Applicants should hold a Foundation Degree from the National Centre for Circus Arts or another school listed below which is a recognised Full Type 1 member of FEDEC. Please see below list of schools:

- Académie Fratellini (St. Denis, France)
- Centre National des Arts du Cirque (Châlons-en-Champagne, France)
- Circomedia (Bristol, UK)
- Codarts Rotterdam – Circus Arts (Rotterdam, The Netherlands)
- Dans och Cirkushögskolan (DOCH, Stockholm, Sweden)
- Ecole Nationale de Cirque (Montreal, Canada)
- École Supérieure des Arts du Cirque (ESAC, Brussels, Belgium)

Any candidate applying for direct entry to the BA (Hons) course from any of these institutions must provide evidence that they have successfully completed two years of training on a relevant course, equivalent to a Foundation Degree, along with details of their previous study (for example a student handbook or module guide).

Direct entry applicants will be interviewed at audition and will be expected to provide a reference and their transcript to date. This is to ensure that they are being assessed for entry on the same basis as internal applicants from the National Centre Foundation Degree.

We define BA level in this context as someone who can formulate and communicate his or her technical and artistic needs at a level consistent with a view to entering the profession as a young practitioner. We also expect candidates to be capable of working at a level of autonomy not necessarily present, or acquired at, Foundation Degree level.