About the university
The Royal College of Art (RCA) was founded in 1837 as the Government School of Design and received a Royal Charter and university status in 1967. It teaches only postgraduates, in art, design, architecture and communication, from campuses in Kensington and Battersea in London. The RCA's homepage says it has been ranked first in the world for Art & Design in the QS Rankings by Subject for 12 years running.
Indian students look at the RCA for its design programmes, such as Innovation Design Engineering (a double master's with Imperial College London), Service Design, Design Products and Intelligent Mobility Design. Fees are high: most one-year MAs cost £40,200 to £43,000 for Overseas students starting in September 2027, and the college has no halls of its own. Entry is by portfolio, a 300-word personal statement and a two-minute video.
- Founded
- 1837, as the Government School of Design; Royal Charter and university status in 1967
- Type
- Public, postgraduate-only art and design university (an exempt charity regulated by the Office for Students)
- Campuses
- Kensington and Battersea in London; the White City lease is expected to end in August 2027
- Programmes
- Taught master's (MA, MFA, MDes, MArch, MSc, MEd, MRes), Graduate Diplomas and MPhil/PhD research degrees
- Intake
- September (application deadline for September 2027 entry: 8 January 2027, 12 noon)
- Course length
- Most MAs are 1 year (45 weeks) full time; MFA, MDes and MArch are 2 years
Rankings
Popular courses with Indian students
- Postgraduate
Innovation Design Engineering MA/MSc
- Fee / year
- £47,250
- Duration
- 2 years full time (joint double master's with Imperial College London)
- Intakes
- September 2027
- English
- IELTS 6.5 (6.0 in writing, 5.5 in other components for 2027/28 entry)
- Postgraduate
- Fee / year
- £39,250
- Duration
- 1 year (45 weeks) full time
- Intakes
- September 2027
- English
- IELTS 6.5 (5.5 in each component)
- Postgraduate
- Fee / year
- £40,200
- Duration
- MA 1 year; MDes 2 years (full time)
- Intakes
- September 2027
- English
- IELTS 6.5 (5.5 in each component)
- Postgraduate
Intelligent Mobility Design MA/MDes
- Fee / year
- £40,750
- Duration
- MA 1 year; MDes 2 years (full time)
- Intakes
- September 2027
- English
- IELTS 6.5 (5.5 in each component)
- Postgraduate
Artificial Intelligence & Digital Art MA/MFA
- Fee / year
- £43,000
- Duration
- MA 1 year; MFA 2 years (full time)
- Intakes
- September 2027 (first intake)
- English
- IELTS 6.5 (5.5 in each component)
- Postgraduate
Information Experience Design MA
- Fee / year
- £40,200
- Duration
- 1 year (45 weeks) full time
- Intakes
- September 2027
- English
- IELTS 6.5 (5.5 in each component)
- Postgraduate
- Fee / year
- £40,750
- Duration
- 1 year (45 weeks) full time
- Intakes
- September 2027
- English
- IELTS 6.5 (5.5 in each component)
- Postgraduate
- Fee / year
- £30,550
- Duration
- 2 years full time
- Intakes
- September 2027
- English
- IELTS 6.5 (5.5 in each component)
Fees for international students
| Course | Duration | Fee / year (GBP) | Approx. in rupees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Innovation Design Engineering MA/MSc | 2 years full time (joint double master's with Imperial College London) | £47,250 | ≈ ₹57.6 lakh |
| Service Design MA | 1 year (45 weeks) full time | £39,250 | ≈ ₹47.9 lakh |
| Design Products MA/MDes | MA 1 year; MDes 2 years (full time) | £40,200 | ≈ ₹49 lakh |
| Intelligent Mobility Design MA/MDes | MA 1 year; MDes 2 years (full time) | £40,750 | ≈ ₹49.7 lakh |
| Artificial Intelligence & Digital Art MA/MFA | MA 1 year; MFA 2 years (full time) | £43,000 | ≈ ₹52.5 lakh |
| Information Experience Design MA | 1 year (45 weeks) full time | £40,200 | ≈ ₹49 lakh |
| Fashion MA | 1 year (45 weeks) full time | £40,750 | ≈ ₹49.7 lakh |
| Architecture MArch (ARB/RIBA) | 2 years full time | £30,550 | ≈ ₹37.3 lakh |
Fees are for international students for the entry year shown on each course page and can rise each year. Approximate exchange rates (based on ECB reference rates, March 2026). Actual rates on your payment date will differ.
Want a course shortlist with fees?Our counsellor will compare courses at Royal College of Art with similar universities in the UK.
Scholarships
- Taught master's offer holders (rounds 1 and 2)
RCA Scholarships (master's)
Value: Full fees and maintenance, full fees, a tuition fee discount, or maintenance only
Eligibility: Based on financial need and under-represented groups; academic merit awards are assessed automatically from the programme application. The RCA says international scholarships are also available, numbers are limited and the process is extremely competitive. 2027/28 details were still being confirmed.
Official page (opens in a new tab)
Admission requirements
Undergraduate
- The RCA does not offer undergraduate degrees. Its Graduate Diplomas (Art & Design; Architecture & Spatial Practice) are one-year pre-master's routes.
Postgraduate
- Most programmes ask for a good first degree in art, design or a related field, or relevant professional experience; MArch needs RIBA Part 1 or an international equivalent.
- Innovation Design Engineering normally asks for at least a UK 2:1 or equivalent.
- Every application needs a portfolio, a 300-word personal statement and a two-minute video.
- Deadline for September 2027 entry: 8 January 2027, 12 noon. A £3,500 non-refundable deposit (offset against fees) secures a place.
Documents
- Valid passport
- Degree certificate and transcripts
- Digital portfolio (single PDF, as set out on each programme page)
- 300-word personal statement
- Two-minute video
- English test result (IELTS Academic, PTE Academic, LanguageCert Academic or Password Skills PLUS)
Check if you are eligibleShare your marks and test scores and our counsellor will tell you which courses you can apply for.
English language requirements
| Test or route | Typical requirement |
|---|---|
| IELTS Academic | 6.5 overall with at least 5.5 in each skill for MA, MArch, MDes, MFA and MRes (Innovation Design Engineering 2027/28: 6.0 in writing) |
| PTE Academic | 59 overall (59 in listening and reading, 60 in speaking and writing) |
| LanguageCert Academic | 70 overall (60 in each skill) |
| Not accepted | TOEFL iBT, Duolingo and Cambridge tests are not on the RCA's accepted list |
| Degree taught in English | Possible exemption with an official letter from your university and a 2:1 equivalent, within five years; India is not on the automatic-exemption list |
Accommodation and living costs
The RCA has no accommodation of its own. Students rent privately (usually 12-month contracts, bills extra) or book private student residences such as Urbanest in Battersea, which often include bills and offer nine-month contracts. The RCA's accommodation page publishes no prices, so check each provider directly.
| Item | In GBP | Approx. in rupees |
|---|
Campus and location
The RCA teaches across two main London campuses: historic Kensington, next to the V&A, Imperial College and Hyde Park, and Battersea, where a new Herzog & de Meuron campus opened in 2022.
- Kensington: the Darwin Building, the Library with Special Collections and the Colour Reference Library, technical services and the Students' Union.
- Battersea: the Rausing Research & Innovation Building and the Dyson, Woo and Painting Buildings, with studios, workshops and exhibition space.
- White City in the BBC Media Village has studio and workshop space; its lease is expected to end in August 2027.
- Pre-sessional English for Academic Purposes courses (6 or 10 weeks) are available for students just below the English requirement.
Careers and graduate outcomes
The RCA reports graduate outcomes from its own Graduate Careers Report. After graduating you can apply for the UK Graduate visa; see our UK guide for the current rules.
| What | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Working graduates doing work they love | At least 4 in 5 | RCA Graduate Careers Report 2024 |
| Working alumni who apply skills gained at the RCA | 90% | RCA Graduate Careers Report 2024 |
Studying in the UK
Visa rules, work rights and living costs apply to every university in the UK. Our country guide covers them in detail:
Other universities in the UK
Photo: Hampshire County Council, OGL 3 PublicUniversity of Southampton (official website, opens in a new tab)
Southampton, United KingdomOften chosen for Engineering, Computer Science & IT, Data Science & AI
Photo: DrPhoenix, CC BY-SA 3.0 PublicThe University of Manchester (official website, opens in a new tab)
Manchester, United KingdomOften chosen for Engineering, Business & Management, Life Sciences
Photo: Tim Green from Bradford, CC BY 2.0 PublicUniversity of Leeds (official website, opens in a new tab)
Leeds, United KingdomOften chosen for Business & Management, Engineering, Arts, Design & Media
Photo: Diliff, CC BY 3.0 PublicUniversity of Glasgow (official website, opens in a new tab)
Glasgow, United KingdomOften chosen for Life Sciences, Computer Science & IT, Law
Photo: Oscar Taylor, CC BY-SA 2.0 PublicCoventry University (official website, opens in a new tab)
Coventry, United KingdomOften chosen for Business & Management, Engineering, Arts, Design & Media
Photo: Simonham, CC BY-SA 3.0 PublicUniversity of Birmingham (official website, opens in a new tab)
Birmingham, United KingdomOften chosen for Business & Management, Engineering, Law
FAQs
How much does a master's at the RCA cost?
Most one-year MAs cost £40,200 to £43,000 for Overseas students starting in September 2027. Innovation Design Engineering is £47,250 for the first year, and the MArch is £30,550 a year. A £3,500 deposit is offset against fees.
Does the RCA accept TOEFL or Duolingo?
No. The RCA accepts IELTS Academic, PTE Academic, LanguageCert Academic and Password Skills PLUS. For most master's courses you need IELTS 6.5 with 5.5 in each skill, or PTE 59.
When is the deadline?
The next application deadline for September 2027 entry is 8 January 2027 at 12 noon UK time.
Does the RCA have halls?
No. Students rent privately or use private student residences. The RCA's accommodation page lists providers but not prices.
Sources
- RCA: homepage (QS subject ranking claim, Graduate Careers Report 2024 figures) (opens in a new tab)
- RCA: About the RCA (opens in a new tab)
- RCA: Innovation Design Engineering MA/MSc (opens in a new tab)
- RCA: Service Design MA (opens in a new tab)
- RCA: School of Communication & Design programmes (opens in a new tab)
- RCA: English language requirements (opens in a new tab)
- RCA: How to apply for an RCA Scholarship (opens in a new tab)
- RCA: Accommodation in London (opens in a new tab)
- RCA: Our campus (opens in a new tab)
Official website: www.rca.ac.uk (opens in a new tab)
Check the latest details