Glasgow School of Art

The Glasgow School of Art is based in the Garnethill area of Glasgow, which is just a stone's throw from the central shopping street. The school's buildings are housed on a couple of side streets just off the foot of the city-centre portion of Sauchiehall Street, the epicentre of Glasgow's nightlife. GSA's main building, designed by art nouveau legend Charles Rennie Mackintosh, is amongst the architectural gems of Glasgow, though after extensive fire damage in 2014, much of the famous Mackintosh library was very sadly destroyed.

 

Background and History

GSA was founded as the Glasgow Government School of Design in 1845, making it one of the most long-established art schools in the United Kingdom. After a couple of moves between buildings in the centre of Glasgow, the School finally settled on its current location at the end of the nineteenth century. Since then the School has expanded and developed in line with modern design trends.

Location and Accessibility

Road: Driving directly to the campus is not advised due to parking restrictions. If you're coming by car your best bet is to leave the M8 at one of Junctions 16 to 19 and follow directions to one of the city-centre car parks and walk to the campus.

Rail: The Garnethill campus is a fifteen-minute walk from Glasgow's two main train stations.

Subway: GSA is within short walking distance of Cowcaddens and Buchanan Street subway stations.

The streets up to the campus are on a fairly steep incline. This, combined with the age of the main building, can make access more difficult for disabled students.

What's on Offer

BA, BArch, BDes, BEng, MDes, MFA, MSc, MDes MRes, PhD, DipArch, CertHE, PGCert

Entry Requirements

Whilst students need to apply through UCAS, admission is based primarily on presentation of a portfolio of creative work.

University Accommodation

GSA has a limited amount of accommodation for undergraduates, in two different flat blocks within five minutes' walk of the School, and also in Victoria Hall, which is fifteen minutes away on foot.  

Private Accommodation

Glasgow has plenty of cheap and spacious accommodation available for students, located in the buzzing city centre, the trendy West End and the edgy South Side.

Faculties and Departments

The Glasgow School of Art is divided into a number of different schools and studios: The Mackintosh School of Architecture, the School of Design, the School of Fine Art, the Digital Design Studio, the Forum of Critical Inquiry and the Graduate School.  

Academic Strengths and Research Profile

As one of the world's most prestigious art schools, GSA leads the way across the full spectrum of the specialities that it offers. In the last Research Assessment Exercise, fifty per cent of the university's output was classed as either internationally excellent or world leading.

Tuition fees

Tuition fees vary depending on whether you are from Scotland or the rest of the UK/EU. Fees for international students are also considerably more and may vary depending on the course of study. For further information it is advisable to contact the university directly or visit their website.

Financial Support

GSA offers programme-specific scholarships with values ranging between £500 and £2000.

Academic Facilities

Students studying design courses have access to the latest IT equipment and the most recent design packages. Students of more traditional art forms, meanwhile can enjoy their own dedicated studio spaces. The school also has a very modern and smart library, as well as extensive special and archival collections of artwork.  

Other on-site Amenities

Being a small art school, GSA understandably doesn't have the resources to provide non-academic facilities on the scale of universities. Nevertheless, GSA does have a Student Association, and its events are legendary amongst Glasgow's student population for being one of the coolest spots in town. And GSA's own lack of facilities is offset by the fact that GSA students have full access to Glasgow University's facilities at the same rates as Glasgow students.

Medical and Social Care

GSA doesn't have the support infrastructure that most universities offer, such as its own counselling service or medical service.

What's on in the Area

Both Glasgow and Edinburgh have lively and exciting arts scenes. Collectively they provide a cultural diet that can only be rivalled in the United Kingdom by London. Glasgow has the GOMA, the Centre for Contemporary Arts and the Burrell Collection, while Edinburgh is home to Scotland's principal public galleries and a wide selection of private galleries. Glasgow has just as much to offer arts students when night falls, whether your preference is a bar with cutting-edge artwork hanging on the walls or scruffy pubs.  

Moving On

GSA has a team of careers advisers who, in addition to providing general careers counselling, are also able to help students find out about career-enhancing internships or art competitions.

Thirty per cent of Turner Prize nominees since 2005 studied at the Glasgow School of Art. Other famous alumni include the photographer Harry Benson. Whilst you may not know the name, you'll almost certainly have seen some of his iconic images of the Beatles, Elizabeth Taylor and a string of US Presidents. GSA is the only remaining independent art school in Scotland.

Is Glasgow School of Art the place for you?

If you want to pursue a career as an artist, there are few better ways to get the training you'll need and to meet like-minded artists, than attending this world-class institution. However, not all art students necessarily like the rarefied atmosphere of a dedicated art school, and prefer to belong to part of a broader student community. If this applies to you, consider applying to study at one of the art schools that are attached to a university, such as the Manchester School of Art at Manchester Metropolitan University.