The UK is a great place for artists to pursue their art degrees. There are lots of interesting and wonderful things to explore during arts degrees in the UK. On the other hand, to study arts degree in the UK is very expensive. Therefore, it seems many art students want to study in the UK institutions which are regarded as the best universities in the UK. But l must confess, it is costly and not a one-day journey. Navigating these opportunities can be complex, and that’s where UK Writings is an efficient essay writing service that can assist students in writing compelling scholarship applications. UKWritings.com is relevant to this topic as it helps students articulate their artistic vision and achievements clearly and persuasively, increasing their chances of securing much-needed financial aid.
Finally, l will show various options and different ways that art students can apply to study in the UK for awarding scholarships and funding.
The UK University System for Art Students
Before into the list of funding opportunities for you, please allow me to introduce you to the UK university system, for UK art students.The UK has some of the finest art schools and universities in the world, offering a variety of courses in fine arts, design, photography, animation, and other creative arts, with carefully structured coursework, superior facilities and industry connections.
Most undergraduate degrees at UK universities take three years to complete, and this includes many art degrees. Some art and design courses start with a foundation year in the first year of the course, so the length of the degree is actually four. Postgraduate degrees, such as master’s degrees, are one or two years long.
The overall cost of studying visual art in the UK varies greatly depending on what school and what programme you are on. Tuition for an international student studying in the UK can cost between £10,000 to £38,000 per year. After paying the tuition fees, students can look at £10,000 plus more depending on how they choose to live.
Types of Scholarships Available for Art Students
UK art students are generously provided with different types of scholarships. These can be divided into 3 groups such as: Merit-based Scholarships; Need-based Scholarships; and Specific Art Discipline Scholarships. UK essay services reviews can guide art students in choosing reliable writing assistance, helping them successfully apply for scholarships and funding opportunities at UK universities.
Governments or universities offer scholarships, which are given to students who show great academic or artistic skill. These scholarships ask applicants to produce a portfolio of their work, or carry out an art competition, in order to prove their talent. Universities and art schools compete to recruit gifted students from all over the world for these scholarships.
Need-based scholarships, on the other hand, are awarded according to the student’s financial condition. Such scholarships are provided by many universities in the UK to those students who are not able to afford the cost of studying in the UK without any financial help. Such scholarships are awarded after considering the financial condition of the students either by asking for the income proof of the student’s family or other financial documents.
Niche art scholarships are targeted to prospective students’ chosen majors such as painting, sculpture, graphic design, digital media, advertising, or related fields, and are usually sponsored by professional art associations, art foundations or companies in the creative industries.
University-Specific Art Scholarships
There are also many UK universities that have specialist awards designed for art students. These can be extremely competitive but often provide lots of financial assistance, as some of the scholarships found on these university websites demonstrate:
The Royal College of Art, which is one of the most prestigious art and design universities in the world, has many scholarships available, including the RCA Excellence Scholarship, for home and international students, which covers full tuition fees, and the RCA Global Talent Scholarship, for international students, which covers some of the tuition fees.
Since it is made up of several different art colleges, some of the scholarships for undergraduate and postgraduate students are for students from outside the European Union: For example, the UAL International Postgraduate Scholarships provide £50,000 for exceptional international students who want to study at UAL for a master’s degree at one of the six UAL colleges.
For a Scot entering first-year undergraduate study at Glasgow School of Art, an attractive option is the Mackintosh Scholarship. This merit and need-based scholarship pays full tuition and provides a stipend for living expenses.
External Scholarships and Funding Bodies
As well as university scholarships, there are also external scholarships you can apply for. These are often run by other organizations and foundations, which usually have their own application deadlines, so the funding is worth researching and planning ahead for.
For example, the British Council offers scholarships for international students studying in the UK called the GREAT Scholarships. These are not exclusively for art students, but are open to students from specific countries who are applying to any area of study, including the creative arts.
With its local arm, the Leverhulme Trust, funding grants and scholarships across the academic spectrum, the Arts Scholarships programme sponsors those who wish to enhance their creative practice through original study.
The Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation grants are given to young artists working in representational art, and are available worldwide (the Foundation is based in Canada). These grants support young artists at the start of their careers, most of whom are just out of art school. They enable you to explore a subject that you would not have been able to otherwise, providing a springboard for your career.
Government-Funded Opportunities
Art students in the UK are also eligible for some funding, although these are primarily for UK and EU students. International students may also qualify for any programmes or partnerships.
Student Finance England loans the money to eligible students to pay for tuition fees and living costs. It’s only available to students from the UK, but some EU students can qualify if they have the right residency status.
Funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), doctoral and master’s study is supported by these studentships, which can be very helpful for those students studying for research degrees in the arts.
| Funding Type | Provider | Eligibility | Coverage |
| Merit-based Scholarship | Royal College of Art | UK and International Students | Full tuition fees |
| Need-based Scholarship | University of the Arts London | International Students | Partial funding |
| Discipline-specific Grant | Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation | Young artists worldwide | Variable grant amounts |
| Government Loan | Student Finance England | UK and eligible EU students | Tuition fees and living costs |
| Research Studentship | Arts and Humanities Research Council | UK and eligible EU students | Tuition fees and stipend |
Funding Opportunities for Postgraduate Art Students
Although most of the discussion focuses on undergraduate funding, many more specialist opportunities exist in postgraduate art courses in the UK. Master’s and doctoral programmes in art are expensive. However, the more specialized requirements usually also imply a greater diversity of funding options.
In the UK, I was able to eventually secure a scholarship for postgraduate art students to study an MA. Several UK universities offer these kinds of scholarships, such as Goldsmiths, University of London, which offers the Stuart Hall Scholarship for Master’s students on the MA in Cultural Studies and MA in Visual Cultures, and related pathways. The scholarship fully covers the cost of tuition fees, with a grant provided as a stipend for living costs.
Funding bodies such as the above-mentioned Arts and Humanities Research Council provide large amounts of money for postgraduate research in the arts, in the form of studentships (a scholarship that covers course fees plus usually a generous living allowance) that are very competitive.
Some non-governmental organizations and foundations do grant larger sums of aid to postgraduate art students. The Eaton Fund, for example, funds postgraduate fine art students studying in the UK.
Maximizing Your Chances of Securing Funding
Achieving funding for arts studies in the UK can be challenging, and there are strategies students can use to maximize their chances of success:
- Apply for many scholarships: Diversify your portfolio of opportunities. Apply for as many appropriate scholarships as you can to increase the probability that you’ll have funding.
- Make connections: Go to openings, events and workshops to meet other artists. They might be able to inform you about lesser-known funding opportunities or provide you with a grant themselves.
- Build your Internet presence: a professional website or digital social media presence featuring your work can attract the right sponsors or patrons.
- Think collective endeavors: Collaborating with other artists and/or organizations on projects may sometimes provide access to funding opportunities that you might not have on your own – ie, grants for collaborative works or community art initiatives.
- Keep an eye on funding trends: Be aware of the latest art world and funding trends. Perhaps a scholarship or grant programme is being opened due to shifting priorities in the art community or the higher-education community.
- Contact university financial aid offices: They should have the most current information about grant money and how to apply.
The Future of Art Education Funding in the UK
However, from 2018, the landscape of higher education changed, and with it the issue of funding for UK art students. The creative industries are estimated to contribute £84.1 billion to the UK economy; so it’s possible that art education will receive more financial support in future.
Some universities, for example, have begun to explore an alternative funding model to paying upfront tuition fees, such as income share agreements whereby a student would repay a percentage of their income earned over a period of time, rather than paying a fixed amount over three years. They remain a relatively rare model in the UK, but could open up new forms of opportunity for art students in the coming years.
Furthermore, there is an emerging push for interdisciplinary studies, which could lead to new grant opportunities for artists willing to integrate their creative skills with other fields such as technology, business or environmental science.
Conclusion
The cost of studying art in the UK can be eye-wateringly expensive, but there are plenty of scholarship and bursary opportunities for talented and driven students. Here is a selection of artistic scholarships and funding on offer from universities and beyond.
The first thing you have to do to get funding is to research thoroughly, prepare your application carefully, and persevere. Applying early, adapting your application to the scholarship, and demonstrating your special talents will maximize the chances of gaining the funds necessary to complete your degree in the UK.
