

Royal College of Art Admissions 2025: Application Deadline, Requirements & Costs
Royal College of Art Admission Process 2026
An Indian student must follow crucial steps to complete the admission process of Royal College of Art. These steps include choosing the desired course, completing the application process, paying the tuition fee, etc.
Follow the steps below if you are Indian student applying for admission to Royal College of Art:- You can expect the offer letter or rejection of admission through mail within a few weeks.
- After receiving the acceptance letter from the university, an Indian applicant must apply for a student visa. They should also submit certain mandatory documents for a UK student visa.
- After you apply for Visa, pay the Royal College of Art tuition fees for the first year to secure your seat.
Royal College of Art M.Arch Admissions 2026
Royal College of Art provides a 2 years M.Arch program with multiple specialization options, including Creative and Professional Writing and Jewellery Design. Some of the streams that are popular among international students include Humanities and Social Sciences, Arts ( Fine / Visual / Performing ), Architecture and Planning, Mass Communication and Media and Animation.
Eligibility Criteria
- Accepting Exams: IELTS, TOEFL, PTE
Royal College of Art FAQs
Royal College of Arts offers on-campus accommodation facilities to their overseas students, which comprise of various amenities. Listed below are the Royal College of Art cost of living for international students:
- Rent: £15,600/£240–300
- Food: £2,600/£50
- Household goods: £1,040/£20
- Household bills: £2,080/£40
- Insurance: £86.32/£1.66
- Personal items: £1,560/£30 (clothing, mobile phone bills, medical expenses, toiletries, and other small personal items)
- Leisure items: £1,560/£30 (hobbies, sports, entertainment subscriptions, and social and cultural activities)
- Course materials: £2,800/£52
- Travel: £2,080/£40
As per the data derived from unofficial sources, only 28 out of every 100 applicants get enrolled as a student at the Royal College of Art. This makes RCA a very competitive institution to get into, with an acceptance rate of 28%. However, students must not feel discouraged and fulfill all the Royal College of Art admission requirements academic requirements, English language requirements & relevant documents in order to boost their chances of getting admitted in RCA.
Note: The data is derived from unofficial sources and is subjected to changes.
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.
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 |
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 |
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 Arts various scholarships for their international students. 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 GBP 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. International students must follows the below steps at 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 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.
For RCA admissions, 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.
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 |
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) |
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
Student Forum
Answered a week ago
Royal College of Art acceptance rate stands at 75%. RCA has enrolled more than 1,800 international students. For RCA admissions, international students must meet all the admission requirements at the university.
M
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
With over 28,000 alumni members, Royal College of Art grads work all over the world. Some most popular alumni at RCA are listed below-
- Peter Blake
- Barbara Hepworth
- Frank Auerbach
- Zandra Rhodes
V
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
Royal College of Art is one of the best degree programs at postgraduate levels for its international students. Royal College of Art offers 37+ programs at PG levels across various specializations art, design, communication, architecture, and humanities.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
Yes, Royal College of Art is among the top choice of international students to pursue PG programs in the UK. RCA students body features 2,700+ students, out of which 1,800+ are international students. Royal College of Art offers a large variety of programs at PG levels for its international students
K
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
Royal College of Art is one of the top choice of international students to continue MFA in UK. Royal College of Art offers MFA for the duration of 1 year. The college first year tuition fee for MFA ranges from INR 47 L. Royal College of Art offers more than 37 degree at PG levels.
R
Contributor-Level 10
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