Art foundation-- a bit stuck?
Until a few weeks ago, I had completely ruled out taking a foundation and was just going to jump straight into a BA or BFA in fine art or art and design. I went on a 5-day course at the Slade school of fine art in London, and my student leader told me I should 100% be applying to do both foundation AND degrees, because you are less likely to get onto an undergraduate course without a foundation. Is this true? I can imagine it being so with something like art. My other question is, how would that work with my UCAS? I can't exactly write two personal statements, one for foundation and one for degree, can I? My other concern is staying somewhere and leaving home for such a short amount of time, only to move again a year later to a new place and a new school. I think that's the main thing that's putting me off. I am thinking of applying to Oxford (Ruskin college) for fine art, my teacher seems to think I should go for it, but do you need foundation first? (I don't mean is it recommended, I mean is it mandatory)
You will usually apply for foundation directly to universities, so it's possible to write separate statements. Check on the uni websites for specific details, they tend to have different requirements and online portals etc to register.
I would definitely recommend doing a foundation, the top unis will be more likely to accept you and it's also very good for developing your creative process in prep for degree level- this is also what unis look for in their selection criteria when judging portfolios (it's not necessarily about skill). You also might realise you want to jump disciplines (e.g. I jumped from fine art to graphic design) once you get a taste of what courses are like at foundation. In any case, it's definitely worth looking in to.
I would definitely recommend doing a foundation, the top unis will be more likely to accept you and it's also very good for developing your creative process in prep for degree level- this is also what unis look for in their selection criteria when judging portfolios (it's not necessarily about skill). You also might realise you want to jump disciplines (e.g. I jumped from fine art to graphic design) once you get a taste of what courses are like at foundation. In any case, it's definitely worth looking in to.
Original post by meghan.sp
Until a few weeks ago, I had completely ruled out taking a foundation and was just going to jump straight into a BA or BFA in fine art or art and design. I went on a 5-day course at the Slade school of fine art in London, and my student leader told me I should 100% be applying to do both foundation AND degrees, because you are less likely to get onto an undergraduate course without a foundation. Is this true? I can imagine it being so with something like art. My other question is, how would that work with my UCAS? I can't exactly write two personal statements, one for foundation and one for degree, can I? My other concern is staying somewhere and leaving home for such a short amount of time, only to move again a year later to a new place and a new school. I think that's the main thing that's putting me off. I am thinking of applying to Oxford (Ruskin college) for fine art, my teacher seems to think I should go for it, but do you need foundation first? (I don't mean is it recommended, I mean is it mandatory)
Foundation diplomas are a level 3 (ie A level equivalent/FE) qualification - so you apply direct and not through UCAS. That means you can apply for both 5 degree courses through UCAS and as many FADs as you can be bothered to apply for.
One thing to be aware of - because a FAD is an FE qualification you aren't eligible for university student finance (even if you are studying at a university). You wont pay fees if you're under 19 when you start but you wont get any loan to live off while studying - some universities offering FADs will have bursaries and hardship funds to cover some of your costs, you might be eligible for charitable grants etc...but that's the reason a LOT of people taking a FAD will study at a local FE college (or university) and stay at home.
Original post by meghan.sp
Thank you! This has been really helpful
Good luck
Remember that a LOT of people applying to degrees alongside you through UCAS will be applying from their FAD year - so they'll have a year's more experience and have had more help with their portfolios.
It's extremely common for BFA/BA applicants to get rejections recommending a FAD...it doesn't mean you aren't good enough if just means you're not quite ready yet. But if you get offers you'll be in a position to decide whether you want to take them up or go the FAD route and try again with that under your belt. Especially with cuts in secondary education to creative subjects and resources there are a lot more applicants for creative degrees who just don't quite have the level of preparation to get going at degree level.
Use the interview and portfolio process to find out as much as you can about different unviersities and courses, speak to other applicants at interview days - especially those who have done a FAD to find out how they've found the extra year.
As a student going to the Ruskin this October I can tell you that the majority of successful applicants this year have applied with or during a foundation course. An exception to this is international applicants, yet they seem to hold an equivalent weighting with foundation perhaps not being expected considering it is quite a UK thing (I am presuming).
I applied during A2 and was unsuccessful with a specific recommendation from the Ruskin to consider reapplying next year during a foundation. I did this at my local college and it completely doesn't matter where you study it! Saying that, I know a few people at the Ruskin got in without a foundation straight from A-Level so by all means test the waters if you are feeling confident but the odds are harshly against you (with only 21% interviewed and what PQ has outlined accurately above).
It is solely about the work you produce and the personal statement to go along with it - if you feel you are ready by all means apply you have nothing to lose but strongly consider foundation as a back up - it is honestly the most fun... it will definitely benefit you as a human, artist and for beginning your course the year after as you have already had the experience of complete creative freedom!!
If you have any questions about anything feel free to message!
I applied during A2 and was unsuccessful with a specific recommendation from the Ruskin to consider reapplying next year during a foundation. I did this at my local college and it completely doesn't matter where you study it! Saying that, I know a few people at the Ruskin got in without a foundation straight from A-Level so by all means test the waters if you are feeling confident but the odds are harshly against you (with only 21% interviewed and what PQ has outlined accurately above).
It is solely about the work you produce and the personal statement to go along with it - if you feel you are ready by all means apply you have nothing to lose but strongly consider foundation as a back up - it is honestly the most fun... it will definitely benefit you as a human, artist and for beginning your course the year after as you have already had the experience of complete creative freedom!!
If you have any questions about anything feel free to message!
I agree that there are many benefits of doing a foundation. It is quite time consuming applying to undergraduate courses and foundations due to all the different FAD requirements and different personal statements which are then followed by portfolio reviews. Final year at school can be quite stressful so be realistic about what you need to achieve.
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Original post by meghan.sp
Until a few weeks ago, I had completely ruled out taking a foundation and was just going to jump straight into a BA or BFA in fine art or art and design. I went on a 5-day course at the Slade school of fine art in London, and my student leader told me I should 100% be applying to do both foundation AND degrees, because you are less likely to get onto an undergraduate course without a foundation. Is this true? I can imagine it being so with something like art. My other question is, how would that work with my UCAS? I can't exactly write two personal statements, one for foundation and one for degree, can I? My other concern is staying somewhere and leaving home for such a short amount of time, only to move again a year later to a new place and a new school. I think that's the main thing that's putting me off. I am thinking of applying to Oxford (Ruskin college) for fine art, my teacher seems to think I should go for it, but do you need foundation first? (I don't mean is it recommended, I mean is it mandatory)
Hi there!
Foundation is beneficial but not necessary to take an undergraduate course! Foundation can help you build up your skills and allow you to experiment to decide which direction you want to go in next. However, a strong portfolio can always help if you have an interview
If you are ever interested in digital art and design check us out
. We offer foundation, undergraduate and postgraduate courses.You can get more info about the courses on offer at Ravensbourne here!
I wish you luck!
Ahlia
(edited 7 years ago)
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