The place to be creative by the seaside, Arts University Bournemouth (AUB) is a small specialist institution with big ambitions in the creative sector. Established in 1880 as the Bournemouth Government School of Art, it became a university in 2012 — since when it has diversified into a broad spectrum of creative fields within four schools: Arts and Communications; Arts, Media and Creative Industries Management; Design and Architecture; and Bournemouth Film School, which is the largest film school outside London.
Everything happens on AUB’s single-site campus, where the university buildings painted in pops of bright colour distinguish the landscape on the stretch of Jurassic Coast between Bournemouth and Poole. Among the latest developments in AUB’s evolution is a range of integrated foundation years across all schools, set to launch in autumn 2026. The university is also introducing interdisciplinary courses. It has earned the runner-up spot for Specialist University of the Year 2026.
What is Arts University Bournemouth’s reputation?
AUB’s research profile is on an upward trajectory, climbing 15 places to 103rd in our research quality index following its best outcomes yet in the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021). More than 12 per cent of AUB’s research was classified as world-leading or internationally excellent. Architecture and history of art and design were among the strongest subjects.
AUB was rated silver for student experience and outcomes, and silver overall in the Teaching Excellence Framework in 2023 (down from gold in the previous assessment in 2017). Campus facilities were found to be “exceptional” and “very positively rated by students”. The TEF panel also commended AUB’s “effective and relevant engagement with industry and professional stakeholders” – part of the university’s tradition of incorporating input from practising artists and creative professionals.
However, in our analysis of the latest National Student Survey, AUB remains 82nd for satisfaction with teaching quality and has slipped slightly to 105th for students’ views on the wider experience.
AUB has expanded its transnational education partnership with British University Vietnam in Hanoi, adding its film, media practice degree to its first programme, professional communication (business, design and strategy), which began in 2023 with more than 50 students. But the university is among many in the sector preparing for redundancies across its academic, technical and professional services teams to reduce costs. Lisa Mann, the vice-chancellor and chief executive, has already taken a pay cut but “the financial outlook remains difficult”, AUB said in May 2025.
What degree courses have been discontinued and what new courses are available?
New for 2025 are BAs in business of games; content creation with marketing; fashion management and strategy; games narrative; and media, marketing and advertising.
A degree in movement and creative practice will be introduced in 2026.
What are Arts University Bournemouth’s entry requirements — and my chances of getting in?
Course requirements start at BBB at A-level (reduced to BCC for those eligible for a contextual offer). The highest requirements are ABB at A-level, for architecture. Demand for places in 2024 fell to the lowest level since 2018.
What are the graduate prospects?
All courses except architecture now offer an optional one-year work placement and practical elements are incorporated to help give students a career edge. A professional industry patron is dedicated to every undergraduate programme and the AUB Innovation Studio runs a free six-month incubator programme to graduates ready to start their own business. Despite AUB’s best efforts, however, institutions with an art and design focus tend to occupy the lower ranks of our graduate prospects table, which is based on the proportion of students in highly skilled work or further study 15 months after finishing their degree: AUB ranks 127th.
What is Arts University Bournemouth’s campus like?
Teaching is based on a single site and facilities include the CRAB drawing studio designed by Sir Peter Cook, who studied architecture at the institution when it was known as the Bournemouth College of Art. New fine art studios utilising north-facing light are under construction, while PlastIC, AUB’s new Research Centre for Plastics Innovation and Curation, opened in 2025. The Photography Building has teaching spaces and IT suites, and AUB has its own exhibition space, TheGallery.
Although all undergraduate courses have their own studio space, students are encouraged to work together across disciplines to help them develop the collaborative skills they will need for an arts career. The university has restored the art deco Palace Court Theatre in the town centre to include teaching space alongside the 400-seat auditorium, interval bar and rehearsal studio.
When can I visit?
aub.ac.uk
Everything you need to know about Arts University Bournemouth’s student life and wellbeing support
AUB does not have its own sports facilities, but the beach is just ten minutes away and students share Bournemouth University’s extensive gym, classes and courts at a subsidised rate. The Home Park halls of residence have an on-site gym and there are outdoor activity areas and table tennis at the Madeira Road halls.
There is a rolling programme of lunchtime and evening music concerts and AUB’s gallery hosts exhibitions and panel discussions.
More than 200 staff have been trained in mental health first aid and the university has teamed up with the NHS, Bournemouth University and local charities to offer a range of intervention and support services to include same-day in-person and online support, and the University Retreat, a new drop-in mental health service for AUB and Bournemouth University students.
What do the students say?
“The vibrant artistic community at AUB holds collaboration at its core. My campaign work for the union has been around the cost-of-living crisis to help by providing cheaper meals on campus, free period products, our own student pantry and much more.”
Hannah Malone, students’ union vice-president and dance graduate
What about student accommodation at Arts University Bournemouth?
There are 1,131 study bedrooms and, although AUB does not guarantee a spot, there is enough space for all first-years to live in.
How diverse and inclusive is Arts University Bournemouth?
The university runs outreach schemes for all ages. For pupils aged 12-16, there’s the Being a Boy programme, which provides funded places at workshops exploring masculinity and identity. A Saturday arts school takes pupils aged 12-15 and All Access AUB runs a residential summer school to boost artistic confidence for those over 16. There are one-to-one portfolio tutorials and workshops offering guidance on the transition to higher education too. Those who complete All Access AUB qualify for additional consideration from the admissions team and a reduced conditional offer up to two grades lower than standard. AUB ranks 81st in our social inclusion index, up two places in a year.
Everything you need to know about scholarships and bursaries at Arts University Bournemouth
About a fifth of entrants receive some form of financial assistance. There is pre-enrolment support available to help with travel costs to offer-holder days and transition events; £1,000 rent-reduction bursaries and £300 to put towards career-boosting activities such as conferences, clothes or residential training events.
