Art and Design Portfolio
For the majority of our courses, we will ask you to submit a digital portfolio of your recent practical and contextual Art and Design work and attend a portfolio review session.
Application Process
The process requires you to complete the following steps:
- Make an online application for your chosen course via the college website
- Prepare and submit a digital portfolio for review following the instructions we will send you after receiving your application
- Attend a portfolio review day if invited to do so
Once you have submitted your online application, we will send you the specific portfolio requirements and portfolio review session date for the course you have applied for. We then make you an offer for a course that best suits your individual needs based on your application and portfolio review.
Many applicants are offered a Further Education funded UAL Diploma or NC before progressing onto specialist SAAS-funded HND. This is common practice and is beneficial for your long-term development and progression as an Artist or Designer.
What should I include in my Portfolio?
In general, your portfolio should be ordered into projects that demonstrate your enthusiasm, commitment and understanding of the creative process relating to your chosen course.
You can include work from School, College and personal study with good-quality scans or photographs of 2D and 3D research, development and final outcomes. Web links or memory sticks can be used to include film, animation or websites you have created. Try to include a variety of work that shows your creative potential and imagination as well as showing your drawing abilities using a range of approaches and media. We recommend you include your most recent and current work.
Strong portfolios usually contain sketchbook pages that show contextual and visual research and the exploration and development of your ideas and concepts. Use imagery with written comments to show us what Artists, Designers and other interests have influenced your creative journey.
Please include a short written personal statement and scans of your qualifications at the end of your digital portfolio or bring it to your portfolio session if preparing a physical portfolio.
Essentially, we want to learn more about you, what makes you ‘tick’ creatively from your portfolio and why you want to study your chosen subject.
Format of your Portfolio
We recommend preparing your digital portfolio in the format of a PowerPoint and then save as a PDF file to submit to us via e-mail. Use a white background for each slide in PowerPoint, as this allows the digital images of your art and design work/sketchbook pages to be the main focus. Please ensure you save your digital portfolio file clearly with your name.
Format of Physical Portfolio
We recommend you drop-mount your images on A1 white cartridge paper, as this allows your art and design work to be the main focus. Physical sketchbooks can be brought as hard copies to the portfolio review session in addition to the A1 sheets. Please ensure all A1 sheets and Sketchbooks have your name clearly marked on the back or front cover.
How much work should I include in my Portfolio?
- If you are applying for a BA(Hons), HND or UAL Level 3 Foundation Diploma, you should submit 10-15 slides or A1 sheets of your Art and Design work. Remember each slide/page in your portfolio can include multiple images.
- If you are applying to an NC or UAL Level 2 or 3 Diploma, you should submit 5-10 slides or A1 sheets of your Art and Design work. Remember each slide/page in your portfolio can include multiple images.
Saving your PowerPoint as a PDF Digital Portfolio
- Select File – Export. There you will find the option to Create a PDF/XPS Document.
- Click Create PDF/XPS
- Title your file with your full name and the course you have applied to, for example, JoBlogs-UALFoundationDiploma.
- Save as a PDF in your chosen location
- Email as an attachment to the portfolio email address you will have received after submitting your online application.
Information and Advice
We will inform you of the outcome and course offer following a review of your digital portfolio and application form. After accepting the offer, you can start planning, enrolling in the course, and applying for student funding.
In early June, you will receive an invitation to meet the staff and current students, as well as your future classmates. This session will help you prepare for starting your course in late August 2024. You will see examples of student work and have the opportunity to ask any questions you may have.
We can offer support to School Teachers who are assisting pupils with their applications and portfolio submissions. We welcome School Teachers contacting us via their School’s DYW Co-Ordinator to arrange tours of our Granton campus, request online portfolio advice sessions or organise visits from our staff to School Creative Arts departments
Applications to our full-time courses open on 13 January 2025.
Many of our courses are highly competitive, so we strongly recommend that you complete and submit your online application form as early as possible. This will give you ample time to read these guidelines to prepare and submit your portfolio during the initial stages of our recruitment process in February and early March.
We welcome applications and digital portfolio submissions after this date and recommend later applicants submit their digital portfolios as soon as possible after receiving the instructions.
We understand that not everyone who wants to start to study Art and Design has a portfolio of work ready from either school or personal study. We have introductory courses that are ideal to help you build up a portfolio that is suitable for progressing onto higher-level courses the following year.
If you don’t have a full portfolio we would ask you to apply for our introductory course, the UAL Level 2 Diploma. We will then ask you to complete and submit five drawings of household objects, for example, jars, bottles, bowls, fruit or plants. Try to use more than one type of media for example, pencils, pens, crayons, charcoal, paint or ink that you may have available.
Enjoy the process of creating the drawings and we look forward to helping you on your creative journey to become a successful Artist or Designer.
Applicants who apply for our UAL level 1 Diploma course do not need to submit a digital portfolio. UAL level 1 applicants will be asked to attend an in-person meeting to discuss their support needs and interest in Art and Design by looking at examples of their work.
The best aspect is the relationships you create in the studios. It’s a creative, collaborative atmosphere where everyone’s ideas bounce off each other. You feel inspired and open to experimentation.
Browse our Art and Design course
Achieve your creative ambitions by studying at The School of Art and Design, we offer courses suitable for everyone, from complete beginners to those ready for advanced and professional study in a specialist subject.
Our programs are designed to provide amazing progression opportunities and prepare you for a thriving career in the creative industry. Join us at the School of Art and Design to start your creative journey to become a successful Artist or Designer of the future.
Art and Design courses