Applicant FAQs

Find answers to the most commonly asked questions from applicants

Visiting Norwich

Can I come and visit Norwich?

Yes. If you haven’t visited and are thinking of applying to Norwich you can book a campus tour now. If you hold an offer from us, we are holding Applicant Days in March and April where you can come for a visit and meet students and academics from each course. Keep an eye on your emails for more info on how to book your place.

Can I apply now for 2024?

When do I apply?

You can apply to our courses until 1October 2024 for 2024 entry. If any of our courses become full, we will update this on UCAS.

How do I apply?

Do I have to apply through UCAS?

All applications need to be made through UCAS. In some cases, we are able to accept direct applications from international applicants, but you will need to get in touch with our International Team at international@norwichuni.ac.uk to discuss.

What is the UCAS code for Norwich University of the Arts?

The UCAS code for Norwich is N39

Can I transfer into Year 2 or Year 3?

Yes. You will need to apply through UCAS and follow the same application process as all our other applicants. If your application is successful, you will need to have achieved 120 credits at Level 1 of an Undergraduate degree for Year 2 entry or 240 credits at Level 2 of an Undergraduate degree for Year 3 entry.

Alternatively, we may be able to award you credit for relevant learning that you can demonstrate you have achieved through experience. For example, from unpaid or paid work, community activities, leisure pursuits and other informal learning experiences. We would recommend getting in touch with our Admissions Team at admissions@norwichuni.ac.uk to discuss this before making an application.

We will only be able to consider applications for Year 2 or 3 of courses which we will have a cohort of Year 2 or 3 students for you to join. If the course is new, this might not be the case, but you will be able to see on UCAS the available Years of Entry for each course.

I don’t meet the entry requirements — can I still apply?

Yes. Norwich welcomes applicants from anyone with a passion for our subjects. Your application will be primarily assessed through your portfolio- if it is a course where a portfolio is required, responses to questions asked and personal statement, so even if you have no formal qualifications or do not meet our typical offers it can still be worth applying.

I’ve applied for a completely different course at another university — can I send you a different personal statement?

Yes. We know that across your 5 UCAS choices you may be applying for a range of different courses, and it can be difficult to write one Personal Statement that fits with them all. If you want to provide an alternative personal statement that is more tailored to your Norwich application, then you just need to email it to admissions@norwichuni.ac.uk and we will be able to add it to your record for you.

I’ve already made 5 UCAS choices elsewhere — can I still be considered for a place at Norwich?

Yes. You can only make 5 choices on UCAS, but we appreciate that you may change your mind or have found out about our courses after you’ve already made your choices. To be able to add Norwich as another UCAS choice you will need to withdraw from your other choices and decline any offers that you’ve already had.

We know that this might not be what you want to do without knowing if you’ll be successful in your application to Norwich. We will be happy to review your application outside of the normal systems so that you can know if we are interested in making you an offer before giving up your other choices.

You will need to get in touch with our Admissions Team at admissions@norwichuni.ac.uk to discuss this option, and we will be able to let you know what we need from you.

How do you assess applications?

What is required after I submit my UCAS application? Are you holding interviews/auditions? Do I need to provide a portfolio?

There are a variety of requirements that our courses ask for after you have applied.

To best describe this, please see our information below.

Portfolio required.

A portfolio is required for the following courses:

• BA (Hons) Animation
• BA (Hons) Animation and Visual Effects
• BA (Hons) Architecture
• BA (Hons) Design for Publishing
• BA (Hons) Fashion
• BA (Hons) Film and Moving Image Production
• BA (Hons) Fine Art
• BA (Hons) Games Art and Design
• BA (Hons) Graphic Communication
• BA (Hons) Graphic Design
• BA (Hons) Illustration
• BA (Hons) Interior Design
• BA (Hons) Textile Design
• BA (Hons) Photography
• BSc (Hons) User Experience Design

Audition required.

An audition is required for the following courses:

• BA (Hons) Acting

Application only.

For the following courses, a UCAS application only is required:

• BSc (Hons) Creative Computing
• BSc (Hons) Creative Technology
• BA (Hons) Fashion Communication and Promotion
• BA (Hons) Fashion Marketing and Business
• BSc (Hons) Games Development

For these courses, you may wish to discuss your skills, experience, and passion for the course within your personal statement. If you wish to submit a new/alternative personal statement to support your application, please email admissions@norwichuni.ac.uk.

How do I submit my portfolio?

Applicants are invited to share their portfolio with us after applying. There are three options for how you can do this:

Option 1 – upload your portfolio.

This is the fastest option, as all you need to do is upload your portfolio to the applicant portal. Please share a link to your online portfolio. This could be a Google Doc or Slides, a PDF document, or a website or blog.

Option 2 – online group review.

This is a chance to join us online to have your work discussed and reviewed by academic staff, as well as meet fellow applicants from potentially different courses to your own and discover their creative practices.

During your review, you will be asked to upload your work to a Padlet board to be shared – we will guide you on how to do this during your review. You’ll be asked to discuss around three pieces of work during your review.

Option 3 – on campus group review.

This option is your chance to visit our campus and have your work discussed and reviewed by academic staff, as well as meet fellow applicants from potentially different courses to your own and discover their creative practices.

When you come to Norwich for your review, you can bring your portfolio either in digital format or in physical form. You can bring digital portfolios on a USB or your own device to share. You’ll be asked to discuss around three pieces of work during your review.

We are also hosting on-campus auditions for the BA (Hons) Acting course.

How do I book my audition for BA (Hons) Acting?

You can book your audition via the Applicant Portal. There, you will be able to select the date and time that suits you best.

Auditions are scheduled to take place on campus, but for those who cannot travel due to various circumstances, we can arrange an online audition to take place.

When do I have to submit my portfolio?

We would like applicants to submit their portfolio by Wednesday 8 March 2024.

When will I find out if I have been offered a place?

If you are having an audition for BA (Hons) Acting, then we aim to get back to you within five working days. For all other courses, we aim to get back to you within seven days of completion of your portfolio submission with a decision on your offer.

I can’t log in to the Applicant Portal — what should I do?

If you are having trouble logging in to the Applicant Portal, you can use the ‘Forgotten Your Password?’ option to reset your password. If you continue to have problems, then get in touch with us at admissions@norwichuni.ac.uk

Accommodation information

When and how can I apply for accommodation?

Our accommodation applications will be open to all Firm undergraduate offer holders in Spring 2024 through the Applicant Portal. We will send an email to all applicants who have made us their Firm choice once our accommodation applications are open.

How much does the accommodation cost?

See the accommodation page for more information about the accommodation available for you and the costs.

Do you guarantee accommodation?

Accommodation is guaranteed to all new undergraduate students who have Norwich as their firm choice with UCAS and apply for a room before our priority deadline, which will be advised when applications open. We will try to help applicants who apply after this date but can only guarantee accommodation to those who meet this deadline.

Information about studying at Norwich

How many hours a week will I study?

All our undergraduate courses are fulltime, so on average you will be expected to study around 32 hours per week.

Will I be on-site every day?

Learning and teaching at Norwich is a blend of on-campus practical sessions in our studios, workshops and labs, live-streamed digital sessions, and pre-recorded digital materials you can use on-demand. Our approach reflects the mix of in-person and digital interaction that has become the way that creative industries work — helping to prepare students for their future careers. Find more about Learning and Teaching at Norwich.

When will I get my timetable?

You will be sent details about your Welcome Week schedule shortly before the start of the course, and your full timetable will be available once you have enrolled.

Are there any chats where I can meet other students who are also starting in September 2024?

Yes, we have a WhatsApp group that you can join. There, you can chat with other students starting in September, as well as current students.

What materials will I need for my course?

The materials you may need will vary for each course and you will be sent more information shortly before the start of the course. We would recommend not buying anything until you have begun the course, as you will then be eligible for Education pricing for art supplies, software and computers. Norwich has its own art supplies shop where materials and tools are available at cost price so they will generally be cheaper than any high street retailer.

What laptop/computer spec do I need?

Choosing a laptop comes down to your personal needs and requirements. Most students find a laptop more convenient than a desktop computer. The flexibility of a laptop enables you to study at home or on campus, and present work digitally during a tutorial or crit. It’s also important to consider your practice when buying a laptop as some creative applications require more powerful systems to run efficiently.

An entry level laptop will be able to handle light creative work and basic use of Adobe applications, but more demanding tasks or working simultaneously across multiple applications may take longer to complete and feel sluggish.

You may wish to wait until you are fully enrolled as a student on the course to purchase a new laptop/computer so you can take advantage of Education pricing, and at that point you will have a better understanding of what would be right for you and your course.

Financial Support

What scholarships and bursaries do you offer?

Find out more about scholarships and bursaries for UK students on the Scholarships and Bursaries page.

If you have any concerns over funding, please contact studentrecruitment@norwichuni.ac.uk

How do I apply for a student loan?

If you are from England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland you can find information here on applying for a student loanApply online for student finance – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Can I defer my place?

We review all deferral requests on a case-by-case basis. If you would like to request a deferral, then you will need to email admissions@norwichuni.ac.uk with a brief reason as to why you would like to defer. We will take into consideration the reason why you would like to postpone starting the course, our plans for future entry requirements to the course, and the availability of the course in a later year.

Not meeting your offer

I’ve not met the conditions of my offer — will I lose my place?

Not necessarily. If you don’t meet the conditions of your offer, we will review your application and take into consideration your personal statement, our initial assessment of your application, and any other information that we have, and we may still be able to give you a place at Norwich. Every year, we welcome new students onto our courses who haven’t quite met the conditions of their offer, but in whom we saw potential.