Animation, Graphic Design, Art, Fashion, Photography & Illustration 2018 Applicants

Name:Wei
LocationK
Current Course/s: Gap year
Predicted grades: Foundation diploma
Thinking of/applying to: CSM womenswear and FDM
Do you guys know when approximately the BA fashion portfolio review for CSM takes place?

I'm not gonna do a foundation course, but everyone I know who's taken it has said that it's really good because you can discover which aspect of art might actually interest you, so you can be sure on the course you want to apply for in the future. If you want to take it, go for it. For some- i don't know if all- universities give their foundation students a sure place on the course they apply for after their foundation year

I applied for a different course last year and online portfolio submission was around Feb, interview in late March-early April. They were suppppper slow.



Foundation is an amazing and fun year, but I would say the only university that favors it drastically is UAL, sometimes Ravensbourne prefer Foundation applicants. I'd say only do Foundation if you don't feel ready to be able to take the intensity of a BA course, unsure of what course you want to do, want to develop a stronger portfolio, or don't think you'll make the entry requirements of the courses you applied for. But looking at your grades it doesn't look like you really need to do that. The only reason most people who do Foundation get unconditional offers is because most people do Foundation already having the A Level entry requirements, so there wasn't really any point in them doing Foundation in the first place!

I applied to Loughborough and Nottingham Trent last year and got places for both, and the intake for them was mostly A Level students and barely anyone did Foundation there. Heriot Watt, Bath Spa I've heard are similar in that they take a large percentage of A Level students. Leeds actually prefers A Level applicants and does not consider Foundation, god knows why.

Thank you so much! what did you apply for last year?

I'm attempting to narrow down my uni choices, but the thing is, I'm really struggling to decide on my 'final 5'. I live in London & want to get out, so UAL is out of the question & I'm really liking the idea of being near the beach/sea, so the current contenders are Falmouth, Plymouth College of Art, AUB & Portsmouth. I've looked at Brighton, but it doesn't appeal to me in terms of workspace & accommodation, though I'm considering applying there anyway because I do like the area & rep.

Where are you all looking at & why?

I've always wanted to go to Scotland but this course is only available in Edinburgh and Dundee, and I missed both open days so I'm not sure of their work standard and facilities
I want to move away from home - I live in Newcastle, but really love Sunderland uni.
I'd like to stay fairly Northern but would like to see current students work and portfolios before I apply to anywhere but I'm open to everywhere except London

I applied for a different course last year and online portfolio submission was around Feb, interview in late March-early April. They were suppppper slow.



Foundation is an amazing and fun year, but I would say the only university that favors it drastically is UAL, sometimes Ravensbourne prefer Foundation applicants. I'd say only do Foundation if you don't feel ready to be able to take the intensity of a BA course, unsure of what course you want to do, want to develop a stronger portfolio, or don't think you'll make the entry requirements of the courses you applied for. But looking at your grades it doesn't look like you really need to do that. The only reason most people who do Foundation get unconditional offers is because most people do Foundation already having the A Level entry requirements, so there wasn't really any point in them doing Foundation in the first place!

I applied to Loughborough and Nottingham Trent last year and got places for both, and the intake for them was mostly A Level students and barely anyone did Foundation there. Heriot Watt, Bath Spa I've heard are similar in that they take a large percentage of A Level students. Leeds actually prefers A Level applicants and does not consider Foundation, god knows why.

What uni in Leeds is this?

Name: Julie
Location: Northern Ireland
Current Course/s: Alevels..Art with textiles, English lit and pyschology
Predicted grades:AAB
applying to: Uni of Leeds, Leeds arts, Leeds beckett, MMU, Ulster .. all for Fashion Design

I havent received any offers, just emails asking for my portfolio, and one interview for Beckett..worried incase I dont have goo enough portfolio as I dont want to do a foundation year

I havent received any offers, just emails asking for my portfolio, and one interview for Beckett..worried incase I dont have goo enough portfolio as I dont want to do a foundation year

Best of luck with everything. I'm sure you'll be fine.

Update: got a conditional offer for uni of leeds today

I've heard Edinburgh is meant to be amazing! Though apparently very competitive, so hard to get into?
Yeah I'm pretty much open to anywhere except London also (though don't want to go too far North preferably). Since I made this post my choices have changed to Portsmouth, Anglia Ruskin (still not 100% on this one), Falmouth, Leeds College of Art and Norwich University of Arts. Have you looked at CCAD? It's too far North for me, but their work on the website looks incredible! I went to a UWE open day not too long ago and their work looked really good too if you'd be willing to move to Bristol. Have you been to any uni open day and if so what were your thoughts?
Although seeing the standard of student work is important I don't see it as the be all and end all because at the end of the day that's up to the student to produce (though it can reflect the expectations of the uni and its facilities), but there are other factors that are definitely more important to me e.g. studio space, location, distance to/from accommodation, living costs, industry connections, passion and enthusiasm from the lecturers/tutors, that kind of thing

I've heard Edinburgh is meant to be amazing! Though apparently very competitive, so hard to get into?
Yeah I'm pretty much open to anywhere except London also (though don't want to go too far North preferably). Since I made this post my choices have changed to Portsmouth, Anglia Ruskin (still not 100% on this one), Falmouth, Leeds College of Art and Norwich University of Arts. Have you looked at CCAD? It's too far North for me, but their work on the website looks incredible! I went to a UWE open day not too long ago and their work looked really good too if you'd be willing to move to Bristol. Have you been to any uni open day and if so what were your thoughts?
Although seeing the standard of student work is important I don't see it as the be all and end all because at the end of the day that's up to the student to produce (though it can reflect the expectations of the uni and its facilities), but there are other factors that are definitely more important to me e.g. studio space, location, distance to/from accommodation, living costs, industry connections, passion and enthusiasm from the lecturers/tutors, that kind of thing

Hey! I am just going to chime in here as I'm applying for Illustration as well. I am from Hungary so it is a bit more difficult for me to go to Open days (I went to a guided tour at Edinburgh last year and fell in love). One of my concerns is that many unis ask applicants to attend interviews, which I see the point of, however it seems I would have to travel to the UK on several occasions as Loughborough and UWE both do face to face interviews (which is obviously not a viable option since I can't afford it). I am also applying to Edinburgh and NUA but luckily Eburgh doesn't do interviews and NUA arranges them on Skype for those that cannot attend. I am not sure about my 5th choice yet. I am also kind of nervous because I want to contact Lboro and UWE to ask if they could arrange Skype interviews but they most likely wouldn't reply via email in time so I'm just waiting for the Christmas break to end so I can call them directly. Another thing I wonder about is how you all put together your portfolios? I get so insecure when I look at the few that I can find online, even though in general I am proud of my work. How do you lot cope (that's not the right word but ygm)?

Hey! I would've thought for international applicants they'd all offer interviews via Skype - I don't think they'd expect you to travel back and forth for all of your interviews. It should be fine to contact them after Christmas asap since the date itself of the interview won't change (to my knowledge) it would just be done through Skype rather than in person, nothing to worry about!
Portfolio-wise, I found this guide helpful:
https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=974132
Personally, I'll be showing 3 sketchbooks - one travel journal (I've been on a gap year), one actual sketchbook focused on portraiture, human form, character design, that kind of thing and I have a tiny one that I keep anything that appeals/inspires me in (mostly designs or illustrations I come across through day-to-day life e.g. packaging, posters etc). Then I'll have an actual portfolio of about 15 (give or take) sheets of 'finished' work that bring together the work from the sketchbooks. I feel like it's a bit too much (I might do less than 15 sheets of finished work), but all together they show me as a person & illustrator/artist.
In my research, it seems they want to see your 'journey'/development (so your potential through your work) - include experimentation (even if you didn't like how it turned out) and 'finished' work, making sure you're showing the journey that brought you to it as that's what they're most interested in to my knowledge. Be ready to discuss your work and make sure it's organised in some way (e.g. good work first, not so great in the middle, good work last). I definitely know what you mean about seeing other people's portfolios and becoming insecure about your own work, but we all have different styles - just do your best and love what you do! Show your passion for illustration. Hope this helps

Thank you so much for the thread link, I'll make sure to go through it as it seems very informative at first glance!
Also, I know right about the online interview thing, yet it seems that some unis are quite demanding about the interviews being in person, so I suppose I'll just have to call them and see what they say, but it's reassuring that you think they will be flexible! Fingers crossed I will make sure to post about it so applicants in later years might find useful info.
Another concern of mine is that it seems reasonable for them to ask people to attend in the sense that I can't exactly show them full sketchbooks over Skype, which is quite an integral part of the process I would say. But then again, it really isn't possible to fly back and forth (I wish, hah). Oh well, I guess it just adds a layer of challenge to the whole process in that I will have to be all the more thoughtful in picking the pieces I want to present.
By the way, where are you in your application? Have you submitted it yet?