How to apply for art and design at Birmingham City University: Fine Art, Art and Design, Graphic Design, Illustration, Product Design and Entertainment Design with a digital portfolio due within four weeks of an offer, Gaokao 60% accepted, portfolio requirements and timelines for students from China, Canada and transfers

Birmingham City University (BCU) is in Birmingham, England's second city, and its art and design teaching goes back to the Birmingham Government School of Design founded in 1843. This guide covers 2027/28 entry using BCU's own website, for students at high schools in China, students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver) and transfer students. BCU's UCAS institution code is B25 BCITY.

1. Courses

These are the art and design BA (Hons) degrees whose 2027/28 course pages we read. All take three years and are open to international students:

• Art and Design (Margaret Street): a hybrid course across art, design and technology; there is also Art and Design with Creative Technologies
• Fine Art (Margaret Street)
• Graphic Design (City Centre)
• Illustration (City Centre)
• Product Design (City Centre)
• Entertainment Design (Margaret Street): the portfolio guidance gives themed attractions, immersive events and festivals as examples of the industry

• Every course above except Entertainment Design can add a Professional Placement year with an employer after the second year.
• BCU also runs an Art and Design Foundation Year that leads into a degree.
• BCU has other subject areas such as Fashion and Textiles, Jewellery, and Film and Photography. Their course lists sit in the site's course search, so we haven't checked them course by course; see the subject pages.
• The course pages don't list UCAS course codes; choose the course by name in UCAS.

2. Portfolio: submitted after an offer

• The course pages say that if you receive an offer you must submit a portfolio within four weeks of receiving the offer. The portfolio guidance page puts it as submitting a digital portfolio within 28 days of receiving your invitation to a portfolio review.
• The guidance lists these undergraduate courses as needing a portfolio: Art and Design (including Creative Technologies), Entertainment Design, Fine Art, Graphic Design, Illustration and Product Design.
• Portfolios are submitted online through the applicant portal. If your portfolio isn't up to date yet, the guidance says GCSE work or work from the previous year is fine.

Format by course:

• Fine Art: one PDF, PowerPoint or Word file with about 20 pieces of work, no more than 10MB. Add links to video work inside the file, without passwords. You can attend an in-person portfolio review or submit digitally for an online review. BCU says applications are primarily assessed through the portfolio, so it can be worth applying even if you don't meet the typical offer.
• Entertainment Design: one PDF, PowerPoint or Word file, about 15 pages as a guide, no more than 10MB; in-person or online review.
• Art and Design (including Creative Technologies): either a self-shot video of up to 5 minutes about your interests and why you want a creative degree, or a PDF, PowerPoint or Word file of up to 10MB. Students who haven't studied art but are interested in science, maths or music are welcome, so the portfolio need not be a typical art portfolio.
• Product Design: a website, video or PDF; for a PDF use A3 to A2 pages, keep it under 20MB if you can, and aim for 10–20 pages showing how your ideas develop.
• Graphic Design and Illustration: listed as needing a portfolio, but the guidance page has no separate format requirements for them; ask admissions if unsure.

3. Entry requirements

UK qualifications (2027/28), the same for all six courses:

• A Level: 112–72 UCAS points, BBC to CDE (or equivalent)
• IB Diploma: 28–24 points overall
• No GCSE requirements
• Offers take account of the creative potential in your portfolio, your circumstances, predicted and achieved grades
• English: IELTS 6.0 overall with no less than 5.5 in each band; pre-sessional English is available if you fall short, but you need a Secure English Language Test (SELT) result first

Students from China: the China country page asks for the Chinese High School Diploma plus a Gaokao of at least 60% overall. Some courses also have a portfolio, audition or interview, as shown on the course page. BCU accepts CET-4 and CET-6 as English evidence; see its English requirements page for scores. If you don't meet the academic or English requirements, you can consider Birmingham City University International College (BCUIC, part of the Navitas Group) on campus.

Students from Canada: the Canada country page lists first-year requirements:

• British Columbia: the Senior Secondary Graduation Diploma with at least five Bs (BBBBB) in acceptable Grade 12 courses (B is at least 70%), plus English and Maths at Grade 11 with at least grade C
• Alberta: an average of at least 65% (B) in five Grade 12 courses, plus Grade 11 English and Maths at grade C or above
• Ontario: the OSSD with at least six Grade 12 U/UC or M courses at 60% (C), including Grade 12 U English, plus Grade 11 Maths at grade C or above

4. How to apply and deadlines

• UK students apply through UCAS; applications for September 2027 open on 1 September 2026.
• International students have three routes: apply directly to BCU (the International Application Form and Equal Opportunities Form, with scans of transcripts and certificates), through an in-country representative, or through UCAS.
• BCU's dates for 2027 entry:
  • 13 January 2027, 6pm: UCAS application deadline, including references
  • 25 February 2027: UCAS Extra opens
  • 30 June 2027: last date for 2027 entry applications; after this they go into Clearing
  • 2 July 2027: Clearing opens

5. Fees and scholarships

• International fees in 2027/28: £19,220 a year (the same for all six courses); UK students pay £10,050. These are first-year fees; later years may rise with inflation, capped at 5%.
• You provide your own materials; the Art and Design page suggests budgeting about £100 for major projects, plus £15–20 for safety boots.

Scholarships:

• International undergraduate scholarship: the page currently covers 2026/27. Self-funding international undergraduates starting full-time in September 2026 or January 2027 get a guaranteed £5,000: £3,000 off in year one and £2,000 in year two. There is no application; it is applied automatically when you enrol. Arrangements for 2027/28 aren't published yet. Students progressing from a BCU or BCUIC foundation year aren't eligible.
• Art and Design subject scholarship (£1,000): for students starting Art and Design, Art and Design with Creative Technologies or the Art and Design Foundation Year in September 2027, but only for UK fee payers.
• You can hold only one BCU scholarship; if you qualify for more than one you get the larger.

6. Transfers

• BCU's student information section has a Transfer arrangements page, but the course and country pages we read don't publish conditions for second- or third-year entry.
• Contact admissions directly to ask whether your course accepts later-year entry and what grades and portfolio it needs.

7. Checklist by background

Students at high schools in China:

• The High School Diploma plus a 60% Gaokao qualifies; IELTS 6.0 with 5.5 in each band
• Apply directly or through UCAS; the UCAS deadline is 13 January 2027
• Have your digital portfolio ready to submit within four weeks of an offer

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

• BC needs five Bs (70%+) in Grade 12 courses, plus Grade 11 English and Maths at C or above
• Apply directly or through UCAS and submit your portfolio after an offer

Transfer students:

• Later-year entry conditions aren't published; ask admissions first

Sources: Birmingham City University, Art and Design subject page; BA Art and Design; BA Fine Art; BA Graphic Design; Art and Design portfolio guidance; How to apply; Art and Design scholarships; International undergraduate scholarships; China country page; Canada country page. Entry requirements, fees and dates are for 2027/28; the international undergraduate scholarship page currently covers 2026/27 only. Check BCU for the latest details.