Information for offer holders
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Competition is always tough for places on our programmes. You stood out from the crowd and impressed us, and we’re excited for you to be a part of our 2022 cohort.
Accepting your offer
If you receive an offer of a place, you will be required to accept your offer within three 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
- Confirmation of previous qualifications form
- Student Visa checklist (if relevant).
Visit Accepting an offer and enrolling for more information.
Applying for a Study Visa
For international students, the government introduced a new Student Visa route in October 2020 which has now replaced the Tier 4 Visa. For information on how to secure your visa, and to ask for support, visit our Student visa webpage.
Replay our recent online Q&A for international offer holders.
English language requirements
If you are joining us from a country that is not majority English-speaking, you will need to demonstrate that you have a reasonable knowledge of the English language before the RCA can support your Visa application. There are a number of ways to do this. Visit English Language Requirements for detailed guidance on the required qualifications and exemptions.
If you haven't managed to reach the required English language requirements for your programme, take a look at our eight-week intensive English for academic purposes (EAP) Pre-Sessional course designed specifically for students joining the RCA. We also offer an online, four-week version of the pre-sessional course if you have reached the English language level required but wish to improve your communication skills specifically for academic study at the RCA. Visit English for Academic Purposes (EAP) for more information and to book.
Accommodation
Studying at the RCA gives you the opportunity to live in the heart of a city internationally renowned for creativity, culture and innovation. We are here to offer guidance on finding accommodation in or around London, and provide you with answers to general queries about private housing and support organisations. Check Accommodation in London for more information
We would recommend you start your search using the University of London Housing Service website. You can search for accommodation through vetted landlords and agencies, and they have links to accommodation all across London. You can also use their tenancy checking service, as well as their Facebook group to help find housemates.
Getting ready come to the UK
It’s important that everything is ready for your arrival.
We’ve put together an essential checklist of things you’ll need to consider here, along with lots of useful information about your arrival in the UK.
Contact [email protected] if you need help at any stage.
Frequently asked questions
Will I need to do any preparation ahead of starting my course?
Programme staff will be in touch during the summer to let you know more about any pre-arrival tasks and reading lists.
Where can I find information about getting ready to start study?
From the end of April, our admissions team will be in touch to let you know about how to access to Moodle – our centralised platform for everything you’ll need during your time at the RCA. It will help you with college-wide information, such as accessing Student Support and RCA services. As you wait to begin your studies, you will be able to access our Orientation Course – a ‘one-stop shop’ for the information you will need to get going at the RCA.
Will there be any Welcome Events for offer holders?
Our Student Support and Students’ Union teams will host a series of Welcome events in the week before and during your first couple of weeks with us. Keep an eye on your inbox for emails from our Recruitment team during August. Once you are enrolled – the RCA intranet will be the place to go to find out more about our Welcome Week events for new students.
I have a problem with my Visa application, who can I contact for help?
If you have received a refusal after a student visa application, you must inform the Student Support team and the Admissions team as soon as possible. Please send a scan of your entire refusal notice paperwork to Admissions and Student Support Office, and individuals in the teams will help you through the next steps.
Email us at stude[email protected]
When does enrollment take place?
The final stage to becoming a student at the RCA is enrolling through a process called Registration. For students enrolling in Autumn 2022, identity checks will take place between 15 August and 2 September. Our admissions team will be in touch to let you when you need to attend.
This process includes:
- Checking of identification documents and visas, and where relevant, English language documentation and any previous visas for study in the UK
- Checking of previous qualifications
- Signing up for your Email account (if not already done through pre-student services)
- Payment of the first instalment of your tuition fee
For more information about enrolment, visit Accepting an offer and enrolling.
