Camberwell or Chelsea for graphic design?

Hello! They are both such different courses you really need to think about your work and think which place you would be suited best! chelsea calls themselves a brand whereas camberwell is a lot more free, however that means the job opportunities at chelsea are much better!
I also got accepted to camberwell this morning and i am waiting to hear back from chelsea in the next week! have you got places at both already and if so when did you find out/ apply? i am desperate to hear from chelsea!!!

more info on camberwell

there are 40 places on their BA Graphic design course which makes them smaller than Chelsea actually. they are very experimental and open to new ideas, you could spend the day doing a painting if you can justify it. they are also very closely linked with their illustration department and do great work together it is a great school with fantastic reputation but it also has been criticized that it runs off that reputation rather than the actual course, however everyone seems to say that about the london ones.
also, a first year student at chelsea told us that they have had only a few lectures this year and go to camberwell for their lectures because they are better.

the courses are so different though it is so difficult to compare them! you've just got to find your comfort zone!

hi, i don't know much about the differences between the two courses as i do illustration but i can tell you that the transport is not poor at all - camberwell has amazing transport links and you rarely need to use the tube which is a huge money saver and means you actually get to see london instead of cramming into an underground train! :P plus, if you're interested in staying in student halls, camberwell has three whereas chelsea has none locally - the closest ones are in fact in camberwell. but i would focus more on the courses themselves when making your decision rather than whether you would prefer to get the bus or the tube haha! good luck with your decision.

hi, since im already at ual im staying at halls this year, so i'll be moving out next year. i'll try and get down to the area soonish to have a look around and see if i'd like to go, but thanks for the info i'll defs check it out ASAP, been meaning to do so for ages and just been swamped under uni work haha. Since you're at camberwell, can you tell me a bit more about the vibe of the place? is it quite laid back and creative or is it very competitive? also do you sort of know people well and see your tutors often? any info on the college would be appreciated!

well i'm doing my foundation (at camberwell) this year and starting illustration in september, but i have done a project with the BA course leader and am constantly visiting the building. it's very laid back, not competitive at all! and it definitely has a creative atmosphere. from what i know everyone knows each other on their course, as i said i'm doing the foundation but i know a handful of people who study there for BA and it seems very snug. you get to see your personal tutor every week, and then whatever tutor is in the studio every day that you're in. i think it's a really cool area as well - absolutely full of art students, and there are lots of lovely cafes and pubs to go to!

that sounds great!
i went to camberwell and really liked it, which doesnt help with my decision because now im properly stuck. need to talk to my tutors i think.
I know it was posted about that there are only 40 people doing BA graphics, but i cant seem to find this online anywhere, do you know if it's around that number?

It depends what you want out of the course to be honest.

While Elephant and Castle isn't the most glamourous of campus locations, LCC has fantastic facilites and is generally a much larger college so there's more of an atmosphere and buzz I guess. That said, the course sizes are HUGE, especially when you compare to Chelsea which is small and can feel a little dead sometimes.

I can't really comment too much on the LCC course itself, but my friend who is on it says you sometimes feel a little anonymous because there's so many people, where I did graphics and Chelsea and have found there's more of an 'everyone knows everyone' sort of feeling.

Chelsea is also quite conceptual I think, perhaps moreso than LCC. First year at Chelsea is just full of really odd tasks and the first year course leader is a bit crazy and into really experimental fun things - I think you'll either love or hate the style. But in second/third year, it gets more serious, more practical, more of what you expect on a graphic design course I guess.

hey, thank you so much for your reply. I found it really helpful! I think I am edging slightly more towards Chelsea as I have heard mixed reviews with regards to LCC and the drop out rate seems to be quite high. I am anexperimental designer and enjoy working with traditional methods aswell as digital. Would you say I am suited to the course at Chelsea if you are a current student there? How have you found the course so far in terms of tutor support and use of facilities? The only downside to Chelsea is the small facilities but I am hoping if class sizes are small this wont be a problem.

Just a few more questions... Do Chelsea give opportunities to work abroad or to take a year out to complete a placement? I am aware that LCC offer this and it is a major bonus as I'd love to do this.

Finally!...if anyone could recommend any ual accommodation close to Chelsea that would be great. I have looked at them all and feel I have really confused myself! Some of the nicer halls appear to be quite far away, which I know is not uncommon in london to travel, but ids like to know it is worth it for half decent accompdation.
Sorry for ythe essay!!! Thank you to anyone who can answer any one of y questions! X

I think at Chelsea, it can be a mixed bag in terms of traditional vs. digital. I think you are given more of a platform to explore your own interests in 2nd/3rd year, whereas in first, for me, it occasionally felt a bit more guided, but there is still very much an underlying experimental ethos. As I said, first year will likely be a love/hate situation. Sometimes, the projects will be a bit... random? I know a few people thought some were just too silly or pointless, even if the underlying thing being taught was of value. It's a huge contrast with 3rd year where everything seems a lot more professional and serious.

I found the course alright in terms of tutor support. Provided you turn up to things and engage and make a good impression, it's fine. Some of them are a bit crap at replying to emails, but generally if I needed help I got it. Again, it depends on your style of working and how much support you think you'll need. Some people feel the tutors could do more, but I'm happy with the contact time I received. Frankly, I doubt LCC would be much better for this though.

Facilities can be an issue. There's a really fantastic workshop for all your wood/metal working needs, and in first year, you do projects which require you to use them. But no letterpress or screen printing is annoying, although in first year, you do go to a letterpress workshop elsewhere for a project, and you can in theory use facilities at any of the other UAL colleges. I've not found it too bad really, but I suppose if you're really into getting your hands dirty, then you have to make more of an effort now and again!

There is an opportunity to study abroad in New York, but only 2 students get to go, and it can be quite competitive so I wouldn't pin your hopes on this. I don't think there are any existing erasmus links (for graphics anyway - ALL the other courses have them!) but in first year, you could ask tutors if they could help you organise one?

There's also no allotted time to complete a work placement, but I guess if you want to take a year out, you can?

It may be worth mentioning that -occasionally- if the tutors like you enough and think you're talented enough, they'l put you forward fr the odd internship or whatever though. And there is also a competition type thing in second year with a big design agency just for Chelsea GD students an the winners get a grant/scholarship type thing.

As for accommodation, for Chelsea, you will have to commute regardless. Obviously, there are no halls near the college, and since the area is so expensive hardly anyone lives locally even in 2nd/3rd year. Manna Ash is in quite a good area I suppose, near waterloo. Loads of people live in Elephant and Castle and Camberwell (and continue to in 2nd/3rd year) and there are decent bus links, although the halls are perhaps less nice! They've added lots of new halls since I started so I can't help too much here really since i've not been to them.

Sorry - not sure how useful I've been here, but if you have any more questions just ask! x

hey, firstly THANKS alot, your advice has been really helpful and I will definitely take it all into consideration!!!

the only thing that is bothering me about Chelsea is the lack of facilities. I would really love for them to have more, and can maybe see this becoming an issue...although I wasn't aware you could use any facilities in any ual? Or is this not really the done thing? Aha...if possible, is there anyway you could let me know any feedback from your friend studying at LCC so I can get some more points to compare. I realize LCC have better facilities, but if class sizes are huge this may not be as good a factor as it seems. Out of curiosity how big are class sizes in comparison to Chelsea??

Do you know if many people drop pout of Chelsea? As I am ware this is really not uncommon at LCC which does worry slightly!!
sorry for how many questions I have!! Just wanna make sure I make the right decisions.

thanks again for all your help! x

I think at LCC the classes are divided up and switched round and mixed up occasionally for various project so perhaps the huge course wont be as much of an issue (although there isn't that same level of familiarity with your coursemates as there will be at Chelsea). If I remember correctly they take 100+ students, where Chelsea is about 50? This may change year or year though, but Chelsea and Camberwell definitely have very small intakes compared to LCC and CSM.

I'm pretty sure you can use the other facilities. I'm not sure how far it's the done thing, but i've used screen printing before at LCC (although I was with my friend who studies there at the time) and I'm at the college a fair amount using their library/computers when I need to get work done late and no one cares as long as you have your UAL student ID.

Honestly, I don't know if it's just because of my working style, but I've never felt significantly disadvantaged, but at the same time, I guess if I had letter press and screen printing more easily accessible on site, perhaps I'd have made more use of it. So it's hard to say.

Really, it depends how much you think you'll need these facilities. As I said, Chelsea does letterpress at this really cool place, and you're allowed to return if you arrange it with the guy who runs it since he's a friend of the course. There are photo studios, and obviously the workshops, I think there's a laser cutter as well (I've never personally needed to use it though, and there's actually a really good professional laser cutter over the bridge in Vauxhall who I know a few students have used). There's large scale printing facilities (although the guy is extremely miserable, so I avoid him), and bookbinding (again, I've never used it), and a lady who can help you mount and frame stuff.


In my year, I think there was about 5 people in total who dropped out? I'm not sure if that's good or bad! For what it's worth, they were all international students as well, aside form one, who was a UK mature student, if that makes any difference.

I know how tough deciding can be though - believe me, I was in the same boat. Have you visited the colleges? Maybe actually getting a feel for the environment might help you out?

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Just to add: http://unistats.direct.gov.uk/Subjects/Overview/10007162-10106 which has some info about chelsea, perhaps look up LCC and get that comparison too?

Yeah I've just had a look at the uni stats, chelsea does come out on top. Taking everything into consideration and all your advice, Im gonna go with chelsea! I definitely feel its more suited to me and knowing that there are still good facilities there is good to know! I also like the fact that its a lot smaller and more of a community feel to it I guess. I did get this impression when I visited both colleges! It is a very hard decision...

Thank you so so much for all your advice, its been so helpful!!! really appreciate it!!

Hi I'm going to go to Chelsea 2013 for Graphics too! I was just wondering if you were looking at halls and which ones? I was looking at manner ash, basically right on the south bank but most of the others seem to be a while away? We have to make 5 choices which is a lot!

I'm so excited about the course! there seem to be so many great opportunities!

Hey, ah congrats! I am also very excited!!!

I have started to look at halls, Manna Ash will definitely be one of my 5 just because of the convenience! There has been one added for this year which is the closest to Chelsea, although I've forgotten the name of that one so ill have to get back to you! You should check on the online brochure... I am looking at all and keeping an open mind- also not sure where you are from but in London it's not unusual to have to commute for a long time! The costume store looks great. I am shocked at how expensive they all are though! Let me know what you think on some of the places! Would be helpful, ill keep looking!

x