MA Fine Art

Entry requirements

Entrants should normally have achieved a BA (Hons) / BSc Degree of 2:1 or above (or its equivalent), in a subject related to your proposed course of study.

Applicants who hold a Degree from another discipline may also be considered for entry, subject to the submission of a satisfactory portfolio of art, design or media-related work in support of their application.

The offer of entry onto a Masters Degree (MA) is based on an expectation that you have the potential to fulfil the aims of the course of study and achieve the standard required to successfully complete the award.

Portfolio guidance

Show us your best stuff. Tell us what you still want to achieve. Your portfolio is your chance to paint a picture of where an MA at NUA could take you.

You should aim to bring about six pieces of work that demonstrate your learning, progress and creativity. The interview panel will be interested in seeing sketchbooks, notebooks, publications, catalogues, blogs or websites that relate to your practice.

We know that for some people an MA application is a change in direction and some work may only be in a developmental stage. We also know that for those in the final year of undergraduate study completed Major Projects may be unavailable or unfinished, in which case we welcome representative images of work in progress.

You can choose to bring original work with you or show a digital portfolio using your own device and on a USB drive, DVD, social media platform or through website platforms such as YouTube, Vimeo, Prezi, Behance, Dropbox, personal websites or blogs. If you choose to present your portfolio digitally please notify us in advance of your interview. If you wish to submit a digital portfolio ahead of your interview we can only accept PDF documents or website links by email.

Tips on preparing your portfolio:

• Your portfolio should be presented in a logical and ordered manner
• It’s important to include a range of creative work that demonstrates your compatibility with the MA course you have applied for
• The interview panel will be interested in seeing sketchbooks and notebooks as well as finished work
• Physical examples of practice (printed matter, objects, painting, sculpture etc.) are acceptable at interview, but larger pieces of work should be shown as photographs or digital submission
• Film, video and animation work should be 2-5 minutes long
• Include any links to relevant websites or blogs that contain your work
• Your application includes a 500 word written statement, but you might wish to include other examples of your written work (for example an undergraduate essay or a research report) that relates to your chosen subject
• International applicants interviewing by Skype should submit a digital portfolio (see above) in advance and/or supply URLs to digital portfolios or online blogs that showcase your practice.

2023/24 University fees for new entrants

NUA will assess students’ tuition fee status using the guidance provided by the UK Council for International Student Affairs

Students from the UK or Ireland and EU students with ‘Settled’ or ‘Pre-Settled’ status will be charged ‘Home’ fees if they meet the relevant residency requirements.  They will usually be eligible for a postgraduate loan from the UK government.

Students who do not meet the necessary residency requirements will usually be charged ‘Overseas’ fees and will not be eligible for the UK government postgraduate loan. Since 2021/22, this includes new entrants from the EU, EEA, and Switzerland who do not have ‘Settled’ or ‘Pre-Settled’ status, because the UK has now formally left the EU.

In subsequent years inflation may be applied to the fees of those who started in 2023/24, at no more than the Office for Students’ recommended measure based on forecast RPI-X. The exceptions to this are the fees for the Home postgraduate degree (part-time) and the MArch Architecture (full-time and part-time), which will definitely remain at the same rate in later years.

Financial support for UK students in 2023

Postgraduate Masters Loan

For 2023, UK nationals and EU nationals who have ‘Settled’ or ‘Pre-Settled’ status may be eligible for a government loan towards course fees or living costs. Both full and part-time Masters degree students can apply for the Masters loan.

NUA alumni, staff and feeder staff discount

Home NUA alumni are eligible for a £1,000 discount on NUA postgraduate degree fees. For the purposes of this discount, alumni are those who have completed a course with us at undergraduate or postgraduate level, but excluding short courses.

All NUA staff and art teachers at high schools or sixth form colleges are eligible for a £1,000 discount on NUA postgraduate degree fees. As long as this status applies at the time that they start the course, we will honour the discount for the duration of the course, even if the person subsequently leaves their employment.

How to apply

Applications to our postgraduate courses should be made directly to Norwich University of the Arts using a Postgraduate Application Form.

Postgraduate Application form 2023-24 – Word format

Applications should be returned to admissions@nua.ac.uk 

Terms and conditions

• NUA Terms and Conditions (11/12/20) 
• NUA Student Regulations and Procedures (22/09/22)
• Student Protection Plan (05/09/18)

Interview

If you’re invited to interview we’ll ask you to bring a portfolio of recent work. You’ll be interviewed by one or more members of the MA course team, who will ask you about your work, your applicant’s statement and your preparedness for postgraduate study.

Interviews normally last around thirty minutes and you’ll have a chance to ask the course team questions. We will endeavour to let you know if you have been successful within ten days of your interview.

When should I apply for an MA course?

There is no official deadline for applying for a postgraduate course. We would recommend you apply by 25 August (at the very latest) of the autumn you wish to start. This will allow time for your interview to take place and the necessary paperwork to be processed if you are successful in achieving a place. International students requiring a visa should apply as soon as possible in the year they wish to start. Email our International Team for more information.

Find out more about applying.