Accepting an offer and enrolling
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The following outlines the process for accepting an offer of study at the RCA.
We are aware of some system issues with the application portal earlier today. To make sure our applicants aren’t affected, we are extending the Acceptance Deadline to 12 noon (GMT) on Monday 27 March for all offers made from 15 February 2023. Our PebblePad system is working as normal and those who are currently applying can still log in as normal to complete Stage 2 of their application.
If your application is successful you will receive a formal offer of a place to the programme you applied for, or to another programme we believe will help you transition to the programme you applied for. All offer letters are sent via email.
Accepting your offer
If you receive an offer of a place, you will be required to accept your offer within five weeks from the date of your offer. Your offer letter includes an offer pack which contains full details about how to accept your offer, terms and conditions, a Confirmation of Previous Qualifications form and Student Visa Checklist (if relevant).
To accept this offer, you will need to complete these steps:
- Please indicate your acceptance of the terms and conditions of your offer within five weeks of the date of this offer. You must do this by logging in to the application portal, selecting that you accept the offer and uploading all relevant acceptance documents. Guidance on how to use the portal is in the offer pack.
- To accept your place you must also pay a deposit. Payment of this amount forms part of the acceptance process and must be made within the same five weeks. Deposits paid count towards payment of your tuition fees for 2023/24. Details of how to make a deposit payment are below. Your acceptance is not valid until we have received your deposit payment.
Pay your deposit
New students are all required to pay a non-refundable deposit in order to secure their place. The deposit is offset against your tuition fees for the first year of study. You will be asked to pay the deposit once you accept your place at the RCA.
Please see below for deposit amounts to be paid per degree programme and for Home and Overseas/EU students. Your offer letter will state whether you have been assessed as a Home, Overseas or EU student for fees purposes.
Home and Ireland Students Deposit
- MA, MRes, MPhil and PhD: £1,000
- Graduate Diploma: £2,000
Information about how to make your deposit payment will be included in your offer letter.
Overseas and EU Students Deposit
- MA, MRes, MPhil and PhD: £2,000
- Graduate Diploma: £2,000
Information about how to make your deposit payment will be included in your offer letter.
Fee status
The College is bound by the Education (Fees and Awards) (England) Regulations 2007 when assessing fee status. For more information please see https://www.ukcisa.org.uk/Information--Advice/Fees-and-Money/England-fee-status. If you do not believe the fees status listed in your offer letter is correct, you must notify the Admissions team within five weeks of the letter to request a fee status questionnaire. Detail of how to request a fee status questionnaire are included in the offer letter.
Apply for a study visa
Most international students need a Student Visa to study in the UK. For details on how to do so, visit the Student visa webpage.
Enrol to study
The final stage to becoming a student at the RCA is enrolling through a process called Enrolment.
Once you have met the tuition fee payment conditions of your invoice and you have uploaded evidence of your Student Visa (if applicable), the Registry Team will check that everything is in order.
If we have everything we need, we will update your enrolment status and confirm to you by email that you have successfully enrolled on your programme.
If we still need some information from you or your fee payment has not been arranged, you may not be able to be enrolled and may only be temporarily enrolled until further notice. The Registry team will advise you accordingly.
Frequently asked questions
When and where does Registration takes place?
Once you have met the tuition fee payment conditions of your invoice and you have uploaded evidence of your Student Visa (if applicable), the Registry Team will check that everything is in order. This enrolment process will begin the week commencing 7 August 2023.
If we have everything we need, we will update your enrolment status and confirm to you by email that you have successfully enrolled on your programme.
Do I need to physically attend the College to register? (Where do I go to register?)
No. For 2023/24 we have received confirmation that government regulations do not require registration to take place in person, and so we will register our students online. You will however need to attend your classes in person once your programme has started.
What documents do I need to provide to Registration?
The full list of documents you are required to supply will be provided to you by the RCA Admissions team. At a minimum you will need to supply:
- Proof of your degree – you should upload a scan of your degree certificate or a letter from the College. If you have supplied the College’s 'Form B' to your previous institution then you may wish to check, via [email protected], that the College has received this form
- A scan of the identity page of your passport. If you do not possess a passport then please contact [email protected] to confirm an acceptable alternative
- Students who require a visa to study in the UK must supply scans of their BCP card alongside their entry clearance documentation once in the UK, shortly after registration.
How much do I need to pay to complete Registration?
For all programmes other than the Graduate Diploma, you will need to pay at least 50 per cent of your tuition fee for the year to complete Registration. Graduate Diploma students must pay the full fee at registration. There are a number of methods to complete payment, including the Worldpay online payment system. Further details are given on the back of the invoice which you will receive during August. Your total fee can be found on your invoice, offer letter or at Tuition Fees.
What if my fees are being paid by a sponsor or loan?
Please supply a scan to [email protected], quoting your student ID. confirming that your fees are to be paid from an alternative source. Students applying for a postgraduate loan from Student Finance England will still need to pay the fees themselves, as they will receive the money directly from Student Finance England. Please note that you remain personally liable for fees paid by a sponsor organisation; if they fail to pay your fees then you will need to pay them yourself.
If you are applying for a Professional Career Development Loan (PCDL) to pay your fees, you should supply a copy of your loan application or confirmation documentation to [email protected] email, quoting your student ID number. You will be required to sign the student career development loan declaration to register. Please be aware that the loan will probably be released in several instalments over your two year registration period, rather than in one lump sum. This means that you will still have to pay some of your tuition fees each academic year.
Contact us
Get in touch if you'd like to find out more about studying at the RCA.
