• Interpret and manipulate the materiality and engineered systems of performance environments to meet a design brief with dexterity and acuity
• Rigorously investigate and respond creatively to a diverse range of technical design problems and develop creative innovative solutions.
• Demonstrate creative leadership through positive collaboration and the utilisation of honest, open, inclusive, and articulate communication in all stages of the design and production process
• Demonstrate an awareness and commitment to innovative, ethical and sustainable practices in the choice of the materials, methods and techniques required for contemporary staging practice.
• Develop an autonomous, creative, professional scenic practice based on engagement with diverse fields of experience, knowledge, and culture.
• Apply entrepreneurial and management knowledge and practices to diverse collaborative and self-directed projects.

Students are at NIDA from 9am to 6pm from Monday to Friday. During production terms students may also be required for rehearsals after hours and on weekends.

Additional time also needs to be allocated to library work, research, preparation for classes and private study. For this reason it is difficult for NIDA students to maintain regular part-time jobs. Studying at NIDA is a big commitment so students need to manage their time and resources carefully.

All NIDA Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees are three-year full-time courses.

2027 Semester Dates

Semester 1: 1 February – 18 June 2027
Welcome Week: 1 – 5 February 2027 (First years & MFA only)
BFA Teaching Period 1: 8 February – 9 April 2027
BFA Teaching Period 2: 26 April – 18 June 2027

Semester 2: 19 July – 19 November 2027
BFA Teaching Period 3: 19 July – 10 September 2027
BFA Teaching Period 4: 20 September – 19 November 2027

Download the 2027 Student Calendar

2026 Semester Dates

Semester 1: 2 February – 19 June 2026
Welcome Week: 2 – 6 February 2026 (First years & MFA only)
BFA Teaching Period 1: 9 February – 10 April 2026
BFA Teaching Period 2: 27 April – 19 June 2026

Semester 2: 20 July – 20 November 2026
BFA Teaching Period 3: 20 July – 11 September 2026
BFA Teaching Period 4: 21 September – 20 November 2026

Download the 2026 Student Calendar

Term dates exclude public holidays. View 2027 NSW public holiday dates.

NIDA graduates have been employed by Disney Studios, Warner Bros., Opera Australia, Sydney Theatre Company, Stagekings Australia, All Scene All Props UK, Sold Out, Henn Projekt Germany, Pollard Productions, Tri-Point Productions, Dan FX, SimpleMotion, Stage Technologies, TAIT Towers USA, The Australian Ballet, MnR Constructions, and more.

Potential careers include:

Staging technician, set builder, construction manager, theatre mechanist, technical manager, technical designer, art/exhibition installer, special effects technician/designer, systems integrator, automation technician, architectural consultant in the arts, entertainment and creative industries, including traditional performance, immersive theatre and events.

Entry is by merit selection.

General entry requirements for accredited courses are as follows:

• Have completed a Higher School Certificate or equivalent qualification at the end of high school for undergraduate courses.
• Be 18 years of age by 31 March in the first year of enrolment for domestic students in undergraduate programs.
• Be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Have skills and knowledge appropriate to the level and discipline into which the applicant is seeking to gain admission.
• Have an evidenced interest in the performing arts.

Applications are encouraged from domestic applicants who:

• Have previous higher education study.
• Have vocational education and training.
• Have work and life experience (having left school more than two years ago).
• Are recent secondary education applicants.
• Identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander.

Applications are encouraged from international applicants who:

• have successfully completed a Genuine Temporary Entry (GTE) interview.
• have completed the equivalent of a Year 12 or final year of high school qualification
• have an English language proficiency equivalent to IELTS 7.0 with no band score less than 6.0.
• Are 18 years of age at date of enrolment for international students.
• Have skills and knowledge appropriate to the level and discipline into which the applicant is seeking to gain admission.
• Have an evidenced interest in the performing arts.

Recognition of Prior Learning is an assessment process that involves assessment of an individual’s relevant prior learning (including formal, informal and non-formal learning) to determine the credit outcomes of an individual application for credit.

NIDA may grant credit for:

• Formal study undertaken in recognised education institutions in Australia, including universities, colleges, TAFE and other post-secondary education institutions and for study at recognised overseas institutions.
• Credentialed courses provided by recognised professional bodies, employers and other authorities, where appropriate certification is available; and
• Prior learning, where such learning can be sufficiently evidenced.

The principles underlying the assessment of credit transfer/Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) applications are that the policy and procedures are:

• Aligned to the Higher Education Standards Framework and the Vocational Standards for RTOs.
• Designed to maintain the integrity and reputation of NIDA’s accredited courses for which credit or RPL is applied and support the collaborative nature of NIDA’s conservatoire training model.
• Consistent, equitable, transparent, and accountable.
• Based on processes of comparable standard and integrity to those used to assess the relevant subject.
• That students are not disadvantaged in achieving the expected learning outcomes for the course of study or qualification.

NIDA Recognition of Prior Learning Policy

Apply for RPL/Credit Transfer

Domestic students with overseas qualifications must supply certified translations of their qualifications.

NIDA encourages applications from students from diverse backgrounds, with different levels of experience in theatre, film, television or other areas.

We select students who:

• Demonstrate commitment and motivation in relation to the arts, entertainment and related industries, to their chosen discipline, and to the course of study.
• Provide evidence of their capacity to work creatively and imaginatively.
• Demonstrate an aptitude to collaborate with peers as part of a creative process.
• Demonstrate a range of knowledge, skills, technical abilities and/or problem-solving techniques relevant to their discipline.
• Demonstrate cultural and contextual awareness.
• Articulate and communicate ideas clearly.

Original Work Requirement (All Applicants)

All submitted work must be your own original creation, including writing, design, performance, and any supporting material.

The use of Artificial Intelligence to generate or substantially develop any part of your submission is not permitted. This includes (but is not limited to) ideas, written text, imagery, design outcomes, dialogue, or performance content.

You may use research, reference material, and feedback to inform your work; however, the final submission must clearly reflect your own thinking, creative development, and decision-making.

Submissions that do not meet this requirement may not be considered for assessment.

Applying to this course will involve:

Round One: Online Application and Digital Portfolio
Round Two: Interview

View our Course Specific Application Requirements for a detailed breakdown of what to include in your online application and what to expect if you progress to Round Two of the application process.

View Course Specific Application Requirements

Applicants MUST apply online via the NIDA application portal.

View details about how to complete your online application as well as key dates and timelines.

View Details on How To Apply

Visit our Fees and Payments page for information about our tuition fees and payment information for NIDA courses, including payment options and additional costs.

NIDA is committed to making its education and learning more accessible to the most creative and talented individuals across Australia with a range of scholarships aimed to remove financial barriers, providing students with the opportunity to study at NIDA while being relieved of some of the cost of living, relocating and study expenses.

NIDA scholarships are made available by the generous support of donors, sponsors, corporate partners, trusts and bequests, through the NIDA Foundation Trust, and enable a significant increase in financial assistance to ongoing and students commencing study in 2027.

Scholarship applications for 2027 will open in early October. Learn more about our Scholarships.

The table below gives an indication of the educational backgrounds of the 2025 commencing undergraduate BFA peer cohort in all disciplines at NIDA.

It should be noted that as selection and admission to courses at NIDA is based on merit the statistics below may not be indicative of the educational backgrounds of commencing cohorts on a year-to-year basis.

L/N – Low numbers: the number of students is less than 5.