Welcome!

We’re glad you’re here! 

We designed this site to help prospective students find and analyze the information they need to train for a career in acting for the stage, TV, and film. This site is also intended to involve you in the process by offering a broad overview of our training programs, resources, services, policies, and procedures.

Here are some of the things I think you will want to know as a parent:

NCDA is an accredited actor-training institution. We comply with the rules and regulations issued by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges and the US Department of Education. 

Our students can submit a Free Application for Federal Financial Assistance (FAFSA) to see if they’re eligible to receive federal student loans and grants. Learn more about Financial Aid.

Becoming a successful actor requires an intensive period of training, just as acquiring any professional skill does. NCDA’s two-year, intensive acting program provides students with 1,800 hours of instruction, practice, and rehearsal over the course of 16 months. Students who continue into our third-year, advanced program obtain another 900 hours of training. Learn more about our programs.

Our instructors are all working actors, directors, and playwrights currently active in the DC market. The techniques and philosophies taught here are the same that comprise the foundation of numerous acting conservatories worldwide, including the Drama Division of the Julliard School in New York and the Royal Shakespeare Company Studio in Britain. NCDA's training philosophy also emphasizes individual attention and small class size, with no more than ten students per class. Learn more about our faculty.

The costs of attending NCDA are competitive when compared to other area acting schools. Students pay $17/hour for instruction here, compared to  $24/hour at other institutions in our area. Our tuition is far less than accredited acting studios in NYC. Students pay $10,900/year here, compared to around $37,000/year in NY. Learn more about financing.

Our graduates enter the job market with a strong foundation in the craft of acting, the business savvy to be successful in a competitive market, and a network of professional contacts. More importantly, NCDA graduates are family, and as a family we are here to continue to nurture them beyond graduation.

We’ve been training people for careers in acting since 1975, and our intensive approach can help make the dream of working as an actor a reality. 

We welcome you to arrange a tour of the school or schedule a time to speak one-on-one with one of our admission representatives by attending an open house or by scheduling an individual appointment via our online form or by email or phone.

Thank you for considering the National Conservatory of Dramatic Arts for your student!

Best Regards,

Nan Ficca
School Director

nficca@theconservatory.org