Entry Requirements
This course is a Postgraduate Diploma, which is a Masters level courses, so we expect the following qualifications:
- either a Bachelors degree (BA) or the equivalent in work experience, i.e. at least 3 years in a creative environment;
- if English is not your first language we expect a IELTS score of 6.5 or above, this is essential not optional;
- most important of all is the submission of a portfolio of work.
Portfolio advice
We select people for interview on the basis of looking at their portfolio.
In the portfolio we want to see human and animal life drawing, storyboards, stills from previous animations etc. We want to see that you can draw analytically and think in a time based manner. If you are interested in specialising in the 3D pathway, then we want to see evidence that you can think in 3 dimensions - photographs of sculptures, architectural drawings, product designs etc.
Remember that our staff have read all the animation books around, so they will easily spot work which has been copied from books. Also, it is our job to teach you animation so we don't expect you to have completed lots of animations, just to have shown an interest in animation.
Finally, as our course is about character animation, we are not interested in seeing graphics or multimedia CD ROMS. If you are sending animation, please put it on a VHS (PAL format) or a DVD (PAL format), rather than compact disks, zips, floppies, or SyQuests. If you must send your work on CD, please ensure it is formatted to be read on a PC. Images/scans of drawings should be JPEG format. Any movies should be in QuickTime or AVI format with a popular, non-specialist compression type used. We will not accept the URL of a web-based portfolio instead of a more traditional portfolio. Your work will be returned to you after the selection process has been completed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. I have a fDA in Animation (foundation degree) can I apply to the course?
A. This is a Master's level qualification and so it requires a BA, which is 3 years of study, as opposed to 2 years of study for a fDA. However, if you have a very strong porfolio and can show that you have had at least one year of work experience you would be considered.
Q. I already have a Masters degree. Can I apply for the course?
A. The government has introduced a new policy on 'Equivalent Level Qualifications'. This means that they will not subsidise people who have a Masters level qualification to re-train on a different Masters programme. You would not be prevented from applying, but would have to pay full-cost for the course. This would be at a higher level than the standard UK/EU fees. There is more information about this on the University of the Arts London website.
Q. I don't have a degree or much work experience, if my portfolio is very good would you still accept me?
A. No. This is a Postgraduate course and as such we have certain rules set down by the university of the Arts London, who validate our qualification. You do not necessarily need to have a degree, if you can show the equivalent in work experience: that is at least 4 years of work in a creative environment. However, if you have neither a degree nor work experience, for example you may just have left school, we cannot accept you. In that situation, we recommend that instead of applying to us, you apply for an undergraduate degree in Animation. There is a good list of all the Higher and Further Education courses in the UK on hotcourses.com.
Q. I don't have a degree in an Art related subject, would you still consider me for the course?
A. The contents of the portfolio that you send us is of more importance than the subject of your degree. The benefit of having an Art or Design related degree is that you would have spent lots of time on developing work for your portfolio. We have had some very successful students who had degrees in non-Art related subjects.
Q. I am an International student. Can you help me to find accommodation in London for the duration of my studies?
A. Central Saint Martins Art College has both Student Services advisors and an International office, who can help you to find somewhere to live.
Q. I am an International student. Can you send me information about financial support available to enable me to study on your course?
A. There is no financial support available to students from outside the UK. The British Council have a list of scholarships available in the UK on their website: www.britishcouncil.org.
Q. I am a UK student. How can I finance my studies?
A. There are several options open to you:
1. The AHRC offer a limited amount of support on their Professional Preparation Masters scheme. If you are interested in applying for this scheme you must get your application to us by the Early Deadline.
2. Funding for Scottish students to do Postgraduate courses is currently under review. Contact the Scottish Awards Agency for Scotland for more information.
3. Career Development Loans are the most popular method of funding this course. You can find out more information about this from the Department for Education and Skills.
4. A few lucky students have been financed by employers to do the course.
5. Finally, you can search for other types of funding on the Hotcourses Funding website.
Q. I am currently at school and need to choose my A level subjects. Which subjects would you recommend for a career in Animation?
A. Everyone comes to the specialism of their choice through different routes. There is not really a prescribed route, which you have to take to be an animator. Animators come from all walks of life and different sets of experiences. However, a good set of choices could be - Art - do lots of life drawing, English - storytelling and communication skills are important, Drama - animation is all about performance, Maths and IT - because the majority of animation now involves computers.
Q. I have been working in an animation studio for x years, but English isn't my first language and I don't have the English qualifications that you specify. Would I still be considered for a place?
A. This Animation course is very hard work and involves many lectures and hours of study. We insist upon a high level of English skills, because we think that it is too stressful for students to learn English at the same time as animation. In addition, if students could not understand the lectures or talk to their classmates fluently, they would be missing out a huge and vital part of their learning process.
Q. I would like to apply to your course in the future, but do not have much of a portfolio. What do you recommend me to do to develop a portfolio?
A. We are very keen to see lots of human and animal life drawing, so attend a life drawing class and choose your best drawings. If you live in or near London, Central Saint Martins Art College runs a series of weekend, evening and holiday short courses. The subjects range from Introduction to Traditional Animation, Maya, Storyboarding, Flash and Life Drawing. There are more details on the Central Saint Martins web site on www.csm.arts.ac.uk.
Q. The 3D software that you teach is Maya. Why not Softimage or 3D Studio Max or Lightwave?
A. In this course we are teaching the fundamental principles of character animation rather than just how to use a computer program. These principles can be applied to the use of any animation software package. We consider Maya to be a solid package for the teaching of animation and graduates may go on to apply the lessons learned in it to many other packages. There is so much to learn that there is really only enough time to look at one 3D program, so this is the one that we have chosen.
Q. Could I work part-time while doing this course?
A. We do not recommend this, because the work load is quite intense.
Q. I tried to download an application form and it didn't work. Why was that?
A. The application form is in pdf format. In order to download it you need to have Acrobat Reader installed on your computer. This can be downloaded for free from the Adobe web site. Alternatively, email us your postal address and we will send you an application form in the post.