entertainment industry by putting your work in front of them. Towards the latter stages of the course you will be participating in regular workshops and mock auditions with Industry Guests. Plus, during the Fringe, we invite agents and industry professionals to come see your show.
PHENOMENAL PERFORMANCES:
You need the experience of performing to other people, it builds your confidence and performing experience. And so, it teaches some of the most important lessons. No one can compete with that kind of experience on a one year course. You'll have a full 3-week run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and plenty of performances throughout the year for you to gain experience from.
LEARNING BY DOING:
There are few acting courses in the UK that will give you the opportunity to perform so frequently, and there are hardly any courses or Drama schools in the UK that give you a full 3 week run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival - the largest theatre festival in the world!
PREPARING YOU TO BE READY TO WORK:
Everything we do on this course is related to increasing your chances of getting acting work in the real world. Whether it’s self taping, or audition technique, you’ll leave this course with confidence and skills and be ready to work!
Full Time Students perform in I, Sniper, a Fringe project that played to sell out audiences and received a 5 star review from top Fringe review site Broadway Baby.
We are an approved Centre with the Scottish Qualifications Authority.
We are a registered UK Learning Provider - 10063204.
Industry visitors to the course have included: Olivia Brittain (Casting Director), Patrick Tucker (Director/Leading Screen Acting Coach), Morag Stark (Actor/Voice Coach), Graham McLaren (Artistic Director The Abbey - Ireland), John McPhail (Film Director - Anna and the Apocalypse) Pete Collins (Director), Laura Donnelly (Casting Director National Theatre of Scotland), R Paul Wilson (Film Director), Ruaraidh Urpeth (Film Director), Helen Raw (Producer/Equity Representative) Emma Dyson (Spotlight), Claire Murray (Agent), Peter Davis (Agent), Luke Kernaghan (Theatre Director) and Lisa Nichol (Writer/Producer).
ACS ‘TRILEMMA’ WINS LAURELS
ACS GRADUATE PRODUCED & STARRED
IN MOVIE WINNING LAURELS
ACS GRADUATE AWARDED BEST ACTRESS AT THE NORTH AMERICAN FILM AWARDS
FORTHCOMING AUDITION DAYS:
All our auditions are small and personal, and held at regular intervals throughout the year.
Applicants outside Scotland may audition via Zoom, although we encourage everyone to visit.
WE ARE AUDITIONING FOR SEPTEMBER 2025.
HOW TO APPLY:
We accept applications throughout the year and hold auditions at regular intervals. The first stage is submit an application form, and then we will contact you regarding a date for an audition.
Auditions are held in our Glasgow Acting Studio, but applicants may audition online via Zoom.
Auditions may consist of group workshop, interview and the applicant will be expected to perform two contrasting contemporary monologues, of roughly 2 minutes length each.
Unlike other full time acting courses, we don't charge a fee for you to audition!
To arrange your audition and interview, contact our Admissions Team at hello@actingcoachscotland.co.uk or call 0141 440 1272
