How to apply for art and design at Edinburgh Napier University: four-year Scottish degrees in Graphic Design, Interior and Spatial Design, Product Design and Photography, course-specific portfolios, Gaokao 500 or a BC 65% average, portfolio requirements and timelines for students from China, Canada and transfers

Edinburgh Napier University is in Edinburgh, Scotland, and its design and photography degrees sit in the Design, Photography and Advertising subject area. This guide covers September 2027 entry using the university's own website, for students at high schools in China, students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver) and transfer students.

1. Courses

These are the design and photography degrees we found, with UCAS codes in brackets. The first four course pages each list four years full time with a September start:

• BDes (Hons) Graphic Design (W210): taught at the Merchiston campus; in the second trimester of Year 3 you can study at an overseas partner or take an industry placement.
• BDes (Hons) Interior and Spatial Design (W251): live client projects and the chance of a placement.
• BDes (Hons) Product Design (W241): in Year 3 you can study at an overseas partner or take an industry placement.
• BA (Hons) Photography (W640): placements are possible through the Design and Media Work-based Learning module.
• BDes (Hons) Interactive Media Design (W242): a two-year course that only takes Year 3 entrants with a relevant HND, not school leavers.

2. Portfolio and interview

The Graphic Design, Interior and Spatial Design and Product Design pages say suitably qualified applicants are normally required to submit a portfolio, for every year of entry. Photography says suitably qualified applicants are normally invited to submit one. Each course has its own guidance:

• Graphic Design: as a guide, 5 projects over a maximum of 15 pages, for example one page of final outcome, one of development and one of inspiration per project. Send a single PDF by email (under 25MB) or by a file-transfer or cloud link; once invited, you are told by email where to send it and by when. Name the file with your full name and UCAS ID and say whether you are applying for Year 1 or advanced entry. Interview invitations are based on the portfolio.
• Interior and Spatial Design: build an online portfolio on Issuu of around 10 and no more than 15 pages, and email the link to the two staff named on the guidance page when you apply. It should show drawing (especially from observation), making and thinking, with a sentence or two labelling each image. Year 1 applicants do not need CAD or 3D modelling; Year 2 or 3 applicants should show them. The programme leader decides on offers from the portfolio; the guidance page still mentions an offer holders' day in "spring 2024", so follow the date the university sends you.
• Product Design: selected applicants submit a digital portfolio of 10–20 pages covering drawing, 2D composition, photos of 3D work, sketchbooks and mood boards, as JPEG or PDF and not zipped. The page gives two submission methods: it first says "USB format", then asks for a link to an online portfolio or a multipage PDF on Dropbox or OneDrive (up to 100MB). Follow the instructions you are sent. The course page also says you may be asked to attend an interview.
• Photography: three parts. (1) 10–15 photographs (TIFF or JPEG, phone photos accepted, between 900×600 and 4000×3000 pixels); (2) a series of 3–6 photographs of a recent single event, with about 100 words of explanation; (3) a 300-word essay analysing a photograph recently published with a news article.

3. Entry requirements

UK qualifications (Year 1):

• Graphic Design, Interior and Spatial Design and Product Design: A Level CCC, preferably including Art and Design or Design and Technology (Product Design); IB 27 with HL 6, 5, 4, preferably including Visual Arts or Design Technology; Scottish Highers standard offer BBBC
• Photography: A Level CCC; IB 27 with HL 6, 5, 4
• Meeting the minimum does not guarantee a place

English: the university minimum for undergraduates is IELTS 6.0 with no component below 5.5; TOEFL 80 (tests before January 2026, with section minimums) or 4 overall and 4 in each section on the new scale; PTE 59 with 59 in each component. Some courses ask for more, but these course pages list no higher score. You can apply before taking a test; the result must be less than 2 years old when the course starts. The course pages say a test may not be needed if all your school qualifications were taught in English, and point to the country pages.

Students from China: the China page says:

• Senior Secondary School Certificate with 75% or above, or a Gaokao score of 500 or above
• Arts applicants may have a portfolio review or interview; see the course page
• The International College (ENUIC) runs International Year One and Year Two, with IELTS 5.5 (5.5 in each component); Year Two accepts a Gaokao of 60%. The page does not say which design degrees these lead to, so ask the university

Students from Canada: the Canada page says:

• BC: British Columbia Senior Secondary Graduation Diploma with 65% in five Grade 12 subjects (the same for Alberta, Nova Scotia and others)
• Ontario: OSSD with six Grade 12 U, U/C or M courses including Grade 12 U English, at 65%
• Quebec: DEC or AEC with 60% overall
• The page does not say whether Canadian students taught in English are exempt from a test; ask the university

4. How and when to apply

• Apply through UCAS. The university's When to Apply page gives 13 January 2027 as the equal consideration deadline for September 2027 entry.
• In 2027 UCAS Extra runs from 25 February to 1 July, and Clearing from 2 July to 31 August, with places allocated first come, first served.
• Portfolios are sent after you apply, following the university's email; watch the deadline in that email.

5. Fees and scholarships

• All five courses have the same fees: £21,965 a year for international (including EU) students in 2027/28, up from £21,120 in 2026/27. Fees are reviewed each year and may rise.
• The China page says there are partial scholarships for self-funding students. The bursary list can be filtered by country; the first page we read showed no undergraduate award for China or Canada, so amounts and conditions are not published on the pages we read. Search the bursaries page by country or ask the international team.

6. Transfer and advanced entry

• Graphic Design, Interior and Spatial Design and Product Design accept Year 2 or Year 3 entrants: Year 2 needs A Level BBB (preferably including Art and Design or Design and Technology), Scottish Advanced Highers BBC or a relevant HNC; Year 3 needs a relevant HND. Advanced entrants also submit a portfolio.
• Photography accepts Year 2 entry with a relevant HND.
• The Graphic Design guidance says advanced places are very few, and applicants are considered for Year 1 when none are available.
• The listed advanced-entry qualifications are UK ones; ask ugadmissions@napier.ac.uk whether college or university credit from China or Canada can count.

7. Checklists

Students at high schools in China:

• Senior Secondary certificate at 75% or Gaokao 500+; IELTS 6.0 with 5.5 in each component
• Prepare the portfolio for your course; Photography also needs a short photo story and a 300-word analysis
• Submit through UCAS by 13 January 2027

Students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver):

• BC needs a 65% average across five Grade 12 subjects
• Ask whether you need an English test, and follow your course's portfolio guidance

Transfer students:

• Advanced entry is listed for A Level BBB or HNC/HND; ask admissions about other qualifications first, and consider Year 1 because advanced places are few

Sources: Edinburgh Napier University, BDes Graphic Design; Graphic Design portfolio guidance; BDes Interior and Spatial Design; Interior and Spatial Design portfolio guidance; BDes Product Design; Product Design portfolio guidance; BDes Interactive Media Design; BA Photography; Photography portfolio guidance; Students from China; Students from Canada; English language requirements; When to apply; Bursaries and scholarships. Information is for September 2027 entry; check Edinburgh Napier for the latest details.