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Performing Arts

The Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts is one of the world's leading performing arts academies, recognised nationally and internationally for the quality of its acting, dance music theatre and music graduates.

Why ECU?

  • QILT logo

    ECU top in teaching quality

    For the fifth year in a row, ECU has received the top undergraduate teaching quality ranking of all 37 public universities in Australia.

    ECU was also the top-ranked public university in Australia for undergraduate skills development for the sixth year in a row.

    View QILT results.

  • The Good Universities Guide 2021

    Good Universities Guide

    In the 2021 Good Universities Guide, ECU graduates have given us a 5-star rating for teaching quality, skills development, student support, learning resources, learner engagement and overall student experience.

    The 5-star rating for undergraduate teaching quality has now been achieved for 14 straight years.

    Read more about the Good Universities Guide.

  • THE World University Rankings 2020 Top 100 Young

    THE Young University Rankings

    ECU has been ranked in the world's top 100 universities under 50 years old in the 2020 Times Higher Education (THE) Young Universities Rankings, THE World University Rankings.

Courses

Study world ready

WAAPA provides world-class teaching, concert facilities and performance opportunities for aspiring professionals in acting, dance, classical, jazz or contemporary music, and musical theatre.

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.

Domestic Students

Study area guide Undergraduate course guide Postgraduate course guide

International Students

Create your own guide International student guide

Become World Ready

Experience Performing Arts at ECU.

World Ready facilities

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

WAAPA stars are born

Our graduates excel in their chosen professions around the world, confirming WAAPA's well-earned reputation.

Many well-known actors, dancers, musicians and music theatre stars, including Hugh Jackman, Meg Mac, Frances O'Connor, Jai Courtney, William McInnes, Lisa McCune, Lucy Durack, Dacre Montgomery, Emma Matthews, Jamie Oehlers, Eddie Perfect and Tim Minchin have called WAAPA home.

Student stories

  • Daniella Sicari

    Daniella Sicari

    WAAPA Music - Classical Voice graduate

    "WAAPA taught me all about music and what it takes to be a professional singer"

    My undergraduate course at WAAPA gave me fundamental music skills and knowledge. History lectures and invaluable theory classes set me up to recognise musical context and structural understanding. These three years were the years I fell in love with music. The Graduate Diploma taught me that there were more elements to being a singer than I had ever imagined. This was the year I began to discover what opera and art song really could be. WAAPA helped set me up for my time overseas and prepared me with specific tools for my craft. In particular, role preparation and research, and stage confidence and exploration. It also allowed me to gain efficient learning skills when presented with new music, especially in other languages.

  • Ian Michael

    Ian Michael

    WAAPA Aboriginal Performance graduate

    "WAAPA really prepared me for the industry in every way possible"

    I really fell in love with theatre and the process of making it when I was at WAAPA and from pretty early on knew that I wanted to do it for the rest of my life.

    I enjoyed the hard work every day and the shows I saw at WAAPA are still some of my favourite pieces of theatre I've ever seen. WAAPA really prepared me for the industry in every way possible.

  • Natalie Allen

    Natalie Allen

    WAAPA Dance graduate

    "WAAPA was an invaluable experience and gave me many opportunities"

    The Advanced Diploma course delivered exceptional training for me to develop many skills to become a professional dancer. The course involved choreographic practice, learning critical thinking skills and applying dance knowledge in performance.

    It definitely contributed to my success in the professional dance industry