Frequently Asked Questions About Delamar Academy

In this page we'll try to answer as many of your questions as possible. But feel free to email us or call us if you need more information. Just click on one of the questions below to be taken to the answer.

Questions

How do I enrol?

To enrol on a course at Delamar Academy, the first thing to do is give us a call on +44(0)208 579 9511 to arrange an interview and to discuss your course requirements. If you're not able to attend an interview in person, we can arrange a telephone interview instead.

After a successful interview, you'll need to complete the Enrolment Form we send you and return it with your non-refundable deposit. This secures your place on your chosen course.

(Please note that enrolment on the 1-year HE Course is processed through the Academy, and not through UCAS.)

All fees for the 1-year HE Certificate Course must be paid by 30th June prior to the September start date and all fees for the 14-week Complete Make-up Artist Course must be paid 4 weeks prior to the course start date. All late applicants must pay the full fees before the course start date.

Delamar Academy is no longer able to issue student visas to international students, so if you are from outside the EU and were interested in the 1 Year HE Certificate in Professional Make-up Design Course, you could join either our 22 week Course or our 16 week course. Once you have completed either of these courses, you can join further courses that are included in the HE certificate course, such as Advanced Fashion or Advanced Prosthetics, Revision weeks or Advanced Airbrushing.

All students must be at least 18 years old before enrolling on a course.

All deposits and fees are non-refundable.

Please also check the section below on qualifications required.

What are the course fees?

The course fees are listed below. The figures in brackets include VAT, where this is applicable.

Higher Education Certificate in Professional Make-up Design Course
1 year - £18,500.00
Advanced Complete Make-up Artist Course
22 weeks - £11,500.00 (£13,800 inc VAT)
Complete Make-up Artist Course
- 12 weeks - £8,000.00 (£9,600 inc VAT)
- 14 weeks - £8,300.00 (£9,960 inc VAT)
- 16 weeks - £8,600.00 (£10,320 inc VAT)
8-Week Fashion Make-up Course
8 weeks - £5,500.00 (£6,600 inc VAT)
Advanced Beauty and Fashion Course
6 weeks - £5,000.00 (£6,000 inc VAT)
Advanced Prosthetics Course
6 weeks - £5,000.00 (£6,000 inc VAT)
Short Courses
- 1 week - £750.00 (£900 inc VAT)
- 2 weeks - £1,300.00 (£1,560 inc VAT)
- 4 weeks - £2,500.00 (£3,000 inc VAT)

When do I pay the fees?

A deposit of 25% of the course fees must be paid in order to guarantee your place on any course.

Fees for the HE 1-year course must be paid by the 30th June prior to the start of the course in September. All other fees must be paid 4 weeks prior to the beginning of the course.

If you enrol for a course less than 4 weeks before the course start date, you must pay all fees at the time of enrolment.

Deposits and fees are usually paid by cheque or by bank transfer.

Your Enrolment Form includes Delamar Academy's bank details.

If you pay by bank transfer, please use the student's full name as a reference.

Cheques or bank transfers from international students must be in pounds sterling. Please note that fees for international students are the same as those for UK students.

We do not accept payment by debit or credit card.

What's included in the fees?

On all courses lasting 12 weeks or more, a kit-box is provided and each student receives a copy of "The Complete Make-up Artist" textbook by Penny Delamar, which is referred to throughout the course. The fees also cover the many products and materials used during the course, as well as equipment and tools.

For the short courses, all make-up and a set of brushes is provided for the student to use for the duration of the course.

For the students on the 1-year HE Certificate Course, registration with Middlesex University is also included in the fees.

What's included in the kit?

The kit-box is designed to include everything we believe a make-up artist should have as part of their basic equipment. You will find enough supplies in the box to see you through the course. (When you start working, however, you'll probably need to buy more supplies for yourself!)

We change the contents of the kit-box every year to reflect new products used within the industry. For 2011, however, the contents had a retail value of around £700 and included:

A kit bag/box
A set of brushes
Kryolan make-up
MAC make-up
A copy of The Complete Make-up Artist by Penny Delamar

Are student loans available?

There are two types of loans available: the student loan/grant/tuition fee loan, which is available only to students taking the 1-year HE Certificate in Professional Make-up Design Course; and the PCDL (Professional & Career Development Loan), which is available to all students.

Student Loans/Grants/Tuition Fee Loans (1-year HE Students) Any loan/grant awarded can go only to assisting the student with cost of living expenses and NOT towards the payment of course fees.

The student loan and/or grant is paid into the student's personal bank account in three amounts - at the beginning of each term. For 2012/13 the amount can be up to a total of £7,675 depending on whether or not you live at home.

The tuition fee loan is paid to Delamar Academy Ltd. in two installments - one at the beginning of March and the other at the end of May. As the student has paid their entire fees before the course start date, this money is immediately repaid to the student by cheque. For 2012/13, the amount will be up to £6,000

Further information is available at www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance, or by calling 0845 300 50 90

Professional & Career Development Loans (PCDL) Students can apply for a PCDL to assist with the payment of fees. Taking out a PCDL loan is like taking out a bank loan at a specific rate of interest. You need to to start repaying the loan four weeks after the course ends.

Once you have applied for the loan you will receive a form that we will need to complete and send to the bank to confirm you are on the course. You must have paid the deposit to confirm your place on the course. However, we will accept written confirmation of the loan for the remaining balance on the course.

For more information about PCDL loans please look on the website www.direct.gov.uk or call 0800 585 505.

What is the difference between the 1-year HE Certificate Course and the other courses?

The 1-year Certificate course is validated by Middlesex University and is equivalent to the first year of a degree. The first term is comparable to the 14-week Complete Make-up Artist Course, as it covers all the basic skills of make-up and hair. In the second term, skills are developed to an advanced level and, by the third term, all students will have consolidated their skills through producing a portfolio of work and enjoying a variety of work experience.

The highly comprehensive Complete Make-up Artist Course (in 12, 14, or 16 weeks) covers all the basic skills of make-up and hair. It is specifically designed for those who benefit from an intensive and focused style of tuition and is often attended by people who are changing career. The course has been running since 1986 and has produced many successful graduates, including Academy Awards, BAFTAs, International Indian Academy Award and Emmy Award winners.

One course is not better than the other: all our tutors work on both courses and all our students are offered work experience, regardless of which course they are enrolled on.

I am moving to London: will you help me settle in?

Yes. When you enrol, you will be given the email addresses of the other students, as well as details for estate agents. We will also arrange for Facebook groups to be set up for all of the students for that year. You will also be able to contact previous students - or us - for further advice. This will help you to settle in and get to know your fellow students before the course starts. If you don't find what you want with other students, please go to the Does Delamar academy help with accommodation? section for renting rooms.

We will also give you a pack that includes helpful advice regarding greetings, accommodation, crime prevention, and public transport.

Delamar Academy welcomes students from all over the world onto its courses, and this has contributed to its excellent international reputation as an exceptional learning environment. London is a fantastic, vibrant and exciting city, culturally rich, and full of interesting people and places. Based in Ealing, West London, and surrounded by shops, restaurants and bars, the Academy is an easy tube/train ride away from Central London. The professional facility at Ealing Studios, one of the leading Film Studios in the world, is the ideal environment in which to train in make-up and hair.

Delamar courses are very visual and hands-on, which means that no previous experience is necessary, although a good level of spoken and English comprehension is required.

Please note that for all students, whether from the UK or abroad, Delamar Academy charges the same course fees.

Do I need a Visa?

It is with regret that we have decided not to register again with UKBA, the UK Boarders Agency, who grants us permission to issue visas to international students. We will not, therefore, be able to accept international, non-EU, students onto the 1 Year HE Certificate in Professional Make-up Design Course.

If you were interested in the 1 Year HE Certificate in Professional Make-up Design Course, you could join either our 22 week Course or our 16 week course. Once you have completed either of these courses, you can join further courses that are included in the HE certificate course, such as Advanced Fashion or Advanced Prosthetics, Revision weeks or Advanced Airbrushing.

Useful links:

What type of Visa do I need?

International students can now apply for leave to enter the UK as a Student Visitor. This new category allows for short term students to undertake a short period of study during their visit to the UK. As a Student Visitor you would be required to meet the requirements of the rules relating to visitors.

The period when you intend to be in the UK must not exceed six months.

There are no provisions for Student Visitors to extend their leave in the UK or switch in-country to any other category. If you wished to follow a further course of study you would have to return to your home country and obtain a student visa. For more details on applying for leave to enter the UK as a student visitor please click here

Does Delamar Academy help with accommodation?

There are a number of different accommodation options available to students. Some stay with friends or family for the first few weeks or at the Ealing YMCA, which is a 5-minute walk from the Academy.

We can also link up enrolled students with a view to sharing accommodation.

Beyond that, here are some useful links:

Do you have open days? Can I come and see the Academy?

We encourage all applicants to visit Delamar Academy to see the premises and to attend an informal interview. We believe this is important, as it gives you the opportunity to ask questions and find out more about the courses. We can also ensure that you've chosen the course that is best for you.

We have an exhibition for the One Year HE Certificate in Make-up Design Course at the end of June each year, but by this time the course may already be full for the following September.

Who teaches the classes?

All Delamar Academy tutors are experienced make-up artists active in their own specialist field within the Film, Fashion, TV & Theatre industry.

How many students are in each class?

Our class sizes are kept small, intimate and friendly, which allows you to receive individual tuition and ensures we maintain the high standard of make-up training for which Delamar Academy is renowned. You'll be in classes with approximately 10-12 students, with a maximum of 14 students.

What are the class times?

Classes for full-time courses run from 10 am to 4 pm, Monday to Friday, with an hour's lunch break. Some flexibility may be required, as some classes can finish a little late, when necessary.

What qualifications are needed for the full-time courses?

No previous make-up experience is required for any of our courses.

Please refer to the relevant course details page for specific entry requirements.

Do you take students under the age of 18?

We only take students under 18 years of ages for the make-up taster courses. This is because it is designed to see whether they would like to become a make-up artist and whether they believe an adult education course is right for them. We have decided that, because the courses are adult education courses, setting a lower age limit of 18 is the correct thing to do.

What is a mature student?

For our 1-year HE Certificate Course - validated by Middlesex University - anyone who is 21 years of age or over is regarded as a mature student and their academic qualifications will be considered with this in mind.

What standard of English is needed?

All students must be able to speak and understand English. For international students whose first language is not English, a qualification of IELTS 6 is required.

Will I receive a certificate?

All students of short and full-time courses who complete their course will receive a certificate from Delamar Academy. This will list the make-up artist tutors, the name and dates of your course, and is signed by Academy Principal Penny Delamar. These certificates are recognized throughout the industry.

Students who successfully complete the 1-year HE Course will receive a certificate from Middlesex University.

Will you help me get work after the course?

Delamar Academy has been training students in make-up and hair since 1986. Many of our graduates are the leading make-up artists in the industry today, working all over the world. Their success is a credit to the Academy - and many of them return to Delamar to teach or find trainees for their projects. We pride ourselves on our commitment to the future careers of our students and offer one-to-one support in preparing them for it.

Every year we have students who go straight onto one of the big film or theatre productions of the summer. However, you also should be prepared to start by doing unpaid work, if necessary, as this is how most make-up artists continue their development and build contacts. Most professional make-up artists will advise future make-up artists to do whatever work (paid or unpaid) is offered because you never know where a contract may end up.

Your main sources of work through Delamar will be:

Our tutors taking students on film and TV jobs, wherever possible
Our contacts in wig-making and other specialist fields, where appropriate
As a registered agency, we can provide work experience
Your fellow students, who will create contacts in jobs and pass on job opportunties they cannot fill
Students at the Met Film School (also in Ealing) use Delamar students for make-up on their films

We also have links with other film and production houses and put those to good use for our graduates.

What appliances and make-up are available for use?

Unlike other courses, we provide all necessary make-up and appliances used by professional make-up artists - that's you - for the duration of the course. For example, we provide a wig oven for wig-dressing, where many other make-up courses don't. Whilst you can practice using outdated make-up and techniques, it isn't advised.

What happens if there are more than 14 students?

When we have more than 14 students, we split the group; for example, if we have 20 students, we will have two classes of 10 students.

Is work experience provided?

All Delamar graduates are eligible for work experience after they have completed their course. We have a recognised agency that provides work experience to all our graduates. The teachers are also working make-up artists, so will often give work to our students - as will former graduates. They use Delamar because they know they can trust the standard of our graduates.

Why do you have so many teachers?

All the teachers at Delamar are at the top of the industry and we hire them to teach between other jobs. This means that the rest of the time they are working on projects that give them up-to-date examples for their teaching and which might also provide work experience for our students.

Do you offer a photo shoot as part of the course?

The one year HE Course, the Advanced Make-up Course, and the Advanced Fashion Course all include a photo shoot during the final week. The other courses do not, simply because we believe that you will benefit more on those course by using your time to develop your skills as a make-up artist rather than taking pictures. However, we can run an extra one-day photo shoot after your course should there be sufficient demand.