Arts University Bournemouth
Arts University Bournemouth is a specialist public university in art, design, media and performance, which took university title in 2012. Its single campus is at Wallisdown between Bournemouth and Poole, and most programmes ask for a digital portfolio.
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One record matters more than any ranking when reading a university page: the Home Office register of student sponsors, which is what permits an institution to issue the CAS a student visa requires. Arts University Bournemouth is on it. The visa itself is set out at UK visas and immigration.
01
What kind of university is Arts University Bournemouth?
Arts University Bournemouth is a specialist public university teaching only creative subjects in Bournemouth, founded in 1883 as a regional school of art. Art, design, architecture, media and performance are the whole of its provision, and it took university title in 2012.
The campus is built as a small model of the creative industries: workshops, studios and equipment mirror what the sector itself uses. The Drawing Studio on campus was designed by the architect Sir Peter Cook, and the institution runs its own gallery.
02
Which subjects stand out at Arts University Bournemouth?
The subjects Arts University Bournemouth is known for are animation and games, film and photography, graphic design and illustration, fashion and textiles, architecture and performance and specialist crafts. Modelmaking and performance make-up are taught at few other institutions in the country.
animation and games
animation production, visual effects and game design
film and photography
filmmaking, photography and media production
graphic design and illustration
visual communication programmes
fashion and textiles
fashion, textiles and costume design
architecture
architecture and interior architecture
performance and specialist crafts
acting, dance, modelmaking and performance make-up
Programmes are searched from the university's own course catalogue, where each page carries the entry requirement, the syllabus and the fee in one place.
03
What are the entry requirements at Arts University Bournemouth?
Arts University Bournemouth admits undergraduates on A-Levels, the International Baccalaureate or an equivalent qualification, and portfolio assessment applies on most programmes; a Turkish high school diploma alone is not accepted for direct entry. Postgraduate admission rests on a bachelor's degree.
On English language ability the admissions pages take IELTS Academic at 6.0 as the baseline for undergraduate programmes; some departments publish a component score requirement or a higher threshold. Other tests approved by the Home Office are accepted where a programme lists them.
Which documents are required?
Degree certificate and transcript
with a certified English translation
Proof of English
IELTS Academic, TOEFL iBT or PTE Academic
Personal statement
your own account of why you chose the course
Reference letter
one at undergraduate level, usually two at postgraduate level
Passport
so the identity details match the application
04
How much are tuition fees at Arts University Bournemouth?
Arts University Bournemouth publishes the international tuition fee on each programme's own page; there is no single central tariff. The student visa fee and the annual immigration health surcharge are added on top, and the university offers its own scholarships to international students.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Student visa application (from outside the UK) | £558 |
| Immigration health surcharge (per year) | £776 |
| Maintenance to evidence, outside London (monthly) | £1,171 |
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05
What is campus and student life like in Bournemouth?
The university runs a single campus at Wallisdown, between Bournemouth and Poole, where the workshops, studios, library and gallery all sit together. Halls are on campus and at Madeira Road in the town centre, and the seafront is a short bus ride away.
Bournemouth is a coastal town on England's south coast with a direct train to London Waterloo, and two universities' students share it. The students' union runs sports teams and creative societies, and campus facilities stay open outside timetabled hours.
06
How is an application to Arts University Bournemouth made?
Undergraduate applications to Arts University Bournemouth go through UCAS with up to five programme choices, and the equal consideration deadline for 2027 entry is 13 January 2027. Postgraduate and doctoral applications are submitted through the university's own online portal.
- Programme choice: the course catalogue gives the department, the requirement and the fee.
- Documents: transcript, diploma, personal statement, references and English language evidence.
- Submission: UCAS for undergraduate study, the university's portal for postgraduate.
- Offer: conditional or unconditional, with the conditions stated.
- CAS: issued once the offer is accepted and the deposit is paid.
The step after the CAS is the student visa itself, and its published conditions are set out at UK visas and immigration.
How does the application timetable run, month by month?
| Period | Step |
|---|---|
| May–September 2026 | Researching courses, sitting the English test and preparing documents |
| September 2026 | UCAS applications open |
| 15 October 2026 | Deadline for medicine, dentistry, veterinary science, Oxford and Cambridge |
| 13 January 2027 | Equal consideration deadline for undergraduate applications |
| February–May 2027 | University decisions and firming up choices |
| June–August 2027 | Meeting conditions, receiving the CAS and applying for the Student visa |
07
Frequently asked questions
Can I apply to Arts University Bournemouth directly with a Turkish high school diploma?
A Turkish high school diploma is not accepted on its own for direct entry to an undergraduate programme. Applicants complete a foundation year, or hold A-Levels, the International Baccalaureate or an equivalent qualification.
Which English language tests are accepted?
IELTS Academic is accepted and the level required is published on each programme's page, with 6.0 as the undergraduate baseline. Other tests approved by the Home Office are accepted where a programme lists them.
Does Arts University Bournemouth issue a CAS for a student visa?
Yes. Arts University Bournemouth appears on the Home Office register of student sponsors, which is what permits it to issue the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies a student visa application requires.
When is the undergraduate application deadline?
The UCAS equal consideration deadline for 2027 entry is 13 January 2027. Applications arriving after that date are considered where places remain on the programme.
Sources
- Arts University Bournemouth — International admission requirements, the course catalogue and scholarship information are published on the institution's own pages. — 26 August 2026
- Arts University Bournemouth — International admission requirements, the course catalogue and scholarship information are published on the institution's own pages. — 26 August 2026
- UCAS — The equal consideration deadline for 2027 entry is 13 January 2027 and an undergraduate application carries up to five programme choices.
- GOV.UK — The student visa application fee, the annual immigration health surcharge and the maintenance figure an applicant evidences are published by the Home Office. — 26 August 2026
- Arts University Bournemouth — Undergraduate tuition fees are published by the institution on its own fees pages. — 26 August 2026
