The Yale Repertory Theatre and the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale University are known as some of the biggest presences in acting education in the world. Known for producing some of the world’s most talented actors and theater professionals, the Yale Drama School has become synonymous with excellence in the dramatic arts.
If you’re thinking about enrolling in an MFA acting program or certificate and are considering Yale, read on to find out more about the curriculum, tuition, and more at the Yale School of Drama.
Why Yale Is One of the Best Colleges with Acting Programs
The Department of Drama in the School of Fine Arts was founded in 1924, over 200 years after Yale was founded. The funds were acquired thanks to a generous donation from Edward D. Harkness, who was an alumnus of the school. The entire department became known as the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale University in 2021 as a result of a generous donation by the David Geffen Foundation for tuition assistance in perpetuity.
Since its inception, the Yale Drama School has built a legacy of training accomplished actors, directors, and theater professionals. Its affiliation with the Yale Repertory Theatre provides students with opportunities to perform and collaborate on professional productions throughout their education, often led by industry professionals.
Variety of Opportunities
The school offers Masters degree programs and certificates in acting, directing, playwriting, dramaturgy, design and production, and even a doctorate in fine arts.
Although the school doesn’t offer undergraduate programs, students can apply to the program after having completed any four-year bachelor’s degree; you need not have any prior professional training in acting to apply and be accepted to the MFA acting programs at Yale.
Highly Competitive & Small Class Sizes
Because the program only accepts 15-17 students each year, the admissions process is rigorous. Applicants need to do well in their auditions and in the application materials, like personal essays.
While this makes it a difficult program to get accepted to, it also means that you will receive highly individualized attention while you’re enrolled.
World-Renowned Reputation
Many graduates of the David Geffen House have become massively successful actors and actresses with international recognition. Becoming part of the Yale Drama family means you will be part of the same circle, perhaps opening up doors for more opportunities in your future.
The coursework at Yale Drama itself also makes it one of the top 10 schools for acting (number 1, actually, according to The Hollywood Reporter).
Fully Funded MFA Acting Programs
The David Geffen School of Drama (DGSD) at Yale University is one of the few acting programs in the United States that offers fully funded degrees. Students are still responsible for other costs, like housing, meals, and supplies, but the school covers 100% of tuition thanks to the donation from David Geffen. Students can still apply for financial aid, grants, and loans for these other costs, and they can also still participate in the federal work-study program to help alleviate the cost of attending a program.
Partnership with the Yale Repertory Theatre
The Yale Repertory Theatre is a professional theater house that works closely with the David Geffen School of Drama. The Repertory Theatre has seen massive success over the years.
Students can work as understudies at the the Yale Theater in tandem with their studies and gain access to the Actors’ Equity union upon graduation. Having the ability to work in the Theatre as an advanced training center is a great boon to students for gaining real-world experience.
Students also have the option to explore independent projects with the Yale Cabaret.
Yale's Academics and Program Structure
One of the defining features that makes Yale among the best MFA acting programs is its curriculum. Students will take a variety of classes to learn about the art and science of acting in a variety of methods, as well as professional development classes like DRAM 863b: Principles of Anti-Racist Theater and DRAM 743b: Professional Preparation and Audition Workshop. The variety of classes trains students for the stage as well as for the camera and even for voice-over work, making it one of the best colleges for acting in film.
Additionally, students work with professionals to put together their showcase to present to agents, managers, casting directors, and others in the industry in New York and Los Angeles.
Here are some other amazing aspects of the Yale drama program that make it among the best schools for acting you should know!
Three-Year Program for a Master’s Degree in Acting
The three-year-long curriculum for students in the MFA or Certificate track is thoroughly thought-out and structured for a comprehensive education with lots of practical experience, leading to success. Yale’s website breaks down the degree program nicely while providing class descriptions and even announcing who the instructor is for each course.
Students can expect a healthy number of acting exercises and drama classes covering different techniques and topics.
Noteworthy Classes for MFA Students
All the classes in the program are meant to be highly valuable to students. Students have the opportunity to learn a wide variety of concepts and techniques about acting and drama. Here is a brief highlight of some of the types of theater class you can expect to take as a student training in the best acting school.
- DRAM 50a: The Theatrical Event
Students start out with an interdisciplinary class in the Directing track so they may have a solid point of reference as an element in a theatrical production. Students learn how to see a production in its entirety, both as a component and as an audience member. Students will learn more about how to take into consideration the design and production of a piece, including theater set design. - DRAM 133a/b: The Body as Source I
Not your average drama class, The Body as Source explores the physical, mental, emotional, and energetic aspects of acting, helping students to develop a complete profile of themselves and their characters. - DRAM 363: You Are the Creator
This incredible class creates an opportunity for students to create their own performance art, whatever it may be, as an acting class assignment. Utilizing the skills learned up to this point (this class is taken in the first semester of the third and final year), students put together individual, deeply personal, possibly cathartic, passionate performances of their choosing. Students showcase their independent works to each other, creating incredible bonds and understanding of one another as actors and humans. - Understudy at Yale Repertory Theatre
Though not a class, students will have ample opportunities to fill understudy roles and more at the Repertory Theatre, which serves as a professional actors training center. Students gain real-world experience of being in a production while building their resumes and repertoires.
Yale’s Impressive Alumni
Who are some of the people who have previously attended Yale’s drama program? If you attend the same school, you can have a sense of greatness knowing that other people in your exact position have gone on to fulfill their wildest artistic dreams in the entertainment industry.
Here are some of the most notable graduates of the drama school before and after it became the David Geffen School.
- Lupita Nyong’o
- Winston Duke
- Liev Schreiber
- Kathryn Hahn
- Angela Bassett
- Courtney B. Vance
- Patricia Clarkson
- Sigourney Weaver
- Paul Giamatti
- Meryl Streep
How Much Is Tuition for Yale Drama School?
Since the 2021 academic year, students enrolled in the David Geffen School of Drama do not pay anything for tuition. Yale is one of the few drama schools in the United States to offer a fully-funded MFA program. Students seeking a doctorate of fine arts can also have their tuition fully funded.
Students are still responsible for the other costs that come along with being a student, like room and board, meals, transportation, and supplies and equipment required for class.
How to Get Accepted to Yale Drama School
The Yale Drama School application process is rigorous and highly competitive. You should prepare well in advance for the process for a number of reasons:
- Highly Selective: About 1,000 hopefuls apply to the program each year, but only 15-17 are selected to attend.
- Rigorous Audition Schedule: All prospective students must audition for the program in person, even if they live in another country. This process is taken quite seriously, so you must not waste your time or the faculty’s time by not preparing your material well. Prospective students will need to pass the preliminary auditions as well as the final callback, which takes place in New Haven, CT.
- Multifaceted Application: In addition to the audition for acting school, applicants must submit an array of other artistic materials as well as the standard application documents like transcripts.
In the David Geffen program, only about 15-17 students per 1,000 applicants are selected to attend each year.
How to Succeed in Auditions for Acting School at Yale
According to Yale’s website, the admissions committee is looking for students who show a strong potential for a lifetime of work in the theater; they have a strong sense of individuality and self-assuredness, show an aptitude for expressiveness and trainability, and have active imaginations and emotions. Ideal candidates also love collaborating and playing with others in a space.
The requirements for the auditions are:
- Present two contrasting pieces
- The pieces should be deeply personal and highlight your skills and credo
- Each piece should be about 2-2.5 minutes in length
- All material must be in English and must be fully memorized
- The pieces can come from any period, any genre, and any medium (but theatrical material tends to work the best)
- You should also have a third and fourth piece prepared in the event the Audition Committee calls you back to learn more about you
If you are called back on the same day, you may be asked to sing a song or otherwise workshop with the Committee so they can learn more about you, your skills and talents, and how well you work with others. They may also interview you. The key to doing well in this initial audition is to be well-prepared with excellent material and have a lot of confidence.
What Happens If I Pass the First Round of Auditions?
Out of all applicants (generally about 1,000 per year), only about 34 are called to the second round of auditions, which are held on campus in New Haven, Connecticut. The school pays for travel and accommodation expenses.
This second round is a two-day callback session where applicants can meet faculty and sit in on some classes. They can meet with current students and learn more about the school and the city.
There will be about 16 actors selected to attend the program. If you are not selected for the program, you can apply again next year. However, it’s discouraged for actors to apply more than three times to the program.
What Other Materials Are Needed for the Application?
Beyond the audition, applicants will need to provide the following:
- Resumé
- 3 professional letters of recommendation (at least one from a director you have worked with, the others should be from teachers and/or theater professionals who are familiar with you and your work)
- Academic transcript
- Statement of Purpose (limit of 3 pages or 1,000 words)
- Current photograph (used for reference to relate back to the audition)
- Yale application fee: $110
The Yale application deadline for applying to the David Geffen program as an acting major for the 2025 year is January 3, 2025. Auditions take place in January and February in New Haven, Chicago, Atlanta, and San Francisco. The final callback takes place at the end of February and/or the beginning of March. Final decisions will be communicated by April 1.
How Do I Get Into Acting?
For those asking this question, the answer lies in passion, preparation, and persistence. Start by honing your skills through drama classes, acting exercises, and local auditions.
Getting as much experience in your local productions and/or school drama club is the best way to get started. If you don’t have access to these types of clubs, then joining acting classes with a tutor can be a great way to learn. You may be able to find a community of actors in a nearby location or even online, so you can learn from others and get experience working with others, which is imperative in acting.
Grow your skills, practice techniques, and build a repertoire so you can audition for programs like Yale with confidence. You can find a private tutor for acting classes easily when you search with Superprof! Learn any techniques you require, receive high-quality and insightful feedback, or simply work with a coach to perfect your audition material with a professional acting tutor.
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