Entry Requirements

Undergraduate Programmes Admission

Undergraduate Programmes Admission

Section Information
General Requirements • Applicants must be at least 17 years of age at the time of commencement/enrolment for a Bachelor of Arts undergraduate programme at SPAA.
• UAE Secondary School Completion Certificate or equivalent approved by the UAE Ministry of Education.
• Candidates for performance programmes (i.e. Acting and Musical Theatre) must pass the audition process.
• Candidates for the Production Arts Programme must pass the interview process.
English Language Proficiency Requirement Full admission is given to applicants who achieve EmSAT English 1100, a score of at least 500 in the TOEFL (paper-based test), 61 in TOEFL (iBT), Computer Based Test (CBT) 173, Band 5 in IELTS (Academic), Band 5.5 in IELTS (General).
Certificate of Equivalency The UAE Ministry of Education requires all enrolled students to obtain an Equivalency Certificate for their Secondary/BA Certificate. Therefore, the Equivalency Certificate is required from all candidates except those from the UAE's Ministry of Education Curriculum (UAE's MOE).
Conditional Admission • Applicants who do not meet the minimum required English exam scores must take the SPAA English Placement Test and successfully complete a remedial (non-credit bearing) English course.
• Applicants who have applied for a Certificate of Equivalency but have not concluded the equivalency process by the time of registration will be allowed to register for the fundamental year, provided they sign the Conditional Admission Contract. Applicants selecting this option must present a copy of the MOE application receipt.
Recognition of Prior Learning Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is a process that allows a student to enter a programme at an advanced stage and, based on prior learning, be awarded credit for a course which they have not completed, providing they meet 80% of the prescribed course learning outcomes.
Applicants for bachelor’s level programmes will be asked to provide additional evidence of unaccredited, informal, or professional experience at the same academic level. For bachelor’s programmes, this limit is set at thirty (30) credit hours.
Credit Transfer Transfer credits from credit courses offered by other recognised postsecondary institutions are generally accepted where the course content is equivalent to the SPAA course under consideration.
Postgraduate Programmes Admission

Postgraduate Programmes Admission

Section Information
General Requirements The selection process considers not only educational qualifications but also the applicant's combination of aptitude, ability, and motivation. Applicants seeking admission to the Master of Fine Arts in Theatre and Live Performance Creation at SPAA must meet the following minimum criteria:
• Completion of a bachelor's degree in arts or a relevant discipline with a minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 3.25 out of 4.0 or equivalent.
English Language Proficiency Requirements A minimum level of English proficiency in the form of either:
• An academic IELTS minimum score of 6.0 (out of 9).
• An EmSAT English minimum score of 1400.
• A TOEFL minimum score of 79 on the Internet Based Test (IBT).

Subject to review, the English test score requirement may be waived for a native English speaker who has completed a degree at an English-medium institution.
Statement of Purpose: Video or Written Each applicant is required to submit a Statement of Purpose in one of the following formats:
a) A written statement of 800-1,000 words.
b) A 2–3-minute video providing insight into the student's artistic aspirations and motivations.

Additionally, applicants must submit a Curriculum Vitae and a portfolio of recent work depending on their specialisation (Directing, Set/Costume Design, or Producing).
Audition or Interview Applicants are required to participate in an interview or audition process, which may include discussing their educational, work experience, or creative projects.
Conditional Admission Requirements • Applicants with a lower CGPA score (minimum 2.7 out of 4.0) may be considered for conditional admission under exceptional circumstances.
• Applicants must submit an Equivalency Letter from the Ministry of Education – Higher Education Affairs by the end of the first trimester.
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) RPL allows students to enter a programme at an advanced stage by awarding credit for prior learning, provided 80% of course outcomes are met. For postgraduate programmes, this is limited to six (6) credit hours.
Credit Transfer Students may seek credit transfer for graduate-level courses taken at accredited institutions. Transfer credits are subject to approval and are limited to 6 credits.
Application Timelines Applications for the graduate MFA programme are accepted from October to March. The programme closes to new applications once the maximum number of students is reached.