Acting Schools in Colombia: Degrees, Private Schools and How to Get In

Bogotá

Universidad Distrital, ASAB Faculty of Arts

This is a public university. Its performing arts program has an Acting option (the other is Directing). It takes ten semesters, in person and during the day, and awards a Maestro en Artes Escénicas, Acting Option. It is based in the Palacio La Merced, at Carrera 13 No. 14-69.

To register you need at least 250 overall points on the state exam, taken within the last five years. Then come the specific tests, because the score alone is not enough. For the 2027-1 term, online registration ran from September 17 to November 4, 2026, and the tests are scheduled for November 11 to 18. That window has closed, so your chance is the next cycle. Everything is on the performing arts admissions page.

Universidad El Bosque, Dramatic Arts

This private university also runs a Dramatic Arts program of eight semesters and 128 credits, leading to a Maestro(a) en Arte Dramático. Also, its brochure talks about acting for theater, film, television and digital media, and about directing, writing and managing cultural projects. Admissions are twice a year.

The program holds a qualified registration for seven years from resolution 014358 of September 2024, and the brochure says it has trained actors for 25 years. However, the brochure does not state the entrance test, so ask before you apply. See the program brochure.

Acting degrees in Medellín, Cali and Barranquilla

Universidad de Antioquia, Dramatic Arts (Medellín)

It is public, and the undergraduate program lasts eight semesters, trains creative actors and researchers, and awards a Maestro en Arte Dramático. According to the program page, it holds high-quality accreditation (resolution 2310 of March 1, 2022).

You enter through the Preparatorio de Teatro, the specific admission test. The 2027-1 guide lists four tests: body and rhythm expression, voice and rhythm techniques, acting, and reading comprehension. It shows registration between late August and September 2026, and results on November 18. The university also published other general dates, so check both the Preparatorio guide and the program page.

Bellas Artes, Licenciatura en Artes Escénicas (Cali)

The Instituto Departamental de Bellas Artes, a university institution, offers a Licenciatura en Artes Escénicas of ten semesters and 171 credits. It has three tracks: Acting, Directing and Playwriting, and Voice and Body. Keep in mind that a licenciatura trains artist-teachers, so it prepares you to perform and also to teach theater.

Undergraduate registration for 2027-1 runs from October 5 to November 25, 2026, and test dates arrive by email once your registration is approved. Program details are on its site, and the process is on the registration page.

Universidad del Atlántico, Dramatic Arts (Barranquilla)

This public program belongs to the Faculty of Fine Arts, on Calle 68 at Carrera 53. The specific test is mandatory and measures physical, vocal, expressive and creative skills through practical workshops, an interview and a reading and writing test. According to the 2026-2 instructions, you bring a memorized text and comfortable clothes for movement.

That test took place in June 2026. Then, undergraduate registration for 2027-1 opened in October, according to the university’s announcement. More on the program page.

A private acting school in Bogotá: Teatro Libre

Escuela Teatro Libre

Teatro Libre is a foundation created in 1973, with a venue in La Candelaria, the historic center. Its actor school began in 1988. Between 2007 and 2019 it was a university program through an agreement with the Universidad Central, and now it opens a new stage as an intensive five-semester training.

You work with text, character creation, voice and body, and the course ends with a national tour. Entry is by audition, so its site announces auditions in November 2026, with classes starting in 2027. According to the page, classes run Monday to Thursday from 8 am to 1 pm and Fridays from 8 am to 3 pm, so it is hard to combine with an office job. Details are on the Escuela Teatro Libre page.

Workshops and short courses for actors in Colombia

The verified supply here is short, so it pays to ask. The Teatro Libre menu shows open courses, a diploma in acting and staging, and a theater group for children, but dates and requirements need a direct question. We looked for an on-camera acting workshop active in 2026 or 2027 and could not confirm one. We also found no Colombian school with fully online classes.

Acting schools in Colombia for kids and teens

MISI, Universidad del Rosario

The School of Music and Musical Theater of the Universidad del Rosario, at Calle 103B No. 51-11 in Bogotá, teaches theater, music and dance by level to children and young people. It is private, says it has more than 35 years of experience and lists its 2026-2 academic offer. Courses are by semester, with payment in advance.

Also, students can audition for UR Misi productions and later move into the university’s musical theater degree. See the school page.

What to check before choosing among acting schools in Colombia

First, decide whether you want a university degree or practical training. Universities cover the first, and Teatro Libre the second. Then check whether the specific test matches what you can do, because almost all ask for body and voice work, and one asks for a memorized text. Our guide to choosing acting classes helps with the comparison, and do you need acting school? covers whether a degree is required at all.

For the test, also practice a monologue. Once you have some training, browse open castings in Colombia and our guide to getting auditions in Colombia. You can also compare with acting schools in Peru and Mexico.