School of Art & Design Advice for Applicants

Your portfolio is your chance to show us how you think, create and experiment. It can include pieces you’ve worked on at school or college, or personal work that you’ve created for yourself.

It's best to tailor your portfolio to the course you are applying for, but there are some general things that are useful to include no matter which subject you are interested in.

5 tips on bringing your portfolio together:

• Evidence of a range of skills – This could be drawing, photography, painting, 2D mark-making, composition, or examples of 3D making such as objects, sculpture, textiles or products. You could also include moving image work hosted on sites like YouTube.
• Ideas & development – Include sketchbooks, notes, tests, and works in progress as well as finished pieces. It gives us an insight into your interests, your process, and your creativity.
• Quality over quantity – Part of preparing a good portfolio is deciding what to leave out. It’s better to show a thoughtful selection rather than everything you’ve ever done, so choose your best and most relevant pieces.
• Your experiments – Show us a time where you tried something new, or took a risk even if it didn’t work out. This shows us that you can work outside of your comfort zone and demonstrates curiosity.
• Leave things out – Don’t include work you’re not proud of or doesn’t reflect your ability. It’s also important to avoid repetition, or anything copied that doesn’t show your own thinking.

Remember, we’re not looking for perfection. We want to see how you think, and how you approach challenges.

Watch this explainer video for more information:

How to create an electronic portfolio

The most straightforward way to provide us with a portfolio is to email a PDF file to us – we will tell you where to send this once you apply. While a PDF is our preferred format, we can also accept a link to a portfolio website if you have one.

If the file is particularly large and cannot be sent by email, you may need to send via a file sharing website such as WeTransfer. Download our guide for Using Microsoft PowerPoint to Create a PDF Portfolio.

Portfolio Builder Course for Aspiring Students | Age 16-18

Want to elevate your portfolio with hands-on, creative, and sustainable work? Join our Saturday Portfolio Builder Course - a three-session programme designed to help you craft a compelling, university-ready portfolio using expressive, experimental, and digital techniques.

Running throughout November 2025, you can find out more and book here.

If you’ve been asked to attend a portfolio review, this is your opportunity to share work with us and to talk about your application.

Here’s how to get the most out of it:

• Do some prep – Have a look at the information about your course on the website, and check out our Instagramand Student Blogs for extra insight. It’ll help you feel more prepared.
• Ask away– A portfolio review is also your opportunity to find out more about us. You could ask about things like placements, projects, travel, or what life is like here at CSAD. Remember – it’s important that you find the right fit for you.
• Be yourself– It’s definitely not a job interview - we don’t expect you to wear a suit! We want to see your passion, creativity, and to meet the real you.
• Plan ahead– Read through the information we send you and give yourself plenty of time to get set up – you’ll feel much more relaxed if you’re not rushing. If something comes up and you’re running late, just let us know.

What if I’m not very good at drawing?
Drawing is useful, but it’s only one way to express yourself. You can include anything at all that demonstrates your ideas and relevant skills. We want to know how you think, not how you draw.

What if I don’t have a sketchbook?
That’s okay! Sketching can take many forms, such as note taking, screenshots, or experimenting in other ways. We want to see how you develop your ideas.

Should I only include finished work?
Not at all. We love to see development and experimental work too. Sometimes the early stages of an idea tells us more about your creative journey than the polished final piece.

Do I need to explain my work?
It’s useful to add some context to your work, even if it’s just a short caption, a note or a title. It helps us to understand what inspired you or what themes you were exploring.

Can I include personal projects?
Absolutely. Seeing what you create outside of school or college shows initiative and passion.

How much should I include?
There’s no set answer to this. We aren’t prescriptive about what you include in a portfolio, but it’s important to show variety and quality, and relevant skills to the course you’ve applied for.

If you are successful we will contact you with either a conditional or unconditional offer. We will also inform UCAS so that they can update your profile on UCAS Hub.

If you receive an unconditional offer, we expect you to continue with your current studies and complete your qualifications to achieve the best results you can. 

All of your qualifications are important to your future career prospects, and may be essential for entering some professions. You may also need them when applying for further study.

We also run Applicant Days in the spring, where you’ll be able to visit our campus and facilities, meet the team, and get a feel for life here at CSAD.