Key details
Date
- 1 November 2022
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
- 1 November 2022
Read time
- 2 minutes
* QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025: Art & Design
Discover our programmes
Genesis, Maria Timoshenko & Iulia Fedorova (Digital Direction MA)
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.
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
MPhil/PhD Online Open Day: Thursday 25 September, 10am BST and 5pm BST
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
Events in Europe
One-to-one meetings in Warsaw: Wednesday 1 October
On-campus Open Events
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
Graduate Diploma Art & Design
The Graduate Diploma prepares you for Master’s study at the RCA. Join the January 2026 cohort and graduate in time to commence a Master's programme in September.
Sign up to receive updates on the Graduate Diploma admissions dates.
30 weeks | On-campus, online or dual-learning modes of study
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 28,000 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 working in industry or the arts, 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.
Ready to take the next step?
Apply now to start in 2025Life at the RCA
Where will the RCA take you?
Over 185 years our alumni have defined the industries that they have joined, created and reshaped.
Meet the RCA around the World
We host a range of opportunities in cities around the world for prospective RCA students to meet with staff and alumni.
Funding for international students
Get advice on sources of funding for MA, MFA, MDes, MEd and MRes students available from external bodies.
Our campuses
Our sites are located in the historic capital city of London, a vibrant cultural centre with an international outlook.
