The Student Room Group

Art Foundation??

Hi! I met this girl who got into university (Ruskin Oxford) to study fine art without having an art foundation, and I looked at some places. UAL says they normally want art foundation, but if you have a portfolio that's good enough without it you can still get a place if you have 3 GCSEs and 2 ALevels above a C.
I know Goldsmiths only wants people with an art foundation.
I basically just wanted to see what people thought the standard of a portfolio would be like for a foundation graduate / after A Levels that's good enough.
I'm not even old enough to be applying to university get (doing GCSEs right now) but the sixth form I'm going to starts helping you apply for higher education right from the beginning of L6 / year twelve. I just want to find out this kind of stuff before I get my heart set on anything
I just think art foundation kind of sounds like a step back from a really good A Level grade - like I've already found my sort of style. I don't have a portfolio yet either haha but I just want to know from people's experiences!!
Thanks :smile:
Original post by Ellen Ringrose
Hi! I met this girl who got into university (Ruskin Oxford) to study fine art without having an art foundation, and I looked at some places. UAL says they normally want art foundation, but if you have a portfolio that's good enough without it you can still get a place if you have 3 GCSEs and 2 ALevels above a C.
I know Goldsmiths only wants people with an art foundation.
I basically just wanted to see what people thought the standard of a portfolio would be like for a foundation graduate / after A Levels that's good enough.
I'm not even old enough to be applying to university get (doing GCSEs right now) but the sixth form I'm going to starts helping you apply for higher education right from the beginning of L6 / year twelve. I just want to find out this kind of stuff before I get my heart set on anything
I just think art foundation kind of sounds like a step back from a really good A Level grade - like I've already found my sort of style. I don't have a portfolio yet either haha but I just want to know from people's experiences!!
Thanks :smile:


This is why most people applying for art and design degrees will apply at the end of A levels for both degree courses and art foundation diplomas (FAD) as a back up. FAD courses are FE and so not covered by UCAS so you can hold offers to both with no problems.

The problem is applying straight from A levels is that you will have been studying are for 1/3 of your time (or less) for 2 years. Often that isn't enough to build the best portfolio possible. Add in that often applicants don't know whether they want to study fine art (and within that painting, sculpture etc), illustration, graphic design, animation, architecture, photography etc etc as a degree and that A levels don't always provide a lot of time for reflection about those different pathways at degree level. Add in on top of that that an A level applicant will be competing against applicants who have done a foundation (and so have spent that extra year devoted 100% to art and developing their portfolio and exploring different pathways) and it's not surprising that in a lot of cases A level applicants just aren't as ready for a degree course as people who have taken that extra year.

It's rare to find someone who regrets taking an Art Foundation Diploma (some students regret their choice of university/college but I don't know anyone who wouldn't say their work has benefited from the extra time) - which I think says a lot about the quality of the courses as preparation for degree level study in creative art and design.

It's a very personal thing - some people have had the time and resources and help from their school to explore and develop to a point that they're ready for a degree after A levels, but many many people wont have had the benefit of that.
Original post by PQ
This is why most people applying for art and design degrees will apply at the end of A levels for both degree courses and art foundation diplomas (FAD) as a back up. FAD courses are FE and so not covered by UCAS so you can hold offers to both with no problems.

The problem is applying straight from A levels is that you will have been studying are for 1/3 of your time (or less) for 2 years. Often that isn't enough to build the best portfolio possible. Add in that often applicants don't know whether they want to study fine art (and within that painting, sculpture etc), illustration, graphic design, animation, architecture, photography etc etc as a degree and that A levels don't always provide a lot of time for reflection about those different pathways at degree level. Add in on top of that that an A level applicant will be competing against applicants who have done a foundation (and so have spent that extra year devoted 100% to art and developing their portfolio and exploring different pathways) and it's not surprising that in a lot of cases A level applicants just aren't as ready for a degree course as people who have taken that extra year.

It's rare to find someone who regrets taking an Art Foundation Diploma (some students regret their choice of university/college but I don't know anyone who wouldn't say their work has benefited from the extra time) - which I think says a lot about the quality of the courses as preparation for degree level study in creative art and design.

It's a very personal thing - some people have had the time and resources and help from their school to explore and develop to a point that they're ready for a degree after A levels, but many many people wont have had the benefit of that.



Thank you so so much <3
art foundations are basically just free time to experiment with facilites and mediums before u get all serious with ur degree (a qualification ur paying for whereas art foudations are free the year after a levels). it's worth taking just for that reason because once u leave uni you'll have to start buying ur own/paying to use stuff like photo emulsion screen printing, printing presses, darkrooms, etc.
Original post by bloated_utopia
art foundations are basically just free time to experiment with facilites and mediums before u get all serious with ur degree (a qualification ur paying for whereas art foudations are free the year after a levels). it's worth taking just for that reason because once u leave uni you'll have to start buying ur own/paying to use stuff like photo emulsion screen printing, printing presses, darkrooms, etc.


Thank youuuu
Original post by Ellen Ringrose
Hi! I met this girl who got into university (Ruskin Oxford) to study fine art without having an art foundation, and I looked at some places. UAL says they normally want art foundation, but if you have a portfolio that's good enough without it you can still get a place if you have 3 GCSEs and 2 ALevels above a C.
I know Goldsmiths only wants people with an art foundation.
I basically just wanted to see what people thought the standard of a portfolio would be like for a foundation graduate / after A Levels that's good enough.
I'm not even old enough to be applying to university get (doing GCSEs right now) but the sixth form I'm going to starts helping you apply for higher education right from the beginning of L6 / year twelve. I just want to find out this kind of stuff before I get my heart set on anything
I just think art foundation kind of sounds like a step back from a really good A Level grade - like I've already found my sort of style. I don't have a portfolio yet either haha but I just want to know from people's experiences!!
Thanks :smile:


Hey Ellen,

I would recommend doing a foundation year because it's a great time to meet new people and really go outside your comfort zone to develop a range of skills. It will also help you build up a strong portfolio. It really helped me find my passion in a course that I didn't even know anything about. I also gained new skills and helped me get a feel of what doing a degree would be like.

Going to the open days will help you with your choice of doing a foundation year or not by seeing their work. It will also give you a chance to talk to both degree and foundation students to get their opinions and views. I would also recommend going to the end of year exhibition that are held for foundation courses to see the level of work.

If you choose not to take a foundation year out here at Ravesbourne we run a number of UCAS workshops to help students prepare with workshops covering interviews, personal statements and portfolio or showreel surgeries. They are open to students looking to apply to art and design courses. They could also be helpful for you if you do wish to do a foundation degree and need to build a portfolio for your interview.

Click me for pre UCAS workshops and portfolio tips!
Click here for Foundation Courses!
Click me for degree show

Hope this was helpful.
If you have anymore questions feel free to ask :smile:

Row(:

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