The Theatre School > Admission > Admitted Students

Welcome to The Theatre School!

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Since 1925, our tradition has remained to educate, train, and inspire those who will shape the future of theatre. As a newly admitted student to The Theatre School, you are about to join a diverse and collaborative community of theatre-makers in one of the world's greatest theatre cities.

Admitted Student Portal

The admitted student portal is a great way to learn about upcoming admitted student events and connect with helpful resources as you consider joining The Theatre School and DePaul University community. Click on the link below to access the portal:

Undergraduate (BFA) Admitted Student PortalGraduate (MFA) Admitted Student Portal

 

Information About Next Steps

Shortly after being admitted, you received a two-part email with instructions on setting up your BlueKey/Campus Connect account. You will need this in order to complete your "next steps". Once you are enrolled at DePaul, you will use Campus Connect for all of you university business. If you did not receive this email or if you have forgotten your Campus Connect password, contact DePaul's Information Services Help Desk at (312) 362-8765. Be sure to mention that you are an admitted student.

Once your log-in has been set up, you can use that username and password to access the portal you used during your application process too! (Either the Blue Demon Domain (for BFA students) or the graduate application portal (for MFA students).) Your application portal's checklist now lists everything you need to do in order to enroll at The Theatre School at DePaul!

Tell us where you're heading this fall by logging into the Blue Demon Domain (for BFAs) or the Graduate Application Portal (for MFAs) and submitting the intent to enroll form. Be sure to submit your response form by the date listed on your acceptance letter!

There is a non-refundable $500 tuition deposit to secure your seat as a new student at The Theatre School. This deposit will be applied toward your account and will be deducted from your bill for the fall quarter. It is easiest to pay your tuition deposit online, but if you choose to mail a check, please make it payable to "DePaul University", include your full name and student ID in the memo space, and mail it to:

DePaul University
Office of Undergraduate Admission
1 E. Jackson Blvd.
Chicago, IL 60604

BFAs: On-campus housing is generally available to any new undergraduate student who submits their on-campus housing agreement and $400 prepayment by June 1. You can do this through the Blue Demon Domain. You are not required to live on-campus. About 70% of DePaul's first-year undergraduate students choose to live on-campus and the rest commute in from neighborhoods all over the city or from nearby suburbs. (Getting around Chicago is easy - read below for more information about your UPass!) The most popular neighborhoods for off-campus living tend to the ones closest to the campus: Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Ravenswood, Uptown, etc. Most of DePaul's on-campus housing is located on the Lincoln Park Campus (the same campus as The Theatre School building) but there is also on-campus housing in the Loop Campus if you wish to live downtown. All new students who live on-campus will have a roommate and be required to be on a meal-plan; students who live off-campus can opt into a meal plan if they would like to. You can learn more about on-campus housing and meal plan options through the DePaul Housing website. If you have questions, you can contact DePaul Housing at (773) 325-7196 or housing@depaul.edu.

MFAs: There is no on-campus housing for graduate students on the Lincoln Park Campus where The Theatre School is located, but there is graduate on-campus housing on DePaul's Loop campus. Most graduate students choose to live off-campus. The most popular neighborhoods for off-campus living tend to the ones closest to the campus: Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Ravenswood, Uptown, etc.

BFAs & MFAs: Whether you live on-campus or off-campus, you can use your U-Pass (which is charged to your student account quarterly at a significantly discounted rate) to take unlimited rides on the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) trains and buses during the academic year. Your U-Pass will get you all over the city, including connections to Amtrak Stations and both O'Hare and Midway. Read more about the U-Pass and getting around Chicago here.

Before you can register for orientation, you will need to complete DePaul's online placement tests for writing and math. (The placement tests for chemistry and languages are optional, but you should take these tests if you plan to take either chemistry or language classes at DePaul.) You can access the placement tests in the Blue Demon Domain.
 
Need more information? Visit this page to learn more about the placement process, or you can contact dpcl@depaul.edu or (312) 362-8610 with questions.

Students who have taken these exams may earn college credit at DePaul University. In order to be reviewed for credit, the score reports must be official - they must come directly from the testing agency. We cannot accept self-reported scores or scores that were included on a high school or college transcript. To read about how each test may translate to DePaul credit, please visit this page.

BFAs:
The summer orientation sessions help new students learn about DePaul and are where you formally register for your fall quarter classes. Due to the strict structure of conservatory training (BFA degrees) seats in all of your required BFA classes are already pre-reserved for you! (You will not miss out on taking a class needed to start your BFA major's course sequence!)
 
You will need to begin with the pre-orientation online module first. Traditional first-time college students will then register for Premiere DePaul; transfer students will register for Transition DePaul. If you have any questions about orientation, you can contact the New Student and Family Engagement team at orientation@depaul.edu or (773) 325-7360. 
 
Orientation continues with immersion week, which takes place just before fall classes begin. Immersion week is part of the Discover Chicago class and all new Theatre School students take a theatre-specific version of "Discover Chicago". The theatre-version of Discover Chicago is designed to support students as they move through their first academic term at DePaul University, develop a support system, and learn about the theatre scene in Chicago. The course is team-taught by a faculty member, staff member, and current student from The Theatre School. Read more about the Chicago Quarter class.
 
MFAs:
Orientation is a day-long event that takes places in the days just prior to fall classes beginning. It introduces you to the city of Chicago, your MFA classmates, your faculty, and the Theatre School building. It is also when you will register for classes. The Theatre School runs its own orientation for its graduate students, so any questions should be directed to The Theatre Admissions Office at theatreadmissions@depaul.edu or (773) 325-7999.

Before you can settle in to life at The Theatre School, we will need your most up-to-date academic records. 

For BFA students coming to us from high school, this means a final transcript that lists final grades and a date of graduation; for BFA students coming from another college or university, this means up-to-date college transcripts for coursework completed prior to starting at DePaul.

MFA students will not need to resubmit transcripts unless they were admitted prior to completing their undergraduate degree or if an unofficial transcript was submitted during the admissions process.

A transcript must come from the school that issued it in order to be considered official. If we do not have an official final transcript on-file, you may not be able to register for classes! Official transcripts can be sent directly to The Theatre School electronically (theatreadmissions@depaul.edu) or by mail:

ATTN: Theatre Admissions
2350 N Racine Ave.
Chicago, IL 60614

Enrollment is contingent upon satisfactory academic performance, which includes the coursework you take after learning of your acceptance to DePaul. Students who have fallen significantly below the academic standards on which their admission was based may have their admission revoked.

DePaul University complies with Illinois state law, which requires all students attending a campus location to provide proof of immunization. Please review the immunization requirements for more details. To submit an electronic copy of your immunization records, use your BlueKey information to log in to the Student Homepage in Campus Connect » Student Resources » Immunization Status. Here, you will also be able to view your immunization status grid. If you experience trouble uploading these documents, please contact DePaul Central at (312) 362-8610 or dpcl@depaul.edu.



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