Help Ida complete her dream at Royal Central

My name is Ida Marie Nielsen and I'd like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking an interest in my story.

After years of study and several rounds of auditions my childhood dream finally came true. I was offered a place at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, Acting (Collaborative and Devised Theatre) in 2023, and I'll graduate with a Bachelor of Arts with honors in Acting in 2026. The course has a 1% admissionsrate*. It’s assessed as one of the hardest schools in the UK to get an offer from, and they offer a very high level of conservatory training, designed to create the worlds leading performers**. Boasting luminaires such as Sir Lawrence Olivier, Carrie Fisher, Harold Pinter, Martin Freeman, Dame Vanessa Redgrave, Andrew Garfield, and Sonia Friedman.

I spent most of 2023 preparing for auditions and putting different plans in motion in order to gather enough money to pay tuition and expenses related to studies at RCSSD. I’ve now completed my first and 2nd year of studies and will be heading into my 3nd and final year the 15th of September 2025.

Why funding is needed

As an international student, the cost of tuition, rent, and living is a significant financial burden, and although I’ve worked hard and saved money I simply cannot afford to cover these costs entirely on my own. I’ve worked hard to get this offer, now I am reaching out for your support, seeking your generosity and help in order to cover the cost of

my tuition.

The fee for attending the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama is around 27.000 pounds per academic year (3 in total). Here is a link to their site with information on student fees: https://www.cssd.ac.uk/fees-and-funding/tuition-fees-and-additional-costs.

All funding will be spent on tuition costs

Permission to start this fund was granted by the Danish authorities (civil-styrelsen). They will need all financial

documents related to my earnings through the fund, proof that the fundraiser's earnings are spent solely on tuition

fees. This is a very legit fundraising and you can track all details and finances on the following link: https://www.civilstyrelsen.dk/sagsomraader/indsamlingsnaevnet/godkendte-indsamlinger/2025/indsamling-til-ida-marie-nielsens-studieafgift-paa-the-royal-central-school-of-speech-and-drama-08192-

I hope you will consider supporting my education with a donation. All contributions will make a huge difference to me. To say I’d be eternally grateful is an understatement, I truly respect you and your generosity and belief in my potential. I will pay it forward.

How you can help/ Cost breakdown

Total tuition for final year: £26,460

Half due: Late September 2025

Second half due: Early January 2026

What I’ve secured so far for my final year:

£7,000 from savings, work, and the Nellie Watson Scholarship

Remaining needed before first half is due:

£5,330

Already paid (with your help):

Year 1: £23,000 (covered by donations, loans, bursaries, and part-time work)

Year 2: £27,000 (covered by donations, loans, bursaries, and part-time work)

By supporting my fundraiser, you will be helping me achieve my lifelong dream of pursuing a career in the arts.

About me and my future goals

I’ve always wanted to put on a show and tell stories. I am at peace with my purpose when I create stories, whether it’s with words, by dancing, or by performing. I’ve worked as an actor for most of my life, my biggest role so far was on the History Channel series VIKINGS as series regular Margrethe. For the past years, I’ve been focused on physical theatre and acting with my body as the main instrument of storytelling. I’ve been working alongside studies as a theatre teacher and social carer to be able to pay for school and the cost of living without receiving student support. Being present on stage makes me feel at ease and part of something bigger than myself. And I feel certain that my

next step is attending the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. I will gain invaluable knowledge, refine my skills, and broaden my horizons. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me to grow and establish myself as an

actress.

My future goal is to create user-friendly, versatile art internationally that connects people across borders. To share

the joys and sorrows we all experience. So we can build bridges, discuss, and question the system and the norms we conform to. I want to strengthen the Danish art scene by gaining important knowledge of the world and arts outside of Denmark so we represent the now, and become a more inclusive and approachable scene. It would truly mean a great deal to be able to make a living off of what gives me purpose in life. I promise to work hard to honor your donation and support.

A list of everything I’ve sat in motion thus far

My first year at RCSSD

Thanks to the generosity of many, I’ve now completed my first year of studies at RCSSD. I’ve grown tremendously as an artist and human being and I’m gaining more confidence in my work as an artist. We study different acting techniques with immense rigor, being on campus from 9am-6pm every weekday. Often staying late to rehearse lines or work on projects. This year I’ve gained skills in: Lecoq technique (Neutral Mask, Material Studies, Animal Studies), Feldenkrais, Bio Mechanics, Chekov, Verbatim Theatre, Solo singing, Ensemble singing, Voice studies and warm-up, Speechsystem Studies (accent work), View Points, Shakespeare, Acting Fundamentals and much much more.

My second year at RCSSD

1. Original Piece: Green Juice
This summer, I created a five-minute piece inspired by Out There by Kate Folk. The result was Green Juice—a tragicomic solo performance using a juicer and bottled juice to explore modern love, heartbreak, and performative vulnerability. The piece was later referenced in our end-of-term ensemble show, and I plan to develop it further.

2. Solo Project: All the Lovers I Had and Liked
In a one-week solo devising challenge, I drew from clowning techniques and my own writing to create a performance exploring the shame many women experience growing up. I love creating characters who don’t take themselves too seriously and who offer audiences a safe space to laugh at the messiness of being human. The piece had people laughing to the point of tears. I couldn’t have asked for more. I received amazing feedback and fully intend to expand it into a longer stage production.

3. Stage Combat & Public Performance
I passed my unarmed stage combat exam with distinction—one of the most demanding yet rewarding experiences of my training. I also played Romeo in Romeo and Juliet, our first public production. Through this process, I’ve learned to work with more ease and presence on stage. As someone who tends to be a perfectionist, my teachers often remind me to “find the ease.”

Financing my studies has been anything but easy—it’s one of the toughest journeys I’ve ever faced—but it’s taught me an invaluable lesson: how to ask for help and advocate for my dreams. That’s a skill I know will serve me long after my time at RCSSD ends. 

Updates

I will provide regular updates on my journey and progress, and how your donations are helping me achieve my

goals. I am very excited to share my journey with you and show how your generosity is helping me.

If you want or need to know more before deciding whether or not to contribute to my education with your funds,

please email me and I will be happy to answer any of your questions.

From the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU.

Ida Marie Nielsen

*https://playbill.com/article/why-broadway-hopefuls-should-consider-training-across-the-pond **https://www.backstage.com/uk/magazine/article/the-drama-schools-uk-actors-should-know-67213/