Additional Costs

As part of this course, there are likely to be some additional costs that are not included within your tuition fees. Many of these are optional. We’ve also included information about cost of living expenses in Liverpool in this section.

Equipment

There are a number of things you will be required to have at the beginning of your study. We understand that most students have to work to a very tight budget so we have limited the required tools to those that are absolutely essential for you to be able to start work here. We will send you a list of essential and desirable equipment before you enrol, but items all students will need include an LED head torch, comfortable safety (steel toe cap) footwear, an 8m tape measure, a good quality (Bahco) 8-inch adjustable spanner, a 1:25 scale ruler, craft knives and craft scissors, an A4 sketch book and lever arch folder, and a good set of technical drawing pens and pencils. This initial outlay could cost around £75-£85 on average.

Most of the equipment and workshop materials you will use throughout your study will be supplied for you by the programme. Any additional equipment you may need, or would like to purchase, as you progress through your studies will be based on your specialist pathway choice in your second and third year of study. We will notify you of these items ahead of time, but we expect this cost to be no more than £100. During your studies there may be small printing and binding costs associated with your assessment too.

Our programme is highly practical and involves rigging, construction and painting activities. It is advisable to keep a set of old clothes/overalls/shoes for messy work.

All computer software that you will be asked to use is provided in LIPA and is available in our computer suites. However, students seeking to invest in personal laptops or tablets for coursework may wish to wait until after enrolment to speak with current students and staff in identifying which device may be best for their studies and most appropriate to their budget.

Trips and training courses

As part of the various modules on the programme, some class trips may be offered to help support your learning. Some of these will form part of the curriculum but most will be important additions to your work. Some trips may be free or subsidised, but you may be required to cover some costs yourself. There is typically an external trip in first year and second year of study, which costs somewhere around £25 -£30 each.

Throughout your studies there will also be opportunities to attend additional short training courses that will help you enhance your skills and employability. These are not compulsory, but you will have to contribute towards the cost of the training courses you choose to attend. The opportunities offered vary each year, but past training has included First Aid training and Cueing to Music sessions. There is also an opportunity in the third year of the programme for any additional training to count towards a module assessment, though this is not compulsory.

Seeing shows

You should see live performances as often as you can. This is not compulsory, but it will help your professional development. Theatre visits are not covered by your tuition fees, so you’ll need to cover these costs yourself. Most theatres offer student discounts for tickets (becoming a member of YEP means you have access to cheap tickets at the Liverpool Playhouse and Everyman Theatre) and we are occasionally offered a limited number of free or discounted tickets for shows in the city. We also encourage you to see all LIPA shows. We offer discounted student tickets to make this as affordable as possible. From time to time, we may also organise trips to regional theatres for backstage technical tours or to see a performance. In these cases, any travel and ticket costs will be additional.

Cost of living

Wherever you choose to study, you'll have to budget for accommodation and other everyday living expenses, such as food and bills.

Accommodation costs are relatively low in Liverpool, particularly compared to the south east of England, and the city's shops and entertainment venues also have lots of student discounts.

We’d recommend completing a simple budget plan to predict your income and outgoings. This should include accommodation, bills, insurance, TV licence, food, laundry, clothes, books, travel and socialising. How much you'll want to spend on a lot of these is completely personal.

There is lots of advice available online about budgeting:

• UCAS budget calculator  is a great tool to help you balance your in-comings and out-goings.

• SaveTheStudent provides useful information on student money resources, including loans, budgeting, and scholarship sources.

Most UK students will be able to take out a maintenance loan to assist with living costs and there are some grants available. We also offer some bursaries. To find out more, please see Student Finance and bursaries.

Because our courses are intensive and we have a busy season of student performances, options for part-time work during our teaching periods can be limited. However, many of our students gain flexible part-time work, in performance venues, shops, restaurants and bars. We also provide casual work opportunities for our students ranging from stewarding work on our productions to working with young people to help us widen access to our courses. The long summer break is when many of our students choose to work.

Additional Costs

As part of this course, there are likely to be some additional costs that are not included within your tuition fees. Many of these are optional. We’ve also included information about cost of living expenses in Liverpool in this section.

Equipment

There are a number of things you will be required to have at the beginning of your study. We understand that most students have to work to a very tight budget so we have limited the required tools to those that are absolutely essential for you to be able to start work here. We will send you a list of essential and desirable equipment before you enrol, but items all students will need include an LED head torch, comfortable safety (steel toe cap) footwear, an 8m tape measure, a good quality (Bahco) 8-inch adjustable spanner, a 1:25 scale ruler, craft knives and craft scissors, an A4 sketch book and lever arch folder, and a good set of technical drawing pens and pencils. This initial outlay could cost around £75-£85 on average.

Most of the equipment and workshop materials you will use throughout your study will be supplied for you by the programme. Any additional equipment you may need, or would like to purchase, as you progress through your studies will be based on your specialist pathway choice in your second and third year of study. We will notify you of these items ahead of time, but we expect this cost to be no more than £100. During your studies there may be small printing and binding costs associated with your assessment too.

Our programme is highly practical and involves rigging, construction and painting activities. It is advisable to keep a set of old clothes/overalls/shoes for messy work.

All computer software that you will be asked to use is provided in LIPA and is available in our computer suites. However, students seeking to invest in personal laptops or tablets for coursework may wish to wait until after enrolment to speak with current students and staff in identifying which device may be best for their studies and most appropriate to their budget.

Trips and training courses

As part of the various modules on the programme, some class trips may be offered to help support your learning. Some of these will form part of the curriculum but most will be important additions to your work. Some trips may be free or subsidised, but you may be required to cover some costs yourself. There is typically an external trip in first year and second year of study, which costs somewhere around £25 -£30 each.

Throughout your studies there will also be opportunities to attend additional short training courses that will help you enhance your skills and employability. These are not compulsory, but you will have to contribute towards the cost of the training courses you choose to attend. The opportunities offered vary each year, but past training has included First Aid training and Cueing to Music sessions. There is also an opportunity in the third year of the programme for any additional training to count towards a module assessment, though this is not compulsory.

Seeing shows

You should see live performances as often as you can. This is not compulsory, but it will help your professional development. Theatre visits are not covered by your tuition fees, so you’ll need to cover these costs yourself. Most theatres offer student discounts for tickets (becoming a member of YEP means you have access to cheap tickets at the Liverpool Playhouse and Everyman Theatre) and we are occasionally offered a limited number of free or discounted tickets for shows in the city. We also encourage you to see all LIPA shows. We offer discounted student tickets to make this as affordable as possible. From time to time, we may also organise trips to regional theatres for backstage technical tours or to see a performance. In these cases, any travel and ticket costs will be additional.

Cost of living

Wherever you choose to study, you'll have to budget for accommodation and other everyday living expenses, such as food and bills.

Accommodation costs are relatively low in Liverpool, particularly compared to the south east of England, and the city's shops and entertainment venues also have lots of student discounts.

We’d recommend completing a simple budget plan to predict your income and outgoings. This should include accommodation, bills, insurance, TV licence, food, laundry, clothes, books, travel and socialising. How much you'll want to spend on a lot of these is completely personal.

There is lots of advice available online about budgeting:

• UCAS budget calculator  is a great tool to help you balance your in-comings and out-goings.

• SaveTheStudent provides useful information on student money resources, including loans, budgeting, and scholarship sources.

Because our courses are intensive and we have a busy season of student performances, options for part-time work during our teaching periods can be limited. However, many of our students gain flexible part-time work, in performance venues, shops, restaurants and bars. We also provide casual work opportunities for our students ranging from stewarding work on our productions to working with young people to help us widen access to our courses. The long summer break is when many of our students choose to work.

Additional International student costs

UKVI English language requirements

If you are not from a majority English speaking country (as determined by UKVI), you will be required to establish to LIPA that you meet UVKI minimum standards for English language before getting a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) number. The CAS number we issue you allows you to begin the visa application process. There is no requirement for a student to evidence their English language qualification at the point of application, audition or interview.

Students who accept a place on Certificate of HE Foundation Acting (Musical Theatre) or Certificate of HE Foundation Acting (Stage & Screen) must sit a UKVI-approved Secure English Language Test (SELT). The cost of a SELT can range from approximately £180 - £250. You may also incur travel costs to your closest test centre.

Students who accept a place on an undergraduate or postgraduate course may have the opportunity to evidence their English language through a qualification from another country which meets LIPA’s assessment of its academic suitability, take a UKVI-approved Secure English Language Test (SELT), or completing and passing a LIPA Institutional Assessment of English. The cost of a SELT can range from approximately £180 - £250. You may also incur travel costs to your closest test centre. A LIPA Institutional Assessment of English is free of charge.

Student visa

All international students who do not hold a United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland passport; a Republic of Ireland passport; or EU Settled Status (EUSS), will require a Student visa to study in the UK.

The Student visa application fee in 2025 was £490. Some students will need to have their biometrics taken as part of the visa application process and this may incur additional costs, notably travel costs to your nearest Visa Application Centre.

In addition to the application fee, you are required to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge, which gives you access to the UK’s National Health Service (NHS). Once your course starts, any medical treatment you require in the UK will be free of any further charges if you use the NHS, just as it is for UK nationals. The surcharge is compulsory, even if you hold private healthcare insurance. 2025 surcharge costs were as follows:

• Foundation and Certificate of HE programmes: £776
• Undergraduate (BA) programmes: £2,716
• Postgraduate (MA) programmes: £1,164

The surcharge will give access to NHS healthcare services from your arrival in the UK until the date your visa expires.

Accommodation

Some accommodation providers may require international students to pay a larger deposit, or pay for their accommodation in fewer, larger instalments. This is something individual students will need to discuss with their accommodation provider.