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Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts

Creative thinkers perform here. They compose here. They build and design here. We're one of the world's leading performing arts academies. And no matter how talented you might be already, we'll challenge you to become even better. Because we know that creativity has no limits.

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Creative thinkers made here.
Creative thinkers made here.

Why ECU?

  • QILT logo

    Top uni in WA for Creative Arts

    Includes best ranking for undergraduate teaching quality, skills development, learning resources and student support.
    QILT is an independent Australian government survey.

  • The Good Universities Guide - teaching quality

    The highest quality teaching

    ECU is one of the best unis in Australia for teaching. We've had 17 straight years of 5-star ratings in the Good Universities Guide to prove it!

  • The Good Universities Guide - teaching quality

    A 5-star postgrad experience

    Our postgraduate students have rated us 5 stars for their overall experience in the latest Good Universities Guide. More 5-star ratings included: skills development, student support and teaching quality.

  • THE World University Rankings Top 100 Young

    One of the world's young guns

    We're ranked one of the world's best universities under 50 years old, and we've already established a global reputation for such a young institution.

Courses

In extremely competitive fields, the employment record of WAAPA graduates is outstanding and well-attuned to the needs of the industry.

WAAPA designers, arts management and production graduates are highly sought after, and many hold influential positions across performing arts companies, festivals, venues, film, television, major events, arts organisations and teaching institutions.

About WAAPA Courses

At WAAPA you can choose a degree specialising in a particular area, such as a Bachelor of Arts (Acting) or a Bachelor of Arts (Arts Management).

In some cases you can choose a specialisation within a degree. For example, you can specialise in Classical Vocal, Classical Instrumental, Composition and Music Technology, Jazz or Contemporary Music within a Bachelor of Music degree.

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Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts

If you already know what you're interested in, choose a discipline.

Need some help deciding what to study?

Our future student events include a mix of on-campus and online sessions designed to help you decide what to study at ECU.

Download a guide

If you prefer paper over pixels, please download one of our guides.

Creative thinkers start here

Experience Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts at ECU.

Explore your options

  • Our Bachelor of Performing Arts (Performance Making major) prepares self-reliant and entrepreneurial artists to be the initiators of their own work.

  • Watch WAAPA's unique interdisciplinary collaboration.

  • It takes a skilled and creative team to put on a show. WAAPA is the place to learn the diverse range of disciplines that work together to entertain and enthral an audience.

  • "When you choose to study at WAAPA, you'll be joining one of the world's most celebrated performing arts academies, recognised for the quality of its graduates-turned-stars."

  • WAAPA's production of Crazy for You at His Majesty's Theatre in Perth provided opportunities for students Holly Ballam (Stage Management) and Samuel Moloney (Music Theatre) to combine their backstage and on-stage skills under the watchful eye of industry professionals.

  • Get an experience you won't find anywhere else in Australia.

  • Our Certificate IV in Aboriginal Performance helps First Nations students refine their performance skills.

  • Hear from WAAPA Music student Caitlin Malcolm and Tim White, WAAPA's Head of Classical Music about how the Bachelor of Music course prepares students for a career in the music industry.

Scholarship opportunities to reduce your expenses

Scholarships recognise those whose life journey may have been challenging, as well as students who've shown outstanding academic excellence and endeavour.

A scholarship can help you realise your ambitions by paying for fees, text books and living expenses.

Realise your dream with our scholarships

Sound decision leads to working with Cirque du Soleil

Just two years after finishing his WAAPA training, Production & Design graduate Christian Peterson is now touring the world as a sound engineer with Cirque du Soleil.

After graduating, Christian worked full-time as a sound technician on festivals, concerts and theatre shows in Perth and around Australia. After scoring a gig on the Perth leg of the Cirque du Soleil show, Kooza he was offered the tour of Australia, New Zealand and Dubai with the Cirque show, Toruk.

Christian then spent several months in Montreal, Canada – where Cirque is based – designing and building the arena version of Corteo. He is currently touring North America with Corteo. Nice work we say!

Do you have any questions about the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts study area?

Student stories

  • WAAPA Arts Management graduate, Harriet Roberts

    Harriet Roberts

    WAAPA Arts Management graduate

    WAAPA's Arts Management course really helped me find my place in the arts industry

    I have always craved an active role within the performing arts, but had no idea in what capacity this could be, I trusted the course to guide me in the right direction, and it did.

    It was so beneficial to have the WAAPA name behind me when seeking volunteering opportunities for development, enabling me to expand my networks and connections in the local industry. Ultimately, this led to my current position of Associate Producer at the Blue Room Theatre.

  • Mia Thompson

    Mia Thompson

    WAAPA Dance graduate

    The teachers pushed me further than I believed I could go, they pushed me out of my comfort zone

    WAAPA really helped prepare me for my future as a professional dancer.

  • Xavier Jun Woo Cho

    Xavier Jun Woo Cho

    WAAPA Arts Management student

    Arts Management is one of the essential occupations in life

    WAAPA's Arts Management course teaches us about things like strategic planning, human resources and fundamental arts law.

    I've also been doing a lot of activities, such as volunteering at the Art Ball at the Western Australian Gallery of Arts. I learned a lot while working in box offices, bars, and ushering audiences at WAAPA performances.

The Important Things

Things you should know about if you're thinking about studying here.

Course Entry

There's more than one admission pathway into an ECU course. It depends on what you've studied already, or your work or life experience.

Fees & Scholarships

Course tuition fees can change, but we can give you an estimate of your costs. If you're eligible, a scholarship or student loan can help too.

Applying

Applying for a course is a fairly simple process, especially if you have scanned copies of qualifications, your resume or other paperwork, ready to upload.

ECU Experience

Starting a course is an exciting and sometimes daunting time, so we make a massive effort to ensure you get all the support you need to have a positive experience.