How to Apply for Art and Design at The Glasgow School of Art: Degrees across the Schools of Fine Art, Design and Innovation and Technology, the 13 January UCAS Deadline, a 15-Page PDF Portfolio Due 20 January and Interviews for Most Programmes, with Portfolio Requirements and Timelines for Students in China, Canada and Transfer Applicants

The Glasgow School of Art (GSA) is a specialist institution for art, design and architecture, with Schools of Fine Art, Design, Architecture and Innovation and Technology; its degrees are validated by the University of Glasgow. This guide follows the GSA's undergraduate pages.

1. Degrees

• School of Fine Art: Painting and Printmaking (BA (Hons) Fine Art, UCAS W120, the school's largest programme), Fine Art Photography, and Sculpture and Environmental Art. The International Foundation also sits here.
• School of Design: Communication Design (BA (Hons), UCAS W213, with Graphic Design, Illustration and Photography pathways in Stages 3 and 4), Fashion Design, Fashion Narrative, Interior Design, Interaction Design, Silversmithing and Jewellery Design, and Textile Design.
• School of Innovation and Technology: Product Design, Games and Virtual Reality, 3D Modelling, and Sound for the Moving Image, among others.
• Length: Fashion Narrative is a three-year programme starting at the equivalent of Year 2 of a four-year degree, and Sound for the Moving Image is two years starting at Year 3 level.
• Product Design Engineering and Engineering with Architecture are applied for through the University of Glasgow; Product Design Engineering has no portfolio upload or interview. Architecture has separate requirements not covered here.

2. Applying

• UCAS deadline: 13 January 2027, 6pm UK time, with a personal statement and one reference.
• Portfolio deadline: every programme except Product Design Engineering needs a digital portfolio and portfolio statement by 1pm (UK time) on Wednesday 20 January 2027. Login details for the portfolio site arrive within three days of the GSA receiving your UCAS application.
• Interviews: most programmes interview; some advanced-entry applicants may get an offer without one.
• Decisions: rolling, with assessment continuing until April 2027; interview programmes take longer.
• Programme guidelines for 2027 entry, with sample portfolios, are due from 1 November 2026.

3. Portfolio

• Digital portfolio: a PDF of up to 15 pages.
• Portfolio statement: up to 3,000 characters (about 500 words), to highlight a project, your interests and inspiration and tailor your application to the programme. It must not repeat your UCAS personal statement.
• What to include for each programme is set out in its application guidelines.

4. Entry requirements

• Design and Fine Art (standard): three A levels at ABB plus GCSE English at A or 7; or four Highers at ABBB including a literate subject.
• Lower minimum requirements (A-level BBC) apply to UK widening-participation applicants, not to general international applicants.
• The entry requirements page lists standards for September 2026 entry, subject to change; check for 2027 updates.
• English: all international students must show English proficiency; those needing a Student visa who are not nationals of, or graduates from, a UKVI-exempt country must submit a standardised test. Programme-specific scores are in the GSA's English requirements document, which we did not read; see the How to Apply page. Conditional offer holders can take the Pre-Sessional English for Creative Disciplines.

Students at high schools in China

• The GSA pages we read do not give requirements for Chinese high school or the Gaokao; check the programme guidelines or ask admissions (admissions@gsa.ac.uk).
• International Foundation (Art and Design): for applicants from outside the UK with IELTS for UKVI 5.0 (5.0 in each component) or equivalent and a Year 12-equivalent high school qualification. It prepares students to apply for Year 2 at the GSA or other UK institutions.
• A-level students apply with the ABB requirement above.

Students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver)

• The GSA pages we read do not list provincial requirements; check the programme guidelines or ask admissions.
• The advanced entry page notes that many new students join after Highers, A levels, the IB or high school diplomas; confirm how your Canadian grades are assessed.

5. Fees and scholarships

• Tuition (starting 2026/27): international students (including EU, excluding Ireland) pay £24,800 a year for undergraduate degrees and the International Foundation, fixed for the duration.
• Portfolio Preparation course (SCQF level 6): £5,650 for international students, applied for directly on the GSA website (not UCAS); the next intake is August 2027 with applications opening in March 2027, and students from outside the UK need a Standard Visitor visa.
• International Merit Scholarships (2026/27): tuition fee reductions; international offer holders are considered automatically on portfolio, academics and personal statement. Amounts and dates are in a separate guide we did not read.
• International Clearing Scholarship (2026/27): a one-off £4,000 towards first-year fees, awarded automatically to international students who receive an offer through Clearing.
• 2027/28 scholarship details will be published during the new cycle; some require an offer, so apply early.

6. Transfer and advanced entry

• Year 2 entry: the Foundation Diploma in Art and Design (UAL, BTEC, WJEC, ABC and others) is the most common route for applicants from England, Northern Ireland, Wales and overseas; most are considered for Year 2, some for Year 1. HNC and HND holders and students from other universities or art schools in the same or a related subject can also apply.
• Year 3 entry: mainly HND graduates from Scottish colleges, and applicants with two or more years in the subject elsewhere or relevant professional experience.
• Foundation applicants need to show potential and ability in the subject they apply to; Year 3 entrants show advanced knowledge and skills through portfolio and interview, though some applications may receive an offer without an interview.

7. Checklists

Students in China:

• A levels: aim for ABB; high school only: ask admissions or consider the GSA International Foundation (IELTS 5.0) and apply for Year 2
• Apply through UCAS by 13 January; upload a 15-page PDF and a 500-word statement by 1pm on 20 January
• Prepare for an interview

Students in Canada (including BC and Vancouver):

• BC requirements are not published; confirm with admissions
• Read your programme's 2027 guidelines after 1 November

Applicants with a Foundation or university study:

• Most Foundation Diploma holders are considered for Year 2; two or more years in the subject can support Year 3 entry

Sources: The Glasgow School of Art — Undergraduate degrees; How to apply; Entry requirements; Advanced entry; Fees and finance; Scholarships; Foundation and portfolio preparation; Painting & Printmaking; Communication Design. The entry requirements page lists standards for September 2026 entry, and fees and scholarships are for 2026/27; programme guidelines for 2027 entry are due from 1 November 2026. Check the GSA for the latest details.