Camberwell or Kingston for Illustration

Hey there, I am currently stuck between choosing Kingston for Illustration animation and UAL Camberwell for Illustration and I need to make a firm choice.

Ive been doing a foundation year so I've recieved an offer from Camberwell.UAL is ranked 2 in the world for art and has a very good rep but its pricey to get to for me. I'm personally not a fan of the location and I'm lowkey worried that courses would not be suited to me since foundation was hectic thanks to communication issues and other factors.

Kingston seems like a neat school. i have been getting emails and frequent messages for webinars and it seems more home-y compared to UAL. Its also cheaper to get to at around £5-£6 compared to £14-16 to get to Camberwell which is a huge thing. Furthermore, Kingston itself is a really nice area and I love the atmosphere the place has.
The only thing dragging it down is that I've heard that Kingston has a weird reputation.

Ive decided to put out a list of pros in my head for each.
Kingston
Pros:-Cheaper to get to
-lovely area
-the teachers seem nicer
-im generally more interested in the modules for the Illustration animation course

Camberwell:
Pros:
-Renowned Reputation, ranking 2nd in the world for art.
-as a result, probably easier to find jobs or go into further studies

My mother says to pick UAL but I'll be picking it only just for the reputation. Is that really worth it?
What do you guys think is a good choice?

Hi @Sooey,

I understand what it is like having to choose between universities and its completely natural to be unsure. As some of the other replies have already said reputation is not the most important thing, you should choose which uni you think you would be most suited to. I think doing a pros and cons list is a great idea to decide between the two and it looks like you have already focused on some of the main things such as location and price etc. Some other things to perhaps look at are the alumni from each course, the current students work, the facilities and what else the uni can offer you (societies/extra curriculum etc.)

I am a UAL student so please do not hesitate to ask me anything about my experiences, although I study at CSM not Camberwell, I think one of the best perks of being at UAL is the fact that it is made up of 6 colleges meaning you have access to the libraries, people and events from all campuses. I'd recommend typing in Camberwell Illustration in Instagram as there seem to be lots of current and past student run accounts with examples of work for you to look at.

Good luck with your decision making.

Kindest,

Tegan
UAL Student Rep

Daughter was in the same situation and chose Kingston. It just has a better feel. They have excellent facilities/specialist studios and it feels more like you'd get time in them rather than having to fight for space. I think reputation is overrated. Reputation won't change the work you produce and that's what matters in the end. Nobody will hire you just because you went to Camberwell. They'll be looking at your portfolio. She decided that Kingston felt more supportive and that's what would help her grow as an artist and produce her best work. Also, as they like to tell you over and over--Kingston is #1 in the Guardian League tables for Craft and Design, which includes illustration, so it isn't like they have a bad reputation in the field. I came across the scandal stuff, as well, and from what I could see it had nothing to do with the school of art and it was many years back now. I think that with the current government cuts to "non-essential" (don't get me started!!!) subjects it might be a safer bet to go to a uni that also has departments that teach "essential" subjects. At least funding won't be cut to the whole uni like it will for the poor arts only unis.

I totally agree with what you think! Reputation shouldnt be the most important fact but at the same time, it really does thanks to my mother continuously urging me to go for a more reputable school argh!
In the end, I think that Kingston seems like a better choice overall. I do to have to ask if its alright,
Has your daughter started her course yet? if so, what does she think of it?
If she hasnt, thats ok. I hope your daughter enjoys it there!

Hey there! thank you for replying and suggesting to look into the Alumni, that helped out quite a bit towards decision making. :0

I do have a question about what its like to go to UAL:
1)Was it easy to make friends with the people there? what were the students like at UAL

2) what were your tutors like? were they supportive and clear when it comes to communications?

Thank you :>