Apply to Pathways

Applications for Pathways 2025/26 are now closed.

Am I eligible?

To be eligible for Pathways, you must meet all the following criteria:

  • Have not been to university before.  

  • Be a current UK resident.

  • Be from a household whose annual income is less than £43,000 OR have been in receipt of Free School Meals during the last 6 years.   

  • Have attended a UK state school for the entirety of your primary and secondary school education.  

  • Be at least 18 years old by 7 September 2026, for entry onto LAMDA’s Degree Programmes.

In addition, you should meet at least one of the following criteria:  

  • Have a declared disability.

  • Be care experienced or a care leaver.    

  • Be from the Global Majority.  

  • Be from a neighbourhood with low participation in Higher Education, as categorised by POLAR4, Quintile 1 or 2 (you can check your home postcode, or we will check this for you).  

  • Be from a neighbourhood which is classified as Decile 1-4 in the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) Government dataset (you can check your home postcode, shown in column F in the spreadsheet, or we will check this for you).  

  • Be applying through a Pathways Partner organisation (e.g. Open Door) .​​ 

How do I apply to join?

Applications are now closed.

You will be asked a series of questions and asked to upload some supporting information as proof of your eligibility. 

We require at least one of the following documents as supporting evidence:   

  • An official letter confirming you are in receipt of means tested benefits.  

  • An official letter from your school or college confirming you are in receipt of Free School Meals.  

  • P60(s) from your parents/guardians confirming that your household income is below £43,000 per year.  

  • Letter from a social worker or your school confirming that you are care experienced.  ​​​​​

What happens next?

If you’re applying to Pathways and have submitted the online application form with your supporting documents, then the AWP Team will be in touch to confirm if your application has been successful.

You will be guided by the team to claim your fee waiver for one of LAMDA's courses, as well as details of upcoming workshops and events that you can take part in.

FAQs

Have a question that isn't answered here? Contact our Access & Widening Participation Team, who will be able to help.

In order for you to get the most out of the programme, we advise that you apply as soon as possible after applications open in June. You must apply by no later than 12pm GMT on Monday 15 December 2025. 

Please complete your Pathways application first and wait to hear if you have been accepted onto the programme before applying to LAMDA’s courses, to ensure you can access your application fee waiver. 

If you are still eligible, you can apply to Pathways again. 

If you are a member of a Pathways Partner organisation (e.g. Open Door), they will guide you in how to apply.

At this time, Pathways is focused on supporting those applying to the BA or Foundation Courses only. This is in line with LAMDA’s Access and Participation Plan and our commitment to removing the barriers to access higher education.

No. You must be UK-Domiciled and a resident of the UK to benefit from the Pathways Programme. This is in line with LAMDA’s Access and Participation Plan.

Firstly, don’t worry! You can still apply to Pathways to benefit from our programme of workshops, events and bursaries as long as you are eligible. Please contact the AWP team on [email protected] after completing your Pathways Programme application to notify us of this. 

Unfortunately, we are unable to refund your UCAS fee.

From September–May, we will be running digital and in-person workshops designed to support your application journey. 

  • Acting workshops will cover: Insight into LAMDA’s Actor Training, Choosing and preparing a monologue for audition, How to Self Tape and Audition preparation. 

  • Production and Technical Arts workshops will cover: Insight into LAMDA’s PTASS course, Preparing a portfolio, Interview guidance and Mentoring opportunities. 

You will also have opportunities to watch a LAMDA performance and take part in a Q&A with current students. Workshop attendance isn’t mandatory to access an application fee waiver, but we recommend you attend as many opportunities as you can to support your application.

Yes. If you are invited to an in-person recall audition and are travelling from outside of London, you will be contacted by the AWP Team who will assist you in booking your travel and accommodation (if required). This will be booked for you, so you do not need to pay anything in advance.

Yes. All our in-person events as part of the Pathways Programme will have travel bursaries available to support you to travel to LAMDA, including LAMDA’s Open Days.

We ask for evidence to ensure that our support is targeted at those with the most need and who will benefit from the financial support LAMDA can provide. If you are unsure or unable to access documents that support your application, please contact the AWP team on [email protected]   ​​​​​

Further Information

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