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Question about the best illustration degrees at uni

I am a year 12 currently studying art and really want to do an illustration degree. I am apprehensive however as I know that illustration is a tough market to get into and I would like to find a uni that is both highly regarded and also has a track record of getting people into the workplace/does good work placements. After doing some very light research into unis, and having just went to a UCAS fair these are my favourite uni options so far:

Falmouth University
Manchester Metropolitan University (MET)
Arts University Bournemouth (AUB)
University of the Arts London (UAL)
Kingston University
Brighton University
Loughborough University
University for the Creative Arts (UCA)

Does anyone know if any of these options are good for getting into the illustration field/does consistent work placements? If anyone has also done an illustration degree what would be your recommendation on portfolio application?

Reply 1

McGinger

Go to Open Days, look around, listen to course presentations and think about where you will feel comfortable.
There is no 'best' Uni - everyone's interests, needs and comforts are different, and its a very personal choice. And anyone doing an Illustration degree now will only be able to tell you about one Uni - so not actually that helpful.

Reply 2

Kingston Grace

Official Rep

Original post by Giziii

I am a year 12 currently studying art and really want to do an illustration degree. I am apprehensive however as I know that illustration is a tough market to get into and I would like to find a uni that is both highly regarded and also has a track record of getting people into the workplace/does good work placements. After doing some very light research into unis, and having just went to a UCAS fair these are my favourite uni options so far:
Falmouth University
Manchester Metropolitan University (MET)
Arts University Bournemouth (AUB)
University of the Arts London (UAL)
Kingston University
Brighton University
Loughborough University
University for the Creative Arts (UCA)
Does anyone know if any of these options are good for getting into the illustration field/does consistent work placements? If anyone has also done an illustration degree what would be your recommendation on portfolio application?

Hi @Giziii

It's great that you went to a UCAS fair and nice to hear you are thinking of Kingston!

Like the previous post said I would really recommend going top open days, they really helped me make my decision as you get a feel for what it is like to live and study at a university as well as being able to speak to the lecturers and current students. More info about Kingston's upcoming open days is on the website Open Days - Undergraduate - Kingston University London

I don't personally study the illustration animation course here at Kingston, but I am part of Kingston School of Art (KSA) studying fashion promotion, so I can give you an insight into the KSA campus Knights Park. Knights Park has tons of great facilities which include things like workshops from printmaking, to woodwork, ceramics, films studios and more that are available to all students no matter what they study so you can really mix mediums. I have also seen the animation studios and post production facilities which look great, and there is always a technician on hand to help you with projects. There is also a library filled with books and recourses dedicated to art courses. Plus there are nice social spaces like the student bar and the outside space that runs along the river.

This year my course had opportunities for collaboration with the illustration animation course as we both got set briefs around the same topic and therefore presented our outcomes to each other to see whether there would be an opportunity to collaborate and bring our ideas together. The illustration course had some great ideas and their lecturer seemed really nice.

I know the course often runs fun events and fundraisers, I have seen first years doing zine fairs and have been to the third years pub quiz, so it seems like they have a nice course community.

In terms of your question about placement and industry opportunities, the course has a optional placement year and being close to central London is useful for getting placements over summer. I am hoping to do placement year next year and the placement team and careers centre as well as my lectures have been super helpful in sending over lots of opportunities. The careers centre will also help with CV's, cover letters and applications.

I will lave a few links I have done here to previous posts that you may find useful:
My Deciding Factors For Choosing Kingston University - The Student Room
Student Organised Events Happening at Kingston University - The Student Room
How Kingston Prepares you for Industry - The Student Room

I hope this is helpful and if you have any questions feel free to ask :smile:

-Grace (Kingston Rep)

Reply 3

PS Reviewer

Original post by Giziii

Have a look at their grad shows from previous years. Some illustration courses will have a “house style” that all students have to conform to, others will support a variety of styles.
Have a look and think about which course will best support your current style and the media and styles you’re interested in expanding into during your degree.

Reply 4

insidedesigner

They're all good options. If you produce great work, you could do well at any of them.

I would suggest the factors that should influence your decision might be about location (a big city like Manchester vs a pleasant small town in Surrey, Farnham), class sizes, access to facilities, direct teaching time etc.

As others have said, going to Open Days is vital.

Reply 5

Nat at Falmouth

Official Rep

Original post by Giziii

I am a year 12 currently studying art and really want to do an illustration degree. I am apprehensive however as I know that illustration is a tough market to get into and I would like to find a uni that is both highly regarded and also has a track record of getting people into the workplace/does good work placements. After doing some very light research into unis, and having just went to a UCAS fair these are my favourite uni options so far:
Falmouth University
Manchester Metropolitan University (MET)
Arts University Bournemouth (AUB)
University of the Arts London (UAL)
Kingston University
Brighton University
Loughborough University
University for the Creative Arts (UCA)
Does anyone know if any of these options are good for getting into the illustration field/does consistent work placements? If anyone has also done an illustration degree what would be your recommendation on portfolio application?

Hi Giziii!

I study BA Illustration at Falmouth University, so I hope i can help give you some insight from my own personal experiences 🙂

As others have mentioned, attending Open days, if possible, is a good way to scout out the campus and facilities, as well as attending talks regarding the course you're interested in. It also gives you a chance to interact with the lecturers while in the studio, and ask any questions you may have.

At Falmouth, we offer BA Illustration as a traditional 3 year course, or 4 years with a placement or foundation. You can read up on more of this here: https://www.falmouth.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/illustration

Regarding the course itself, it is structured to have you experiment the most in your first year, including different fields of illustration and, ss you go through the years, you are given more freedom and guidance to allow you to cement your identity as an artist. There are many opportunities made available to students throughout the years, allowing them to take part in and specialise in specific areas of illustration. These optional briefs can take place between courses (such as a writing student looking for an artist to illustrate their book), local businesses (St Austell printing company likes to work with students to design their calendars: https://sapc.co.uk/sapc-calendar-2025/ ), or otherwise outsourced (I did not take part in it myself, but we did recently have a London theatre company work with students to create art for their rendition of The Tempest).

Some other examples include the talks we have received from art directors, such as the art director from Penguin Books, and other illustrators who have been very lovely and helpful to talk to for advice with portfolios/ freelancing/ website design/ portfolio expectations etc. Us 3rd year students will also be attending the Bologna Children's Book fair this year and/or visiting London printing houses to present our portfolios.

If you're curious about what else happens on the course, and what students are up to, you can visit the course's Instagram page that i'll pop here: falmouth.illustration

When it comes to portfolios, in my experience, demonstrating good technical skills and an understanding of the fundamentals is key. At the same time, line confidence alongside willingness to experiment are also important as it shows you are not afraid to try new things and push boundaries within your art. Of course, every university is different! Falmouth have also laid out their own portfolio advice here: https://www.falmouth.ac.uk/apply/application-toolkit/portfolio-advice

This has been my own experience with the course, and every year they make appropriate adjustments based on student feedback! But if you do have any more questions feel more than free to get in touch, or you can chat to other students or lecturers on the course through our unibuddy system at: https://www.falmouth.ac.uk/ask-a-student

I hope this has been of help,

Nat 🙂