No, but having a degree gives you industry knowledge and higher employability. If you ever get injured or decide to step into another role within the industry, you can lean on your circus degree to help you reach new goals

Yes, NICA offers an after-hours ‘Open Training’ program where students and professionals can train side by side.

Students work closely with trainers and medical team to choose their specialities and acts, ensuring they achieve employment and longevity in their career.

NICA offers all types of circus and specialty training!

The Bachelor of Circus Arts requires students to maintain a level of foundations and fitness skills, however, focuses on specialty skills and artistic development through accumulative training. Our students graduate with two specialty acts and one group/ensemble act

The Bachelor of Circus arts is very physically demanding. NICA students are required to train circus skills for a minimum of 20 hours per week, while also attending Performance and Movement classes and one academic class per week.

The business and theory subjects are designed to give you the skills needed to build and sustain a career as a circus artist.

You will learn practical skills in areas such as marketing, business planning, networking and professional development, helping you understand how to create opportunities and navigate the industry. By the time you graduate, you will have developed a marketing package and a business plan tailored to your own goals, whether that is joining a company, selling an act, creating your own work, or establishing a new company.

Yes! NICA accepts international students for our Bachelor of Circus Arts and there is no limit to how many we accept.

The Certificate IV in Circus Arts is a full-time course. NICA students can expect to train circus skills, while also attending Performance and Movement classes and a minimum one academic class per week over approx. 36 weeks.

NICA's Certificate IV program focuses on core foundation skills such as body awareness and fitness preparation, and traditions and trends of circus. Whilst also offering an introduction to Circus Specialisation, which is developed through individual and group work.

The Certificate IV in Circus Arts is currently available to domestic applicants only. The Bachelor of Circus Arts is open to both domestic and international applicants.

No, it is not a guaranteed pathway. All Bachelor applicants are required to audition and meet the entry requirements for the next years' intake.

Yes, NICA offers an after-hours ‘Open Training’ program where students and professionals can train side by side.

Students work closely with trainers and medical team to choose their specialities and acts, ensuring they achieve employment and longevity in their career.

Training and classes are scheduled Monday to Friday, between 8:30am and 5:30pm. Students have a dedicated lunch break as well as shorter breaks throughout the day.

Yes. Much of the theory is directly connected to your practical circus training and how you apply your skills as an artist. For example, you might develop a fitness plan and then put it into practice, or learn about areas such as technical production, lighting, business and marketing to better understand the elements that support what happens on stage.

The courses explore both the performance and the many behind-the-scenes components that contribute to creating and sustaining a professional circus practice.

Students are constantly creating and experimenting with new work. Some creative tasks are designed to build confidence, encourage collaboration and help students become comfortable with experimentation, while others develop into assessed performance pieces.

Students will create at least one performance piece in their first semester and often develop multiple works throughout their training.

The courses are structured across two 19-week semesters, following a school-term style calendar rather than a typical university timetable. Students train for approximately 9–10 weeks continuously each term, which supports the development and maintenance of physical skills and fitness throughout the course.

There are 2–3 week breaks between training periods, where rest and recovery are encouraged. Students also have access to open training opportunities during these breaks if they wish to continue developing their skills.

This information can be found on the Australian Collage of the Arts (Collarts) website, who are our educational partners:  

Bachelor of Circus Arts: https://www.collarts.edu.au/bachelor-of-circus-arts/?type=degree 

Certificate IV in Circus Arts: https://www.collarts.edu.au/courses/film-theatre/circus-arts/certificate-iv-in-circus-arts/

Eligible students may be able to access financial assistance options including FEE-HELP and HECS-HELP.

Certificate IV students may be able to access Skills First funding, which can significantly reduce the cost of the course.

Please visit the Australian Collage of the Arts (Collarts) website for the most accurate information:

Bachelor of Circus Arts: https://www.collarts.edu.au/bachelor-of-circus-arts/?type=degree

Certificate IV in Circus Arts: https://www.collarts.edu.au/courses/film-theatre/circus-arts/certificate-iv-in-circus-arts/

NICA can accept approximately 25 students into the Bachelor program and 25 students into the Certificate IV program each year. However, the cohort size may vary depending on the strength of the applicant pool and the balance of apparatus and skillsets. This ensures each year group is made up of students who are well suited to the demands of the course and have strong employment outcomes.

Offers are generally made from the start of November, with first and second round offers issued throughout the admissions process.

Please note that students cannot accept an offer and immediately defer their place. Please get in touch with our team at auditions@nica.com.au if you are seeking require further information about NICA’s deferrals and enrolment options.

If you are injured before your audition but still able to demonstrate some of the required skills, you should still attend your audition and let the NICA team know about your injury situation in advance. We may request additional footage of skills you are unable to perform on the day.

If you have a significant injury that is unlikely to recover in time for the commencement of the course, we recommend contacting the auditions team at auditions@nica.com.au to discuss your options.

Your sizzle reel is an opportunity to show us who you are as an artist and what you want to explore. We are not looking for a specific type of circus artist. Whether you are a specialist or a generalist, we want to see your individual strengths and potential.

If you have a particular focus (for example, aerials), feature this alongside any skills that complement your practice. If you are a more multidisciplinary artist, show a range of skills and disciplines.

Your sizzle reel does not need to represent exactly what you want to specialise in. You can explain your goals in your introduction. Include performance footage, training footage, and skills you are developing. It does not need to be perfectly polished or show-ready tricks, if you captured a skill, include it!

Most importantly: make us want to see more of you. Don’t delay submitting while waiting to film new skills- what you can show us now is what we want to see. Submitting early also gives you more time to prepare for the next stage of the process.

You can submit footage with multiple people in it, such as ensemble video, and it is ok if multiple people from your school are submitting the same video clip – just make sure it is clear who you are! You can do this through editing, introducing yourself in the video, or providing timestamps and descriptions in your application.

You do not receive extra points for doing more than the allocated number of reps listed in the skill requirement section, but if you have a particular strength or advanced skill, we encourage you to showcase it in the Party Tricks section of your audition. For example, you might demonstrate weighted chin-ups or advanced strength skills to highlight your abilities. The audition is an opportunity to show what makes you unique as an artist!

Unlikely! NICA welcomes applicants from a range of ages and backgrounds. Current students have ranged from 17 years old to those in their 30s and 40s.

We consider your goals, skills, experience and how the course can support your development as an artist.

All applicants complete the same audition process for both the Bachelor and Certificate IV courses. If we believe the Certificate IV is the best pathway for your goals and development, we may offer this option, even if you did not initially preference it in your application.

Our aim is to recommend the course that best supports your skills, experience and future goals.

Yes. If you are applying with a partner, you can request to complete the partner acrobatics component together during the same two-day audition session.

Yes. If your act requires another person, they can participate as a guest and do not need to complete the application process or pay an audition fee.

If your act requires specialised equipment such as a winch or counterweight system, please let us know in advance. While these options may not always be available, we encourage you to prepare an adjusted version of your act that can be performed safely in the audition environment.

You can also submit footage of your full act alongside your adapted in-person version so we can understand your work and abilities.

If it is safe to do so, please attempt each skill at your current level. If you cannot complete the listed skill or alternatives, you can demonstrate the closest skill you can perform instead (for example, a backward roll if you cannot complete a back handspring).

Showing your current ability can make the difference between receiving no points and receiving one point for that section, and every point contributes to your overall audition result.

If you don’t have access to a trampoline, you can use alternatives such as a mini tramp, double mini, air track, or demonstrate the skills on the floor where appropriate.

Please explain your circumstances in your introduction so the audition panel understands the conditions you were working with.

Use your introduction as an opportunity to show your personality and share what makes you unique as an artist. Tell us about your background, interests and goals, and what you would bring to the NICA community.

Your introduction helps us understand who you are and how you might complement the wider cohort of potential students.

Yes, a VISA is required to attend NICA. For more information, talk to the team at auditions@nica.com.au and they will connect you with the correct international admissions team at Collarts. 

Students work closely with trainers and the medical team to choose their specialities and acts, ensuring they achieve employment and longevity in their career.

Yes, NICA provide medical assistance to our students when required. We provide access to a medical team of Physiotherapists and Psychologists.

As part of the training, students are given the opportunity to perform in at least one major production each year. After graduating, alumni can join NICA Represents, NICA’s very own agency for professional circus performers and bespoke event entertainment.

Yes, NICA offers an after-hours ‘Open Training’ program where students and professionals can train side by side.

NICA encourages collaboration between students across different courses and year levels. Throughout the year, students participate in whole-school activities such as Circus Olympics and WetPaint, as well as informal opportunities such as student-led jam sessions.

Students also have opportunities to support and learn from each other by attending assessment showings and sharing their work with different year groups.

Many students work in flexible roles that complement the demands of full-time training. Common jobs include hospitality roles, coaching at NICA’s recreation programs or local gymnastics and aerial studios, retail work, and front-of-house roles at theatres, including ushering and box office positions.

Yes. NICA students have access to Collarts resources and services.

NICA offers all types of circus and specialty training!

NICA graduates go on to work across a diverse range of industries, including contemporary and traditional circus, social circus, stunt work, corporate entertainment, festivals, teaching and the broader arts sector.

Since 2001, NICA alumni have built careers around the world with leading companies and have gone on to create their own companies, produce shows and tour nationally and internationally.

Graduates have worked with notable companies like Cirque du Soleil, Circa, Circus Oz, Cavalia, Dragone, Carnival Australia, Gravity & Other Myths, NOFIT State Circus and more.

For more inpiration on careers in circus arts, view our post.

NICA has entered into a new educational partnership with Collarts (Australian College of the Arts), which is accredited by TEQSA to offer the Bachelor of Circus Arts program and provides overarching academic and quality guidance and regulation.

No, but having a qualification gives you industry knowledge and higher employability. If you ever get injured or decide to step into another role within the industry, you can lean on your circus degree to help you reach new goals

Many NICA students relocate to Melbourne to study, including those from regional Victoria, interstate, and overseas, so you are not alone in making the move.

Students often access accommodation options such as Iglu Student Accommodation (which offers scholarships) or Student Accommodation Australia before joining the NICA community and finding shared housing or other arrangements.

We recommend exploring your accommodation and support options as soon as you accept your offer, as you may be eligible for relocation assistance and financial support through services such as Centrelink before your studies begin.

While areas close to NICA in Prahran can be more expensive, Melbourne’s public transport network makes it easy to live further away and still have a convenient commute. Many students choose to live 20–30 minutes from campus in more affordable areas while remaining well connected to NICA.