Revolution Media Academy

About Revolution Media Academy

Revolution Media Academy, or RMA, is a private training provider for the creative industries. It is a sister company of the Revolution Media Group, which started in 2011. The main campus is Revolution Media House in Braamfontein, Johannesburg, and there is a second campus in Pretoria. Some short courses also run online.

The Academy teaches film and television production, music performance, studio work, sound engineering, video technology and radio production. Its qualifications have included national certificates, national diplomas and FET certificates, alongside professional master classes and short courses. The Academy now lists accreditation with the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO). Its stated aim is to open up media, music and IT training to students who were previously disadvantaged.

How RMA supports students

Creative training is costly, because it depends on studios, cameras and sound equipment. To widen access, RMA awards about ten bursaries and scholarships each year. Some are partial and cover roughly half of the tuition fees. Others are full-cost awards that cover all study fees.

The Academy looks for strong academic potential and clear financial need. Applicants should be South African citizens, and past listings asked for a B symbol in matric English and mathematics. Preference goes to women and to students from rural areas. You must also be studying, or planning to study, at RMA itself, since the funding applies only to its own programmes.

Because RMA is a school rather than an employer, the awards are not tied to a job there. Published information describes them purely as reduced or waived tuition. That means you are free to look for work anywhere in the industry once you qualify. In practice, graduates move into broadcasting, film crews, live sound and music production.

What to know before applying

Start by choosing your programme and confirming that RMA offers it in the year you want to enrol. Then ask the admissions office about the bursary form, the closing date and the documents you will need. Ask which documents are needed, because requirements are not published in full.

Bursary details, dates and entry requirements can change, so rely on the official site rather than old posts. The Academy also advertises enrolment discounts from time to time, which may help if you miss out on a bursary. Finally, compare costs and course outcomes carefully before you commit to any private college.

Creative careers rarely follow a single path. Graduates often freelance, join a production house or work for a broadcaster. For that reason, ask how much hands-on studio time your chosen programme includes. Practical hours build the portfolio that clients and employers look for. A bursary that lowers the fee also leaves you more room for a laptop, hard drives and other tools of the trade.