BA(Hons) Fine Art

At HCA you will have excellent access to tutorial support from experienced practising artists and curators as well as expert technical assistance. Visiting professional artists will further enrich your learning experience. 

Tutorials, seminars and group critiques will help you develop your reflective and analytical abilities and visiting lecturers will bring a wide range of experiences and perspectives to help you to expand your understanding of fine art practice and to contextualise your own work. 

We believe in fostering a real studio culture and so as a Fine Art degree student, you get your own, individual desk space, to make, create or just pinboard your influences. 

You also get full access to all HCA's several specialist workshops and performing spaces across both campuses. You do not need to book in to use the Textiles Workshop or to get an introduction on using a lathe in the 3D maker space. You can use the photography studios and darkrooms, or edit mixed media work in the new Digital Skills Centre with one-on-one support from specialist staff.

We support you to pursue your interests across disciplines and experiment in a range of media. Access to facilities is an integral part of that.

Through Critical Studies, you can gain fascinating insights into the subject you love. You will explore your specialism and the work of those you admire. 

We will help you to see your own practice in context with your peers and predecessors; leading to, not only a deeper understanding of the work of others, but who you are as an artist. The things you discover in Critical Studies will help you answer the question: where do I want to take my arts practice? 

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• Minimum age 18.

• UCAS Points: For anyone applying for September 2025 entry and beyond, we are looking for applicants who have achieved at or beyond 96 – 112 UCAS Tariff Points. 

  However, whilst qualifications are important, our offers are not solely based on academic results. We may make offers based on other evidence of talent and suitability for the course –  for more details about UCAS Tariffs please see tariff explanation and advice on the UCAS website. 

• Mature students: Applications from mature students with relevant experience will also be considered.
• Recognition of Prior Learning Opportunities: the college welcomes applications from students with prior learning and/or previous experience. Further details on eligibility can be found on page 15 of our Admissions Policy.
• Applicants whose first language is not English – proof of IELTS overall score of 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in all sections (reading, writing, listening & speaking) is required.

If you are unsure or have any questions, please contact us at registry@hca.ac.uk and we can offer further advice on HCA and the UWTSD awarding body requirements.

You can apply to HCA by making us one of your options on your UCAS application. In some cases, such as with current students and student transfers, we also accept direct applications. 

We receive a high number of application all our subject areas so we recommend that you make your application as early as possible.

You can find out out everything you need about the application process using the link below. If you have any questions, just email registry@hca.ac.uk. 

As soon as you apply, our Registry team will be in touch to let you know they have received your application. At this point they will also send out information on portfolios or auditions.

Portfolios and auditions are a chance for you to showcase yourself in a different way. They give us an idea of what excites you about the subject, and what you might want to explore further on the course. 

We will send out guidance on how to submit your portfolio, or book and audition date, and if you have any questions you will always be able to reach out to us for assistance or clarification.

After submitting your portfolio online, your work will be reviewed by a course lead, and you will receive personal feedback alongside your offer.

Studying is an investment in yourself, and in your future. It’s important to understand the financial support that is available to you, and to be clear about any fees or funding associated with the course you want to study.

Follow the link below to visit our Fees and Funding pages. These pages are designed to help you plan for your future, so you can start your course with confidence in your financial situation.

Everyone’s personal circumstances are different. If you can’t find the information you need, our Student Finance team can offer additional advice.

Top-ups are when you start a degree somewhere else, but transfer to HCA to start either your second or third year.

There are a number of reason why students transfer to HCA, but often it is because their experience didn't live up to what they expected at other universities.

We get a high number of students transferring to HCA, and can almost always accommodate students providing they meet our standard entry requirements.

You may also be asked to provide your transcript from your previous university. 

If you have questions about applying to join as a top-up student, you can find more information at the bottom of this page, or you can email any specific questions to registry@hca.ac.uk.

All undergraduate degrees at HCA are validated by University of Wales Trinity St David.

You can view a detailed breakdown of the course content in the Key Information Document.

This can be downloaded below.