Frequently Asked Questions

We have provided answers to our most frequently asked questions below. If you cannot see your question answered, feel free to drop us a call or email. We would love to hear from you.

  • 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 or email info@delamaracademy.co.uk 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 / zoom interview instead. After a successful interview, you’ll need to complete the Enrolment Form we send you and return the original signed form to us with your non-refundable deposit. This secures your place on your chosen course. All fees 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 not able to issue student visas to international students. The Standard Visitor visa allows international students to either our 22 week or our 16 week Complete Makeup Artsist Course. Once you have completed either of these courses, you can also join further courses such as Advanced Fashion or Advanced Prosthetics, 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's the difference between the longer courses?

    The Professional Makeup Design course is our longest course. The first term is comparable to the 16-week Complete Makeup Artist Course, as it covers all the basic skills of makeup and hair. This is the same for the Advanced Complete Makeup Artist which adds on additional weeks to the Complete Makeup Artiet course. The highly comprehensive Complete Makeup Artist Course covers all the basic skills of makeup 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.

    The decision comes down to the time and financial investment a student can make.

  • When do I pay the fees?

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

    All 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 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.

    Please note that fees for international students are the same as those for UK students.

  • What's included in the fees?

    On all courses lasting 12 weeks or more, a makeup kit and bag is provided and each student receives a copy of “The Complete Makeup 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 makeup and a set of brushes is provided for the student to use for the duration of the course.

    Regardless of course, all our graduates receive aftercare and opportunities through the Delamar Agency. This is a lifelong and free service, which we continue to provide for as long as each graduate stays in touch and requires our help.

  • What are the course fees?

    • 10 Month Professional Makeup Design including a full makeup kit, 1 year - £21,750.00

    • Advanced Complete Makeup Artist Course Including a full makeup kit, 22 weeks - £16,550

    • Complete Makeup Artist Course Including a full makeup kit, 16 weeks - £13,250

    • Advanced Fashion Course 6 weeks - £6,250

    • Essential Advanced Fashion 4 weeks - £4,250

    • Advanced Hair Course 6 weeks - £6,250

    • Advanced Prosthetics Course 6 weeks - £6,250

    • Advanced TV & Film – 2 weeks - £2,050

    • Prosthetics & Bald Caps – 2 weeks - £2,050

    • Bespoke courses POA - calculated on materials, if there is a photoshoot or kit included and tutor availability

  • What's included in the kit?

    The kit-bag is designed to include everything we believe a makeup artist should have as part of their basic equipment. Anything you need that you don’t find in your kit is available at the Academy.

    We change the contents of the kit bag every year to reflect new products used within the industry. The contents had a retail value of over £1,500

    Brands we regularly include in the student kits are:

    • Mac

    • Bobbi Brown

    • Skin Illustrator

    • NARS

    • Kryolan

    • Ben Nye

    • Bdellium

  • I'm doing a short course - can I buy a full kit?

    Yes, if you are doing one module we can lend you a kit for the week, but you will benefit from using the same brushes and products on the course that you will use later. If you have your own brushes etc. we would recommend you bring them in so that the tutor can teach you how to use them. However if you don’t already have a kit we can sell you one.

    The kit will be the brushes and/ or products used in the module(s) you are doing. You can also purchase a Delamar set bag and textbook if you wish.

    This is subject to our stock levels and product availability.

  • Is funding available?

    We have a full page on funding here.

    Eligible participants can apply for the ScreenSkills Bursaries here. These Bursaries are to help people advance their careers in the industry. We have a wide selection of short courses eligible for this funding.

    Read more about ScreenSkills Bursaries here

    Eligible participants can apply for the BAFTA Scholarship , where up to £12,000 is available towards the course fees of UK based students with financial hardship. You can read all about the BAFTA Scholarship here.

  • If I don't want to do all the modules within a longer course, can they be removed?

    Yes, all our courses are split into modules covering a particular speciality. If you are very certain that you do not want or need to learn a part of the course, we can omit this from your timetable and amend the course fee accordingly. To create your bespoke course please email us on info@delamaracademy.co.uk

  • Can I visit the Academy?

    Absolutely! We encourage all prospective students 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. To book your visit email us on info@delamaracademy.co.uk

  • Are student loans available?

    Loans: Many banks offer competitive rates of interest to help you fund your training here. We are not financial advisors so cannot recommend a particular type of loan, nor do we have finance options.

    Money comparison sites should be helpful.

    Credit Card Loans:- We also accept credit card payments. Further details on the loans and credit cards available can be found on a range of websites, including MoneySavingExpert.com

  • 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 makeup training for which Delamar Academy is renowned. You’ll be in classes with approximately 10 students, with an absolute maximum of 14 students.

Frequently Asked Questions by International Students

  • Do I need a visa?

    If you are from outside the UK and do not have a UK passport you will need a 6 month Standard Visitors Visa to study here. Every non-UK nationality will need this.

    If you were interested in the Professional Makeup Design course but are unable to study in the UK for a year, you could join either our 22 week Advanced Complete Make-up Artist Course or our 16 week Complete Makeup Artist Course. Once you have completed either of these courses, you can join further courses such as Advanced Fashion or Advanced Prosthetics.

    Many international students who wish to learn everything they can at Delamar, opt for a 22 week course followed by a 6 week Advanced course.

  • I'm moving to London - will you help me settle in?

    Yes. When you enrol, you can be given the email addresses of the other students, as well as advice on renting a room/property. 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.

    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.

    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.

  • How many international students will be on my course?

    Every year we have a variety of nationalities on our long and Advanced courses. These include students from:

    • India

    • France

    • Italy

    • America

    • Germany

    • Belgium

    • Spain

    And many more!

    Wherever you are from, you will be made very welcome and join a cohort of students who are also coming here, on their own.

  • When should I apply for the visa?

    You can apply up to 3 months in advance of the course start date.

    We would advise you to apply as early as possible.

    You should check out the length of time it takes to issue a visa in your own country.

  • Why might my visa be refused?

    Applicants apply for the wrong visa.

    The offer letter does not meet the UK visa service information requirement.

    The applicant has misunderstood the documents required.

    The applicant’s financial documents are out of date.

  • How good does my English need to be?

    We will have a good idea about your English speaking skills, during a call with you.

    You need to be able to speak and understand English well enough to follow instructions and discuss feedback in class.

    Our international students are not required to submit any written work so their note-taking can be in their native language.

How to apply for a visa

Our students have found the following advice helpful:

You will need to apply for a Standard Visitor Visa.

You will need to provide the following documents on application for your visa.

  • Current passport

  • 1 x passport size photograph

  • Evidence that you can support yourself during your stay in the UK.

For example, your latest 3 bank statements, at least – these have to be the LATEST 3 bank statements, not older ones.

There is not an amount of money that is set as ‘enough’ money to support oneself but staying in hotels or with family and where you are staying in London or a little village in the north will all be taken into account. You will need more money to stay in London and if you are staying in a hotel.

  • Details of where you are staying and where you are travelling on the night of arrival in the UK the student MUST have proof of booking if staying at a hotel. This is not followed up after the first night but the first night MUST be booked.

Any documents not in English must be translated and certified.

  • Letter of acceptance from your place of study.

We will provide this once you are enrolled onto a course. We can only provide you with an acceptance letter after we have received your completed enrolment form and deposit. The deposit is non-refundable.

 

In some countries your local visa office will like to see evidence that Delamar Academy is a recognised and reputable training academy. Delamar Academy is registered with The British Accreditation Council (BAC) – this registration can be easily seen on the visa office system. Should your visa advisor want to see further evidence that we offer accredited courses we can supply you with a copy of our accreditation certificate.

 

Students can apply for a visa with an offer letter. For an offer letter you do not have to enrol onto a course and therefore pay your non-refundable deposit prior to your visa application. This is not as ‘strong’ as an acceptance letter. Students have 2 options:

 

  1. Enrol onto a course, pay the non-refundable deposit and secure your place on the course and then apply for your visa with an acceptance letter. If your visa is rejected for a reason which is not our fault we will not refund the deposit to you.

  2. Apply for your visa with an offer letter, get the visa and then enrol onto the course. However with this option, in the meantime, if the class spaces run out we cannot allow you into the course.  

Frequently Asked Questions about entry requirements

  • What qualifications are needed for your longer courses?

    No previous professional makeup experience or qualifications are required for any of our courses.

    Our Advanced Courses require the student to show the right skillset to start the course. We will know this from discussions and evidence of your work.

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

  • Can I prepare for the interview?

    The interview is informal so it’s not something to worry about. We want to see an enthusiasm and willingness to learn. There are a number of things you can do to make sure things go as smoothly as possible:

    Make sure you’ve planned your journey to Delamar, so that you arrive at the interview on time.

    If you have questions you want to ask, write them down (or save them on your phone) in case you forget them during the interview.

    While it’s always pleasing to see someone’s work, it’s not necessary to bring a portfolio.

  • Do you take under 18s & What is a mature student?

    No, we only take students who are 18 years of age or older at the time of starting their course.

    Anyone who is 21 years of age or over is regarded as a mature student . Some mature students worry about entering the industry later in life. However, we often reassure these students that so many success stories come from training as a makeup artist when older. It can even be an advantage to have developed improved people skills and have the life experience to be a better makeup artist.

Frequently Asked Questions about the courses

  • What appliances are available for students to use?

    Unlike other courses, we provide all necessary makeup and appliances used by professional makeup artists – that’s you – for the duration of the course. For example, we provide a wig oven for wig-dressing, where many other makeup courses don’t.

  • Is work experience/opportunities provided after the course?

    All Delamar graduates, with the right to work in the UK are eligible for work experience after they have completed their course. We have a recognised agency that provides work experience. The teachers are also working makeup 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.

    For international students, we provide connections where possible, to employers in their home country.

  • Why are there so many teachers?

    All the teachers at Delamar are at the top of the industry and we hire them to teach between their other jobs. This means that their industry knowledge feeds into the practical teaching here at Delamar. Our tutors are often looking for assistants, so our students quickly form professional relationships with them.

  • Do you offer a photoshoot as part of the course?

    The Advanced Complete Makeup Artist course, the Advanced Fashion Course, Advanced Hair, Advanced Prosthetics, 5 week and 4 week fashion courses all include a photo shoot during the final week. The other courses do not, however, we provide continual opportunities for you to take photos of your work as reference to your developing skills.

  • What brands do you recommend/use?

    We stock a huge variety of brands that are used in the makeup industry. No makeup range is complete enough for us to use them exclusively. There are also too many to name because different brands are required, depending on the script and situation. So, we don’t recommend any brands, as such. However, we do arrange demonstrations for our students and graduates to improve their product knowledge.

  • Will I receive a certificate?

    All students who complete The Advanced Complete Makeup Artist, Complete Makeup Artist or shorter course (a module of the longer courses) at Delamar, will receive a certificate from Delamar Academy. This will list the makeup artist tutors, the name and dates of your course, and is signed by Academy Principal. These certificates are recognized throughout the industry. On completion of the Cert HE Professional Makeup Design course, student will receive a Certificate of Higher Education by the University of West London – a level 4 qualification and equivalent to the first year of a degree course.