2023 uni applications for those pursuing art and creative routes

[Duchessofmuchness]

The other thread discussing Uni applications for RG and academic routes isn't so relevant for DS. He's considering Art Foundation year or direct entry to uni for fashion design.

Anyone care to join a thread on similar creative paths. (Not just fashion!)

He's looking at art foundation at Kingston, Central St Martin's, UCA,

For Fashion BA looking at Central St Martins, London College of Fashion, Manchester Met, Nottingham Trent, Liverpool John Moores, Leeds Beckett.

Most seem to accept without art foundation but he would need one to Central St Martin's so if he wants to try for that will need foundation.

Lots of open days coming up and hopefully school will give him some more advice next week. No start on his PS yet!!

Just wanted to say that my Dd absolutely loves Brighton!
I was a bit nervous as we're very rural at home, but she's taken to it like a duck to water.
She's in her second year of art history at the university of Sussex so lives in a 6 bed house with friends. It's under £500 a month.

@ArtGarfield I had the pleasure of seeing the staff exhibition at WMC last year and the pieces on show were varied and top notch.

@ArtGarfield

DS is signed up for the open day for art foundation at CSM. They have one day and I think 4 or 5 timed slots. A few were already fully booked by time he signed up so definitely one to keep an eye on if camberwell similar

@OneFrenchEgg Southampton Uni? The college of art is in Winchester. My DD loved the small cutesy city. Not sure about cost of living. There's only one hall on that campus though!

Thank you, some good ideas here. I'll have a look at the suggested colleges.

@OneFrenchEgg Falmouth is really good for illustration! Was too far to make DD's shortlist, though.

Great we can probably squeeze one more in

I took my DD to Falmouth open day at the weekend for BA photography. She absolutely loved it! Amazing facilities and huge amount of photographic equipment, dark rooms, state of the art studios etc. 1st year halls are on the Penrhyn campus or nearby.

Looking at Kingston and LCC in a couple of weeks time - all very exciting (but scary at the same time!)

DD went to the open day for Foundation Art Art & Design yesterday at Working Mens (WM) College. The course runs on 3 days 11-4 on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday but no access to studios outside these times. Facilities seemed good and mostly 6th formers as pp said. However they did not seem strong in animation which is my dd’s favoured specialism so she’s ruled it out. We still have Bournemouth, Oxford Brookes, Camberwell and City and Guilds to visit. We saw Kingston before the summer and she definitely wants to apply there, but I know it’s very competitive so not sure she’ll be successful in getting a place.

Thanks so much for the WM info QC. I did a Pay arts foundation in two days a week over a year so I know it’s possible. It wasn’t exactly fun though. DD would have a semi related job to keep her occupied though. Hmmm, I think we will have to have a look and I guess it’s all in the comparison too.

We can’t afford for DD to be away from home for the foundation year so DD will have to decide which of the UAL courses too apply for. If anyone hears about the Camberwell open days please do update, I’ll do the same.

is City and Guilds definitely private?

@QGMum has your DD looked at Ravensbourne? I think they have some digital / animation focused foundation courses.

@QGMum forgot to say that a friend's DC had an offer from MMU and only turned it down for CSM.

Thank you @Soma for the Ravensbourne suggestion. I’ve booked us to see their open day in January. They seems to offer 3 different foundation courses and one of them seems quite animation focussed.

Has anyone been to see UCA Farnham? The course looks quite inviting for illustration?

I have Falmouth and Winchester to look at as I think dc has only enough energy for one more open day. List so far is AUB and ARU as preferred.

Can't believe I missed this thread!
My daughter wants to do animation and is looking at Kingston and UAL for foundation. She wants to stay local for foundation and then go further afield for her degree, considering Falmouth, AUB and University of Hertfordshire so far.
It would be Camberwell for graphic arts and St Martins for fashion, so for her Camberwell. We went to the Foundation show at Camberwell and were underwhelmed, but she did do a short animation course this summer at CSM and loved it and now has a showreel of (very) short animated pieces showing the basics (movement, lip sync, etc) which is a good addition to her portfolio.
@Localher0 she is stumped at the KSA requirement for up to ten images outside of portfolio that is 'left for you to interpret'. What did your child do? She is doing the Foundation Prep course this half term and will take the opportunity to ask the teachers about the course.
There really isn't many other options in London for foundation (more at FE colleges), Morley is for over 19s, City and Guilds you pay for and seems very traditional, Kings Education also paid for and seems aimed at foreign students - I guess both those are possible if she fails to get into Kingston or UAL.
I can't remember upthread who was looking at CSM for foundation/ fashion - a friend's daughter did it last year and hated it. Said it was like being back at gcse. She is now studying psychology. I do think UAL has the big rep but wonder if they rely on that too much. We went to Ravensbourne open day, not for dd but the fashion there was fantastic - who knew as I always thought it was digital media Uni. Worth a look - far more impressive that the show at UAL (all concept no practicality, whereas Ravensbourne had interesting and wearable work).
Kingston absolutely top of the list for foundation- good tip about including lots of drawing!
I went to Parsons School of Design - there is no comparison to the facilities available now.

@mondaytosunday

Welcome! Glad you found us. It's my DS who is considering foundation and fashion at CSM. We are going to 2 open days at CSM - one for fashion and one for foundation. DS has heard the reputation for it not providing huge amounts of support and he's a bit put off by that. 4 or 5 years ago DD and I went to CSM to look at final show in ration to product design. The displays were like art installations rather than practical products which is what we saw at other unis like Loughborough etc. Fashion was the same - very out there! The professor at Kingston said that CSM fashion is known for producing own labels vs Kingston where that is rarer and they aim to get people ready for employment.

He loved Kingston - both the foundation and fashion. I'd like him to do one of short courses but he wasn't sure. (Massive procrastinator!). I'll chase him on that at weekend!

Like you we'd prefer London for foundation. (Although he probably couldn't quite commute so we will likely have cost of accommodation anyway). Beyond UAL and Kingston it's slim pickings. And both are hugely competitive and oversubscribed. He's going to look at Ravensbourne and New Bucks for foundation. Both have foundation and fashion and my thinking was they would have best resources to support building fashion portfolio?

Then further afield Bournemouth and possibly Manchester Met and De Montfort.

Does anyone know if there is a regular submission date for portfolio for foundation course at MMU? Even a month would be helpful, the website has no info yet

Ah ok - the OP!
I think the girl found the CSM foundation not very supportive, but I also think she wasn't that wedded to studying fashion. I know someone else just started textiles degree at CSM - she says it's lots and lots of work, but better value for money than some other unis with less contact. And I guess you will always have the name. We just came out of the Camberwell show and my daughter said 'why do art students always think they have to look so arty and wacky'! Not her thing at all.
I think the short courses at KU are taught by the actual foundation teachers and will give a good idea of what it would be like to study there. I'm also hoping that when they are reviewing all the applications they might say 'oh I remember her with the hair' (daughter has an uncommon name and long dark red hair)! I think her work is as good as any I've seen but it is so competitive.
Ravensbourne was a real eye opener and we had a great chat with the guy running the animation program. Quality of work was really up there, but it is 3D and not for her.
Good luck - I did read for Kingston that though they don't look at applicants til after the deadline they still say to apply early! UAL,'s website, in contrast, is still just saying that applications have closed for 2022 entry 🙄.

@MiniDinosaur

My reading is that you need to include the portfolio (including the entry project) with application. (On the submit your application tab)

Applications open 9 Jan and close 14 Feb

Thanks Duchess - that wasn’t on the website when I looked a few days ago!

When I asked at AUB they said you would get sent a link to submit your portfolio because you can't via UCAS. It all seems quite stressful to just get your application in!
By getting a portfolio ready I'm assuming having chosen pieces and narrative and then tweaking to fit format etc each time

@OneFrenchEgg I'm referring to application for foundation year, which is not done through UCAS but through each individual institution.
But thanks @Duchessofmuchness I keep checking the website but when I hit 'apply now' from their foundation page (just to see what it says, obviously my daughter will be doing it when the time comes) it just leads me back to 'choose your course'.
My daughter's teacher is quite firm that their portfolio should be finished before they break up for Xmas, perhaps to give them time if he feels it's not up to scratch. They break up Dec 9.

@mondaytosunday ah thank you sorry I misunderstood

So much going on on this thread it's hard to respond properly but here goes my little brain dump...
DD is at Kingston doing art foundation.
I would highly recommend the short courses at Kingston if poss. They are taught by the foundation staff, they're really interesting, you'll meet others who are applying, you spend days in the studio space etc. Foundation is taught at Penryn Road not KSA at Knights Park but all facilities are available. As previously said I feel
It has to help a bit in the application process.
There are 4 pathways at Kingston: fine art/3D design/visual communications & fashion & costume. Students spend a week in each - they have A LOT to do and work long hours but are very well supported. They decide which pathway they want to follow by the end of October. The cohort is small compared to CSM/Camberwell etc and all the staff know them.
@mondaytosunday I'm not sure about those extra images but I'll check and come back to you. I think DD used ones from the short course.....
Do start the application early as IT issues can occur and it just makes the whole process more stressful
If you think you're going to miss a deadline. They're very strict.
DD has a friend at Camberwell who is struggling a bit with the anonymity of being in a big art school. I've also heard the same about CSM but it is horses for courses and obvs there's the CSM reputation ......
AUB facilities and uni were great - DD wasn't so impressed with Bournemouth itself though.