How UAL Awarding Body learners are shaping their futures

Where do learners go after completing a UAL Awarding Body qualification? New progression data reveals a clear picture: learners are moving into higher education, creative careers and specialist disciplines with confidence and direction.

Behind the scenes, our Research and Policy team works with the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) to understand what progression really looks like. And while no two journeys are the same, some clear patterns are emerging.

Progression with direction

Many learners progress directly into higher education, receiving offers from around 200 HEIs across the UK, including UAL, Ravensbourne, Falmouth University and BIMM. Of all higher education institutions nationally, UAL is the most popular destination for applications, offers and acceptances from UAL Awarding Body learners.

This progression route is particularly well aligned with students who wish to continue studying creative subjects at the next level. Many learners continue into creative disciplines, building on the work they developed during their Level 3 studies. This suggests that our qualifications are both enabling access to higher education, but also supporting informed, subject-specific progression.

Continuing creative pathways

Creative subjects remain the most common destination, including areas like design, performance, media and fine art.

Alongside this, there is evidence of breadth. Learners are also progressing into adjacent fields such as architecture, games and digital production — applying creative skills in different contexts.

Together, these patterns point to a model that supports both specialisation and flexibility.

What supports this

These outcomes are closely linked to how our qualifications are structured.

UAL Awarding Body qualifications are based on sustained, project-based learning. Learners develop work over time - testing ideas and approaches whilst building portfolios.

As one tutor explains:

“Creative development is not a quick process. It requires time for exploration, skill-building, and reflection - time for learners to discover their own unique voice.”

This emphasis on process, rather than high-stakes assessment, helps learners develop the creative and independent learning skills needed for progression, with Ofqual research highlighting that large Level 3 vocational creative qualifications are often preferred by specialist HEIs for preparing learners for degree-level study.

A model that works for different learners

This approach also supports a broad range of learners, including those who may not thrive in exam-led environments.

Project-based assessment allows learners to demonstrate their strengths in different ways, which can have a direct impact on both achievement and progression.

As one centre notes:

“We have found learners with SEND really respond well to the linear, project-based way of assessing their work and are able to achieve higher than they would have if they’d been forced to take summative exams.”

Why this matters

Taken together, this points to a consistent outcome - learners are progressing into routes that truly reflect their skills and ambitions.

At a time when the future of creative and vocational education is under increasing scrutiny, and with ongoing change across the 16-19 landscape, understanding what supports effective progression matters more than ever. These findings suggest that project-based creative qualifications are helping learners access higher education and pursue pathways aligned with their interests, strengths and ambitions. For more on this, take a look at our Building on What Works publication, published earlier this year.

We’ll continue to build this picture over the coming months, sharing further insight into learner pathways and outcomes across creative education.

This information has been derived from the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) OUTREACH EVALUATOR analytical data service for the 2025 academic cycle.