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Auditions are one of the last step in the admission process to our Circus Arts program – Diploma of College Studies (DEC 561.D0), our School Attestation of Studies (AEE), our Attestation of College Studies (AEC) and our Circus and High School studies (CES).
Your participation in the auditions allows us to assess your physical condition and abilities: flexibility, stability, coordination, agility, strength, timing, execution precision, etc. The selection committee will also consider the originality of your interpretation, your ability to perform and improvise, as well as your specialized skills in circus, acrobatic, athletic, or other disciplines. We also place great importance on your creativity, motivation, adaptability, and personality—qualities that are essential to grow and thrive in the circus world.
2026–2027 Audition Format 
Last year, the National Circus School introduced a mandatory video submission for all applicants, replacing the decentralized auditions previously held in Paris, Toronto and Vancouver. This format allows NCS to better manage applications from candidates with a genuine chance of being admitted, while also improving the experience for those invited to attend in-person auditions.
The video audition phase will take place from September 28 to November 6, 2026, making this first step accessible from anywhere. All applications submitted within this period will receive an email response during the week of December 14, 2026.
To prepare for the first step, the mandatory video audition, please consult the video participation guide (coming soon). To submit your application, you must:
Note: Once the form has been submitted, you will not be able to go back to make changes. Please double-check all your information before submitting.
BY INVITATION ONLY
In the email sent in December, candidates selected for the second and final stage of auditions will receive an invitation in which they must indicate whether they wish to participate in person in Montréal or continue the process online. A response will be required no later than January 4, 2027.
This final stage will consist of additional evaluations to select the students for our programs for the 2027–2028 academic year.
| Program | Dates | Lenght | Main content |
| College (DEC et AEE) | February 9 to 12, 2027 | 4 days | Circus, dance, acting, creation, physical conditioning, flexibility, fun and group activities favoring expression and creativity, performance of a 3-minute act, French level assessment |
| Secondary (CES) | February 6 and 7, 2027 | 2 days | Day 1: circus, dance, acting, physical conditioning, flexibility, fun and group activities that foster expression and collaboration Day 2: academic subjects |
At this stage, candidates will be asked to provide certain administrative and/or academic documents. The full list of required documents will be communicated to selected candidates at the appropriate time.
Important: Any expenses related to participation in the auditions – travel, accommodation or other – are entirely at the candidates’ expense.
Candidates selected for the second stage who are unable to travel to Montréal for the in-person audition will be able to complete this stage remotely, by video.
Applicants will be asked to provide certain administrative and/or academic documents, as well as any additional material required for evaluation. The complete list will be shared with selected candidates at the appropriate time.
This stage will include the submission of an additional video and an online interview with members of the selection committee.
| Program | Dates | Lenght | Main content |
| College (DEC et AEE) | February 9 to 12, 2027 | 4 days | Circus, dance, acting, creation, physical conditioning, flexibility, fun and group activities favoring expression and creativity, performance of a 3-minute act, French level assessment |
| Secondary (CES) | February 6 and 7, 2027 | 2 days | Day 1: circus, dance, acting, physical conditioning, flexibility, fun and group activities that foster expression and collaboration Day 2: academic subjects |
At this stage, candidates will be asked to provide certain administrative and/or academic documents. The full list of required documents will be communicated to selected candidates at the appropriate time.
Important: Any expenses related to participation in the auditions – travel, accommodation or other – are entirely at the candidates’ expense.
Candidates selected for the second stage who are unable to travel to Montréal for the in-person audition will be able to complete this stage remotely, by video.
Applicants will be asked to provide certain administrative and/or academic documents, as well as any additional material required for evaluation. The complete list will be shared with selected candidates at the appropriate time.
This stage will include the submission of an additional video and an online interview with members of the selection committee.
The following documents will be required from candidates invited to Stage 2.
Please note that any document written in a language other than French or English must be accompanied by a certified translation.
If you still have any doubts about the process or need any further information, you can always check out our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page, which is full of answers!
If you have any questions, you can contact us by email at registrariat@enc.qc.ca. For more information on programs or admission, visit the Circus Arts or the Circus and High School studies page.