Frequently Asked Questions
1. About Drama School Mumbai
Drama School Mumbai was established in 2013 as a professional theatre training institution and is an initiative of the not for profit Drama Schools Foundation Mumbai. It offers serious, structured conservatory style training designed to build skilled performers, thoughtful and socially aware theatre makers.
Our mission is to elevate the quality of civic life by cultivating versatile actor-creator entrepreneurs who craft, perform and produce meaningful work for diverse audiences.
At its core, DSM believes theatre is more than just an art form; it is a way of thinking, working and imagining together.
The Postgraduate Diploma is a year-long, full-time, immersive professional training programme based in Mumbai .
It is conservatory-style training built across three strands:
- Performance
- Creation
- Dramaturgy
Students train in voice, movement, acting, text work, devising, research, and producing. The programme is ensemble-led and practice-driven.
This is not a short-term exposure course. It is structured, demanding, and designed for those seeking serious engagement with acting and theatre making.
For more details, please check here.
Drama School Mumbai does not subscribe to a single acting methodology. Our faculty come from diverse training and performance backgrounds, bringing multiple approaches into the room.
Students are introduced to varied techniques so they can develop versatility and respond intelligently to the differing demands of productions and directors.
The training recognises that each student arrives with distinct strengths and sensibilities. Through sustained work on voice, body, and text, we aim to strengthen the actor’s instrument and enable performances that are authentic, charged and watchable.
Faculty are selected carefully. They come from different backgrounds in training and are almost all practitioners. A lot of them are actors, writers as well as directors. Sometimes, industry experts are called in for specific conversations. The focus while bringing faculty on board is their level of skill and their ability to teach well in order to best serve the students’ learning journey. The point is not celebrity interaction.
2. Programme Structure & Training
The programme runs for approximately one year (11months) beginning in August.
Please note that this is a full-time course and requires daily in-person participation.
Exact calendar dates are shared with selected candidates.
Yes, it is full-time and immersive.
We do not recommend taking on parallel professional commitments during the training year.
The work is physically, intellectually, and emotionally demanding. Divided attention tends to affect both learning and ensemble responsibility.
If you are considering applying, it is worth reflecting carefully on your availability and readiness for full commitment.
For more information please check here.eking serious engagement with acting and theatre making.
For more details, please check here.
A typical day at Drama School Mumbai is structured to balance physical training, performance work, and collaborative creation.
- 8:00 AM – Morning Ritual
The day begins with a 10-minute morning ritual that helps students centre themselves and prepare their mind and body for the training ahead. - Voice and Body Conditioning
This is followed by voice conditioning and body conditioning, usually lasting about an hour each. - Breakfast Break
After conditioning, students take a breakfast break before returning for the first academic session. - Morning Class (2 hours)
Students attend a two-hour class focused primarily on Performance, and sometimes on Dramaturgy. - Lunch Break
After the morning session, students take a lunch break. - Afternoon Class (2 hours)
The next class runs for two hours and focuses on a different area of training from the morning class. - Tea Break
A short tea break follows before the final session of the day.
Theatre Making Lab (TML)
Students then spend two hours working on the Theatre Making Lab (TML). This is student-led work where they rehearse and develop their own pieces.
End of Day
The day ends with a closing ritual, after which students clean their workspace and leave.
Some days follow a different rhythm:
- Field trips may be scheduled, which change the structure of the day.
- During the Production and Aadyant process, students rehearse through the day and attend Design, Producing, or Dramaturgy lectures in the evening.
- During the exchange program, students follow the schedule of the theatre school being visited.
On Saturdays, soon after conditioning classes, students perform the pieces they have developed during their TML rehearsals.
They receive feedback and are usually free to go home by lunchtime.
Yes.
Once every month, students attend guided play viewings, with timing depending on the play being watched.
3. Admissions & Application Process
The application process unfolds in stages:
Step 1: Fill the Application Form
This helps us understand your intent, background, and readiness for full-time training.
Step 2: Pay to Submit Your Application
Not inclusive of fees
Step 3: Attend Audition Webinar
Get your questions answered before your audition.
Step 4: Attend Selection
Perform you audition and sit for your scholarship/finance interview
Step5: Secure Your Spot
Pay a holding amount to secure your spot.
The process is designed to be reflective, not rushed.
If you have questions at any stage, you’re welcome to write to: enrollmentadvisors@thedramaschoolmumbai.in
Taking time to understand the commitment before applying is encouraged.
The form helps us understand:
- Why you are applying now
- Your readiness for structured training
- Your understanding of what this commitment involves
We are not looking for perfect answers.
We are looking for honesty, clarity, and self-awareness.
Once you submit your application and complete the application fee payment, you will be invited to attend an Audition Webinar. This session is designed to help you understand the audition process and prepare your pieces with clarity.
You will then appear for your audition and selection interview. If relevant, conversations regarding scholarships or financial support will take place as part of this process.
Applicants who are selected will receive a formal offer. To confirm your admission, the seat holding amount must be paid within the specified deadline.
For the 2026–27 batch, DSM will admit 20 students.
No. Prior experience isn’t mandatory.
What we really look for is seriousness of intent, readiness for full-time training, and how thoughtfully you’ve engaged with the application.
4. Fees, Scholarships & Financial Support
The fee for the 1-Year Postgraduate Programme in Acting & Theatre-Making is ₹4,85,000.
Yes. Drama School Mumbai is committed to keeping rigorous theatre training accessible to talented and motivated students from diverse backgrounds. Admissions are based on merit and potential, not financial circumstance.
Admitted students may be considered for tuition support based on merit and demonstrated financial need.
Scholarships may be awarded at the following levels:
- 100%
- 75%
- 50%
- 25%
Scholarships are limited and are awarded through a structured evaluation process.
Applicants who wish to be considered for financial support should indicate this during the admissions process. Scholarship discussions typically take place during the selection and interview stages.
Yes. Fee timelines and installment options are shared during the application and interview stages. Each applicant is assigned a DSM Advisor who can guide them through the programme details, scholarships, and payment schedules.
DSM works with students and families to identify feasible pathways where genuine need is demonstrated. Financial conversations are handled directly and confidentially with selected applicants.
5. International Applicants
Yes. International applicants are welcome.
The application process remains the same. If selected, visa documentation guidance will be shared at the appropriate stage.
6. Student Support & Well-being
DSM integrates physical conditioning, mindfulness practices, and one-on-one mentorship into its programs. Student Mentors and Counselors are available for mental health support as needed, ensuring students can thrive both personally and professionally.
Support mechanisms include:
- Orientation processes around gender sensitivity
- Access to counselling when required
- Student mentors
- Attention to physical and vocal care
- Professional conduct frameworks rooted in DSM’s values
The school also offers Physiotherapist and Nutritionist for the physical well-being of the students.
*T&C applied
The programme is conducted in both English and Hindi. Sessions with international faculty are typically conducted in English.
If you have specific language concerns, these can be discussed with your Course Advisor during the admissions process. We aim to ensure that language does not become a barrier to meaningful participation, while maintaining the professional standards of the training.
7. Career Pathways & Industry Preparation
DSM does not offer placement services or job guarantees. What we provide instead is structured professional preparation designed to help students enter the field with clarity and independence.
During the training year, students:
- Perform in multiple public productions
- Build recorded portfolio material
- Conclude the programme with Aadyant, a student-led final showcase designed to introduce their work to the wider theatre community.
These experiences help students leave the programme with practical performance experience and professional material.
Yes. A three-month internship is mandatory.
After Aadyant, students intern with a practitioner or theatre company of their choice. While the school may support initial connections, students are responsible for initiating, negotiating, and formalising the internship.
Graduation is awarded upon successful completion of this internship.
DSM maintains an active alumni and faculty network that continues to engage with graduates through collaborations, conversations, and opportunities.
While the school does not place students into jobs, it actively connects graduates with industry professionals and peers, helping them build relationships that support long-term career development.
The aim is not to place students into a job immediately after graduation, but to equip them with the training, discipline, networks, and initiative required to build a sustainable career in theatre and the performing arts.
8. Exploring Theatre (Before Committing)
Yes. For those who are exploring theatre or are not ready to commit to full-time training, DSM also runs short-term online courses through Eklavya, its digital learning platform .
These courses are led by working practitioners and are designed to introduce participants to specific aspects of performance and theatre-making.
If you are still in an exploratory phase, this can be a useful place to begin before considering more intensive training.
It is normal to feel uncertainty.
However, this programme is designed for those ready for full-time professional training. If you are still exploring casually, shorter workshops or introductory courses may be more appropriate at this stage.
It is encouraged to take the time and ruminate on your decision before making it.
9. Conversations with Families
This is very common.
Choosing to pursue professional theatre training is a significant decision, and it is natural for families to have questions or concerns.
A few steps often help bring clarity:
- Share the DSM Prospectus so they can understand the structure of the programme.
- Request a conversation with a faculty advisor, who can answer questions about the training, expectations, and outcomes.
Often, once families understand the rigour, structure, and seriousness of the training, they are better able to evaluate the decision with more confidence.
Open conversations usually help everyone arrive at a clearer understanding of what the programme involves.
10. Contact & Further Questions
You can connect with a DSM Advisor via WhatsApp (9819336656) or email info@thedramschoolmumbai.in to schedule a call. Advisors are available to guide you through the application process and answer your questions.
You can also fill the Enquiry Form and a DSM Enrollment Advisor will get back to you.
