Kingston University or Leeds Arts for illustration?

Hey @alauze!

First off - big congratulations on receiving an offer from both us here at Kingston and Leeds Arts. I know Illustration Animation is one of our more popular courses at KSA, so getting an offer is a big deal in and of itself. 🙂

I'm obviously going to be a little biased here, but thought it'd be good to chip in as a fellow art student (I study Fine Art and Art History) and answer any questions you might have about studying at Kingston. In terms of social activity, most art courses here at Kingston are located at our Knights Park campus, which means there's constantly a really nice community of fellow artists and creatives all concentrated in one area. There's always a nice buzz about the place - I feel like I walk into a different student market, exhibition or event everyday when passing through the lobby to get to class! It's also only a couple minutes' walk from the town centre, which is ideal for nipping in to pick up lunch with coursemates or doing some shopping inbetween lectures.

Central London is about 35 minutes away by train - so it's definitely not too far @Eliisbored! I tend to mainly head into central on weekends to see art exhibitions, but you'd be surpised how many shops there are in Kingston itself. It kinda feels like a mini city to me.

Choosing a university is always hard, so if you have any questions at all about Kingston, just drop them down below and I'll get back to you as soon as possible.

Eve (Kingston Rep).

(edited 1 year ago)

Reply 3

Eliisbored

4

Original post by Kingston Reps

Hey @alauze!

First off - big congratulations on receiving an offer from both us here at Kingston and Leeds Arts. I know Illustration Animation is one of our more popular courses at KSA, so getting an offer is a big deal in and of itself. 🙂

I'm obviously going to be a little biased here, but thought it'd be good to chip in as a fellow art student (I study Fine Art and Art History) and answer any questions you might have about studying at Kingston. In terms of social activity, most art courses here at Kingston are located at our Knights Park campus, which means there's constantly a really nice community of fellow artists and creatives all concentrated in one area. There's always a nice buzz about the place - I feel like I walk into a different student market, exhibition or event everyday when passing through the lobby to get to class! It's also only a couple minutes' walk from the town centre, which is ideal for nipping in to pick up lunch with coursemates or doing some shopping inbetween lectures.

Central London is about 35 minutes away by train - so it's definitely not too far @Eliisbored! I tend to mainly head into central on weekends to see art exhibitions, but you'd be surpised how many shops there are in Kingston itself. It kinda feels like a mini city to me.

Choosing a university is always hard, so if you have any questions at all about Kingston, just drop them down below and I'll get back to you as soon as possible.

Eve (Kingston Rep).

Thank you so much and thanks for the reply!

Ahh that does sound lovely, I’m really looking forward to seeing the campus and glad to hear about the social aspect and your own enjoyment! Nice to know there’s a balance between something gentler and a city buzz when wanted :smile:

Reply 4

lomo75

Original post by Kingston Reps

Hey @alauze!

First off - big congratulations on receiving an offer from both us here at Kingston and Leeds Arts. I know Illustration Animation is one of our more popular courses at KSA, so getting an offer is a big deal in and of itself. 🙂

I'm obviously going to be a little biased here, but thought it'd be good to chip in as a fellow art student (I study Fine Art and Art History) and answer any questions you might have about studying at Kingston. In terms of social activity, most art courses here at Kingston are located at our Knights Park campus, which means there's constantly a really nice community of fellow artists and creatives all concentrated in one area. There's always a nice buzz about the place - I feel like I walk into a different student market, exhibition or event everyday when passing through the lobby to get to class! It's also only a couple minutes' walk from the town centre, which is ideal for nipping in to pick up lunch with coursemates or doing some shopping inbetween lectures.

Central London is about 35 minutes away by train - so it's definitely not too far @Eliisbored! I tend to mainly head into central on weekends to see art exhibitions, but you'd be surpised how many shops there are in Kingston itself. It kinda feels like a mini city to me.

Choosing a university is always hard, so if you have any questions at all about Kingston, just drop them down below and I'll get back to you as soon as possible.

Eve (Kingston Rep).

Hi Eve, sorry to ask but how much is second year accommodation at Kingston? That's a bit of a worry! Thanks

Reply 5

Original post by lomo75

Hi Eve, sorry to ask but how much is second year accommodation at Kingston? That's a bit of a worry! Thanks

Hi @lomo75

I will just jump in for Eve! Second year accommodation varies on area and type of housing.

Some of our Kingston halls of residence are available for second years and you can view those prices online on our website or through this link: https://www.kingston.ac.uk/accommodation/halls-of-residence/

If you were looking to move into private housing in an apartment then that could be more expensive than looking to rent a house for a year with friends. Renting properties in either Kingston or Surbiton can vary from around £500-£700 per person for the month, excluding bills. Private accommodation is around £200 a week and these include bills.

It totally depends on what you are looking for but if you have any other questions I am more than happy to help out as a second year student myself!

I hope this helped.

-Yasmin (Kingston Rep)

Reply 6

lomo75

Original post by Kingston Reps

Hi @lomo75

I will just jump in for Eve! Second year accommodation varies on area and type of housing.

Some of our Kingston halls of residence are available for second years and you can view those prices online on our website or through this link: https://www.kingston.ac.uk/accommodation/halls-of-residence/

If you were looking to move into private housing in an apartment then that could be more expensive than looking to rent a house for a year with friends. Renting properties in either Kingston or Surbiton can vary from around £500-£700 per person for the month, excluding bills. Private accommodation is around £200 a week and these include bills.

It totally depends on what you are looking for but if you have any other questions I am more than happy to help out as a second year student myself!

I hope this helped.

-Yasmin (Kingston Rep)

Thanks, that's better than I thought

Reply 7

mymelo

Original post by alauze

Hi, I'm stuck in a bit of a dilemma at the moment. I want to study illustration at degree level and have been offered a place at both universities (note, Kingston is illustration and animation whilst Leeds Arts is solely illustration), but I'm not sure which one to choose. On the one hand the course at Kingston is more highly regarded that the one at Leeds Arts from what I've been told, and I also feel like animation is an area that I would definitely like to expand my skills upon. However, I'm worried that Kingston will be boring and lack an element of social activity from what I have read online, whereas at Leeds, social life will definitely not be an issue. Of course at the end of the day social life is not the number one priority, however as a sociable person I feel like it is an integral part of an overall good university experience. Leeds also looks likes like a really nice city and I feel like I could see myself being happy there. I just would like a little bit of aid in my decision, any help will be appreciated, thank you!

The youtube channel "Art with Em" studied illustration at Leeds you could look at her discussing the assignments she gets to see if you like it

Reply 8

greentiger

Original post by alauze

Hi, I'm stuck in a bit of a dilemma at the moment. I want to study illustration at degree level and have been offered a place at both universities (note, Kingston is illustration and animation whilst Leeds Arts is solely illustration), but I'm not sure which one to choose. On the one hand the course at Kingston is more highly regarded that the one at Leeds Arts from what I've been told, and I also feel like animation is an area that I would definitely like to expand my skills upon. However, I'm worried that Kingston will be boring and lack an element of social activity from what I have read online, whereas at Leeds, social life will definitely not be an issue. Of course at the end of the day social life is not the number one priority, however as a sociable person I feel like it is an integral part of an overall good university experience. Leeds also looks likes like a really nice city and I feel like I could see myself being happy there. I just would like a little bit of aid in my decision, any help will be appreciated, thank you!

my brothers girlfriend went leeds arts uni and absolutely loved it

Reply 9

PashaJB

1

Hia!
Sorry to jump in on an old thread but i saw all of the responses regarding Kingston and also just wanted to ask some questions? Ive been offered a place to study there for illustration/animation but have also been given offers by UWE, Plymouth, Brighton and Falmouth - however i became pretty set on Kingston mainly because of the course. That as well as the fact its close to central London but is bit more affordable, has lots of green spaces, seems like its got a good vibe, etc… the course is ticking all the boxes but I’m just wondering about student life? Is there a student union? Is nightlife good? Are there lots of socials/societies? Do students from different courses mix a lot- just wondering whether it being a city campus university in comparison to a campus university make a difference on social life? Because it’s not in central London and is a bit more suburban does that make it more quiet?
Most of the responses that ive received from students have been largely positive however i spoke to a student today about her experience and she said that being a student in Kingston is boring, ‘ok’ and not as vibrant. I know I shouldn’t be letting one persons opinion affect my judgement but its kind of freaked me out a bit.
How has your student life experience been at Kingston?

Also- quick question regarding accom - i heard seething wells is best for student life? Which accom would you best recommend?

Sorry for all the questions Aha

Thank you!

Original post by Kingston Reps

Hey @alauze!
First off - big congratulations on receiving an offer from both us here at Kingston and Leeds Arts. I know Illustration Animation is one of our more popular courses at KSA, so getting an offer is a big deal in and of itself. 🙂
I'm obviously going to be a little biased here, but thought it'd be good to chip in as a fellow art student (I study Fine Art and Art History) and answer any questions you might have about studying at Kingston. In terms of social activity, most art courses here at Kingston are located at our Knights Park campus, which means there's constantly a really nice community of fellow artists and creatives all concentrated in one area. There's always a nice buzz about the place - I feel like I walk into a different student market, exhibition or event everyday when passing through the lobby to get to class! It's also only a couple minutes' walk from the town centre, which is ideal for nipping in to pick up lunch with coursemates or doing some shopping inbetween lectures.
Central London is about 35 minutes away by train - so it's definitely not too far @Eliisbored! I tend to mainly head into central on weekends to see art exhibitions, but you'd be surpised how many shops there are in Kingston itself. It kinda feels like a mini city to me.
Choosing a university is always hard, so if you have any questions at all about Kingston, just drop them down below and I'll get back to you as soon as possible.
Eve (Kingston Rep).

Reply 10

Hi @PashaJB

We would love to have you here at Kingston, especially for our illustration animation course which is amazing!

As you pointed out, Kingston is ideal for the quieter life outside of central London while being a quick train journey away. Yes we do have a student union and it is on the Knights Park campus where you will be. The SU holds lots of events and is very active after uni days and weekends. Nightlife in Kingston tends to be more pubs than clubs. There are lots of pubs in Kingston and Surbiton which is where Seething Wells accommodation is. We do have the Pryzm club in Kingston, but lots of people tend to just get the train into Vauxhall or Waterloo for clubs and bars and then share an Uber home which can work out quite cheap.

There are lots of societies to join here. I personally didn't join any but know lots of people that have, especially cheerleading which is popular. These clubs are a great way of mixing with other courses in your campus and other campuses. I have left a link here for you to see our societies: https://www.kingstonstudents.net/societies

I lived in Seething Wells for my first year and really enjoyed it. I would say the main accommodations for those studying at the Kingston School of Art are Seething and Middle Mill. Middle Mill is next to the KSA campus, has parking and is in Kingston compared to Seething which is along the river in Surbiton, newly refurbished and has your own bathroom! I wouldn't worry about being in Surbiton compared to Kingston as you are only a 20 min walk out or a 5 min bus journey on our free uni bus that runs 5 routes an hour. At Middle Mill it is all KSA students compared to Seething Wells which has more of a variety between Penrhyn Road students too. It totally depends on your preferences but I would recommend both for different reasons.

I hope this helped and please let me know if you have nay other questions or want me to go into more detail! :smile:

-Yasmin (Kingston Rep)

Reply 11

Hey @PashaJB!

First off - it’s great to hear you’re strongly considering Kingston! In terms of student life, I’ve always felt like there’s quite a lot to do: there’s over 90 societies, most of which meet either weekly/bi-weekly, and specialise in anything from knitting to speed stacking. There is a student union (Union of Kingston Students) with a base in our Penrhyn Road campus – they organise a lot of dinners and fundraisers throughout the year, as well as trips abroad and guests speakers. I think the nightlife is good without being too much either – the main nightclub that Kingston students tend to use is PRYZM (directly opposite a Wetherspoons!) but lots of students also commute into central London for nights out as well.

A lot of my friends are from different courses: for example, I’m a KSA student, but am friends with a lot of Pharmacy and Geography students through seeing them at the video game society I attend twice a week. Admittedly, Kingston’s a bit quieter than central London: but it makes up for it in green spaces, and it offers what I’ve always found to be a really nice, relaxed lifestyle that I don’t see as much with central London universities.

In terms of accommodation, Seething Wells is definitely a great option in terms of student life - over 800 students are based there, so it definitely has its own sense of community. The accommodation team put on a lot of events, and it's also been newly refurbished in the past year or so, which I know a lot of students have liked. Whilst it is one I would really recommend, a good way to decide which accommodation is right for you is figuring out which campus you'll be based on (I know Seething Wells has a lot of Penrhyn Road and KSA students) - do you know which campus you're on/which course you're studying?

Eve (Kingston Rep).

Reply 12

LeedsArtUniRep