Established in 1837, the Royal College of Art is the world’s oldest art and design university in continuous operation, with a tradition of innovation and excellence in creative education.

In 2023, the RCA was ranked as the number one Art and Design university in the world – for the ninth consecutive year – by the QS World University Subject Rankings.

The RCA is wholly postgraduate, offering a Graduate Diploma conversion programme and Master’s, MPhil, MRes and PhD degrees. Based around the four Schools of Architecture, Arts & Humanities, Communication and Design, the broad range of disciplines on offer is based on a strong foundation of practice-based research and integrates STEAM subjects - Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics - providing a unique and transformative experience.

Our London campus is spread throughout the heart of one of the world’s most creative cities, with sites in the historic surroundings of Kensington, the future-thinking hub of White City and the cultural quarter in Battersea. Surrounded by some of the most important cultural institutions – from the BBC to the V&A, the Serpentine Gallery and the Natural History Museum – and leading creative spaces, inspiration is just outside the studio doors.  

Open Days and Student Recruitment Events

To provide prospective students with opportunities to find out about the RCA experience and programmes, we run a number of on-campus and online open days as well as events in various countries around the world. You can find out about upcoming events or watch replays of past open days on the RCA website.