University for the Creative Arts

Hands-on, studio-focused practice defines the ethos at the University for the Creative Arts (UCA), where timetables revolve around workshops, masterclasses and live creative projects. Originating from a federation of art colleges in the southeast of England, UCA reorganised in 2025 into three schools: one for each campus. Students are now divided between the Canterbury School of Art, Architecture and Design; Epsom School of Creative, Business and Fashion; and the Farnham School of Creative and Cultural Industries. Each site has halls of residence. 

Beyond academic grades, admissions rely heavily on portfolios and auditions and the emphasis is on building a creative community. An undergraduate module called “Festival” is assessed on how well students from up to 15 courses are able to collaborate, not the end result. 

Need to know

Category

Result

Rank

Entry standards (Ucas points)

121

54=

Teaching quality

85.8%

77

Student experience

78.5%

115=

Research quality

41.2%

55

First and 2:1s

72.8%

100=

Continuation rate

81.8%

127

Graduate prospects

46.5%

128

People & Planet

48.7%

80

How much it costs

UK fees

£10,050

Fees (placement year)

£1,955

Fees (overseas year)

£1,385

Fees (international)

£18,000

Places in accommodation

1,244

Rent per week

£132-£205

Rent for catered accommodation per week

n/a

Social inclusion index

Social inclusion ranking

21=

State school (non-grammar) admissions

92.2%

Grammar school admissions

4.3%

Independent school admissions

2.6%

Ethnic minority students

29.9%

Black awarding gap

-12.9%

White working-class males

5.3%

First-generation students

65.4%

Low-participation areas

14%

Low-participation areas dropout

-3.5%

Mature students

73.9%

Overseas students

15%

Disabled students

14.2%

Student satisfaction with teaching quality

Architecture

87.9%

Art and design

83.1%

Business, management and marketing

89.2%

Computer science

89.7%

Drama, dance and cinematics

78.5%

Music

82.6%

What is the University for the Creative Arts’ academic reputation? 

Offering courses from fine art, interior design, and silversmithing to virtual reality and body art, UCA is one of seven specialist creative institutions in our league table. It became a university in 2008, having been formed in 2005 by the merger of several Kent and Surrey art schools — whose alumni include Dame Tracey Emin and Dame Zandra Rhodes, the chancellor emerita.

In the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021), UCA surged 57 places to 55th in our research quality index. Submissions shone in subjects such as sculpture, ceramics, photography, film, and literature, with 78 per cent of research rated world-leading or internationally excellent.

Eight years ago UCA was in the top 30 of our academic rankings: this year it has risen just one place to rank 126th after tumbling 40 places last year. Student satisfaction is recovering, however. In our analysis of the latest National Student Survey, undergraduates have expressed growing faith in teaching quality — rising a significant 43 places to rank 77th. For the wider experience, satisfaction rates rank 115=, up 12 places. 

UCA achieved silver overall in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF 2023), down from gold in the previous assessment in 2017. Student experience and outcomes also gained silver. Assessors commended UCA’s use of “scholarship, professional practice and engagement with external professional networks to contribute to a very high-quality academic experience”. 

Recent additions include degrees in textiles, fashion photography, and music business and management. Canterbury brought in the UK’s only BA degree in body art in 2025. 

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What are the University for the Creative Arts’ entry requirements — and my chances of getting in?

Standard requirements vary between 128 Ucas tariff points for architecture (ABB at A-level) to 32 points for entry to integrated foundation-year courses. Demand for places has dipped over the past two years, with fewer than 1,000 undergraduates accepted in 2025 (about 3 per cent through clearing). 

UCA attributes this to the broader contraction in the wider arts and creative subjects market, heightened competition across the sector, and internal portfolio and campus reorganisation. 

What are the graduate prospects and how will the university help me get career-ready?

Industry links are in place across UCA’s creative reach. Performing arts students benefit from a partnership with the National Theatre and UCA’s acting course holds Spotlight and Equity UK accreditation. Film and television courses carry endorsements from Bafta Albert, BFI, and the camera and lighting specialist Arri. Fashion courses have links with London Fashion Week and the British Fashion Council as well as brands from Nike to the interior design specialist Zoffany. Communications students complete live briefs for ITV Daytime and Ogilvy. Architecture courses at UCA are accredited by the Architects Registration Board and Royal Institute of British Architects and are part of the qualification process. To prepare students for fluid creative careers, final-year training covers grant applications, self-employment, tax returns, and interview practice. However, UCA remains near the bottom of our graduate prospects index, with only 43 per cent of leavers in highly skilled work or postgraduate study after 15 months (128th).

What is the University for the Creative Arts’ campus like?

Specialist facilities support creative learning and there is exhibition space on all three campuses. Canterbury has fine art studios for printmaking, sculpture and painting. There is a digital fabrication lab for printing, plus facilities for product design and photography.

At Epsom there are dedicated textiles studios with pattern-cutting and sewing rooms, as well as digital and business facilities. 

Farnham is equipped with the technology for games and film development, including a stop-motion animation studio. 

When can I visit? 

uca.ac.uk

Everything you need to know about the University for the Creative Arts’ student life

Each campus has a distinct character. Historic Canterbury has a large student population in combination with Kent and Canterbury Christ Church universities. Epsom is the closest to London and Farnham is a charming market town with student-friendly pubs. 

UCA is packed with arts and cultural opportunities — but has no sports facilities on any of its campuses. The students’ union runs sports clubs — from football and rugby to yoga and cheerleading — which use local spaces and equipment. 

Wellbeing check-ins are the first step for those seeking support. As well as a counselling service, students can use a 24/7 WhatsApp advice service and an anonymous Report+Support platform.

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What do the students say?

“I came here and felt like I belonged, and this was home. We have fantastic tutors helping us, inspiring us, and encouraging us to work outside the box. It’s a really engaging environment where we all get to connect, so we have this deep sense of community. Being at UCA means we can access different sorts of facilities, and with everything available to you, you soon realise that there are infinite possibilities.”
Ellen Wren BA (Hons) Illustration and UCA Student Ambassador.

What about student accommodation at the University for the Creative Arts?

Farnham has 725 rooms, Canterbury offers 193 and Epsom 326. While overall capacity falls just short of a universal guarantee, applicants meeting the deadline should expect to secure a place. There are no catered halls at UCA. Off-campus private monthly rents average £448 in Canterbury, £571 in Farnham, and £684 in Epsom. 

How diverse and inclusive is the University for the Creative Arts?

UCA offers activities for school and college students and targets underrepresented groups to expand opportunities for those drawn to the creative industries. Saturday clubs, summer schools and other activities are run by a network of industry professionals and creative workshop tutors. UCA has left the top ten in our social inclusion index overall to rank 21=. It remains in the top ten for first-generation students (65.4 per cent) and mature students (73.9 per cent, sixth). 

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What financial assistance is available?

A full fee waiver for survivors of the Grenfell Tower fire in London in 2017 is one of the scholarships available at UCA. Students with experience of being in care are eligible for a bursary of £1,000 a year.