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Arts University Plymouth 

Art University Plymouth(AUP) were founded as Plymouth Drawing School in 1856, and have been teaching art and design since. They are one of the last remaining specialist arts schools in the UK.
AUP are home to a dynamic, cross-disciplinary community of makers and thinkers for whom making is as important as reading and writing, and where the purpose of learning is inseparable from that of living your life.
They are an independent arts university, run by artists and designers for artists and designers. They offer foundation programmes, degrees and master’s in art, design, craft and digital media programmes. These programmes will equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary to thrive at the forefront of the creative industries. AUP pride themselves in their small classes and workshops, where you are taught by specialists in the field with experience in academia and industry.

Located in Britain's Coolest City by the Sea, with the beauty of Dartmoor National Park to the north, and the lively city of Plymouth a 5 minute walk from campus, there's really something for everyone.

Watch This Video From Arts University Plymouth 

About Arts University Plymouth 

From the moment you apply to Arts University Plymouth, Art University Plymouth(AUP) welcome you into their family.  
 
With one-on-one support available, and small class sizes, it is no surprise that AUP were voted the top Arts University for student satisfaction (NSS, 2022). 
 
International students have access to a range of industry professionals through live briefs and guest lectures. They offer a range of support services for our students from personal counselling through to careers and enterprise support.  
 
Plymouth itself is big enough to feel like a city and have the urban vibe and is also small enough to not feel overwhelmed by it. It has a coastline with some of the most beautiful beaches in the country. Plymouth is just south of Dartmoor National Park, which is full of nature and great walks. Then for the city centre, they have The Box, Karst, Barbican and Royal William Yard home to Ocean Studios.

Rankings:

  • Top Arts University for Student Satisfaction (NSS, 2022) 
    Winner of the Best Small/Specialist University at the WhatUni awards (2022) 

Subjects Areas

Arts University Plymouth  offers a wide range of subject areas which contains but not limited to:
  • Arts and Humanities
  • Creative Media
  • Design and Crafts
  • Media Studies

See What Students Say About Arts University Plymouth 

Tatsu Ishikawa

BA(Hons) Graphic Communications ; Home country: Japan
Plymouth is quite a chilled-out and relaxed place, which helped me to settle in. I really like Royal William Yard and I love the Hoe. It was the first time I’d have an ocean view in my hometown so it was really amazing. And I like the pubs!   All the desks have Macs, which is great. It was even better than I thought. I also had a great opportunity to brand the University’s Fashion Show. I produced the creative, designed the lookbook and photographed the student work.   I’m now working as an in-house designer at 33seconds on several projects for big clients such as Peugeot, Amazing and Greenpeace. 

Applications Opened For The Intakes:

September 2026

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