University for the Creative Arts

The University of Creative Arts, a result of many mergers between universities, consists of five campuses. Three of these are in Kent (Canterbury, Maidstone and Rochester) and two in Surrey (Epsom and Farnham) and all are within an hour of central London. This specialist university has an award-winning history of arts education.

 

 

Background and History

UCA is one of the UK's newest universities. UCA is the product of the merging of several founder colleges in Canterbury, Epsom, Farnham and Rochester. These colleges opened their doors in Victorian times and offered education irrespective of social class. The University for the Creative Arts achieved its full university title in 2008 and then appointed Zandra Rhodes as UCA's first Chancellor in May 2010. The colleges have a long history of award winning arts education.  

Location and Accessibility

Farnham campus:

By road - From the M25, follow the A3 past Guildford, then exit and take the sliproad onto the A31, signposted to Farnham and Alton. At the Shepherd and Flock roundabout head straight on along the Farnham bypass (A31) to the next roundabout. From here, take the A325, which leads into West Street, towards the town centre. Turn left into The Hart. The main entrance to the University is at the junction with Falkner Road. Car parks are to the right.

By rail - Take a train from London Waterloo to Farnham (via Woking). It is 15 minutes' walk from Farnham station to the University. Walk down Station Hill, cross the A31 and continue down South Street. Turn left into Union Road, which bears right into Downing Street. When you reach West Street, turn left and continue for 200 metres before turning right into The Hart. The University is at the top of this street. Eurostar passengers should get off the train at London St. Pancras International, then take the Underground (Victoria Line - Southbound) to Waterloo (changing at Oxford Circus for the Bakerloo Line - Southbound).

By air - It takes between one and two hours to drive from Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted or Luton airports to UCA Farnham. There are rail and coach connections from all airports via central London to all UCA campuses.

Epsom campus:

Road - On the A3 from London, exit at the Tolworth Roundabout and take the A24 heading for Epsom town centre. When you enter Epsom town centre, pass under the railway bridge, bear right into the main High Street and keep to the left hand lane, turning left at the lights into Ashley Road. Keep to the left hand lane and the University is on the left just after the turning for Heathcote Road. From the M25, take the A24 from junction 9. Follow the road through Ashtead into Epsom, bear right onto the High Street (the clock tower will be on your right). At the next main set of lights turn right into Ashley Road. Move immediately into the left hand lane and the University is on the left just after the turning for Heathcote Road.

What's on Offer?

UCA offers a variety of courses from pre-degree level, to undergraduate, postgraduate and postgraduate research degrees. Here are just a few examples of subject areas: Animation, Architecture and Interior Design, Crafts and Fashion and Textiles.

Entry Requirements

Requirements vary according to course level and subject. See the website for further details of typical offers.

University Accommodation

The university's accommodation ranges from on-campus halls of residence, to managed flats and houses. All of the accommodation is self-catering and the majority is in single study bedrooms. The accommodation varies from campus to campus. At some campuses priority is given to new students starting a full-time course whose home address is furthest away from the campus. See the college's website for further details on accommodation available at each campus.

Private Accommodation

Alternatively, it is possible to arrange your own private accommodation in the surrounding areas for each of the campuses if preferred. The cost of living in private accommodation ranges across the five sites.

Faculties and Departments

The UCA is made up of seven separate schools: the School of Film and Media, the School of Fashion, the School of Fine Art, the School of Communication Design, the Canterbury School of Architecture, the School of Crafts and Design and the School of Further Education.  

Academic Strengths and Research Profile

With their industry standard facilities it is unsurprising that Oscar-winning film makers, world-renowned fashion designers, television presenters, celebrity jewellers and Turner Prize nominees are among the graduates from the University for the Creative Arts.

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees vary from course to course but typically undergraduate courses are £9,000 per year and postgraduate varies from £3,000 to £13,000 per year. Please contact the University directly or visit their website for further details.

 

Financial Support

There is a range of financial support available, varying according to course. For eligibility criteria and further details see the University website.

Academic Facilities

The UCA libraries are the most comprehensive visual arts resource in the South East. In addition to 300,000 print and digital books, 14,000 print and digital journals and over 20,000 DVDs and videos, the libraries also offer links to more than 50 specialist databases, The Digital Library project, The UCA Image Bank, The Library Catalogue and online tutorials supporting research and referencing practice within the creative arts.  

Other on-site Amenities

UCA is proud of its cutting-edge, industry-standard facilities for students, and UCA graduates are renowned for being well prepared for positions in the creative industries. Their facilities across all five campuses include: Studio spaces and workshops for painting, sculpture, fashion and filmmaking, dedicated teams of subject-specific technicians, high-end computers loaded with the latest software for animation, architecture and digital design, an industry-standard pattern cutting centre, Gerber suite and Computer-Aided Manufacturing studios, fashion textiles and digital printing resources, extensive photography facilities including darkrooms, studios and a range of film and digital equipment and the Hasselblad Research Centre. Journalism and broadcasting facilities including a TV journalism room with live news feed, a TV studio with viewing gallery and radio suites, a purpose-built film studio and a cinema with cutting-edge editing and post-production software.    

Medical and Social Care

The University's Counselling Team is made up of fully qualified and experienced Counsellors and abides by the Code of Practice and Ethics of BACP, BPS and UKCP. They are located within Student Services on each campus.

 

What's on in the Area?

Located across several towns in the South East, the UCA campuses each have a unique atmosphere. The capital is not far from any of them, so there will always be something to do. Canterbury is a buzzing student hub with several other universities in the vicinity. UCA Epsom is on the outskirts of the city but is a colourful place with 2,000 graphic design and fashion students. There are great places to eat and drink near to all the campuses, a good night life, especially in Canterbury, opportunities to shop the day away and plenty of cinemas, theatres and creative spaces.

 

Moving On

UCA places an emphasis on a creative education that will equip you with life skills in preparation for employment. Careers in world-class organisations are being filled by former UCA students, with the BBC, Gap, Foster+Partners, Ted Baker, Polo Ralph Lauren UK Ltd., Karen Millen and Arcadia, among the household names employing graduates from their wide range of courses.

The University of the Creative Arts has a number of famous graduates among its alumni, including: Tracey Emin, Karen Millen and Zandra Rhodes.