Start your journey to an incredible career in the booming creative industries with inspiring and stimulating creative study at a specialist, independent art school situated in a buzzing city by the sea – with our range of creative study at all levels across Art, Design and Digital Media.
From our Undergraduate BA (Hons) Degree programmes, Extended Degrees and Top-up Degrees to our Postgraduate Masters Degrees and our range of Pre-Degree study options, we offer something for everyone looking to further their artistic practice and secure a career across the creative spectrum.
How to apply for our creative courses depends on the level of study for you. Applications for Undergraduate Degree programmes (unless part-time) are made via UCAS, whereas applications for our Postgraduate programmes and Pre-Degree courses are made direct to us online.
Please refer to the relevant section on the page below to find more information on how to apply, or get in touch with our Admissions Team on 01752 203400 or admissions@pca.ac.uk for more.
Applications for full-time study on our BA (Hons) Degree programmes are made via UCAS – with the official UCAS application deadline for 2019/20 being 15 January 2019. If you wish to study part-time please apply via the online application forms available on each programme page.
We are a fully accredited partner institution of the Open University (OU). Our BA (Hons) and Masters awards, validated by the Open University, are a hallmark of academic quality that guarantees the international currency of your qualification.
We are also registered with the Office for Students. That means we meet their requirements for course quality, academic standards, student support, student protection and more. For more information see www.officeforstudents.org.uk/the-register.
For more information about studying on a programme validated by The Open University, please download their student guide here.
We recognise the value of a variety of qualifications and relevant experience and welcome applications from students who have followed less traditional routes. For further information visit the individual subject pages on this website or consult the Tariff Table on the UCAS website.
Your UCAS application will tell us about your qualifications and previous experience, but studying the arts is about more than can be captured on forms. We need to find out about your creative potential, your abilities and idiosyncrasies, so we will invite you to attend an interview and to show a portfolio or showreel of your work. Treat it as a chance to tell us about your aspirations, and why you want to study at the college. It is also a good moment to find out what we can offer you. Download our guide to interviews and putting together your portfolio and/or showreel here.
For the academic year 2019/20, we will be offering you the opportunity to attend an interview between 30 January and 16 February 2019. If you make your application by the UCAS deadline of 15 January 2019, you should expect to be interviewed during this time.
We encourage you to attend an interview at the college, so that you can see our facilities, meet our teaching and technical staff, and discuss any other queries you may have; however we appreciate this may not be possible, and are happy to interview you via an online platform (such as Google Meet or similar), with a digital portfolio.
If you are a European or overseas student interested in our Undergraduate programmes, you can submit your portfolio or showreel online and interview via an online platform. Please visit our International Students page or contact Admissions for further info on +441752 203474 and admissions@pca.ac.uk.
Our terms and conditions for Higher Education students – which set out the basis of the agreement between us when you accept a place with us – can be downloaded here. These make reference to our Academic Regulations and our Code of Conduct for students. All new students will follow the Open University approved Academic Regulations, which can be downloaded here. The Code of Conduct is specified in our HE Student Handbook which can be found here.
If you require copies of any of the documentation referenced within the Regulations please contact the Deputy Registrar Margaret Campbell at mcampbell@pca.ac.uk.
Applications for our range of postgraduate study – including our MFA and MA in Creative Education – are open via the online application form, linked on the right hand side of each of our Postgraduate programme course pages.
More information on the Postgraduate Centre can be found here, and you can also visit us at a Postgraduate Open Evening to learn more.
Students are normally expected to have an undergraduate degree at 2:1 or above. However, the strength of your creative practice and other forms of experience will be taken into account at the interview stage and we encourage you to start a conversation with us.
You can apply for the course you are interested in studying by clicking on the Apply Now link situated on the right hand side of each specific course listing. As part of the application, you will be asked to give the usual application details, to provide some digital images of your work, and to submit a short personal statement (300 words approximately).
This personal statement is a chance to tell us what you want to do on your chosen MA. It might include details of the techniques or themes that you want to investigate, the creative practitioners that inspire you, or the reading that fires your imagination.
It is also good for you to use the personal statement to let us know about your longer-term professional goals. It’s fine to change your mind later on about what you intend to do – we understand that a creative process rarely runs in straight lines. However, the personal statement is important because it helps us to begin a dialogue about how we can best support your flourishing as a distinctive, individual voice.
If you meet the entrance requirements, we will get back to you within three weeks of receiving your application to invite you for interview. You will have the opportunity to tell us more about your work at this stage and to ask more questions about your course.
To enrol on our MFA, a recent MA or 180 level 7 credits in an art, design, crafts or media discipline is normally required. The personal statement can be used to outline the work you intend to develop on the MFA. Contact admissions@pca.ac.uk if you have any questions.
Our terms and conditions for Higher Education students – which set out the basis of the agreement between us when you accept a place with us – can be downloaded here. These make reference to our Academic Regulations and our Code of Conduct for students. All new students will follow the Open University approved Academic Regulations, which can be downloaded here. The Code of Conduct is specified in our HE Student Handbook which can be viewed here.
For post GCSE, pre-degree study – such as our range of 2-year creative University of the Arts London (UAL) Extended Diplomas, or our UAL Foundation Diploma in Art and Design – you can apply to us directly online by selecting your chosen course on our Pre-Degree page and clicking on the 'apply online' option.
Our application form asks for details of your previous qualifications and any relevant work experience. You can also tell us about any learning difficulties or disabilities you may have so we can offer you appropriate support.
Applications to our dedicated pre-degree campus at Palace Court can be made throughout the year from 20 October 2018, but courses are popular so try to apply as early as possible.
As part of the pre-degree application process, we invite students to an applicant evening which are held approximately once a month throughout the year at Palace Court. This is a chance for you to come and experience our unique learning environment, as well as discussing your options with our tutors.
For pre-degree courses, we will invite you to the next available applicant evening following your application through our website. Details of timings will be included in your invitation. If you are unable to attend, please contact admissions@pca.ac.uk and we will arrange a convenient date.
Our Foundation Diploma is an intensive, ten-month course that prepares you for degree study in the creative arts. Because we receive a high number of applications and have a limited number of places for this course, we recommend that you make your application to us as early as possible.
If you meet the course requirements we’ll contact you with a suggested interview date and time.
You can apply at any time during the year as we continue to release a small number of places from March onwards - as interview slots become available - and after March, your application will be dealt with on a first come first served basis.
Please contact admissions@pca.ac.uk if you need any further guidance or have questions about making an application for pre-degree study – such as our range of creative Extended Diplomas or our Foundation Diploma in Art & Design. You can apply online by selecting your chosen course from our pre-degree page and clicking on the 'apply online' option.
You’ll be notified of whether your application has been successful in writing within two weeks of your interview.
We welcome European and international students and can offer both pre-sessional and in-course language support for all of our courses. If you would like to request an advisory appointment or interview by telephone or via an online platform (such as Google Meet or similar), please email us at admissions@pca.ac.uk or international@pca.ac.uk.
Unsure which course or level of study?
Visit us at an Open Day, or contact us to arrange a one to one tour of our facilities.
An Open Day is a great opportunity to find out more about our range of study options, and discover what we can offer you. We have regular Open Days throughout the year, which include tours of the college's industry-standard facilities, portfolio and showreel advice, inspiring talks from our graduates and you'll also get the chance to hear our Principal give a talk about the college. You'll also have the opportunity to attend talks from our Careers & Enterprise team, or even speak to the lecturers on the course you're interested in. You can book your place to attend an Open Day online.
If you can't attend any of our Open Days, you can get in touch with us at any time to organise a bespoke tour of our facilities at a time that suits you. Your visit will include one on one time with one of our recruitment team, and will help you to make the right choice of study to fulfil your creative ambitions. These visits are informal and won’t affect your formal application. Your visit can also include a discussion about your portfolio or showreel, and you'll be provided with advice and guidance on all the opportunities and programmes within Art, Design and Media that are open to you. To book a visit, contact us on +441752 203434 or liaison@pca.ac.uk.
For information on our admissions policy, please download this PDF document here.