On Mount Street, in the old Liverpool Institute building where Paul McCartney and George Harrison went to school, LIPA trains actors, musicians, dancers and the people who work behind the stage. McCartney is its lead patron. Courses are small and practical, with shows, gigs and productions running all year. Entry is by audition or interview rather than grades alone.
Liverpool, Merseyside, United Kingdom
Official website: lipa.ac.uk
1996
Sir Paul McCartney
Mount Street, Liverpool city centre
Performing arts and entertainment
£19,000 – £23,000
International students, undergraduate degrees
£10,500 – £13,000
Rent, food and local transport
Approximate figures for 2026-27, please verify. Fees change every year and vary by course, so check the latest amount on lipa.ac.uk before you apply.
BA (Hons) Acting
Bachelors DegreeDuration
36 Months
Intake
Sep
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0, TOEFL: 80
BA (Hons) Music
Bachelors DegreeDuration
36 Months
Intake
Sep
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0, TOEFL: 80
BA (Hons) Dance
Bachelors DegreeDuration
36 Months
Intake
Sep
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0, TOEFL: 80
BA (Hons) Sound Technology
Bachelors DegreeDuration
36 Months
Intake
Sep
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0, TOEFL: 80
BA (Hons) Theatre and Performance Design
Bachelors DegreeDuration
36 Months
Intake
Sep
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0, TOEFL: 80
Teaching in the building where two Beatles went to school.
Audition-led entry for acting, music and dance.
Technical and management courses alongside performance ones.
Graduates work as actors, session musicians, dancers, sound engineers, designers and stage managers.
Many build freelance careers across theatre, touring, TV and events.
Graduates can stay in the UK for two years on the Graduate visa.
Undergrad
UCAS, mid-January
Postgrad
Rolling
Mount Street sits in the Georgian Quarter, between the two cathedrals and a short walk from Hope Street's theatres and the Philharmonic Hall.
Liverpool is a music city first. Small venues around Bold Street and the Baltic Triangle put on gigs most nights, and rent is far lower than in London.
CAS from Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts
Proof of funds for fees and living costs
English test at B2 level or above
TB test certificate, if required
Immigration Health Surcharge payment
Valid passport with blank pages
Apply through UCAS by the mid-January deadline for September entry. LIPA then invites applicants to audition or interview, often online for international students. Apply early, since popular courses fill their audition slots.
Degrees start in September. There is no January intake.
You'll apply for a Student visa. Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts gives you a CAS number once your offer is unconditional and the deposit is paid. You can then apply online up to six months before the course starts, with bank evidence and the Immigration Health Surcharge.
Acting, music, dance, sound technology and theatre design are the best-known courses. Selection rests mainly on your audition, portfolio or interview, plus IELTS 6.0 or equivalent.
LIPA has limited scholarships and hardship funds. Most international students fund their own studies, so check the fees page and ask admissions what is open for your year.
