Admissions and Applications

West Dean College of Arts and Conservation offers a wide range of study programmes. This page is aimed at helping those who want to apply for a Degree or Diploma programme. If you would like to apply for a short course, please go to the Short Course page.

How to apply

The application process differs depending on the course you have chosen. FdA Historic Craft Practices and Graduate Diploma students must apply through UCAS. Please see further information on the individual course pages. Masters, DACC, FDAD and PDD students, please follow the process below.

1 Choose your preferred programme
All the information you need can be found in our current prospectus and within the online course pages.

2 Check the entry requirements
Specific entry requirements are listed under each course in the prospectus and on the course pages.

3 Check the application deadline
We welcome applications from national and international students. With limited places available on each course, we encourage you to apply early.

4 Explore the funding options
Go to Scholarships and Bursaries for information on the funding opportunities that may be available to help with your study costs.

5 Complete your application form
Download your application form from the relevant course page on this website, or obtain a copy from Admissions. Complete the form and send with the supporting documents listed in the 'Submitting your application' section below.

6 After you apply
The Admissions Office will confirm receipt of your application form by email within five working days. The acknowledgement provides information on the next stage of the application process.

If you have any queries or require more information, please contact the Registry Office on 01243 818291 or at admissions@westdean.org.uk.

Please note:
Interested applicants and bursary enquiries for the Foundation Diploma in Art and Design should contact: FDADadmin@westdean.org.uk

Interested applicants for the Developing Skills and Creative Language in Tapestry Weaving should contact: bookingsoffice@westdean.org.uk

Submitting an application

When you apply, you will be required to fill out the following information on the application form:

  • Personal details
  • Special needs/disabilities
  • Fee payment information
  • Education and qualifications
  • Information on English language requirements
  • Reasons for wishing to study chosen programme
  • Contact details of two referees

    All applicants need two referees to provide satisfactory references; one of which should be a recent academic reference, if possible.

You will need to supply the following documents with the completed application form:

  • 2 passport size photos
  • Copy of your passport
  • Copy of qualifications
  • Original transcripts
  • Portfolio of work, where applicable*
  • Example of academic writing, where applicable*

*Please check if this is required on the document checklist on the application form

You can find out more information about the interview process and offers in the Admissions Policy and Procedure document.

Admissions Policy Statement

West Dean College of Arts and Conservation is committed to ensuring that students are recruited, selected, taught, assessed and otherwise treated solely on their relevant merits and abilities. The College supports the principle of equal opportunities and therefore no student will receive less favourable treatment on the grounds of disability, religion, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins, political beliefs, age, sexual orientation, gender or marital status.

The Admissions Policy and Procedures apply to all individuals applying to study on a Diploma or Degree Course at West Dean College of Arts and Conservation and all staff involved in any aspect of admissions within the College.

Full details about the admissions process, including interviews and offers, can be found in the Admissions Policy and Procedures document.

Student transfer arrangements

West Dean College of Arts and Conservation has in place arrangements for students wishing to transfer to another course, transfer from another provider to the College or transfer from the College to another provider. Please see our Transfer Arrangements Document for more information.

Accommodation and Living Costs 2020/21

Full board (46 weeks)
£2,870 per term, £11,480 per year (four terms)

Room only (46 weeks)
£1,770 per term, £7,080 per year (four terms)

Full board (36 weeks)
£3,000 per term, £9,000 per year (three terms)

Room only (36 weeks)
£1,840 per term, £5,520 per year (three terms)

Accommodation for part-time MA students: Available on request​

Lunch only (46 weeks)
Full-time day students £2,174 per year (four terms)

Lunch only (36 weeks)
Full-time day students £567 per term, £1,701 per year (three terms)

Lunch only part-time MA students (School of Conservation)
£63 per term, £189 per year

Lunch only part-time MA Creative Writing and Publishing students
£57 per term, £170 per year

Lunch only DACC
£284 per year (three terms)

Term Dates 2020-21

Autumn Term
Monday 28 September - Friday 18 December 2020

Spring Term
Monday 4 January - Friday 26 March 2021

Three-week Easter break

Summer Term
Monday 19 April - Monday 12 July 2021

MA fourth term
Monday 12 July - Friday 17 September 2021

Transparency Return

The information published on this page shows:

  • The number of applications for admission on to recognised, undergraduate higher education courses that we have received from UK domiciled applicants.
  • The number of offers we have made in relation to those applications.
  • The number of those offers accepted and the number of those who have registered with us.
  • The number of students who attained a particular degree or other academic award, or a particular level of such an award, on completion of their course with us.

It also shows these numbers by reference to:

  • the gender of the individuals to which they relate
  • their ethnicity
  • their socioeconomic background.

It is important to note that the data presented has not been contextualised. This means, for example, that you will not be able to see from this data how many of those applying to courses met the entry criteria. It is also the case that universities and colleges will often receive many more applications than they have spaces on courses and so offer rates will necessarily be lower than application rates in those circumstances.

Context

West Dean College of Arts & Conservation is committed to widening access and increasing participation in education in the creative and applied arts in accordance with the original charitable purpose of the College as defined by the College's founder Edward James.

The 1964 deed of trust sets out the charitable purpose of the Foundation as follows, "an educational foundation where creative talents can be discovered and developed, and where one can spread culture through the teaching of crafts and the preservation of knowledge that might otherwise be destroyed or forgotten".

To this day, the Foundation continues Edward James' tradition of supporting emerging artists and crafts people where ever they are from.

Our current vision statement states the following aim,

"To inspire learning in the creative and applied arts through West Dean College - an international centre of teaching excellence, promoting creativity and innovation, and the focus of an extended community of practice in the arts."

Through an improved and developing focus on alumni, employability and a wider advocacy role in relation to the creative and applied arts, the College seeks to maximise its impact. The College actively seeks to recruit students from a range of non-traditional backgrounds into its higher education provision and is committed to developing strategies to support this.

For more information, please see the College's Access and Participation Strategy Statement.
If you have any question about the Transparency Information please contact the Academic Registry college@westdean.org.uk

Table 1a

      Number of applications Percentage of applications that received an offer Percentage of applications that accepted an offer Percentage of applications that led to a registration
Full time Ethnicity BAME N N N N
White 30 DP DP DP
EIMD Quintile 1 and 2 N N N N
3 to 5 N N N N
Gender Male N N N N
Female N N N N
Other N N N N
Part time Ethnicity BAME N N N N
White N N N N
EIMD Quintile 1 and 2 N N N N
3 to 5 N N N N
Gender Male N N N N
Female N N N N
Other N N N N
Apprenticeships Ethnicity BAME N/A N/A N/A N/A
White N/A N/A N/A N/A
EIMD Quintile 1 and 2 N/A N/A N/A N/A
3 to 5 N/A N/A N/A N/A
Gender Male N/A N/A N/A N/A
Female N/A N/A N/A N/A
Other N/A N/A N/A N/A


Table 1a: Summary of applications, offers, acceptances and registrations for 2018-19 entrants 

Table 2a

    Percentage
ETHNICITY BAME N/A
White N/A
EIMD QUINTILE 1 and 2 N/A
3 to 5 N/A
GENDER Female N/A
Male N/A
Other N/A


Table 2a: Percentage of first degrees at grade 2:1 or above by characteristic for 2017-18 qualifiers 

Read the detailed Transparency Return

Access and Participation Strategy Statement

Reference Form (all programmes)