What to expect-
The MFA in Acting at the University of Illinois is a tuition-free, three-year professional training program that combines rigorous craft, embodied research, and artistic discovery. Our program cultivates curiosity, resilience, and sustainability—guiding actors to deepen their artistry, expand their expressive range, and prepare for meaningful, long-term careers in performance, teaching, and creative practice.
We see actors as creators; artists who bring imagination, identity, rigor, and depth to performance. Training here balances craft and curiosity, inviting students to take risks, expand their range, and connect their individual voice to a larger creative purpose. Our classrooms, rehearsal halls, and theaters serve as active laboratories where collaboration and discovery shape every part of the process.
Graduate actors train with a faculty of professional artists in acting, movement, voice, and speech. Alongside daily studio work, students develop teaching skills through assistantships in undergraduate courses. This integration of advanced training and guided teaching prepares graduates to enter the field as adaptable performers, thoughtful collaborators, and emerging scholars.
Throughout the program, students have the opportunity to form lasting connections with visiting artists, directors, playwrights, agents, and casting professionals from across the country. Recent guests have included industry leaders such as Sarah Ruhl, Luis Alfaro, and Rob Decina (CBS Casting), as well as representatives from The Goodman Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, American Players Theatre, and The Shakespeare Institute (UK). Alumni guests have included Nick Offerman, Tinashe Kajese-Bolden (Alliance Theatre), and Keith Bolden.
Our graduates emerge as adaptive, inventive theatre-makers—artists prepared not only to enter the profession, but to shape it.
Admission Requirements
We are currently accepting applications for students interested in starting our three-year MFA Acting program in the Fall of 2026.
The three-year graduate acting program leads to a terminal professional degree in theatre performance. Graduate actors meet daily in four-hour sessions, which include acting, movement (including stage combat), and voice and speech.
Prospective students are strongly urged to apply to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign prior to their audition. Please see the “Learn How To Apply” link here and at the bottom of this page.
Key Dates
- On-Campus Audition Day: Saturday, February 7, 2026, 1:00–4:00 p.m.
- Deadline to Schedule On-Campus Audition: January 15, 2026
Application Deadline: February 14, 2026 (for the 2026–2027 academic year; late applications will not be considered)
U/RTA National Auditions
Illinois Theatre participates in the U/RTA National Auditions in Philadelphia, PA; Atlanta, GA; Chicago, IL; Fullerton, CA; and in their Virtual Auditions.
The dates for U/RTA are listed below. To participate and schedule your audition, please follow this link: https://app.getacceptd.com/urta.
U/RTA Locations and Dates:
- Philadelphia, PA: January 9–11, 2026 (In-Person Auditions)
- Atlanta, GA: January 18, 2026 (In-Person Auditions)
- Chicago, IL: January 25–28, 2026 (In-Person Auditions)
- Virtual Auditions: January 31–February 1, 2026 (Live-virtual, meeting in real time but online)
- Fullerton, CA: February 7–8, 2026 (In-Person Auditions)
For those not selecting U/RTA participation, we also offer an on-campus audition option. To arrange an on-campus audition, please contact Prof. Kim McKean (kmckea1@illinois.edu).
On-Campus Audition Day
Our on-campus audition day is designed to help MFA applicants experience Illinois Theatre firsthand. The day includes in-person monologue auditions, a Q&A session, and a workshop with faculty, with the goal of giving you a deeper sense of our faculty and community.
For the on-campus audition day, please prepare two contrasting monologues (one classical and one contemporary), each no longer than two minutes. If you wish, you may also present 16 bars of a song, with your own recorded accompaniment.
Application Process
Applications are submitted through the Graduate College. In addition to the official application, candidates must audition either through U/RTA or during our on-campus audition day.
As part of the application, you will be asked to provide:
- A statement of purpose (800–1000 words)
- Three letters of recommendation
- A headshot and performance resume
International Applicants
Video auditions will be accepted from international applicants only. In addition, international applicants must meet the full status admissions requirements for the TOEFL. Additional requirements may apply depending on the country of origin. Please consult the Graduate College guidelines: grad.illinois.edu/admissions/countries.
What We Look For
We are especially interested in applicants who demonstrate strong performance ability, creative and intellectual curiosity, and a commitment to discovery and growth.
MFA Curriculum and Performances
MFA Acting classes meet Monday through Friday afternoons. Each semester includes physical and vocal preparation, acting technique and scene/monologue work, and skill development in voice, speech, and movement. Students engage deeply with heightened language, contemporary plays, and stylistic challenges, exploring performance both on stage and on camera.
Performance opportunities occur in productions of the Department of Theatre on the stages of the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts and the Armory Theatre, our student produced black box space. Graduate actors will also have the option to appear in a showcase for industry professionals at the end of their 3rd year.
Acting students receive credit for performances in the productions of the Department of Theatre and are encouraged to seek summer acting work beyond the campus to support their classroom learning. MFA actors have been hired to work at The Alliance Theatre, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, St. Louis Shakespeare, American Players Theatre, Utah Shakespearean Theatre, Illinois Shakespeare Festival, Montana Shakespeare Festival, Arkansas Shakespeare Festival, Theatre at Monmouth, and Chautauqua Theatre Company.