NIDA is honoured to be recognised once again among the 25 Best Drama Schools worldwide by respected industry publication, The Hollywood Reporter.
Since the list began in 2013, NIDA has ranked 12 times and is the only dramatic arts institution in Australia and the Southern Hemisphere to receive this continued global industry recognition.
NIDA proudly appears alongside top USA and UK drama schools such as Juilliard, Yale, Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) and Carnegie Mellon.
Liz Hughes NIDA CEO said, “NIDA’s inclusion in The Hollywood Reporter’s 25 Best Drama Schools in the world, is a testament to the world-class training that NIDA provides, NIDA’s wonderful team and the extraordinary students and alumni. NIDA’s unique training methods, which combine rigorous practical experience with innovative industry-relevant approaches, continue to produce outstanding performers, directors, designers and the whole suite of creative roles behind the scenes. It is wonderful to see NIDA’s commitment to excellence in dramatic arts education acknowledged in The Hollywood Reporter. I’m proud of the role that NIDA plays shaping the future of our precious creative industries at large.”
Each year, The Hollywood Reporter speaks with industry members and educators to rank the best schools for an acting degree, considering factors like training, cost, alumni success, and industry connections.
NIDA’s Director of Learning and Innovation, Andrew Comrie said: “It’s wonderful to be recognised in the 25 Best Drama Schools list once again. This honour reflects the exceptional talent and dedication of our students and staff. I am looking forward to welcoming new cohorts of Acting, Design, Making and Technical students in 2026, as we continue to foster and develop the next generation of exceptional talent.”
In 2025, The Hollywood Reporter focused on Drama schools that are adapting to post-pandemic audience behaviours, funding changes, and evolving needs in arts education, such as updating curricula to emphasise on-camera training and actors creating their own work.
NIDA’s 2025 Hollywood Reporter Top 25 Best Drama School ranking is a continued testament to the dedication, talent, and hard work of the students, staff, and industry partners whose commitment to excellence in dramatic arts education continues to produce and support world class performers and creators, consistently recognised by the industry.
Applications are now open for NIDA’s 2026 course intake.
Read the full story in The Hollywood Reporter here.
*Header image: Production image from The Effect, directed by Lou Quill for NIDA’s 2025 Festival of Emerging Artists. Excerpts from Lucy Prebble’s play The Effect. Photo by Julia Firak.