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Pre-degree courses

Illustrating in a sketchbook
Illustrating in a sketchbook
Sydney Carty, 2023 Level 3 International: Introduction to the Study of Fashion, London College of Fashion, UAL | Photograph: Alys Tomlinson

Pre-degree and foundation courses help you develop the skills, experience and portfolio needed for further study.

What are pre-degree and foundation courses?

These preparatory courses help bridge the gap between secondary school and degree-level study. They give you the chance to:

  • expand your knowledge and skills
  • develop a strong portfolio of work
  • explore lots of subjects to help you decide what you'd like to specialise in.

Who are they designed for?

If you plan to study a practical undergraduate degree in areas such as fashion, art or design, we recommend completing a pre-degree or foundation course first.

We offer a range of options depending on your needs and background:

  • UAL Foundation Diploma in Art and Design for UK and International students.
  • Certificate of Higher Education: Preparation for Design, Media and Screen for UK and International students.
  • Pre-degree courses for International students.

Find out about our students' pre-degree experiences.

Why pre-degree?

A pre-degree course gives you a unique opportunity to prepare for an undergraduate degree. Discover 8 reasons why you should apply.

Discover Lime Grove

Learn more about our dedicated site for pre-degree students in west London.

Portfolio advice

You may need to submit a portfolio when you apply to a pre-degree course. Get some tips on how to build a strong online portfolio.

Life after pre-degree

Find out how UAL supports your move from pre-degree to undergraduate study, including progression guidance, portfolio advice and UCAS support.

Our courses

Foundation Diploma in Art and Design

The year-long Foundation Diploma in Art and Design course is designed to prepare students for specialist undergraduate degrees in art and design subjects.

It’s a year of exciting projects, new faces and experiences that will inform your future study, career and creative life. You'll try different disciplines from across art and design while being supported to fulfil your creative potential and ambitions.

All students who successfully complete the Foundation Diploma course will be guaranteed an offer of a place on an undergraduate course at UAL. This means that as long as you pass, you’ll have the opportunity to continue your studies at one of our 6 Colleges or our Creative Computing Institute the following year.

More pre-degree courses at UAL

Our pre-degree courses for International students are designed to help you adjust to living and studying in a new country. As well as workshop and studio-based learning, each course provides English language support and academic writing guidance.

Our Certificate of Higher Education: Preparation for Design, Media and Screen is open to both UK and international students. It gives you the chance to develop your creative, academic and professional potential in design, media and screen.

  • Digital magazine cover on a laptop screen
    Samantha Yu, 2023 Level 3 International: Introduction to the Study of Fashion, London College of Fashion, UAL | Photograph: Alys Tomlinson

    International: Introduction to the Study of Fashion

    A practical introduction to fashion for students planning to study an undergraduate degree at London College of Fashion.

  • Chiara Vicco, 2023, Pre-Degree online, UAL.
    Chiara Vicco, 2023, Pre-Degree online, UAL.

    Pre-degree: Online

    Taught entirely online, this 6 month pre-degree course will prepare you for an undergraduate degree in Art, Design or Communication.

  • Fashion photography by Rob Phillips

    International Preparation for Fashion (Certificate in Higher Education)

    Develop the skills, knowledge and portfolio needed to progress to a specialist undergraduate degree in fashion.

International students

Find guidance on the application process, immigration and visas, and everything else you need to get your creative journey started.

Accommodation

Find information and advice on living in halls of residence or in a privately-rented property.

Chat to a student

Got questions about studying with us? Our student ambassadors are here to help.

Student stories

  • A student wearing sunglasses and a light jacket stands outdoors in front of a stone building and wooden doors, adjusting their hair in sunlight.
    Photograph: Sophia Lyu

    Sophia’s pre-degree story: From uncertainty to creative confidence

    Follow Sophia’s journey from pre-degree study to BA Illustration at UAL, building confidence, portfolios and creative direction through tailored progression support.

  • A student smiles at the camera in a head-and-shoulders portrait, wearing glasses and a patterned headscarf against a plain background.
    Photograph: Zarlakhta Edris

    Zarlakhta’s pre-degree story: A stepping stone towards architecture

    See how Zarlakhta used a UAL foundation course to progress into BA Architecture, gaining portfolio strength, confidence and clear progression pathways.

  • A student stands smiling in a studio, leaning against a wooden display plinth with a metal umbrella installation on top, surrounded by desks and creative materials.
    Photograph: Syed Mursh

    Syed’s pre-degree story: Rebuilding momentum after the pandemic

    Explore how Syed rebuilt creative momentum after the pandemic through a UAL foundation course, developing versatility and progressing to undergraduate study.

  • A woman poses in a red outfit on a red outdoor structure with her leg kicked out straight. The sky is clear and blue.
    Photograph by Petrina Kiti, UAL Foundation Diploma in Art and Design

    How the diagnostic mode helped Petrina find her dream undergraduate course

    Petrina Kiti studied the Foundation Diploma in Art and Design at UAL. Now, she’s an undergraduate student at Central Saint Martins. We spoke to Petrina about how choosing the diagnostic mode helped her to discover her dream course – BA Fashion Communication: Journalism.

  • Students Yashvi and Sixu talking and laughing with each other in the Canteen at Lime Grove
    Yashvi and Sixu at UAL School of Pre-degree Studies | Photograph: Alexandra Kytka-Sharpe

    Meet UAL's Pre-degree International Scholarship recipients

    Meet Yashvi Harlaka and Sixu Xie, pre-degree students from India and China who received UAL’s Foundation and Pre-degree £7000 International Scholarship. We caught up with them about their first year at UAL, their future plans and what the scholarship has meant to them.

  • Student sitting in the canteen at Lime Grove, UAL School of Pre-degree Studies
    Student sitting in the canteen at Lime Grove, UAL School of Pre-degree Studies

    Transition to undergraduate study

    For UAL pre-degree course students, many aspire to progress onto an undergraduate degree at one of our Colleges and Institutes. We spoke with 4 students about their experience transitioning to undergraduate study and how they were prepared for it.