MFA FAQ

Do I need to take the GRE to be considered for admission?
No.

Do I need to request official transcripts from my undergraduate institution or can I send unofficial copies?
If you are submitting your application online, you may upload an unofficial transcript. Please note: in the event that you are invited to final callbacks, you will be required to submit an official transcript from your school. If you are mailing in your application, all transcripts must be official—requested and issued directly from each school.

Can I send recommendations and transcripts separately, or do I need to submit all of my application materials together?
If you are submitting your application online, you will be asked to provide the contact information for your recommender, including name, phone number and email address. Upon submission of your application, your recommender will be emailed instructions on how to submit their letters. You must upload a current transcript from your most recent school in order to submit your online application. If you are mailing in your application, we prefer to receive one envelope containing your complete application and all supporting materials; however, we do accept application materials that are submitted separately. Transcripts and letters of recommendation may be emailed directly from the school to conservatory@act-sf.org. 

How do I obtain/submit letters of recommendation?
While applying online, you will be asked to provide the contact information for your recommender, including name, phone number and email address. Upon submission of your application, your recommender will be emailed instructions on how to submit their letters. You must upload a current transcript from your most recent school in order to submit your online application.

When are my letters of recommendation due?
Your letters of recommendation are due though Submittable prior to your scheduled audition.

I have obtained more than two letters of recommendation. Should I send all of them?
No. Please include only the two letters we have requested. In the event that we receive more than two letters for any applicant, we will review only the first two letters we receive.

I'm an international student and English is not my first language. Do I need to take the TOEFL?
No. However, your application materials must be in English, and you must demonstrate a fluent command of the English language during your audition and interview.

I don't have much/any performance experience. Should I still submit a theatrical resume? Can I include any non-theater experience?
You must include a resume listing all theater work with your application materials. This can include acting classes, voice lessons, seminars, school productions, community productions, and/or professional productions.

Can I transfer to A.C.T. from another graduate program?
The A.C.T. MFA Program consists of a set curriculum—all courses are required. You may enter the program only at the first-year level. Please refer to the "Curriculum" tab for more information.

Is there an age requirement?
The A.C.T. MFA Program does not have an age requirement. Applicants for the 2020-21 school year must have graduated from high school by September 1, 2016, or have completed an undergraduate degree at an accredited institution.

I sent in my application but haven't heard anything. Should I call the office?
Please wait at least one week after your application's estimated arrival date to call the office. When we process your application, we will send you an email telling you which documents, if any, we are still missing, and notifying you of your audition time. If you apply early, you can expect to hear from us within a few days of receiving your application. If you apply closer to the deadline date, expect to wait a little longer to hear from us.

May I visit the school for a tour?
If you are in the area, the director of academic affairs or a conservatory associate will be happy to speak with you about our actor training programs. However, please read through the 2019–20 MFA Program information on this website and familiarize yourself with the application materials before your visit. You can make an appointment by emailing conservatory@act-sf.org. Please note that all of our M.F.A. Program classes are closed to visitors. Schedule permitting, we will also show you around our main facility.

Can I audition by sending in a DVD of my work? Or can I include a DVD of my work to support my application?
No. Given the unique nature of training actors for live theater, it is important that you audition for us in person. Please submit only the items requested on the application form.

Does A.C.T. offer audition coaching?
Yes, the Studio A.C.T. program offers private coaching for auditions and other subjects. All coaches are Studio A.C.T. faculty and work out of the San Francisco Bay Area. There is a flat fee for each 60 minute session. All the details can be found on our Studio A.C.T. Private Coaching page.

What constitutes a classical or contemporary monologue? How long should my pieces be?
Your classical monologue should be in verse—plays by Shakespeare and Molière are good resources. Successful contemporary monologues typically come from plays written from 1970 to the present. Combined together, the total time of BOTH monologues should be no longer than four (4) minutes. We recommend that you consult a current instructor or advisor, who can help you determine if your chosen monologues best represent your abilities.

Does A.C.T. offer walk-in auditions?
Yes. Once the initial deadline has passed, a walk-in application form will be available on the website. Instructions for walk-in applicants, including a list of available audition times, will be posted just outside the audition room at each site on the day of the audition. Please be prepared to wait for a slot to open. We do not schedule appointment times for walk-in auditions in advance.

As instructed on the website, please bring two copies of your headshot and resume to your audition.

As a reminder, submitting an application does not guarantee you an audition time. You must arrive the day-of and check availability with the auditors.

You will be asked to present proof of your walk-in application and online payment of the fee by showing your submission confirmation email, either digitally or in hard-copy form. If you are unable to provide this evidence, you will not be permitted to audition. We do not accept cash, check or money orders.

If you participate in preliminary callbacks, you will be required to upload all supplementary materials, including headshot and resume, essay, current transcripts, and letters of recommendation.

When are callbacks?
Preliminary callbacks are held at the end of each audition day. At the end of the morning and afternoon sessions, we will post a callback list just outside the door of the audition room. Final callbacks are held in San Francisco

If I don't receive a preliminary callback, does that mean that I will not be accepted to the A.C.T. MFA Program in Acting?
In all likelihood, if you have not received a preliminary callback, you will not be invited to final callbacks for the program.

Once the audition process is over, can I receive feedback on my audition?
Unfortunately, no. Given the number of auditions, we are unable to offer critiques of individual auditions.

I'm an international student. What are my financial aid options?
As an international student, your financial aid options are restricted to non-Federal awards. We do offer a small number of merit- and need-based scholarships each year, but international students should consult their country of citizenship for government-provided financial aid.

Are fee waivers available to cover my application fee?
Unfortunately, we do not offer fee waivers. Each applicant must pay the $90 application fee. There are no exceptions.

Can I work while attending the program?
The A.C.T. M.F.A. Program in Acting curriculum is an intense, full-time course of study. We do not recommend seeking regular outside employment during the school year. For qualified students, we offer Federal work-study positions, when available, in the theater and in the office, on an hourly basis.

Does A.C.T. offer student housing?
No. All students are responsible for finding their own housing for the duration of the program.

Does A.C.T. offer other actor training programs?
Yes. Our annual Summer Training Congress offers students an intensive program in acting with a focus on core skills, classical acting, or both.

From acting and improvisation to musical theater and monologues, adult classes are also available throughout the year in Studio A.C.T.

A.C.T. also introduces actors at the start of their training to an active, ongoing engagement with the eclectic and energetic arts community of the Bay Area through our San Francisco Semester, a 15-week study away program for undergraduates. Embark on a 15-week theatrical and cultural immersion—a rich academic curriculum that will lead you to cultural destinations throughout the city and the bay.

Does A.C.T. operate a bookstore?
No. MFA, Program students are informed well in advance of the start of courses of the titles, authors, publishers, and ISBN numbers of the books they will need.