Admission FAQ

The Theatre School generally holds admissions auditions and interviews between November and the end of February. A full list of dates and locations can be found here on our website​.  Both on-campus (at The Theatre School) and regional auditions/interviews are available.  Regional locations have historically included cities such as New York, Los Angeles, and Houston. Please check the link above for this year's locations and dates!

Please note: BFA Actors are required to pass a video prescreen prior to attending an in-person audition (callback.)

You will not be able to sign-up for an audition/interview if you have not yet applied to The Theatre School. Once you submit your online application, you will recieve emails that will help you access your DePaul Portal, explain your next steps, and provide you with a link to sign up for your audition or interview. Be sure to check your spam filter settings if DePaul emails are not appearing.

Registration for auditions/interviews is done online. Be aware that some dates fill up more quickly than others and registration is on a first come, first served basis.​ A confirmation email is sent upon successful registration.

If you have any questions or trouble registering online, you can call The Theatre School Admissions Office at (773) 325-7999. ​

Each program has specific requirements for the audition or interview. You can find a How to Apply checklist for each major by visiting that major's page. Start by selecting your intended major on our Conservatory​ page.

Please review the audition information page specific to either the BFA acting​​ or MFA acting major for monologue requirements and suggestions.

The main purpose of your portfolio is to spark discussion between you and our faculty about where you want your education to go and what you have achieved in your work so far. Each major has a description of the interview process and portfolio and/or writing samples required. Start by selecting your intended major on our Conservatory​ page.​

Those interviewing should feel free to wear what makes you comfortable. For acting auditions we encourage you to wear comfortable clothing appropriate for physical activity throughout the audition. However, if you feel the need to wear different clothing for your monologue and for the class portion of the audition there will be time provided to make the change. ​​

If possible, we encourage all students to interview in person at either The Theatre School or one of our regional interview locations. However, if one of these options is not possible, we are happy to schedule a phone, FaceTime, or Skype interview. ​​

The audition process is the same regardless of the audition location and equal consideration is given to students auditioning in every location.

The Theatre School does not have an early action admissions program or rolling admissions, meaning that each student is given equal consideration for the program regardless of where and when they audition/interview. In order to allow each applicant the same amount of consideration, decision letters are sent out mid-March each year after all auditions/interviews have been completed. ​​

Students who apply earlier will have a wider range of dates, locations, and times available to them. If a particular date or location is important to you, we encourage you to apply early for the best chance at registering for your preferred audition/interview date.​

Generally speaking, a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) program is comprised of focused, structured, intensive, hands-on conservatory training. Students must audition or interview for admission and typically receive continual evaluation and review by the faculty. Conservatories typically require that their students spend a majority of their coursework in theatre classes and participate in productions as part of their curriculum, although many conservatories will also have their students fulfill liberal studies requirements in addition to their theatre courses. All programs at The Theatre School are BFA degrees.

A Bachelor of Arts (BA) program is for students who are committed to studying theatre and the performing arts, but may want to build a broader range of theatre skills or are interested in pursuing different academic studies in addition to theatre. The Theatre School does not offer a BA program. Our BFA in Theatre Arts is the most similar program to a BA that we offer, allowing students to study multiple areas of theatre over the course of their four years while still maintaining the intensity, structure, and hands-on approach of conservatory training.

Rather than a semester schedule, DePaul University uses a quarter system. This means that students have a Fall, Winter, and Spring set of classes that each last 10 weeks, plus a non-academic summer quarter (summer break). The Theatre School also uses time during the winter and spring breaks to rehearse productions for the coming quarter. This means that Theatre School students potentially will not have the same winter and spring breaks as the rest of the university community. (The Theatre School has no required programming or classes during the summer quarter, however.) View the DePaul University Academic Calendar​ for more information. ​

Although it's not really possible to double major between two programs within The Theatre School, some programs make a double major between a theatre and a non-theatre program possible. For example, our BFA in Theatre Arts has the flexibility to allow students to double major in programs outside of The Theatre School. Other programs, such as our BFA in Acting, are more rigidly structured and do not offer students as much flexibility. In all cases, double majors require approval of the student's academic advisor and will require careful planning. A full list of undergraduate majors at DePaul can be found here. ​

It is not possible to double major in both The Theatre School and The School of Music, however. Students interested in both theatre and music should talk with both schools about their options and consider whether a minor in either area might be of interest.

Yes, it is possible for a student to major in a program in The Theatre School and minor in something else. In all cases, minors require approval of the student's academic advisor. You can visit DePaul's degree requirements pages for a list of DePaul's minors.

The Theatre School offers a minor in Theatre Studies for students majoring in non-theatre programs at DePaul University. More information can be found on our Theatre Studies Minor​ page.

All Theatre School students must complete Liberal Studies requirements in order to receive their degree. These classes are designed to offer students a broad range of academic experiences and create a well-rounded undergraduate experience. Details about these requirements can be found on the DePaul Liberal Studies​ page.

Because the focus of the first year of training is on personal discovery and expanding the actors access to her/his imagination we do not cast our actors in a production in their first year. Instead, actors work on an intensive, process-focused exploration of the craft of acting while working on production crews for shows in our season. Acting students then receive guaranteed casting assignments over the final three years of the program. ​

Only BFA and MFA Acting majors are eligible to be cast in productions at The Theatre School. These productions are graded coursework and are critiqued by a panel of the faculty. ​

The Theatre School operates three theatre spaces. The Fullerton Stage is our 250-seat thrust theatre and the Healy Theatre is our 100-seat flexible blackbox, both of which are in The Theatre School on the Lincoln Park Campus. The Merle Reskin Theatre​, is our 1,325-seat Broadway-style proscenium theatre that is located in downtown Chicago. Additional Studio productions are performed in our 10 classroom black box spaces in The Theatre School building.

Depending on your major, internship opportunities may be available or required. Internships can be arranged by you and in collaboration with your advisor could be locally in Chicago or in another city or state.

The Theatre School has a study abroad program for students in the Design/Technical department. One student from each Design/Technical major has the opportunity to spend the fall quarter of their final year studying at the Royal Central School of Speech & Drama in London, England. Design/Technical students interested in pursuing this option apply during their third year.

DePaul University also offers a number of study abroad programs. Students interested in doing some of their course work as a part of one of these programs should consult with their academic advisor about coordinating these studies. In some cases (the BFA Acting program for example) the decision to study abroad will delay graduation. In other cases it may be possible to spend the time abroad and still graduate at the end of four years. Learn more about DePaul's study abroad programs.​

Every program is different. The unique combination of location, faculty, curriculum, and fellow students make one-to-one comparisons challenging. What might be a perfect fit for one student may not be a great choice for another. We always encourage prospective students to ask us lots of questions, visit campus if possible, and discover if The Theatre School feels like a fit for you. ​

We previously had a program where a specific number of students were invited to continue in the acting program between the first and second years. That policy is no longer in practice. We admit 32 students to the first year of the BFA Acting program with the expectation that all 32 students will continue through the 4-year course sequence. BFA Acting students receive quarterly evaluations from faculty based on discipline, collaboration, professional potential, and progress in the program. If the quarterly evaluation indicates that appropriate progress is not being made a student can be placed on academic probation. If the student fails to address the concerns of the probation they could face dismissal from The Theatre School. ​

In any city there are precautions to be taken. Being on campus surrounded by fellow students it is easy to feel safer than one may actually be. However, as long as students are aware of their surroundings, Lincoln Park and Chicago in general can be very safe. As an extra safety precaution, DePaul Public Safety is available to escort students from one campus building to another between 6pm and 6am and The Theatre School provides free bus service to and from off-site theatre spaces for rehearsals and performances that begin or end after dark. Additionally, The Theatre School operates on a card-swipe security system during off hours to prevent unauthorized entry. Any crime reported in the neighborhood around DePaul University is immediately posted as an Alert in Campus buildings. Learn more about DePaul University's Public Safety initiatives.​

Walking is the most common form of transportation. As a full-time student you also receive a Chicago Transit Authority(CTA) U-Pass that is good for unlimited rides on the "L" (Chicago's elevated train system) and all CTA buses while classes are in session. The "L" is easy to navigate and is conveniently located near both the Lincoln Park and Loop campuses. Chicago has many streets with bike-only lanes, therefore many students also bike or rollerblade. Very few students keep cars on campus, however campus parking permits are available for an additional fee.​

No. DePaul University does not require that freshman or other incoming students live on campus. However, The Theatre School does have pre-reserved housing for first year theatre students. Learn more about DePaul's Housing Services.​

The residence halls vary from traditional dorm style, suite style, to apartment living. There can be six people living in an apartment, or someone can be in a single room. Residence halls are secured by a card access system and all have similar amenities. Learn more about DePaul's Housing Services.​

There is not a theatre-specific or arts-specific residence hall. Being part of the larger DePaul on campus resident community is one way our students get to know other students outside of The Theatre School community. Sometimes theatre students may have another theatre student as a roommate, though not necessarily someone in your major. An actor may be placed with a set designer or a stage manager can be roomed with a theatre arts major, etc. A variety of roommates can provide an opportunity to meet and know the larger DePaul University community. ​

Students can have as much interaction with students outside of The Theatre School as they choose. Of course, many of your classes are with other theatre students, but Liberal Studies classes include students from many other programs. In addition, students can take other elective courses or take part in outside activities that are not a part of The Theatre School. ​

The Theatre School's faculty is made up of professional artists and educators from a variety of backgrounds and expertise. Some have spent a lifetime training the next generation of artists. Others are professionals teaching a single class in their area of expertise. All understand the intense nature of the demands of a conservatory training program and are dedicated to individual and challenging training. The Theatre School employs 28 full-time tenure-track faculty and around 65 adjunct or part-time faculty. All Theatre School courses are faculty taught. Learn more about The Theatre School faculty and staff.​

Each student is assigned an academic advisor to assist them in course selections and degree progress. Many students form close relationships with faculty beyond their assigned academic counselor due to the small size of our programs as well.

Ranging from storefront theatre to the largest of Broadway touring houses, Chicago's theatre community is as diverse as DePaul University itself. Often, there are over 100 shows playing at a time. Victory Gardens Theater, Apollo Theater Chicago, Steppenwolf Theatre, and Emerald City Theatre are literally only blocks away from campus. The Goodman Theatre and Broadway in Chicago theatres are only a few "L" stops away. Because of our professional faculty, many working alumni, and reputation in the community, Theatre School students are often invited for free or discounted performances of a variety of shows. Visit Chicago Plays for more information.​

Guided by its Vincentian heritage of inclusion and compassion, DePaul University celebrates all faiths. There are a variety of religious celebrations on campus each week. In addition, The Theatre School selects productions and scripts solely based on their artistic merit and potential educational value. DePaul University does not discriminate on the basis of any religion, race, or sexual orientation. Learn more about DePaul's diversity programming.​​