University for the Creative Arts

Located in southern UK, the University for the Creative Arts (UCA) is a higher education provider with over 160 years' experience in advocating for the advancement of the creative arts. Here, students can select from a range of undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes spanning seventeen distinct areas of the creative arts.

UCA is renowned for the high calibre of its teaching and research. In 2025, it ranked second amongst all specialist creative arts universities in the UK (The Guardian University Guide, 2025), and came number one nationally amongst specialist art and design universities for its world-leading research output (Research Excellence Framework (REF), 2021).

Courses are led by industry experts, and students benefit from access to exemplary facilities and resources, working alongside known names and practising artists. Programmes feature many opportunities to obtain practical and professional experience. The university believes innovation and creativity is at the heart of industry, and this ethos is at the centre of all its curricula, resulting in highly employable graduates with both the practical experience and industry connections needed to thrive.

The student community at UCA is vibrant and diverse, originating from all over the globe. A selection of pathway options is available for international students if required, as well as a selection of dedicated scholarships and English language courses.

Campuses are conveniently located in Kent and Surrey, with a choice of international airports on their doorstep. Students benefit from being close to London, but surrounded by history and green spaces, with plenty of entertainment options nearby.

The University for the Creative Arts is recognised as being a provider of outstanding teaching, supplemented by world-leading research. The selection of degree programmes on offer is continually expanding and developing in line with industry needs, and spans 18 subject areas across the creative arts.

Students can select from bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, and doctoral programmes, with pathway options also available.

Students benefit from courses led by practising professionals, and work alongside leaders and artists in their field. Many courses are validated by industry and offer work placement opportunities either as a year-long placement, or as a shorter work experience option as part of a standard degree.

In the Teaching Excellence Framework (2023), UCA was ranked Silver overall, with the panel acknowledging the ‘excellent academic practice embedded across the provider' and the relevance of the ‘educational gains it intends its students to achieve' to their future ambitions.

Research

UCA is the number one specialist art and design university for world-leading research (Research Excellence Framework, 2021). It boasts seven research centres across multiple creative disciplines. Research degrees are available at all three campuses, giving students access to exemplary research facilities and resources.

Campuses

The University for the Creative Arts offers three campuses and a TV studio to students. These campuses are conveniently located across the English counties of Surrey and Kent, close to London but with the benefit of lower prices and green countryside nearby. Students can select the campus which most aligns with their chosen field of study.

The campuses are:

• UCA Canterbury: specialising in art, architecture and design, located just a short walk from the historic city centre.
• UCA Epsom: specialising in creative business, fashion and enterprise, located in Epsom, Surrey, very close to London.
• UCA Farnham: specialising in creative and cultural industries, located in the market town of Farnham, Surrey, near to Guildford.
• Maidstone TV Studios: offering the opportunity to study television production in the largest independent TV studio in the UK, located in Maidstone, Kent.

Subjects

UCA's undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes span the following subject areas:

• Animation
• Architecture
• Business and management
• Communication and media
• Creative technology
• Crafts
• Fashion and textiles
• Film and television
• Fine art
• Games
• Graphic design
• Illustration
• Interior special design
• Marketing
• Music
• Performing arts
• Photography
• Product design

Academic

Students must meet the academic entry requirements in order to qualify for acceptance on their chosen programme. A range of international qualifications are accepted, and students can check the requirements for their home country on the university website.

Academic entry requirements vary between subject and level of study. Students must usually also submit a portfolio of existing work to support their application.

Students who do not meet the academic entry requirements for their preferred course may still be eligible to undertake a foundation year or a pre-masters to enable them to transition to the desired level of study.

English language

Students must also meet the English language requirements for their course. A range of English language tests are accepted by UCA. The language requirements are typically as follows:

• Undergraduate degrees: overall IELTS (Academic) score of 6.0 with no less than 5.5 in any band (or equivalent)
• Undergraduate degrees with integrated foundation year: overall IELTS (Academic) score of 5.5 (or equivalent)
• Master's degrees: overall IELTS (Academic) score of 6.5 with no less than 5.5 in any band (or equivalent)
• Master's degrees with integrated pre-master's: overall IELTS (Academic) score of 5.5 (or equivalent)
• Postgraduate research: overall IELTS (Academic) score of 7.0 with no less than 6.5 in any band and 7.0 for writing (or equivalent)
• Pre-doctorate: overall IELTS (Academic) score of 6.0 with no less than 5.5 in any band (or equivalent)

At UCA, students benefit from access to an extensive suite of state-of-the-art facilities and resources. These have been invested in with the sole purpose of expanding students' practical understanding of their specialism and ensuring they graduate with the skills needed to kickstart a meaningful career.

Subject-specific facilities include:

• ArtMaker studios
• Audio and broadcast studios
• Ceramic studios
• Creative computing labs
• Culture labs
• Design and digital workshops
• Design studio and modelling workshop
• Digital fashion and print studios
• Elemental craftworks studios
• Fashion design atelier
• Fashion photography IT suites
• Letterpress studio
• Lumina media centre
• Lumina media centre
• Motion capture studio
• Photography and sound studios
• Print and fabrication studio
• Sewing and fabrication workshop
• TrakLab
• Virtual production studio
• XR creative labs

All of these spaces are filled with the latest technologies, cutting-edge equipment and resources needed for students to fulfil their creative desires.

Furthermore, at every campus, students have access to libraries stocked with books, journals and other resources. Study spaces and computers make these a desirable place to work outside of class.

Accommodation

The university offers student accommodation at all three campuses. Halls of residence are safe and secure, with a variety of room types to suit individual needs and budgets. The university is also able to provide students with guidance on reputable and safe properties nearby for those who prefer to rent privately.

UCA offers a range of scholarships and tuition fee discounts accessible to international students.

Scholarships open to new international students include:

• UCA Merit Scholarship: open to all applicants who exceed the required academic entry requirements and can meet other eligibility criteria. Awarded in the amount of GBP 4,500 fee deduction in year one.
• UCA Creative Europe Scholarship: this automatic scholarship reduces the student's fees to the same level as a domestic (home) student. It is open to EU residents on all full-time courses.
• UCA creative development scholarships: these automatic scholarships offer a GBP 3,000 fee deduction in year one to eligible full-time students.
• UCA International PhD Scholarship: this automatic scholarship offers a fee reduction of GBP 5,000 in year one and GBP 3,000 in years two and three to eligible, full-time PhD students.

A discount of GBP 1,000 is also offered automatically to any full-time international student who pays their tuition fee before or at CAS issuance.

A range of discounts are also available to existing/ongoing international students and alumni. There is also a small selection of partner scholarships available.

League rankings

In recent years, the University for the Creative Arts has ranked highly amongst similar schools both nationally and internationally:

• Second in the UK among specialist creative arts universities (The Guardian University Guide, 2025)
• Twelfth in the UK for social inclusion (The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide, 2025)
• Number one specialist art and design university in the UK for world-leading research (Research Excellence Framework, 2021)

Study programmes

UCA is continually adapting and updating its portfolio of study programmes, ensuring it offers the most up-to-date curricula and highly relevant, modern course options. The university is proud to be pushing forward a new movement to champion the alternative arts, offering innovative and exciting degrees to supplement this.

Of particular note is the brand-new BA (Hons) Body Art, which includes an optional professional placement year. This degree launched in 2025 and offers a thorough and exciting deep dive into the world of body art, including tattooing, body enhancement, digital transformation and more.