Study dance abroad
An in-depth guide to studying dance as an international student.
Dance degrees abroad
Dance programs allow students to study their passion and hone their craft. It’s a great course for students looking to break into the field of performing arts.
Most dance programs are designed to improve your technique and performance. They’ll also encourage you to get creative with teaching and choreography and help you understand the science and theory behind movement. You’ll explore a range of dance styles and consider how they’ve been influenced by historical and cultural forces.
Dance is a global art form and most countries and cultures have their own traditions. By studying abroad, you’ll adopt elements of style and technique and become a more versatile, creative, and original dancer and choreographer. You’ll meet international professionals, explore the world, and make lifelong friends.
Dance program structure
You can gain your dance education at both universities and specialist performing arts schools. Dance students will have a choice of various programs at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
A certificate of higher education is a one or two year course that will introduce you to the fundamental concepts of dance studies. The next level up is a two-year diploma of higher education where you’ll broaden your knowledge and research skills.
At the bachelor’s level, you can elect to study either a BA or a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) over three or four years. A BFA will require you to invest more hours and credit points into dance-specific modules compared to a regular BA.
Once you’ve completed your bachelor’s, you might consider undertaking either a research-focused MA, or a Master of Fine Arts (MFA), which is centered more around teaching. An MFA is the highest practical degree offered in dance. There are options to study a PhD in dance over four to seven years, but these are research projects with no practical element.
Most undergraduate dance programs are taught predominantly through practical classes, but you’ll also have some lectures, workshops, and seminars. Assessment will take the form of practical exams and portfolios, essays, presentations, and reports.
Core and elective dance modules vary widely between institutions, but here are some common areas of study:
- Dance technique
- Dance performance
- Dance management
- Principles of dance teaching and practice
- Fundamentals of choreography
- Dance in the community
- Dance history
- Cultural trends in dance
How to study dance abroad
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Application assistance
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Dance study abroad programs
Dance undergraduate programs
Bachelor's in dance
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Dance Studies - BFA Long Island University Post, USA
- Program type
- Bachelor's
- Duration
- 4 years
- Tuition fees per year
- 35,736 USD
- Start date
- January, September
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Dance - BA University of Nebraska-Lincoln, USA
- Program type
- Bachelor's
- Duration
- 4 years
- Tuition fees per year
- 27,000 USD
- Start date
- January, June, August
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Dance - BA/BFA University of Kansas, USA
- Program type
- Bachelor's
- Duration
- 4 years
- Tuition fees per year
- 26,960 USD
- Start date
- January, June, August
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Dance - BA University of Kentucky, USA
- Program type
- Bachelor's
- Duration
- 4 years
- Tuition fees per year
- 29,050 USD
- Start date
- January, August
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Dance - BA University of South Carolina, USA
- Program type
- Bachelor's
- Duration
- 4 years
- Tuition fees per year
- 33,928 USD
- Start date
- January, August
Pathway in dance
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Dance (Foundation) - FD Leeds Beckett University, UK
- Program type
- Undergraduate pathway
- Duration
- 2 years
- Tuition fees per year
- 10,900 GBP
- Start date
- January, September
Dance graduate programs
Master's in dance
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Dance - MFA Arizona State University, USA
- Program type
- Master's
- Duration
- 2 years
- Tuition fees per year
- 25,118 USD
- Start date
- August
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Dance Performance - MA University of Limerick, Ireland
- Program type
- Master's
- Duration
- 1 year
- Tuition fees per year
- 12,510 EUR
- Start date
- September
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Dance - MA Bath Spa University, UK
- Program type
- Master's
- Duration
- 1 year
- Tuition fees per year
- 14,300 GBP
- Start date
- January, September
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Dance: Advanced Practice - MFA University of Chichester, UK
- Program type
- Master's
- Duration
- 1 year
- Tuition fees per year
- 12,360 GBP
- Start date
- September
Doctorate in dance
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Dance - PhD University of Gloucestershire, UK
- Program type
- Doctorate
- Duration
- 3 years
- Tuition fees per year
- 14,250 GBP
- Start date
- January, September
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Dance, Theatre and Music - PhD University of Chichester, UK
- Program type
- Doctorate
- Duration
- 3 years
- Tuition fees per year
- 13,950 GBP
- Start date
- September
Diploma in dance
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Contemporary Dance Performance - PGDip University of Chichester, UK
- Program type
- Postgraduate diploma
- Duration
- 11 months
- Tuition fees per year
- 13,950 GBP
- Start date
- September
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Dance – Performance - OCDip Centennial College, Canada
- Program type
- Postgraduate diploma
- Duration
- 2 years
- Tuition fees per year
- 16,531 CAD
- Start date
- September
Future dance careers
A dance degree is a stepping stone that will help you make your mark in the field of performing arts. Your knowledge of dance genres, history, and choreography will be invaluable if you choose to pursue any of the following careers:
- Dancer
- Choreographer
- Dance teacher
- Community arts worker
- Theater director
- Actor
- Talent agent
- Dance movement psychotherapist
The field of performing arts is famously competitive. It’s a good idea to join your university’s dance society and undertake work experience with companies so that you’ll be a stand-out applicant.
