Skip to main content Skip to main navigation

Performing Arts

See yourself on the stage? Why not build on your creative skills at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, one of the world's leading performing arts academies? WAAPA is recognised nationally and internationally for the quality of its acting, dance music theatre and music graduates. Your audition awaits.

View courses
Creative thinkers made here.
Creative thinkers made here.

Why study at ECU?

  • QILT - Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching

    Top uni in WA for Creative Arts

    Includes best ranking for undergraduate teaching quality, skills development, learning resources and student support.
    QILT is an independent Australian government survey.

  • The Good Universities Guide - teaching quality

    The highest quality teaching

    ECU is one of the best unis in Australia for teaching. We've had 18 straight years of 5-star ratings in the Good Universities Guide to prove it!

  • THE World University Rankings Top 100 Young

    One of the world's young guns

    We're ranked one of the world's best universities under 50 years old, and we've already established a global reputation for such a young institution.

Courses

WAAPA provides world-class teaching, concert facilities and performance opportunities for aspiring professionals in acting, dance, classical, jazz or contemporary music, and musical theatre.

Need some help deciding what to study?

Our future student events include a mix of on-campus and online sessions designed to help you decide what to study at ECU.

Download a guide

If you prefer paper over pixels, please download one of our guides.

Creative thinkers start here

Experience Performing Arts at ECU.

Explore your options through the following media

Scholarship opportunities to reduce your expenses

Scholarships recognise those whose life journey may have been challenging, as well as students who've shown outstanding academic excellence and endeavour.

A scholarship can help you realise your ambitions by paying for fees, text books and living expenses.

Realise your dream with our scholarships

WAAPA stars are born

Our graduates excel in their chosen professions around the world, confirming WAAPA's well-earned reputation.

Many well-known actors, dancers, musicians and music theatre stars, including Hugh Jackman, Meg Mac, Frances O'Connor, Jai Courtney, William McInnes, Lisa McCune, Lucy Durack, Dacre Montgomery, Emma Matthews, Jamie Oehlers, Eddie Perfect and Tim Minchin have called WAAPA home.

Do you have any questions about the Performing Arts study discipline?

Student stories

  • The teachers pushed me further than I believed I could go, they pushed me out of my comfort zone

    WAAPA really helped prepare me for my future as a professional dancer.

    Mia Thompson
  • The WAAPA Musical Theatre course was an unbelievable launching pad for me and my fellow class mates into this crazy industry we call the performing arts

    One of the many invaluable opportunities we were given, and a personal highlight for me, was working with professional creatives (choreographers, directors and writers).

    Even at the end of a sweaty fourteen-hour day – that could have possibly included a keyboard spot test, a high stakes scene presentation, a song repertoire performance, show choreography rehearsal, a ballet class and a costume parade – WAAPA was constantly buzzing with passion and was an amazing place to study for three years.

    Mackenzie Dunn
  • WAAPA pushes you to achieve goals that you never thought you could

    Studying at WAAPA allowed me to discover the beauty of our rich culture, intertwined with the crazy world of theatre. It showed me a world that I want to be a part of. It dared me to dream and has pushed me further with my education. It’s definitely a worthwhile journey!

    Megan Wilding

The Important Things

Things you should know about if you're thinking about studying here.

Course Entry

There's more than one admission pathway into an ECU course. It depends on what you've studied already, or your work or life experience.

Fees & Scholarships

Course tuition fees can change, but we can give you an estimate of your costs. If you're eligible, a scholarship or student loan can help too.

Applying

Applying for a course is a fairly simple process, especially if you have scanned copies of qualifications, your resume or other paperwork, ready to upload.

ECU Experience

Starting a course is an exciting and sometimes daunting time, so we make a massive effort to ensure you get all the support you need to have a positive experience.