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Apply for BA / BFA

The USC School of Dramatic Arts provides unmatched opportunities to study drama and related disciplines in a rigorous and collaborative environment. We are very excited that you have decided to consider our training program. If at any point in the application process you have a question or concern, please do not hesitate to contact the Office of Admissions & Student Services.

BA Deadlines

  • Priority deadline to apply is December 1, 2024.
  • Final deadline for first year applicants is January 15, 2025.
  • Deadline for transfer applicants is February 15, 2025.

BFA Deadline

  • The deadline to apply is December 1, 2024 for all applicants.

Undergraduate Application Process

The Office of Admissions & Student Services of the USC School of Dramatic Arts looks forward to assisting you. If we can be of service to you in any step of this process, please don’t hesitate to contact us at 213-740-1286 or sdainfo@usc.edu.

USC Common Application

You may apply to the USC School of Dramatic Arts using the Common Application, which includes some USC-specific questions. In addition to the online application, you will be asked to submit additional materials, including the USC Supplemental Application. For specific information about the items you will need to submit, please visit USC Admission’s First-Year Application Checklist.

For Fall 2025 applicants, the USC School of Dramatic Arts majors will only appear as an option if you are completing the Common Application for Regular Decision.

Three Options to Choose From

During the Common Application you’ll need to choose a first and second choice option for your major. This means you can choose from one of the three options below to advance your application for the School of Dramatic Arts:

 

Option 1

  • First Choice: BFA
  • Second Choice: BA

Option 2

  • 1st Choice: BA
  • 2nd Choice: Non-SDA Major / Blank

Option 3

  • First Choice: BFA
  • Second Choice: Non-SDA Major / Blank

Available majors:

  • BA, Dramatic Arts
  • BFA, Acting for Stage & Screen
  • BFA, Musical Theatre
  • BFA, Stage Management
  • BFA, Sound Design
  • BFA, Technical Direction
  • BFA, Theatrical Design

BA vs. BFA?

Not sure which program is right for you?  Compare details below!

(BA) Bachelor of Arts

  • A broad-based approach to dramatic arts training that allows the student to experience a core curriculum, but gives them the flexibility to choose their own journey, and allow for the selection of an emphasis to further focus their studies.
  • Allows for the possibility of a double major or a minor as well as study-abroad opportunities.
  • Mainstage production performance opportunities (by audition for actors, by assignment for design emphasis students).

(BFA) Bachelor of Fine Arts

  • Conservatory-style programs built with a formal progression of classes and limited to a specific cohort of students.
  • More focused curricular studies within the School of Dramatic Arts.
  • Mainstage production performance opportunities (by audition for actors, by assignment for production and design students); cohort-based second stage performance opportunities for BFA acting and musical theatre classes.

Supplemental Requirements for SlideRoom

The following materials are required in order to be considered for admission in the USC School of Dramatic Arts. Please be sure to upload all materials via SDA’s SlideRoom portal.

Each applicant must submit:

Current picture or headshot

Resume: Your resume should include any and all performance activities (including drama, dance and vocal performance). If you would like, you may also add any other non-performance work or volunteer experience.

Essay Questions: Your responses should address the prompts outlined in SlideRoom.

“Take Two”: Provide two images that will give us some insight into who you are and what is important to you. Each image will need a corresponding caption to provide some context.

‘Who are you?’ Video: Please upload a 90-second video showcasing your personality. We kindly ask that you not submit any monologues, cover songs or dancing. This video is not considered an audition piece.

Letter of recommendation from drama teacher/coach

Additional BFA Application Requirements

The following materials are also required for BFA applicants in their various areas of emphasis. See each of the dropdowns for specific requirements.

BFA Acting for Stage & Screen

Pre-Screen Audition: In SlideRoom, you will be asked to upload two filmed audition monologues.

 

Audition Requirements

All applicants to the BFA in Acting for Stage and Screen will need to upload two separately filmed audition monologues to their supplemental application in SlideRoom.

 

What to Prepare

Applicants should prepare one classical monologue (written before 1900) and one contemporary monologue (written after 1900). Each piece should be no longer than 90 seconds in length, memorized and performed in the context of the entire play.

 

Picking your Material

When choosing your material, you want to pick something that resonates with you and can provide some insight about you. Your monologues should correspond to characters suitable to your natural age range, but you are not limited to characters that match your personal gender identity. Both monologues should come from published plays, and we strongly encourage that you have a deep familiarity with the text so you can convey your understanding of the character and their circumstances in your audition.

 

Filming your Auditions

Your audition videos do not need to be professionally filmed, but they should provide a clear picture and audio. We understand that it may be difficult to find an ideal space to film your auditions and want to reassure you that where you film your pieces will have no bearing on your candidacy to this program. Below are some things we’d like you to keep in mind when you film:

 

Each monologue should be filmed separately.

Make sure that you are in a well-lit area with minimal background distractions and that your audio is clear and understandable.

Your contemporary monologue should be filmed as a “close-up”.  The frame should be sized to include the top of your head down to your chest.

Your classical monologue should be filmed as a “full body” shot where the frame includes the entirety of your body.

Each monologue should begin with a slate that includes: Your name, the title of the play, and the playwright’s name.

Please do not add an accent or dialect when performing your monologues. We are much more interested in listening to your natural voice.

Dress as you would for an in-person audition. Costumes are not permitted.

After the Admissions Review Committee has reviewed all pre-screen submissions and decisions are made, the Office of Admissions & Student Services will email all BFA in Acting applicants an update on their application in mid-January. This update will indicate if an applicant has been invited to attend our Callback Weekend in mid-February. A virtual option will be available for invitees unable to attend in person.

BFA Musical Theatre

The following materials are also required in order to be considered for admission into the USC School of Dramatic Arts. Please be sure to upload all materials via SlideRoom. The supplemental application in SlideRoom will go live early September.

Current picture or headshot

Resume: Your resume should include any and all performance activities (including drama, dance and vocal performance). If you would like, you may also add any other non-performance work or volunteer experience.

“Take Two”: Provide two images that will give us some insight into who you are and what is important to you. Each image will need a corresponding caption to provide some context.

Letter of Recommendation from your drama teacher/coach

Essay Questions: Your responses should address the prompts outlined in SlideRoom.

Pre-Screen Audition: All applicants to the BFA in Musical Theatre will need to upload the prescreen package outlined below to their supplemental application in SlideRoom.

Acting

What to Prepare: Applicants should prepare one classical monologue (written before 1900) and one contemporary monologue (written after 1900). Each piece should be no longer than 90 seconds in length, memorized and performed in the context of the entire play.

Picking your Material: When choosing your material, you want to pick something that resonates with you and can provide some insight about you. Your monologues should correspond to characters suitable to your natural age range, but you are not limited to characters that match your personal gender identity. Both monologues should come from published plays, and we strongly encourage that you have a deep familiarity with the text so you can convey your understanding of the character and their circumstances in your audition. 

Filming your Monologues: Your audition videos do not need to be professionally filmed, but they should provide a clear picture and audio. We understand that it may be difficult to find an ideal space to film your auditions and want to reassure you that where you film your pieces will have no bearing on your candidacy to this program. Below are some things we’d like you to keep in mind when you film:  

Each monologue should be filmed separately.

Make sure that you are in a well-lit area with minimal background distractions and that your audio is clear and understandable. 

Your contemporary monologue should be filmed as a “close-up”.  The frame should be sized to include the top of your head down to your chest.

Your classical monologue should be filmed as a “full body” shot where the frame includes the entirety of your body.

Each monologue should begin with a slate that includes: Your name, the title of the play, and the playwright’s name. 

Please do not add an accent or dialect when performing your monologues. We are much more interested in listening to your natural voice.

Dress as you would for an in-person audition. Costumes are not permitted.


Dance

What to Prepare: Applicants should prepare two separately filmed dances. Each piece should be no longer than 60 seconds in length and should only feature the applicant.

Picking your Material: When choosing your material, please select two different styles/forms from the following: ballet, jazz, contemporary, tap, hip hop, ballroom, freestyle, traditional dance, or musical theatre choreography. While any two styles/forms are valid, keep in mind that one of your videos should demonstrate your technique, strength, flexibility, and accuracy. The other video should demonstrate your artistry, musicality, and individual movement quality.

Filming your Dances: Your dance videos do not need to be professionally filmed, but they should provide a clear picture and audio. We understand that it may be difficult to find an ideal space to film your auditions and want to reassure you that where you film your pieces will have no bearing on your candidacy to this program. Below are some things we’d like you to keep in mind when you film: 

Each dance should be filmed separately.

Make sure that you are in a well-lit area with minimal background distractions and that your audio is clear and understandable. 

Your full body should be in view at all times.

Your videos should be current and original recordings.

You should wear appropriate dance attire and footwear representing the chosen dance style demonstrated in each video.


Music

What to Prepare: Applicants should prepare two selections from the musical theatre repertoire that contrast in style and decade of composition. Each cut may be up to 32 bars each but should not exceed 60 seconds in length and must be memorized.

One 32-bar cut must be from the published musical theatre canon. Standard Broadway repertoire includes Rodgers and Hammerstein, Lerner and Loewe, Stephen Sondheim, Leonard Bernstein, Jules Styne, Bock and Harnick, Kander and Ebb, George Gershwin, Duke Ellington, etc. 

The second 32-bar cut may also come from the musical theatre cannon or be a published contemporary piece from any genre. Examples of the contemporary Broadway repertoire include Stephen Schwartz, Jonathan Larson, Jason Robert Brown, Michael John LaChiusa, Andrew Lippa, Adam Guettel, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Marvin Hamlisch, Alan Menken, etc.

Picking your Material: When choosing your material, you want to pick musical moments/songs that comfortably fit within your vocal range to best represent your abilities. Please do not feel the need to impress us with vocal range. Volume and range can be explored separately if the faculty have questions at a later point. Your 32-bar cuts should have an emotional arch with a clear objective. Be sure to make the situation in each song specific, honest, and meaningful to you.

Filming your Vocal Performances: Your vocal performance videos do not need to be professionally filmed, but they should provide a clear picture and audio. We understand that it may be difficult to find an ideal space to film your auditions and want to reassure you that where you film your pieces will have no bearing on your candidacy to this program. Below are some things we’d like you to keep in mind when you film: 

Each vocal performance should be filmed separately.

Each song should begin with a slate that includes: Your name, the title of the song and what show it’s from.

Make sure that you are in a well-lit area with minimal background distractions and that your audio is clear and understandable. 

When possible, work with a skilled accompanist. Digital tracks are also acceptable.

‘Who are you?’ Video: Please upload a 90-second video showcasing your personality. We kindly ask that you not submit any monologues, cover songs or dancing. This video is not considered an audition piece.

Non-refundable audition fee of $35

After the Admissions Review Committee has reviewed all pre-screen submissions and decisions are made, the Office of Admissions & Student Services will email all applicants to the BFA in Musical Theatre an update on their application in mid-January. This update will indicate if an applicant has been invited to attend our Callback Weekend in mid-February. A virtual option will be available for invitees unable to attend in person.

BFA Production (4 Majors)

The following materials are also required in order to be considered for admission into the USC School of Dramatic Arts. Please be sure to upload all materials via SlideRoom. The supplemental application in SlideRoom will go live early September.

 

Current picture or headshot

Resume: Your resume should include any and all production activities (including drama, dance and vocal performance). If you would like, you may also add any other non-production work or volunteer experience.

“Take Two”: Provide two images that will give us some insight into who you are and what is important to you. Each image will need a corresponding caption to provide some context.

Letter of recommendation from drama teacher/coach

Essay Question: Your responses should address the prompts outlined in SlideRoom.

Portfolio: Please submit no more than 15 slides that provide an overview of the type of work you have completed and will serve as the impetus for discussion between you and our production faculty.

‘Who are you?’ Video: Please upload a one- to two-minute video where you share with us who you are. We kindly ask that you not submit any monologues, cover songs or dancing. This video is not considered an audition piece.

Non-refundable audition fee of $35


Portfolio Review

In mid-December, our office will send information on scheduling a portfolio review to candidates that have been invited to the second round of review of our BFA in Production majors. Our portfolio review consists of a conversation with our production faculty, where you discuss the portfolio that you submitted as part of your application and why you wish to pursue the discipline you’ve indicated. You should limit the number of materials in your portfolio to your best work so that you can clearly articulate your creative process to the faculty.

Your portfolio should include materials that showcase your work and skills as a theatre artist.

Theatrical Designers: Your materials should establish a clear progression of thought and demonstrate, if possible, a development from your research, sketches, to realized production photographs.

Sound Designers: Your work can be anything that provides insight into your understanding of sound and can range from original compositions to paperwork, sample cue sheets, and sound effects.

Stage Managers: Provide extracts of your prompt book to demonstrate your organizational process, sample blocking and calling script pages, paperwork, etc.

Technical Direction: Your portfolio should document the construction process including examples of drafting, shop drawings, engineering calculations, budget and material lists, etc.

 

What should you leave out?

The intention of your portfolio is to showcase your skillset as an artist. Refrain from including anything that does not support your talent, e.g. mementos, pictures of friends, or programs (unless you designed them).

 

Remember…

Your SlideRoom portfolio is intended to provide a snapshot of your skillset as an artist and does not need to be confined to your work in theatre. Feel free to include related experiences e.g. concerts, fashion shows, fine art drawings, paintings, graphic design, etc.

 

Portfolio reviews will take place in the month of January or February on Zoom.

Transfer Applicants

For applicants applying to our BA Program, please follow the same instructions as How to Apply for the Bachelor of Arts.

For applicants applying to our BFA in Acting for Stage and Screen; Musical Theatre; Theatrical Design; Stage Management; Sound Design; and Technical Direction, please follow the same instructions for First-Year applicants.

BA Deadlines

  • The deadline for transfer applicants is February 15, 2025.

BFA Deadline

  • The deadline to apply is December 1, 2024 for all applicants.

Internal Applicants

Transfer Students

For  more information, on including transfer credit and policies, visit USC Undergraduate Admission. If you are applying as a transfer student, please follow the same instructions as first-year students.

Current USC Students

USC students in good academic standing may be considered for admission to our Bachelor of Arts in Dramatic Arts Theatre; Bachelor of Arts in Dramatic Arts Theatre with an Emphasis in Acting, Comedy, Design, or Musical Theatre; or Bachelor of Arts in Visual & Performing Arts Studies.

Current students wishing to be considered for any of our Bachelor of Fine Arts programs will need to submit the appropriate SlideRoom Application by the set deadline. If admitted, most candidates will be placed in the first year of the BFA program, regardless of their time already at USC. For this reason, it is strongly advised that interested students connect with their academic advisor once a decision is made to understand the impact this will have on their estimated graduation date.

Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and Bachelor of Arts in Theatre with an Emphasis in Acting, Comedy, Design or Musical Theatre

For admission to any of our BA programs, current USC students must first complete at least one of the dramatic arts classes listed below with a minimum GPA of 3.0 in the course. Once the student has satisfied this requirement, they can reach out to the Office of Admissions & Student Services for access to the internal application.


THTR 101, THTR 125, THTR 130, THTR 225

 

Bachelor of Arts in Visual & Performing Arts Studies


For admission to the BA in Visual & Performing Arts Studies, current USC students must first complete at least one of the dramatic arts classes listed below with a minimum GPA of 3.0 in the course. Once the student has satisfied this requirement, they can reach out to the Office of Admissions & Student Services for access to the internal application.


THTR 125, THTR 380, AHIS 120, ARCH 304x, CTCS 393, FACS 150 or MUHL 315x

Callbacks & Review Process

We carefully review all applications in order to build an outstanding incoming class. Candidates applying to our conservatory programs will receive a status update mid-January. Final notification for first-year applicants will be sent no later than April 1. For transfer applicants, notifications will go out no later than June 1. Any applicant may inquire on the status of their application by emailing Associate Dean of Admissions and Student Services, Sergio Ramirez at seramire@usc.edu.

The Cost of School & FAQ’s

Understanding that most students rely on multiple funding sources, the USC School of Dramatic Arts strongly encourages you to discuss your financial options with your family or those who may provide support while attending school to select the financial resource(s) that best fit your needs. Financing options typically include USC grants or scholarships, Dramatic Arts awards, external scholarships, grants or sponsorships, family resources, and educational loans.

Learn More

Contact Us

To reach the Office of Admissions & Student Services, you may call us at 213-740-1286 or email us at sdainfo@usc.edu.

Explore the School of Dramatic Arts

The USC School of Dramatic Arts provides an unmatched interdisciplinary and entrepreneurial approach to dramatic arts training across all mediums.