Insight into foundation art courses
A foundation art course is an intensive one-year course that gives students the opportunity to develop their art/design skills.
The courses aim to broaden students’ experience of art and design before they select the field in which they intend to specialise at higher education level.
During the year, students prepare a portfolio of work for use when applying for art/design degrees, foundation degrees or HNDs. Click on the links below for more information.
Choosing a foundation art course
- When choosing a foundation art course, you need to check out and compare the amount of tutor support available, studio space and access to other facilities such as computers and library resources.
- Finding out what past students have gone on to do can be a valuable indication of the reputation of the course amongst higher education tutors.
- A small number of students are able to progress directly onto a degree/ HND from A levels if an art/design subject has been included. A particularly good portfolio is required. Students who have taken a 12 or 18 unit AVCE or a BTEC National Certificate/Diploma in an art/design subject will not normally need to take a foundation art course. You should always check with higher education institutions you are considering whether an art foundation diploma is definitely required.
Entry requirements
- Entry requirements are usually three-five GCSEs at grade A-C (normally including English language), plus one A level (or equivalent) and a portfolio of art work.
- A foundation art course is a further education level course and you need to check with the individual colleges about fees which may be payable, particularly if you are 19 or over when you start your course. Some financial assistance may be available from colleges’ Learner Support Funds, although there will be no access to a student loan, as this is not an HE course.
- A few institutions offer a degree where the foundation course is built in as the first year. Although this sounds attractive, this could prove more expensive as the whole course is treated as a higher education course and is therefore subject to higher education funding regulations.
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