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A collage of six polaroid images of students. The images include a student holding woven fabric, a student smiling holding a cardboard structure, 4 students posing for a photo, a student designing an illustrated character on the computer, a student painting and a student sewing denim
A collage of six polaroid images of students. The images include a student holding woven fabric, a student smiling holding a cardboard structure, 4 students posing for a photo, a student designing an illustrated character on the computer, a student painting and a student sewing denim
Insights Summer School activities 2026 | Photos: Thai Mahendrakumar, Yana Kozar, Aleks Faust

Join our free pre-university programme that supports your creative expression, future study and career.

For students aged 16+

We offer hands-on creative workshops and guidance on pathways into higher education, across a wide variety of subjects. Join our:

  • Spring Schools (March/April)
  • Summer Schools (June/July)
  • Autumn/Winter schools (October–February)

Browse other opportunities for all ages.

Who can take part? Eligibility criteria

Applicants must be:


Aged 16+ and studying A-Levels and/or Level 3 Diplomas in London*, and meet at least one of the following criteria:

  • You are currently, or have been, in care.
  • You live in a priority postcode area (using the Index of Multiple Deprivation areas in deciles 1 to 4).
  • You live in a household that receives benefits for living costs, including: Universal Credit; Child Tax Credit; Free School Meals; Housing Benefit; Income Support; Income-based Job Seekers Allowance.
  • You have no parent or guardian that has completed a university degree.

*We prioritise applicants from UAL Outreach partner schools or colleges, some of which are outside of London. If you’d like to check whether you attend a partner school or college, you can email outreach@arts.ac.uk.

Alternative backgrounds

We recognise that equivalent experience can be gained through informal education, clubs and life experiences outside of school or college. We’ll consider applicants from these backgrounds on a case-by-case basis.
Students on the Foundation programme at UAL are not eligible, but are supported by UAL's Academic Support Teams.

Apply: Autumn/Winter Schools

Camberwell College of Arts

Choose a pathway:

  • Fine Art Practice
  • Graphic Design and Illustration
  • Product, Furniture, Interior and Spatial Design

Dates:

  • Saturdays, 10.30am – 4.30pm
  • 7, 14, 21, 28 November 2026 and 9, 16 January 2027
  • 1-1 portolio tutorials on Wednesday 13 January 2027

Apply:

Apply for Camberwell College of Arts

Central Saint Martins

Choose a pathway:

  • Architecture
  • Fashion Communication and Journalism
  • Fashion Textiles (incl. Jewellery Design)
  • Fine Art Practice
  • Graphic Communication Design (5 weeks only)
  • Product and Ceramic Design

Dates:

  • Wednesdays, 5pm – 7.30pm
  • Graphic Communication Design: 25 November, 2 December 2026 and 13, 20, 27 January 2027
  • All other pathways: 4, 11, 18, 25 November, 2 December 2026 and 13, 20, 27 January 2027

Apply:

Apply for Central Saint Martins

London College of Communication

Choose a pathway:

  • Animation, Games, Visual Effects and Immersive Media
  • Filmmaking, Television, Film Studies
  • Graphic Design, Illustration, Art Direction, Interaction Design
  • Media Communications, Advertising, Journalism
  • Photography
  • Sound and Music

Dates:

  • Wednesdays, 5pm – 7.30pm
  • 4, 11, 18, 25 November, 2 December 2026 and 13, 20, 27 January and 3 February 2027

Apply:

Apply for London College of Communication

London College of Fashion

Choose a pathway:

  • Fashion Business, Buying, Management, Marketing, Psychology and Visual Merchandising (7 weeks only)
  • Fashion Design, Costume and Textiles
  • Fashion Photography, Make-Up, Styling, PR, Journalism and Creative Direction

Dates:

  • Wednesdays, 3pm – 6pm
  • Fashion Design, Costume and Textiles: 21 October, 4, 11, 18, 25 November, and 2, 9 December 2026
  • All other pathways: 4, 11, 18, 25 November, 2 December 2026 and 13, 20, 27 January 2027

Apply:

Apply for London College of Fashion

School of Pre-Degree Studies (Foundation)

Foundation Diploma in Art and Design

  • Wednesdays, 4.30 – 7pm
  • Practical workshops (in-person): 4, 11, 18, 25 November, and 2, 9 December 2026
  • 1-1 portfolio tutorials (in-person and online): 13, 20, 27 January 2027

Apply:

Apply for the School of Pre-Degree Studies

Wimbledon College of Arts

Choose a pathway:

  • Acting and Performance
  • Costume Design, Theatre Design, Art Direction and Technical Theatre *(please note - this pathway will be hosted at Camberwell College of Arts, but it feeds into the degree programmes taught at Wimbledon)

Dates:

  • Acting and Performance: Saturday 7 and 21 November 2026, 11am – 5pm
  • Costume Design, Theatre Design, Art Direction and Technical Theatre: Saturday 7, 14, 21, 28 November 2026 and 9, 16 January 2027, 10.30am – 4.30pm
  • All pathways: 1-1 portolio tutorials on Wednesday 13 January 2027

Apply:

Apply for Wimbledon College of Arts

What will I get from taking part?

  • Find out more about UAL degree courses.
  • Build confidence in creative techniques.
  • Get to know like-minded people.
  • Create work for your future portfolio.
  • Get advice about going to university.

Connect with Insights

Head to @ual_insights  for videos that introduce you to our activities and projects.

Explore the Insights Linktree and YouTube for more content, news and resources.

UAL Insights privacy notice

This notice sets out how UAL’s Outreach programme, UAL Insights, uses your personal information. Your information is collected when you register for one our programmes using our online forms.

University of the Arts London (UAL) will process the information you provide on this form and personal data collected or created as part of our relationship with you.

We will also process your health or other sensitive data under GDPR 9(2)(a) ‘explicit consent of the data subject’ (you, the student), where you wish to tell us of special requirements.