Diploma in Drama – Major in Acting

The Acting and Directing programmes at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna involve sophisticated and demanding artistic, technical, and intellectual training. This does justice to the conditions of present-day German language theatre in two respects. First of all, students should graduate equipped with the training they need in order to rise to the great challenges of professional theatre. And secondly, the qualifications they have acquired should ensure their ability to not only contribute to theatre’s further development but also deal constructively with its crises.

The acting and directing programmes at the Max Reinhardt Seminar are practice-oriented—a fact that is not contradicted by the great importance accorded to theoretical and scholarly subjects in these programmes. After all, the unique quality that one expects from a degree programme at an arts university is only achievable via the linkage of practical training with topics both theoretical and scholarly. A special characteristic of training at the Max Reinhardt Seminar is the combined teaching of acting and directing students that takes place in numerous areas. And for performances, the Seminar has available to it Schlosstheater Schönbrunn, the Neue Studiobühne and Alte Studiobühne, and the Arenabühne.

Overview

  • Duration: 8 semester
  • Graduation with a: Magistra artium (Mag.a art.) or Magister artium (Mag. art.)
  • Registration period for entrance examination: 15 January 2025 – 6 May 2025
  • Entrance examination date: listed on the website of the Max Reinhardt Seminar – Department of Drama
  • Tuition: detailed information
  • Prerequisites: successful entrance exam; documentation of German skills (please see “Information on Entrance Examinations”)
  • Information on entrance examinations: PDF [ger] | PDF [en]
  • Curriculum: PDF [ger]
  • Course offerings in mdwOnline

Upcoming Events

You're very welcome to attend student productions. They’re a good opportunity to speak with students and teaching staff members in person! Admission is free. You’ll find our event schedule under Events.

Applying for this Programme of Study

  1. The document “Information on Entrance Examinations” (download link above) informs you about what you need to prepare for this examination. Some documents (such as your exam programme) need to be uploaded as part of the online registration process.
  2. Please set up an applicant account in mdwOnline if you don’t already have an mdwOnline account from another mdw programme of study.
  3. Log into your account, click on “Entrance Exam Registration”, and then on the link “Enter new application” at the upper right. Follow the instructions that appear. If you can’t find a particular programme of study in the online registration system, it means either that the registration deadline has passed or that registration is not yet possible!
  4. Important: If you are a citizen of a “third country” (from a country not belonging to the EU/EEA; exceptions: Switzerland and Liechtenstein), please inform yourself in a timely manner concerning the applicable requirements for entering and staying in Austria.
  5. Once you’ve registered to take the entrance exam, you’ll receive an E-mail that informs you of your assigned exam date.
  6. Take the entrance examination. Remember to bring along a photo ID.

After the Entrance Examination

  1. You’ll receive the results of your entrance exam by E-mail.
  2. If you have passed the entrance exam, you’ll still need to register in order to be enrolled and commence your studies at the mdw. You can do so by visiting the Studies Center within the admissions period; please bring along your passport or personal ID.
  3. You can find out about the further steps you need to take in the brochure “New at the mdw?”.