BA (Hons) Fine Art (with Foundation year)
Course overview
Start date
September 2019
Subject area
Art and Design
Attendance
Full-time
Learning
On campus
Course summary
First we prepare you for your degree during the Foundation year, bringing you up to speed with academic skills and a firm grounding in the subject. Then you can go on to do the full undergraduate degree.
Our fine art students work across a range of disciplines, including drawing, painting, sculpture, installation, film, photography and performance.
What exactly distinguishes fine artists? Well, they usually work independently, without a client. Their work may stand out for its beauty or meaningfulness thanks to innovative practice or a high level of craft or conceptual skills. Experimentation and risk-taking are an essential part of their individualism, too.
The emergence of such singular talents has long marked out UEL’s Fine Art course as exceptional. We’ve been well known for nurturing groundbreaking artists since the Chapman brothers started making their dramatic impression back in the 1980s.
It’s the diversity of our students and staff, with their wide, vastly differing backgrounds and experiences, which helps make this a uniquely rich and fascinating course.
Contact us
If you have any questions, talk to a member of our Applicant Enquiries team on +44 (0) 20 8223 3333 or email study@uel.ac.uk.
Get in touchWorld-renowned artists
We’ll give you the chance to have personal tuition from world-renowned artists such as Turner Prize winner Grenville Davey, sculptor Richard Wilson and award-winning film maker John Smith.
1st
Our students voted us top in London for academic support and top 3 for UK modern universities.
Purpose-built facilities
You’ll work in your own personal, purpose-built studio space and in well-equipped workshops that cater for fine art, from 16mm film to print making to bronze casting.
Karolina Chojnacka
BA (Hons) Communication and Cultural Studies
During my Foundation year, I learned study skills, step by step, in an engaging way, so when I started the full course, I was better able to focus on the theoretical content, rather than worrying about how to write essays. It was also a great chance to learn with students from different courses and backgrounds.
Fees and funding
Tuition Fee Loan
You can apply for a loan to cover the cost of your tuition fees, which will be paid directly to UEL. There are no up-front fees required. Repayment only starts after you finish your course and are earning over £25,000. If you haven’t finished repaying your loan after 30 years it will be automatically cancelled.
To apply visit gov.uk/student-finance
Maintenance Loan
You can apply for a loan to help with living costs such as food, travel and accommodation. How much you can borrow depends on where you live and study, and whether you are currently on welfare benefits. The maximum loan you can apply for is £12,382.
To apply visit gov.uk/student-finance
Supplementary Grants
The government also offer the following additional support:
- Parent’s Learning Allowance
- Adult Dependants' Grant
- Childcare Grant
- Disabled Students’ Allowance
For further information visit gov.uk/student-finance
All students will receive:
Bursaries Schemes for which you can apply
Care Leaver and Foyer Bursary - up to £1,500
Progression Bursary - up to £2,000
Engagement Bursary - up to £2,000
Hardship Bursary - up to £2,000
Helena Kennedy Foundation - £1,500
Going Global – awards range from £300 - £700
Scholarships Schemes for which you can apply
Vice Chancellor Scholarship - up to £27,750 over three years
Dean Scholarship - up to £13,500 over three years
EU Scholarship (EU Only) - £1,000
Sports Scholarships - up to £6,000
There are a number of external organisations that offer financial help to
students. Please see the below list to view additional support options.
Alternatively, you can visit the Scholarship Search website.
Please note that the University of East London is not responsible for
the content of these external sites and is not associated in any way
with the funding schemes and their application processes.
Bank Of England Scholarship Programme
European Funding GuideThe Student Disability Association Fund
Some courses offer the option of a placement year, giving you the chance to gain valuable work experience in a relevant industry between your second and third years. If you are an international student on a Tier 4 visa, you are able to undertake a placement if it is an integral and assessed part of your course.
In 2018/19 placement year tuition fees are set at £1,060.
The Student Money Advice and Rights Team (SMART) are here to help you navigate your finances while you're a student at the University of East London.
We can give you advice, information and guidance on government and university funds so that you receive your full funding entitlement.
Email: study@uel.ac.uk
Phone: 020 8223 4444
Tuition Fee Loan
You can apply for a loan to cover the cost of your tuition fees, which will be paid directly to UEL. There are no up-front fees required. Repayment only starts after you finish your course and are earning over £25,000. If you haven’t finished repaying your loan after 30 years it will automatically be cancelled.
For information visit gov.uk/student-finance
Please note EU students can only apply for their funding using a paper application form.
To download a form visit www.gov.uk/student-finance-forms
All students will receive:
Bursaries Schemes for which you can apply
Care Leaver and Foyer Bursary - up to £1,500
Progression Bursary - up to £2,000
Engagement Bursary - up to £2,000
Hardship Bursary - up to £2,000
Helena Kennedy Foundation - £1,500
Going Global – awards range from £300 - £700
Scholarships Schemes for which you can apply
Vice Chancellor Scholarship - up to £27,750 over three years
Dean Scholarship - up to £13,500 over three years
EU Scholarship (EU Only) - £1,000
Sports Scholarships - up to £6,000
There are a number of external organisations that offer financial help to
students. Please see the below list to view additional support options.
Alternatively, you can visit the Scholarship Search website.
Please note that the University of East London is not responsible for
the content of these external sites and is not associated in any way
with the funding schemes and their application processes.
Bank Of England Scholarship Programme
European Funding GuideThe Student Disability Association Fund
Some courses offer the option of a placement year, giving you the chance to gain valuable work experience in a relevant industry between your second and third years. If you are an international student on a Tier 4 visa, you are able to undertake a placement if it is an integral and assessed part of your course.
In 2018/19 placement year tuition fees are set at £1,060.
The Student Money Advice and Rights Team (SMART) are here to help you navigate your finances while you're a student at the University of East London.
We can give you advice, information and guidance on government and university funds so that you receive your full funding entitlement.
Email: study@uel.ac.uk
Phone: 020 8223 4444
At UEL, we understand that studying in another country is a big financial commitment. If you apply early for an undergraduate, you may be entitled to a scholarship of up to £3,000.You can find out more about the international scholarships here.
The Student Money Advice and Rights Team (SMART) also run an Emergency International Fund to assist international students in hardship.
You can contact our SMART team on 02082233333 or study@uel.ac.uk
As part of the Tier 4 student visa requirements, UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) estimate that you will need £1,265* per month to cover your living costs. It includes expenses for accommodation, food and drink, travel within London, text books, entertainment, clothing, toiletries and laundry. Most Tier 4 students are required to show they have sufficient funds to cover the first nine months of the course before they start- a total of £11,385- in addition to the tuition fees. You can find more information about the specific requirements of the Tier 4 student visa here. The amount that you will spend can vary depending on your lifestyle. The UKCISA International Student Calculator can help you plan and manage your money.
* Please note the Immigration Rules are subject to change and this figure is likely to be increased by UKVI year on year. Please therefore check our ISA pages (www.uel.ac.uk/isa) for more information at the time of preparing your visa application.
Deposits and paying by instalments
International students are required to pay a deposit prior to being issued a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS).
Your remaining balance will be paid in five monthly instalments over your first term. The first of these instalments must be paid when completing your enrolment on arrival at UEL. Please follow the payment instructions here.
After the required payment has been made, you will be asked to complete the online International Student Reply Form to confirm your acceptance of our offer and of our terms of admittance and fees policy.
Our International team at UEL are available for advice and guidance on studying in London, fees, scholarships and visa requirements.
Email: international@uel.ac.uk
Entry requirements
- September 2019
-
Degree with Foundation Year
64
New UCAS Points
INTERNATIONAL
(Including European Union)
We accept a range of qualifications from across the world. Please see our country pages for information on specific entry requirements for your country.
If you don’t quite meet the academic requirements for this course, you can apply with an additional foundation year. Read more about the International Foundation Programme. SEE YOUR COUNTRYAccess to HE Diploma (QAA approved) with 60 credits overall and 45 credits at Level 3
We will also consider the UEL New Beginnings pre-entry course
The portfolio should show evidence of observational drawing, the development of an idea through to a completed illustration, and techniques and processes that you have worked with. We are particularly interested in seeing your sketchbooks / journals to see how you develop your ideas.
At interview you should be prepared to discuss your work, ideas and ambitions. You should also be able to discuss graphic artists, illustrators or animators who influence you.
Overall IELTS score of 5.5 with a minimum of 5.5 in Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking (or recognised equivalent).
If you do not meet the academic English language requirements for your course, you may be eligible to enrol onto a pre-sessional English programme. The length of the course will depend on your current level of English and the requirements for your degree programme. We offer a 5-week and an 11-week pre-sessional course. Find out more here.
Level 2 equivalences such as Level 2 Functional Skills in English / Maths, Level 2 Key Skills in Communication / Application of Number and Level 2 Adult Literacy / Adult Numeracy
As an inclusive university we recognise that applicants who have been out of education for some time may not have the formal qualifications usually required for entry to a course. We welcome applications from those who can demonstrate their enthusiasm and commitment to study and have relevant life/work experience that equips them to succeed on the course. We will assess this from the information provided in your application (particularly your personal statement) and may ask you to attend an interview or submit a piece of work to help us decide on your eligibility for the course. Our pre-entry Information Advice and Guidance Team are able to provide further advice on entry requirements and suitability for study.
What you'll learn
From the start of your three-year course, you’ll be developing your skills for the art world to appreciate.
Exhibitions of your work will be at the heart of your course. Throughout, you’ll be assessed on the quality of your work in a course which is about 75 per cent practice and 25 per cent theory.
Although you may decide to specialise in a particular area – such as painting or photography – there’ll be scope to work with a variety of media.
Your work will be exhibited for the first time at the end of your first term, and you’ll continue to develop your skills in your own studio space at our well-equipped AVA building in Docklands.
In your third year, instead of a thesis you can opt for a ‘contemporary practice’ course in which you’ll be part of a group organising its own external exhibition. In 2014, we had nine exhibitions of our students’ work in locations all over London.
What you'll study and when
Art & Design Workshop (core)
Contextual Studies (core)
Fine Art Workshop Practice (core)
Contextual Studies in Fine Art 1 (core)
Fine Art Studio Practice B (core)
Contextual Studies in Fine Art 2 (core)
Fine Art Studio Practice D (optional)
Contextual Studies in Fine Art 3: Contemporary Practice (core)
Art & Design Dissertation (optional)
How you'll be assessed
At the end of the first term in your first year you'll deliver a presentation of your work to a panel of two staff members. No mark is given at this stage you'll receive oral and written feedback.
You'll repeat this at end of the second term in your first year, but this time you'll be awarded a mark.
In your second year you'll participate in the second-year show and discuss your work with two tutors. A mark is then awarded.
In your third year you'll present the best of your work in the degree show and a panel of all the academic team members agree a mark.
The marks at each level are moderated by a team of external examiners.
Course specification Foundation Year (if Required)
How you'll learn
We give our students incredible opportunities to succeed. You’ll exhibit externally. You’ll visit artists’ studios. You can become artists’ interns. More than anything, though, we believe it’s the quality of our fine art teaching here at UEL which makes this course such a stellar one.
You’ll be given the enviable opportunity to have personal and supportive tuition from professionals whose work is globally renowned in different areas of fine art.
Sculptor Richard Wilson is one of Britain’s foremost artists, admired around the world. Grenville Davey, who teaches on our BA course as well as running our MA course, won the 1992 Turner Prize for his brilliant creation of abstract steel objects.
Susan Stockwell’s elegant drawings, sculptures and instillations are exhibited across the world, from London’s V&A museum to the Tate Modern to China’s Shenghua Art Centre.
Filmmaker John Smith’s The Girl Chewing Gum, is considered to be one of the most important avant-garde films of the 20th century.
This link with such an extraordinary wealth of expertise also helps the strong integration between our students and the professional art world. Many of our students have worked for noted artists and galleries as interns or assistants.
Your future career
We’ve been developing outstanding talent for decades. Jake Chapman did this course before he launched one of modern British art’s most distinctive and controversial careers with his brother, Dinos.
Today, many of our students win places on the more competitive postgraduate courses such as those run by the RCA and Royal Academy. For instance, one recent graduate, Josh Berry, is making his name at the Slade while another, Beatriz Acevedo, is enjoying success at Goldsmiths.
Our graduates have an excellent record in landing jobs in a variety of areas.
“Our students are extremely employable because they’re impressively self-reliant and self-motivated,” explains Pete Cobb, the widely exhibited sculptor and printmaker who leads our course.
A good proportion of our students are still producing their art several years after graduation. Some set up their own studios or create niche businesses, such as making innovative stage props. Others build careers in curating, teaching, the cultural industries or arts administration.
You’ll benefit from our close links with the vibrant east London gallery scene and all the major art venues. We believe you’ll graduate from our course as a confident, original, well-connected artist.
