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Royal Academy Schools Prospectus

We are not accepting applications for entry in 2021

Having explored and discussed various options for the RA Schools in response to the current Covid-19 emergency, we have postponed admissions for our next intake, and will not be accepting applications in 2020 for entry in 2021. Our next admissions round will now take place in 2021 for entry in 2022, with applications open from July-December 2021, and interviews likely early in 2022.

This academic year 2020/21 we have designated as a catch-up year, postponing the RA Schools Show 2020 to June 2021. This resolution was agreed as the best and most pragmatic way forward in the current crisis. We believe that this plan has the welfare of staff, current and future students and the maintenance of the quality and reputation of the programme at its core, with a firm commitment to a physical degree show in June 2021.

The RA Schools has been a key part of the Royal Academy since its foundation in 1769. Each year we offer a full-time, three-year postgraduate course to 17 early career artists.

Lectures, group critiques, tutorials and artist talks are programmed every week, to run alongside each student’s production of work in the studios. Given the high student to tutor ratio, each student’s individual art practice is subject to in-depth and sustained discussion.

This course is free and additionally we offer financial support through bursaries and contributions to the cost of some materials. This support does not fully cover the cost of living and studying in London. Some students work part time at evenings and weekends sometimes taking up opportunities to take on paid work within the RA.

Applications for the 2020/2021 Postgraduate Programme are now closed.

A taste of life at the RA Schools

The RA Schools provides a shared space for exchange and discussion in the development of the individual student’s practice across all fine art media. Our school is equipped with specialist facilities for artists working in a wide variety of processes, including casting, ceramics, woodwork, sculpture, 3D printmaking, fine art printmaking, photography, audio-visual, film and video.

Studios

All of our students are allocated an individual studio space, whatever the nature of their practice.

Lectures

A mixture of lectures and artist talks form the structure of the working week.

Photo by Cat Garcia

Exhibitions

Students exhibit their work at the RA in their second year at Premiums, and at the end of the programme at the RA Schools Show.

Photo by Cat Garcia

Teaching

Our high tutor-to-student ratio ensures that each artist’s individual practice is subject to in-depth discussion.

Funding

The course is free, and we offer financial support through bursaries and contributions to the cost of some materials.

Specialist facilities

The RA Schools is equipped with specialist facilities and staffed with experienced tutors.

Photo by Cat Garcia

Community

Students join an established community of artists and art professionals including graduate peers, visiting artists, lecturers and Royal Academicians.

- Graduates of the RA Schools
  
  Our graduates have influenced art and culture in the UK and abroad through art practice, education, research, curatorial practice and collaboration. Stretching back to 1769, our graduates include William Blake and JMW Turner to living artists: Lynette Yiadom-Boakye, Eddie Peake, Prem Sahib and Rebecca Ackroyd exemplify the range of recent graduates.
  
  If you are a graduate or you want to learn more about our graduates, see our graduates page for information.
  
  Find out more about our graduates

The Starr Fellowship

A fellowship at the RA Schools for a US artist

Applications have now closed.

The Royal Academy Schools is seeking applications for The Starr Fellowship, a year long fellowship for a visual artist who is a US national for 2020–21. The Fellowship provides a studio at the RA Schools and a bursary of £26,000.

The ideal candidate will have an independently established contemporary studio practice, and will have taken part in exhibitions and/or other projects. Teaching experience and an MFA or similar is desirable.

The artist will have access to the resources at the RA Schools to further their practice. The postgraduate programme of academic lectures and talks, technical facilities and expertise are all available to the Starr Fellow including the RA’s extensive Collection, Library and Archive. The fellow is invited to present their work at the RA Schools at the end of the Fellowship in the form of a studio show or a panel discussion. For more information about the Royal Academy Schools and our facilities please see our Prospectus.

There are opportunities for the Starr Fellow to extend their teaching experience, contributing to the RA Schools programme which supports a cohort of postgraduate students. The Starr Fellow delivers an artist’s talk at the beginning of the year and in addition they contribute to the critique of work of first year students through attendance at group crits.

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