Tuition

The costs of attending NCDA are comparable to the costs of attending unaccredited, less-intensive acting schools in DC. Students pay $13/hour for instruction here, compared to $20 to $24/hour at other local institutions. Our tuition is substantially less than accredited acting studios in NYC, which cost approximately $35,000/year.

Tuition, books, and supplies per semester are $5,200. There are no other fees. The total cost of tuition is $10,400 per year.

Students may make payments in four monthly installments over the course of each semester. Students will not incur interest charges if they elect to pay using this payment plan. 

​Financial aid, for which you may qualify, includes federal grants and student loans. Since NCDA is an accredited school, our students are eligible to apply for and receive the federal student loans and grants, which the US Department of Education awards based on need. The best way to find out what kinds of loans and grants you might be eligible for is to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form.

To complete a FAFSA application, you must have on hand:

1. Your federal tax return from last year (If you did not work last year or were not required to file taxes last year, you can ignore this requirement)
   
2. Your parents’ federal tax return from 2016 (if​ you’re considered to be dependent of your parents*)
   
3. The official “school code” issued to The Conservatory by the US Department of Education. Our code is 014941​.

The first step in the application process involves setting up a FSA ID (Personal Identification Number) for yourself, which the Department will use to identify you and track your application.

Be aware that, as part of the loan-application and administration process, the USDE will require you to participate in online “counseling sessions” to ensure that you understand how federal student loans work, what your rights and responsibilities are as a student borrower, and how the repayment process works.

These online counseling sessions are mandatory and typically take about 20 to 30 minutes to complete. During the sessions, you will read short passages of text about student loans, then answer multiple-choice questions to test your understanding.

You can fill out the FAFSA application online here.

*Students under the age of 25 are considered dependent of their parents for FAFSA purposes unless they meet other eligibility criteria such as being married or having a child. All of this outlined on the FAFSA form. If possible, use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool at the FAFSA site.

If you find the language or questions of the FAFSA form daunting, arrange a time online or by phone at 202-333-2202 to complete the form at NCDA in the company of an experienced financial-aid representative. 

Veterans and active duty and/or their qualified dependents may also use VA funds to pay their tuition and fees. NCDA is approved to administer GI Bill Chapter 30 and Post 9/11 benefits.