This Fine Art course creates opportunities to work across disciplines with the principal ambition of driving positive social change and impact in Nottingham, regionally and beyond. The course provides opportunities to build sustainable markets, grow communities and develop projects through core activities and initiatives that spill out of the studio and into the city, where art connects with people, places and ideas.

Through our involvement in Artists Access to Art Schools, a nationwide programme that connects art schools with local and regional talent, the course builds relationships with professional artists and artistic producers. Students work directly with these practitioners to gain valuable experience, skills and knowledge.

The ongoing curatorial projects and events that are platformed in the industry focused Design and Digital Arts resource also feature strongly in this career focused, flexible curriculum. The course is unique in providing professional standard resources and workshops, impactful research and staff expertise in both emerging technologies and analogue haptic production methods.

Our curriculum is built around the merging of these disciplines, from clay to code, and their critical application in professional, real-world contexts with the core aim of supporting and sustaining Nottingham's creative economy. Through our partnerships with both established and grassroots city organisations and richly diverse communities, this course is a core component of a thriving city arts scene in which our students learn, live and work.

Gain hands-on industry experience

You’ll have the opportunity to complete a work experience placement of up to a year in length. Dependent on the duration of your placement, you could gain an additional Diploma or Certificate in Professional Practice.

Learn from visiting artists and experts

Attend lectures and events featuring national and international artists, writers and curators. Connect with professional networks through our links to galleries, festivals and artist-led organisations across the UK and beyond.

Take part in global opportunities

Apply to study part of your degree abroad through our exchange programmes. You can also join optional study trips to destinations such as Berlin or Copenhagen, expanding your ideas and artistic references.

Be part of Nottingham’s art scene

Explore the city’s galleries, artist studios and cultural spaces including Nottingham Contemporary and New Art Exchange. Build connections with the local art community through staff, alumni and live project opportunities.

Throughout the course, you’ll experiment with a range of media and then specialise and develop in your own area of interest.

In the UK for Art and Design in Complete University Guide 2026

Module information

A standard full-time BA (Hons) course is made up of 120 credits studied each year. Some courses may vary, however, and you can find information on the total number of credits achieved per module below.

Here’s a breakdown of what you’ll be studying throughout the

Year OneYear TwoOptional placement yearFinal Year

Core ModulesExpand all +

Thinking through making

This module introduces you to the foundational practices, contexts, and theories of contemporary Art. Emphasising experimentation, curiosity, and exploration, you will engage with material and digital workshop-based activities that foster technical confidence and conceptual agility. The module also builds orientation within the art schools’ resources and introduces key modes of co-learning, peer dialogue, and professional practice. Each workshop in this module will engage with one of the core themes of community, technology, or environment.

The emphasis throughout this module is trial and error through material, technical and conceptual experimentation. You will explore different strategies and techniques through developing work as a result of provocations to stimulate an individualised response. These outputs will form the basis for the work you start to develop in semester 2 in the Speculative Practice module.

40 credits

Art ecologies 1: Global Systems and Frames

This module invites you to explore the broad and wide-ranging cultural contexts in which contemporary art operates, explored through three interconnected contexts: Community, Technology, and Environment.

Delivered alongside Thinking Through Making, the module supports you in beginning to understand how artworks are shaped by wider systems, including galleries, economic markets, global politics, social and environmental forces and institutions to name a few.

Emphasis is placed on real world examples, case studies and collective dialogue, helping you develop foundational knowledge of the contexts and situations that art operates in.

These skills prepare you for more sustained research and practice-based inquiry in your Level 5 modules.

20 credits

Speculative Practice

Building on the workshops and technical skills you developed in semester 1, this practical module encourages you to hone the processes that shape your practice by testing ideas in provisional, unfinished and speculative forms. An emphasis is placed on open ended, iterative, and experimental practice as opposed to goal oriented production. The module culminates in a dynamic group exposition, designed to help you experience how emerging artworks can function in a public context.

The module lays the foundations for Level 5 study, particularly the development of critical autonomy for the Inquiry-Led Practice module in Semester 1 of level 5. The module also supports you in being able to position work within public and dialogic contexts, which will be required for level 5 Situating Practice, Staging and Dialogue. It supports you in building the reflective, contextual, and communicative skills that underpin artistic practice as both a personal and a social act.

Art Ecologies 2: Networks and Neighbourhood

This module builds on the thematic and contextual foundations established in Art Ecologies 1: Global Systems and Frames, shifting the focus to local cultural ecosystems in and around the city. The module introduces you to the cultural, civic, and community-based infrastructures that support and shape contemporary art practice. Through a series of guided visits, guest lectures, and reflective tasks, you will explore how art engages with society, operates within cultural ecosystems and positively contributes to both human (social and civic) and non-human environments and perspectives.

You will encounter a range of cross-disciplinary creative initiatives including studios, galleries, public and community projects and ecological case studies across Nottingham and the region, developing a critical and visual understanding of art’s relationship to place, environment and community. The module builds transferable skills in observation, communication, documentation, and interpretation, forming a foundation for socially engaged and interdisciplinary practices. The module will help you develop skills required for the module Situating Practice, Staging and Dialogue at Level 5, as well as developing your CV and establishing professional networks.

The module aims to:

Introduce you to the cultural, civic, and community-based infrastructure for contemporary art practice in Nottingham

Develop awareness of the social aspects of artistic practice

Encourage independent cultural engagement and visual documentation skills

Lay the groundwork for critical reflection on art’s civic and ethical dimensions

You will study one 20-credit Optional Module. There are a range of optional 20-credit modules - these options add personalisation to your course and cover content related to your course subject area. The Optional modules may change year on year and we purposely update these regularly to allow for industry input and innovations in the subject.

Inquiry led practice

This module fosters independent inquiry through studio-based and contextual research. It builds on the foundation established at Level 4 by deepening your conceptual and practical engagement with your own work. While still supporting an experimental approach to practice, the emphasis for this module is on establishing a critical engagement with your production methods, whatever these might be. The module enables you to define the direction of your practice and identify its broader cultural and historical relations.

You will be invited to engage with a series of curatorial provocations. These real-world provocations will act as catalysts for inquiry, encouraging you to initiate critical investigations that connect broader contemporary discourse with your own personal emerging practice. This framework supports the development of a critical foundation for Situating Practice, Staging and Dialogue in semester 2. The goal is to test ideas critically, refine conceptual intentions, and develop the confidence to communicate and contextualise emerging practices within the field of contemporary art.

Situating practice: Staging and dialogue

This module focuses on staging, collaboration, and presentation of work in public or professional contexts. Building on the independent development in Inquiry-Led Practice in semester 1, you will now test your work and your methods through audience engagement, staging, and professional critique. You will engage with professional contexts such as exhibition making, festivals, residencies, and public sector encouraging you to reflect on how meaning is produced through presentation and audience interaction.

Co Lab: Research, Exploration and Risk-taking

Through active participation with team-based problem solving, you will work together in mixed teams on a project where you will use your creative ideas to generate solutions to the challenge or brief. Your project will allow you to explore how creativity can make an impact in society, as you choose a theme of sustainability, social justice, enterprise and innovation or community. This collaborative learning experience will expose you to a range of new processes and approaches that will develop your creative thinking.

Optional ModulesExpand all +

Model Making: Object and Narrative

Explore how models communicate space, scale, and ideas in this optional module. You'll experiment with materials, digital techniques, and traditional craft to develop 2D and 3D model-making skills. Studied in mixed-course groups, the module supports personalisation and cross-course collaboration while building professional practice, creative confidence, and portfolio-ready outcomes for performance and cultural industries.

Experimental Animation

Explore frame-by-frame filmmaking through process-led animation in this optional module. Develop your creative and analytical skills using experimental techniques like pixilation and morphing. With opportunities to personalise your learning and collaborate across disciplines. You'll produce an innovative moving image piece, either individually or in a group and gain insight into animation's wider artistic and cultural contexts.

Responding to the Visual World

Explore how photography can respond to the world around you in this optional module. Through workshops and seminars, you'll experiment with analogue and digital techniques, develop visual responses to contemporary issues, and produce original photographic work. This module offers the chance to personalise your course and collaborate with students from across the School of Art & Design.

Slow Making and Craftsmanship

This optional module offers the opportunity to personalise your learning and collaborate across disciplines while exploring slow making and craftsmanship in textile design. Through hands-on workshops, contextual research and storytelling, you'll examine ethical and material considerations in design. You'll finish by proposing a practice-based research project informed by your creative and critical exploration.

Sound Art & Design

In Sound Art & Design we explore sound as an artistic medium with various applications in the creative industries. Drawing from a wide range of sound practitioners and critical analyses, this module offers a platform for sound research and experimentation, allowing you to create innovative, research-informed listening experiences. Through a set of practical tasks, you will develop a personal portfolio of sound artefacts and research, enhancing your creative practice.

Live Art / Collisions

This module provides a practical and conceptual exploration of multi-sensory art-making, combining time-based media, performance, installation and movement. Students will engage with sensory interaction and technologies to create work that extends beyond a single mode of perception. The module introduces approaches from live art, expanded cinema and multimedia practice, encouraging experimentation, collaboration and reflection. Students will develop and present a resolved live, staged or screened artwork informed by critical research and feedback.

Drawing & Exploring with Natural Materials

This optional module explores sustainable creative practices using natural materials for colour, image-making, and 3D construction. Through hands-on workshops, you'll learn techniques like natural dyeing, eco-printing, and biomaterials while considering environmental impact and well-being. The module builds a foundation in sustainable design and results in a portfolio of innovative, nature-inspired visual research and experimental work.

Ecological Futures: A Creative Response

This optional module explores creative responses to ecological and environmental challenges across multiple creative disciplines. You will engage with contemporary environmental thinking and creative practices to develop works that address, document, or intervene in ecological systems. Through a combination of theoretical understanding and practical experimentation, you will develop projects that respond to local environmental contexts while engaging with global ecological discourse.

Placement year routesExpand all +

Optional Placement Year (Sandwich)*

We have an option for all of our students to undertake a placement year and allow you to decide whether this is right for you once you have completed years 1 and 2 of your course. This time spent working in industry provides our students with crucial work experience, which is highly prized and much sought after by employers upon graduation. If you are successful in securing a placement you will have the chance to gain an additional Certificate or Diploma in Professional Practice, dependent on duration.

The additional placement year incurs a fee. For international students considering the transfer to the 4-yr SW route it's important to seek advice from the International Student Support team and the Home Office regarding any potential visa implications and costs. For UK students, advice should also be sought regarding SLC eligibility, if applicable.

* If you choose to take the sandwich route option, you will need to apply for this course by using the full-time UCAS code.

0 credits

Study Abroad

If you're studying on our sandwich route you can also opt to study abroad for a full academic year, or for a semester, during Year Three. This is an optional and additional period of study that complements your degree at NTU as an alternative to taking a work placement.

This is an exciting opportunity to experience a different national culture, teaching and learning styles and subjects in an international environment. The destination university must be a year abroad / exchange partner of NTU or member of a formally recognised scheme such as the International Student Exchange Programme (ISEP).

Our NTU Global and student mobility team will support you in finding the right opportunity from one of the many international partners available around the world.

Successful completion of a period of international study will earn you a standalone award an International Study Certificate (minimum six weeks) or the International Study Diploma (minimum 36 weeks).

Defining practice and artistic agency

This module supports you to evolve a critically informed and independently sustained studio practice. You will define a coherent line of inquiry, develop relevant conceptual and theoretical frameworks and continue to develop your professional practice. Emphasis is placed on research-led making, critical dialogue, and contextual awareness. You will also continue to articulate the professional and ethical contexts of your work, with particular attention to sustainability and future employment.

Module Aims

Support the articulation and evolution of an individual line of inquiry grounded in research and practice.

Cultivate critical, contextual, and theoretical awareness.

Consolidate skills in communication, collaboration and professional engagement.

Further embed sustainable and ethical approaches within studio practice.

Encourage reflective and strategic planning for post-degree career opportunities

Art Ecologies 3: Sustainable careers

This online Flexible module focuses on preparing you to sustain a creative practice professionally, ethically, and economically. It explores the systems, strategies and infrastructures necessary to support long-term creative careers. You will develop a working knowledge of contemporary professional tools and build your online profile. You will also engage with critical debates about sustainable practice, future proofing your activities, and self-organisation. Emphasis is placed on building professional profiles, understanding commercial sectors, how and where to look for jobs, funding applications and residencies, costing projects, sales and commissions.

You will develop a personalised progression strategy, identifying realistic next steps after graduation and engaging with both speculative and practical planning. This module will prepare you for Resolved practice, Audience and Futures in Semester 2.

Resolved Practice Audience and Futures

This module supports the refining, editing, and resolution of a self-directed body of work for public presentation. You will be supported in curating and installing your own and others work with a clear understanding of context and audience, and to reflect on your practice through critical and professional documentation. The module foregrounds sustainable and ethical strategies for making and exhibiting work and supports the development of a forward-looking progression plan for professional, freelance, or postgraduate pathways.

60 credits

We regularly review our course content based on student and employer feedback to ensure they remain current and relevant. This may result in changes to module content or availability in future years. Optional modules will only run where there is sufficient demand. This will be determined on a case-by-case basis to protect the academic and student experience.

Student experience

Hannah Barton

“I would definitely recommend going on exchange. This is the best experience you can ask for. I think the most valuable lesson I learnt was to get involved, have fun, and learn as much as you possibly can. Jump at every opportunity.”

Read Hannah's profile

Kristine Vaivode

“Many of the speakers are NTU alumni, which just shows how well our graduates are doing.”

Read Kristine's profile

Sahaanaa Hariharan

Fine Art student

“I highly recommend NTU because it's a space for possibilities to grow and evolve.”

Read Sahaanaa's profile

Fine Art Amber Charlotte

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Queenie Appiagyei

“When I visited NTU for the first time the university was so diverse, lively, and welcoming. Being from London I’m used to an energetic vibe and I definitely felt that when I came to NTU.”

Read Queenie's profile

Agil Abdullayev

“The tutors and technicians are great! They have helped me to improve my works more than I could have ever imagined. Joining NTU has been the best decision I have ever made.”

Read Agil's profile

Fine Art, BA - Emily Stollery

“The facilities the course offers are second to none, they allowed me to develop and become more ambitious.”

Read Emily's profile

Harry Freestone

“I like that the city supports my creative practice by having such a vibrant art scene, including international galleries such as Nottingham Contemporary, through to smaller independent galleries that are great at supporting and working with students.”

Read Harry's profile

Kayt Hughes

“When I came to NTU I was absolutely blown away by the fantastic studio spaces, the enthusiasm of the students, and the involvement of the staff.”

Read Kayt's profile

Chris Preece

“As soon as I visited I knew I needed to be here; everything about NTU was so vibrant and invigorating, I remember walking through the studios and thinking I need to be a part of this.”

Read Chris's profile

Student Work

Student work created by Betina and displayed in the Bonington Art Gallery

Student work created by Camilla Yan Tung, hand-built ceramic art with the Maneki-Neko theme.

Work by Eve Stokes, large abstract paintings with acrylic floral compositions layered with spray paint.

Students exploring the GShow 24

Installation by Jessica Lewis, practice embodies the process of foraging and wielding the potential of natural materials.

Oil paintings by Rhianna Pierson, BA (Hons) Fine Art

Student Work by Sam Ebrahmz Adeh, Fine Art

Head artwork by Fine Art student, Tkya Taylor

Video Gallery

Tristan Hessing | NSA&D Alumni

How you're taught

You’ll spend most of your time in a creative studio environment. Teaching and learning experiences will include:

individual and group tutorials and presentations

year meetings

Live Lecture programme

technical advice and workshops

visiting lecturer tutorials

studio lecturer tutorials (sign-ups)

career guidance

organised study trips

Showcase guidance.

Experiment with different media before focusing on what is right for your own practice.

Take part in local and international exhibitions and events, such as the Tilburg project in the Netherlands and Kunstpodium T programme.

Have the support of academic and technical staff who are practising artists in their own right.

Want real-world experience alongside your degree? Co Lab is your opportunity to work with peers from different disciplines on live projects set by industry partners. Embrace collaborative practice as you explore how creativity can make an impact in society and develop the skills employers want to see in the creative industries.

Find out more

Exchange opportunities and study trips

You’ll have the opportunity to go on a number of national and European trips during the course. Recent UK destinations have included Liverpool Biennial festival, Glasgow International festival, and various London galleries. European destinations have included Berlin and Copenhagen.

The course has exchange agreements with a number of institutions around the world, including Massey University in New Zealand, University of Lapland in Finland, and more. You can apply to go on exchange in Year Two for one semester.

A recent international masterclass programme has also given selected students the opportunity to work on a group project exhibiting in the Netherlands with students from across Europe.

Showcase

You will be given the opportunity to exhibit your work during your time at NTU to members of the creative industries. Visit our ‘We Are Creatives’ showcase to take a look at the work of this year's graduating students’.

Artificial Intelligence and Innovation in Fine Art

Our Fine Art course centres on making, context and critical thinking. AI is used only where it genuinely supports studio practice and professional development. Industry partners continue to emphasise the importance of technical, material and hands‑on skills.

You will build creative and craft‑based skills across disciplines such as drawing, painting, sculpture, print, time‑based media and installation, while exploring how emerging tools like generative AI can responsibly extend your ideas and research.

AI may be used to support critical development or as an additional creative material, but never as a replacement for human creativity. Clear guidance on originality, authorship and ethics ensures you develop a distinctive, materially grounded practice and are well prepared for a sector where human creative thinking remains essential.

Find out more about AI, Creativity and Innovation at the Nottingham School of Art & Design

How you're assessed

Assessment is a combination of practical and coursework across all years of study. Formative and summative assessment for practical modules involves the presentation of a body of practical work and a module portfolio. Both parts of the submission are graded holistically. For the contextual studies modules, submission for assessment will be based on coursework and other embedded written assignments. Assessment methods can include exhibitions, individual and group presentations, seminars and submission of written/visual material. Assessment methods used throughout the course reflect professional practice in the wider field and are designed to help you meet the course and module learning outcomes.

Contact hours

For each 20-credit module, you’ll spend about 200 hours learning overall. Around 40 of those hours will be taught in lectures or seminars. The rest of the time is for independent study, reading, research, or working on assignments.

Who will teach you?

Rob Flint

Senior Lecturer

Visit Rob Flint's staff profile

Lharne Shaw

Visit Lharne Shaw's staff profile

Dr Emily Strange

Principal Lecturer

Dr Emily Strange is Senior Lecturer in the School of Art & Design and Course Leader for BA Fine Art.

Visit Dr Emily Strange's staff profile

Lisa Selby

Lisa Selby is an Artist and Senior Lecturer at Nottingham Trent University, UK. Her work revolves around the personal, societal, and political impacts of drink and drug addiction.

Lisa Co-Directed the 2023 @BAFTA Nominated Feature Film ‘Blue Bag Life’ (Audience Award Winner @BFI London Film Festival, 2022).

The Instagram account @bluebaglife is a growing community for shared stories about drug and drink addiction, mental health, and love.

Visit Lisa Selby's staff profile

Katja Hock

As Course Leader, Dr Katja Hock is responsible for the MA Fine Art course and MFA in Fine Art courses.

Visit Katja Hock's staff profile

Louisa Chambers

Louisa Chambers is a Senior Lecturer in Fine Art, has taught across all levels on the undergraduate programme and into the MFA and has PhD supervisory responsibilities at NTU.

Visit Louisa Chambers's staff profile

Eva Fernandez Martos

Eva Fernandez Martos is currently a Lecturer in Fine Art. She has taught across Level 4 and Level 5 within the course and has led an optional module across different courses within the Design and Digital Art Department. She is leading the practical module in Level 4 and is responsible for organising and delivering workshops, assessment, year meetings, seminars, group and individual tutorials.

Eva specialises in 3D digital design, technology and fabrication.

Visit Eva Fernandez Martos's staff profile

Gerry Williams

Gerard Williams is a 0.5 lecturer/senior lecturer in Fine Art at NTU.

Visit Gerry Williams's staff profile

Paul Jones

Dr Paul Jones is Senior Lecturer in the Nottingham School of Art & Design and Course Leader for BA Fine Art.

Visit Paul Jones's staff profile

Ryan Heath

Lecturer

Ryan Heath is a Lecturer in the Nottingham School of Art & Design for BA Fine Art.

Visit Ryan Heath's staff profile

Entry requirements

UK students

Standard offer: 112 UCAS Tariff points from up to four qualifications

Contextual offer: 104 UCAS Tariff points from up to four qualifications

Other requirements

a portfolio

To find out what qualifications have tariff points, please use our tariff calculator.

Additional requirements

Additional requirements for UK students

There are no additional requirements for this course.

Contextual offers

We consider every application in the context of your individual circumstances and educational background. This may include information about where you live, the school or college you attended, or experiences that may have shaped your educational journey. This is known as a contextual offer, and we use information provided through UCAS to help inform our decisions. By considering achievement in context, we can better recognise academic potential and ensure applicants are assessed as fairly and fully as possible.

Meeting our entry requirements

Hundreds of qualifications in the UK have UCAS Tariff points attached to specific grades, including A-levels, BTECs, T Levels and many more. You can use your grades and points from up to four different qualifications to meet our criteria. Enter your predicted or achieved grades into our Tariff calculator to find out how many points your qualifications are worth.

Other qualifications and experience

NTU welcomes applications from students with non-standard qualifications and learning backgrounds, either for year one entry or for advanced standing beyond the start of a course into year 2 or beyond.

We consider study and/or credit achieved from a similar course at another institution (otherwise known as credit transfer), vocational and professional qualifications, and broader work or life experience.

Our Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfer Policy outlines the process and options available for this route. If you wish to apply via Recognition of Prior Learning, please contact the central Admissions and Enquiries Team who will be able to support you through the process.

Getting in touch

If you need more help or information, get in touch through our enquiry form.

International students

Academic entry requirements: 112 UCAS Tariff points from up to four qualifications. We accept equivalent qualifications from all over the world. Please check your international entry requirements by country

English language requirements: See our English language requirements page for requirements for your subject and information on alternative tests and Pre-sessional English.

Additional international requirements

Additional requirements for international students

If you need help achieving the academic entry requirements, we offer a Foundation preparation course for this degree. The course is offered through our partner Nottingham Trent International College (NTIC) based on our City campus.

English language requirements

View our English language requirements for all courses, including alternative English language tests and country qualifications accepted by the University.

If you need help achieving the language requirements, we offer a Pre-Sessional English for Academic Purposes course on our City campus which is an intensive preparation course for academic study at NTU.

If you have the right level of qualifications, you may be able to start your Bachelors degree at NTU in year 2 or year 3. This is called ‘advanced standing’ entry and is decided on a case-by case basis after our assessment of your qualifications and experience.

You can view our Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfer Policy which outlines the process and options available, such as recognising experiential learning and credit transfer.

Sign up for emails

Sign up to receive regular emails from the International Office. You'll hear about our news, scholarships and any upcoming events in your country with our expert regional teams.

If you need advice about studying at NTU as an international student or how to apply, our international webpages are a great place to start. If you have any questions about your study options, your international qualifications, experience, grades or other results, please get in touch through our enquiry form. Our international teams are highly experienced in answering queries from students all over the world.

Policies

We strive to make our admissions procedures as fair and clear as possible. To find out more about how we make offers, visit our admissions policies page.

Fees and funding

UK students - see the fees for this course, as well as information about funding and support.

£10,050 per year

Year abroad - £1,507

Placement year - £2,010

If you choose to do a placement year or year abroad, you'll pay a reduced fee for that year. Please be aware that you will be charged the fee set for the year this takes place, rather than being fixed at the rate applicable when you start your course, and any increases are subject to Government approval. As a guide, the fees above are for the 2027/28 academic year.

Find out about the extra support we may be able to provide to help pay for uni, including NTU bursaries and scholarships.

You will need to pay tuition fees for each year that you are at university. The tuition fees, including the placement year and study abroad options are subject to government policy and may change in future years of study.

Preparing for the financial side of student life is important, but we don’t want you to feel anxious or confused about it. Visit our fees and funding pages if you have any concerns.

International students - see the fees for this course, as well as payment advice and scholarships.

£19,150 per year

You will need to pay tuition fees for each year that you are at university. The tuition fees might increase from the second year of your undergraduate course, in line with inflation and as specified by the UK government.

Scholarships

We offer international scholarships of up to 50% of your tuition fee. You can apply for a scholarship when you have an offer to study at NTU.

Living costs

See our advice on managing your money and the cost of living as an international student in Nottingham.

Paying fees

As an international student, you'll need to make an advance payment as part of your offer conditions. You'll then need to pay your tuition fees in full, or have an agreement to pay in two further instalments, in order to enrol on the course.

Find out how and when to pay your fees, including information about your advance payment, instalment dates and how to make payments securely to the University.

Enquiries

If you have any queries relating to advance payments or arrangements to pay, please contact our friendly and experienced international enquiries team.

Additional costs

Your course fees cover the cost of studies and include loads of great benefits, such as the use of our library, support from our expert Employability team and free use of the IT equipment across our campuses. There are just a few additional things you may need to budget for:

Textbooks and library books

Your modules will point you to key textbooks and recommended reading. Many are available online, and in our libraries, but some students choose to buy their own copies. You’ll receive resource lists showing where to access eBooks, digital resources and physical copies. Our friendly Library team is always on hand to help you find what you need.

Printing and photocopying costs

The University allocates an annual printing and copying allowance of £20 depending on the course you are studying. For more details about costs for additional print and copying required over and above the annual allowance please see the printing and photocopying information on the Library website.

Placements

If you're undertaking a placement year, you'll need to budget for accommodation and any travel costs you may incur whilst on placement. Many of our placement students do earn a salary whilst on placement which can help to cover these living costs.

Field trips

All essential field trip costs will be included in your course fees. There may be the opportunity to take part in optional field trips, which do incur additional costs.

Material Costs - Fine Art & Photography

Depending on the materials you choose to work with, you should budget a minimum of £100 (Year One), £150 (Year Two), and £500 (Final Year) to cover the production costs associated to your course, including things like your final year work. Of course, you may spend less or more than this depending on the nature of your studies.

Graduate Festival Showcase

In Final Year, the Nottingham School of Art & Design will provide infrastructure costs for your Showcase. If you’re selected to showcase your work at a graduate show in London, the School will cover the cost of transporting your work and the exhibition stand.

Year abroad

If you choose to study abroad for a year, you may need to consider additional costs such as visas, vaccinations, accommodation and travel expenses.

Fees and funding advice

For more advice and guidance, phone the Student Money Team on +44 (0)115 848 2494.

Cost of living information and support

Managing your money can help you make the most of life at NTU. Here's how we can support you, and now you can make your funding go further.

Cost of living in Nottingham

Our student benefits and free services

Money advice for international students

Careers and employability

A high proportion of graduates stay in Nottingham to pursue artistic activities. Many go on to become artists or work in roles such as curators, teachers, gallerists, animators, musicians, community artists, photographers and filmmakers. Some go on to use the skills and experience they’ve gained to enter careers in journalism, media, photography, web design, interiors, landscape design, and education.

Successful and notable graduates from this course include:

film director Simon Ellis

painter Nigel Cooke

artist and illustrator Jon Burgerman

curators Hannah Conroy and Ashley Gallant

artists Tim Noble and Sue Webster

award-winning landscape designer Sarah Price

video artist Marianna Simnett

artist Yoko Hayashi

sculptor David Batchelor.

Professional practice and internship opportunities

You’ll have the opportunity to complete work experience or longer placement with external art organisations, galleries, and collectives, with the chance to gain an additional Diploma or Certificate in Professional Practice, dependent on duration. Course tutors and our Employability team are on hand to support you in applying for placement and professional practice opportunities. You’ll have access to:

a database containing contacts for potential work placements

collaborative opportunities for project development, exhibitions, and shows of work.

You will benefit from opportunities to collaborate on projects and exhibitions with a range of prestigious Nottingham institutions, including:

Nottingham Contemporary

New Art Exchange

Broadway Cinema

Surface Gallery

Nottingham Castle Museum & Art Gallery.

Fine Art students at NTU also benefit from collaborative opportunities with our staff and technicians.

Creative Industries Federation

We are members of the Creative Industries Federation (CIF), which means students in the Nottingham School of Art & Design have the opportunity to sign up to free student membership. Creative Industries Federation are an organisation that represents, champions and supports the UK’s creative industries and membership grants students exclusive access to their selection of resources and events to help advance your career and connect with industry.

Links with the creative community

This course is set against the backdrop of Nottingham’s exceptionally strong contemporary art community. The city is internationally recognised as a centre of world-leading artistic innovation and creative business.

Over recent years, Nottingham has become a vibrant hub for new and emerging artists, boasting a diverse and thriving network of galleries, art spaces and artist led initiatives – many of which our graduates are involved with. A high volume of our graduating students choose to stay in Nottingham, developing career paths within the city’s art scene.

You’ll benefit from NTU’s wealth of contacts and links with regional and national art organisations, galleries, and collectives. Our Fine Art students have recently exhibited publicly at venues like Surface Gallery, and Backlit as well as other pop-up galleries in Nottingham and Internationally.

Live lectures

Our Live Lecture programme runs throughout all years of the course. It welcomes national and international artists, creative practitioners and theorists, including:

Rachel Pimm

Jeremy Deller

Richard Wentworth

Esther Leslie

Pil and Galia Kollectiv

Hetain Patel

Rehana Zaman

Harold Offeh

John Newling

Competitions

Our Fine Art students enter competitions as available and relevant to their areas of practice. The main focus of this course is on developing collaborative relationships with external art organisations and practices.

Recent examples of competitions students have taken part in include the Woon Foundation Painting and Sculpture Prize, Harbin International University Snow Sculpture competition, the Saatchi Gallery's New Sensations, Bloomberg New Contemporaries, The Jerwood Drawing Prize, and the ING Prize.

Employability Promise

Personalised support, one-on-one coaching and industry-specific advice – it’s all part of our Employability Promise. And it doesn’t end when you leave NTU – you’ll have access to all our careers services for three years after you graduate (conditions apply).

Graduate employers

Graduates from this course have successful careers in organisations such as:

The Hepworth Wakefield

AOU Studio

Ohh Deer Ltd

Rough Trade

Our graduates are…

Graduates from this course now work in a wide range of roles such as:

Art maker

Art worker

Creative art coordinator

Art and design teacher

Artistic assistant and development Officer

Studio assistant

Assessed work-like experience

We’ve embedded at least eight weeks of assessed work-like experience into all of our courses. This gives you the opportunity to apply your learning in real-world scenarios, build your confidence, and develop the experience employers are looking for.

NTU Enterprise

If you’re a budding entrepreneur, NTU Student Enterprise can help you to develop your ideas and innovations and turn them into a reality. We also offer training, mentoring, workshops, financial advice and more to develop your business skills.

Where your course could take you

Discover how our students and alumni used their qualification to further their careers. Take a look at our other profiles and explore the possibilities awaiting you.

From the gallery to the stage: Hugh's story

Fine Art graduate Hugh Dichmont shares his NTU experience from the gallery to the stage ahead of returning to deliver a short course on comedy writing.

View profile

Campus and facilities

Our Fine Art students are based in the Bonington building, a dedicated art and design building.

360° view of our fine art studio

Fine Art Facilities

For more information visit the Fine Art Facilities page.

Bonington Gallery

For more information visit the Bonington Gallery page.

Bonington Art Shop

For more information visit the Bonington Art Shop page.

Take a virtual tour

Applying

Apply for this course through UCAS.

We will ask you to provide a digital portfolio. Visit our webpage which has some advice on what to include to help make your portfolio stand out. After you have submitted your portfolio, we may also invite you to an online interview to help us make our final decision.

Please be aware that all enrolments onto the Course will initially be for the full time 3-year route. There is however an opportunity for you to internally transfer to the 4-year SW route if you secure a placement. The placement would need to be confirmed and transfer agreed during your 2nd year to enable you to commence the placement in year 3. It is important that you seek advice regarding any funding and financial implications before making any changes to your course structure.

Apply through UCAS

You can apply for this course through UCAS. If you are not applying to any other UK universities, you can apply directly to us on our NTU applicant portal.

Your portfolio

If your initial application is successful, you may be asked to upload a portfolio of your work and you may also be asked to attend an interview.

Portfolio advice

Please be aware that you will need to apply for the three-year full-time course. There is however an opportunity for you to internally transfer to the 4-year SW route if you secure a placement. The placement would need to be confirmed and transfer agreed during your 2nd year to enable you to commence the placement in year 3. It is critical to consult with the NTU International Student Support Team and the Home Office for updated visa regulations and requirements before making any changes to your course structure.

The University's commitment to delivering the educational services advertised.

Please read our application guidance before you start your application.

We advise you to prepare and apply as early as you can as Student visa processing time can vary.

We'll send you important emails throughout the application process. Please check your emails regularly, including your junk/spam mail folder.

Apply through NTU portal

Personal statement guidance

You’ll submit a personal statement with your UCAS application – here are our tips on what to include and how to structure your personal statement.

Application support

If you have any questions about applying, get in touch through our online form or call us on 44 (0)115 848 4200.

Related courses

Illustration

BA (Hons)

Graphic Design

Animation BA (Hons)

Design for Film and Television

Design for Theatre and Live Performance

More from this subject

View more courses on the Fine Art subject page

Further study

View Fine Art postgraduate courses

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Keeping in touch

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Email the international team

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