Key details
Date
- 20 January 2025
Read time
- 2 minutes
Welcome to the World’s No.1 University for Art & Design.*
Students come from across the world to the Royal College of Art in London to be part of an internationally renowned postgraduate community. Gain unrivalled opportunities to enhance your practice, build networks, solve global challenges and develop your career.
Key details
Date
- 20 January 2025
Read time
- 2 minutes
* QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025: Art & Design
Postgraduate study

The Royal College of Art offers Graduate Diploma, Master's and MPhil/PhD programmes in the arts, design, communication, architecture and the humanities. Our students also come from a broad range of backgrounds including science, technology, engineering, social sciences, business and healthcare.
Use our Programme finder to explore your chosen subject.

Sign up for updates on programmes and applying
Applications for 2026 intakes will open soon.
If you are considering applying for our 2026 intakes we encourage you to register for updates so we can keep you informed of admissions dates and deadlines, programme updates and events for prospective students in the UK and around the world.

Online and on-campus open days
Register for online and on-campus open days, portfolio Q&A sessions, campus tours and the chance to meet the RCA globally and in the UK.
Online Open Events
Master's Online Open Days: 29 September – 3 October 2025
Graduate Diploma, for the January 2026 intake.
- Online Open Day: Wednesday 8 October, 2pm BST
- Online Study Day: Wednesday 22 October, 2pm BST
On-campus Open Events
Graduate Diploma Art & Design: Wednesday 16 October
School of Arts & Humanities: Tuesday 28 October
School of Design (Battersea): Wednesday 29 October
School of Architecture: Tuesday 4 November
School of Design (Kensington): Tuesday 4 November
School of Communication: Thursday 6 November

RCA Student Profiles 2025
Browse profiles of our class of 2025 on the RCA Student Profiles website.
With profiles from over 1,600 postgraduate students across the RCA’s four schools – Architecture, Arts & Humanities, Communication and Design – as well as programmes run by the Intelligent Mobility Design Centre and Academic Development, discover the art and design world’s newest talent and latest innovations.
Why choose the RCA?

Teaching and research expertise
The opportunity to learn from world-leading academic staff. We’re the only specialist art and design university where all of our permanent teaching and research staff are also research active and included in the RCA’s submissions to the UK Research Excellence Framework.
Renowned alumni
Our 33,000+ alumni are leaders in their disciplines, making national and international headlines. Alumni include:
- Hoor Al Qasimi
- Hurvin Anderson RA
- Christopher Bailey CBE
- Sir Peter Blake
- Sir Frank Bowling
- Sir James Dyson OM
- Dame Tracey Emin RA
- Sir Anthony Finkelstein
- Thomas Heatherwick RDI, CBE
- Dame Barbara Hepworth
- Lubaina Himid RA CBE
- David Hockney OM
- Kamala Ibrahim Ishaq
- Asif Kapadia
- Julian MacDonald OBE
- Henry Moore OM
- Erdem Moralioglu MBE
- Morag Myerscough
- Dame Magdalene Odundo
- Chris Ofili CBE
- Bridget Riley
- Sir Ridley Scott
- Philip Treacy OBE
- Dame Zandra Rhodes
A diverse creative community
The RCA is the world’s largest postgraduate-only art and design university, representing an exciting talent base and opportunities to build your network and collaborate. An RCA student might be a career-changer, or come straight from an undergraduate course. We typically welcome students from over 70 countries.
Interdisciplinary connections
Our College and School-wide projects, activities and challenges help our students find like-minded creatives to solve major global problems, grow their networks, or find future business partners. Find out more about AcrossRCA.
Build your career
Find out more about how the RCA can help move your career to the next level with our Graduate Careers Report.
Life at the RCA
Our campuses
Our sites are located in the historic capital city of London, a vibrant cultural centre with an international outlook.
Facilities
The Royal College of Art provides the infrastructure, discipline-specific tooling and support for students to master the skills for their particular aesthetic and approach.
Student support
The Student Support Team offers advice, information and support to all RCA students and offer-holders.
Scholarships & funding
The RCA is committed to celebrating diversity, eliminating discrimination and promoting equality of opportunity to all.