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Last updated on 8 Oct '25
About Royal College of Art
Based in London, UK, the Royal College of Art, is an public funded higher education institution that first opened its doors in the year 1837. The institute houses 1 departments/colleges under its institutional umbrella that spans across 1 campus. The University is known to offer around 17 courses across 7 streams, with some popular ones being IT and Software, Humanities and Social Sciences, Arts ( Fine / Visual / Performing ), Design and Architecture and Planning as part of its curriculum.
The courses, offered at graduate level, can be pursued across 3 specializations, with major ones being Multimedia and Digital Media, Creative and Professional Writing and Jewellery Design. These courses are offered for a duration of 45 weeks to 2 years. Among the prominent graduate courses offered by the institute includes: M.A., M.Sc, MFA and M.Arch.
Prospective students are also advised to consider the Royal College of Art fee before applying, with the first year graduate tuition fee ranging from GBP 26,950 - 38,600.The university prefers candidates with a good academic record and as a result, interested students must satisfy the university’s admission requirements to have a chance of securing a seat. The university considers the following exam scores for admissions: IELTS.
Commonly asked questions On Highlights
Royal College of Art offers a variety of postgraduate programs for their international students across the disciplines of Art & Design. Annual tuition fee required to pursue a degree course at RCA is around 35L on an average, which can be considered expensive as a study abroad option. Students can refer to the table listed below for course specific fees requirements:
| Courses | 1st Year Tuition Fees |
|---|---|
M.A. (9 courses) | INR 33 L - 40 L |
MS (2 courses) | INR 38 L |
M.Arch (4 courses) | INR 28 L - 38 L |
M.A.0 (1 course) | INR 40 L |
Royal College of Arts offer a variety of scholarships for their overseas audience. As students are considered automatically for scholarships once they apply for RCA admissions, they do not need to submit any separate application. International students can avail these scholarships on the basis of their academic achievement, as they are merit-based. Disbursement amount of Royal College of Arts scholarships for international students can go upto £10,000 as a reduction in tuition fees.
Royal College of Art accepts international applications through the Application Portal available on the college's website. While applying, students must fulfill all the Royal College of Art eligibility requirements and submit all the supporting documents.
Listed below are the steps to apply to RCA:
Stage 1- Submission of personal information: Provide personal details, date of birth and contact information. Additional information include:
- Predicted or achieved performance in previous qualifications and/or evidence of equivalent professional experience;
- Evidence of English language proficiency if English;
- Context in which qualifications have been achieved or are being completed; and
- Relevant employment history.
Stage 2- Submission of portfolio:
- Upload portfolio following the guidance provided. Depending on the program, the applicant's portfolio may include files of their work and any written descriptions, explanations or justifications required.;
- Provide a 300-word written statement;
- Complete the critical challenge – a short video, up to two minutes, of talking to the camera about personal creative journey; and
- Upload one written reference.
Royal College of Art Ranking 2025
Royal College of Art is considered to be one of the top universities in UK.
Royal College of Art is well-ranked at the national level. The course ranking for #4 according to Shiksha Popularity Ranking stands at M.A. in 2025. Shiksha Popularity Ranking is a ranking system that simplifies your journey of choosing the best university for studying abroad. It aggregates ranks of some of the top ranking bodies with a clear number nationally both at university and course level.Royal College of Art courses
Royal College of Art offers over 17 courses, across 7 streams at the graduate level. IT and Software, Humanities and Social Sciences, Arts ( Fine / Visual / Performing ), Design and Architecture and Planning are among the most popular streams at the institute. When it comes to specialisations, Multimedia and Digital Media, Creative and Professional Writing and Jewellery Design are the stand-out ones. Of the overall courses offered, some attract the attention of Royal College of Art students more than others. At the post-graduate level, students can choose from popular courses such as M.A., M.Sc, MFA and M.Arch. These courses can be completed over a duration of 45 weeks to 2 years.
Guided 4.2K students to UK universities.
Guided 4.2K students to UK universities.
13.7K+ students got admitted through us.
Commonly asked questions On Popular Programs
Through its four academic schools, namely School of Architecture, School of Arts & Humanities, School of Communication, and School of Design, Royal College of Art offers various postgraduate courses such as Graduate Diploma, MA, MArch, MEd, MFA, MDes, MRes, MPhil and PhD degree programs across the disciplines of Art & Design. Listed below are the fields of study offered in RCA, for overseas applicants:
- Applied Arts;
- Architecture;
- Business;
- Communication;
- Contemporary Art;
- Curating & Culture;
- Design;
- Education;
- Environment;
- Experience Design;
- Fashion;
- Fine Arts;
- Graphic Design;
- Humanities;
- Illustration;
- Industrial Design;
- Moving Image;
- Product Design; and
- Textiles.
Royal College of Art Admission 2025
Royal College of Art accepts international application through the Official Application Portal available on the university’s website.
All international applicants must meet the Royal College of Art entry requirements in order to be admitted, which is inclusive of academic transcripts, GPA requirements, scores on aptitude and standardized tests, essays, resumes, statements of purpose, letters of recommendation, and more.
Moreover, the entrance/English language proficiency exams scores, such as IELTS, must also be submitted by students.
- Application fees :No Fees
- Type of deadline :Regular
Commonly asked questions On Admissions
Prospective overseas audience of the Royal College of Art can apply through the Application Portal available on the college's website. While applying, students must be mindful of the deadlines for their choice of course and submit all the supporting documents. Listed below are the Royal College of Art application deadlines for international students:
| Course Level | Application Deadlines |
|---|---|
| Graduate Diploma Art & Design | Apr 8, 2024 |
| MA/MSc, MArch, MDes, MEd, MFA and MRes Program | Feb 14, 2024 |
| MPhil & PhD | Feb 14, 2024 |
Prospective overseas audience of the Royal College of Art can apply through the Application Portal available on the college's website. While applying to RCA, students are required to submit the following documents:
- Official academic transcripts
- 300-word written statement;
- One written reference;
- UK student visa and
- Copy of passport.
Royal College of ArtRoyal College of Art Scholarships 2024
Royal College of Art offers generous scholarships to their international students, on the basis of academic merit. Students are automatically considered for RCA scholarships, hence no separate application is required.
Most of the scholarships are aimed at MA level study, though there are also scholarships available for Graduate Diploma, MFA, MDes, MPhil, MRes, MArch, MEd and PhD. Types of scholarships offered at RCA are inclusive of Full fee payment plus living costs, Full fee payment, Partial fee payment, or Contributions to living costs.
Royal College of Art Scholarships for International Students
- Deputy Vice Chancellor’s International Scholarship;
- Anne Tyrell Design Award;
- Burberry Design Scholarship;
- GREAT Scholarships; and
- Power Scholarship.
Commonly asked questions On Scholarships
Yes, the Royal College of Art does offer a range of scholarships for their international students. Listed below are the Royal College of Art scholarships for international students:
| Scholarship Name | Disbursement Amount |
|---|---|
| Deputy Vice Chancellor’s International Scholarship | £7,000 |
| Anne Tyrell Design Award | £4,000 |
| Burberry Design Scholarship | Full fees & Maintenance |
| GREAT Scholarships | £10,000 |
| Power Scholarship | £5,000 |
1 yearRoyal College of Art Fees
The Royal College of Art tuition fee varies with the level of the course & the specialization being pursued by students. The first-year tuition fee for graduate courses is GBP 26,950 - 38,600.
Other than that, students must also account for the cost of living in London, that includes a number of expenses such as rent, food, utilities, medical bills, among some other personal expenses over the duration of studies.
| Courses | 1st Year Tuition Fees | Duration & Eligibility |
|---|---|---|
M.A.(11 courses) | INR 38 L - 46 LGet Fee Details | Duration: 45 weeks-1 year Exam Accepted: IELTS: 6.5 & Above, PTE |
MFA(1 course) | INR 46 LGet Fee Details | Duration: 1 year Exam Accepted: IELTS: 6.5 & Above, PTE |
M.Sc.(1 course) | INR 43 LGet Fee Details | Duration: 1 year Exam Accepted: IELTS: 6.5 & Above, PTE |
M.Arch(4 courses) | INR 32 L - 43 LGet Fee Details | Duration: 1 year-2 years Exam Accepted: IELTS: 6.5 & Above, PTE |
Commonly asked questions On Fees and Eligibility
In order to secure an admission, all overseas applicants must fulfill the Royal College of Art admission requirements listed below:
- Bachelor's degree;
- IELTS score;
- Personal Statement (SOP);
- Recommendation Letter (LOR); and
- Portfolio.
Note: Some Royal College of Arts programs may have certain additional requirements. Hence, students are advised to refer to the table below for course-specific requirements.
Fulfilling the English language requirements is a major entry requirement at the Royal College of Art. RCA accepts IELTS score as a proof of proficiency in the English language and students can refer to the table below for minimum score requirements, as per the choice of course:
| Course Level | IELTS Minimum Score Required |
|---|---|
| Graduate Diploma Programs | Overall score of 5.5 (with minimum 5.5 in all bands) |
MA, MArch, MDes, MEd, MFA and MRes Programs | Overall score of 6.5 (with minimum 6.0 in writing and 5.5 in other skills) |
MPhil Programs | Overall score of 6.5 (with minimum 6.5 in writing and 5.5 in other skills) |
PhD Programs | Overall score of 7.0 (with minimum 7.0 in writing and 5.5 in other skills) |
In order to get admitted in the Royal College of Art for master's courses, international students will have to fulfill the admission requirements, which consist of a Bachelor's degree, IELTS score: 6.5 overall as well as supporting documents like SOP and LOR. However, all applications are evaluated on their individual merits at the Royal College of Art. Additionally, the selection process consider includes the examination of creativity, imagination and innovation as demonstrated in the candidate's portfolio, as well as their potential to benefit from the programme of choice and to achieve high standards overall.
Royal College of ArtCollege comparison
Compare Royal College of Art with other similar colleges
| College | 1st Year Tuition Fees | Ranking |
|---|---|---|
| INR 37.71 L - 46.29 L | -/- | |
| INR 21.36 L - 36.45 L | -/- | |
| INR 22 L - 35.96 L | #9 Guardian, 2026 | |
| INR 20.93 L | -/- | |
| INR 17.69 L - 22.18 L | #100 Guardian, 2026 | |
| INR 23.92 L | #60 Guardian, 2026 |
CompareStudy in UK
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Some of the popular courses in the UK are BBA, MIM, BE / BTech, MSc, MBA / PGDM.
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Royal College of Art Campus Life
The main campus of Royal College of Art is located in London, UK.
Royal College of Art aims to offer a great campus life to its students through 1 schools/departments. It offers a variety of opportunities to students to get involved with the community. There are a number of students organizations and clubs available and students can choose to participate from organizations and clubs as per their interest. On top of this, students can take part in the athletic teams of the university. They can also utilize the various resources and facilities of the university such as library, recreation center, counselling services, etc.
Royal College of Art FAQs
Royal College of Art is the world's most influential postgraduate institution of Art & Design. In QS World University Rankings by Subject, RCA is ranked at #1 worldwide for its programs in fields such as Applied Arts, Architecture, Business, Communication, Contemporary Art, Curating & Culture, Design, Education, Environment, Experience Design, Fashion, Fine Arts, Graphic Design, Humanities, Illustration, Industrial Design, Moving Image, Product Design, and Textiles.
When it comes to the RCA campus life, students get to study in one of the three campuses located in South Kensington, Battersea and White City. Royal College of Aart offers on-campus accommodation facilities to their international students, which comprise of amenities such as hot water points, fridges and microwaves, showers, Wi-Fi, free shuttle bus service between campuses, discounted food at campus canteens, and free period products.
Royal College of Art
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Royal College of ArtLocation
| University City | London, London, UK |
| Size of city | Large |
| Population of City | 88,25,000 |
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