Overview

Important to our MA Photography at the Royal College of Art is a commitment to process; to the unknown, indeterminate, speculative, and hybrid.

Key facts

We are committed to probing what the photographic image is, and could be, across contemporary art practices. From diverse perspectives we consider digital and analogue forms of photography in relation to socio-political debates, intercultural discourses, exchanges between theory and practice, and emerging modes of circulation and distribution. Driven by research-led teaching and state-of-the-art technical facilities, you will contribute to vital discussions about the future of the image today at an urgent time of ecological crisis and technological change impacted by questions of visibility and representation.

Our faculty of artists, writers, and theorists will support you to develop your work into a critical, reflective, and professionally robust practice. Unique to your experience at the RCA will be the themed practice group that you will join at the start of the year. Each practice group is led by a faculty member; emphasising communal learning and encouraging curiosity. The practice group is an invitation to push at the critical, conceptual, practical, and material possibilities of your research and practice in dialogue with others. You will attend to important aesthetic, theoretical, cultural, and historical contexts for your work.

Programme Structure

Courses include:

In Term 1 you take Situating Photography: Practice & Discourse, introducing you to the programme community through resource inductions and workshops, while positioning your practice and ideas via dialogue, tutorials, and group work.

In Term 2, Making Public explores photography as an expanded field, focusing on the materiality and performativity of the image. You also take the school-wide unit Urgency of the Arts, examining how arts and humanities practice can respond to urgent socio-political issues.

In Term 3, the Independent Research Project is structured in three parts: exploring your independent practice, creating a public exhibition, and participating in professional practice seminars supporting dissemination and contextualisation.

AcrossRCA in Terms 1–2 enables cross-programme collaboration on themed projects addressing cultural, social, environmental, or economic issues.

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 12 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2026-09-14 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-06-03 00:00:00

Language

English

IELTS

6.5

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Credits

180 alternative credits

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

London, United Kingdom

Disciplines

Design Photography View 394 other Masters in Design in United Kingdom

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Academic requirements

We are not aware of any specific GRE, GMAT or GPA grading score requirements for this programme.

English requirements

IELTS

6.5

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Other requirements

General requirements

We welcome applications from individuals from all backgrounds and from all over the world.
RCA alumni come from a wide range of backgrounds and industries, bringing diverse experiences including those unrelated to art, which enrich the creative community and drive fresh perspectives.
As part of your application, you may need to submit:
- A portfolio showcasing your work and artistic vision.
- A personal statement (around 300 words) describing your interests, motivations, and future goals.
- An introduction video (maximum 2 minutes) to introduce yourself and explain your artistic approach and project ideas.
To help you prepare your application, we host regular portfolio and video Q&A sessions. Please visit the RCA website to learn more about these events and to register.
Please refer to the programme webpage for the most accurate and up to date information on entry requirements for this programme.

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

39200 GBP / year

≈ 39200 GBP / year
Domestic Applies to you

Applies to you

Citizens or residents

15600 GBP / year

≈ 15600 GBP / year

Living costs

London

United Kingdom

1137 - 2157 GBP / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

RCA offers a wide range of funding opportunities to support postgraduate study, including a variety of tuition fee and living cost scholarships.

Beyond financial support, many of these scholarships also provide networking opportunities with peers, partnership organisations and professional bodies to enhance your experience.

You can find more information about available scholarships and their eligibility criteria here: https://www.rca.ac.uk/study/apply-to-study/funding-your-studies/rca-scholarships-and-awards/

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

In order for us to give you accurate scholarship information, we ask that you please confirm a few details and create an account with us.

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find Master's scholarship opportunities for Photography.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

On this page

About

Overview

Key facts

Programme Structure

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Credits

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

What students do after studying

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

Domestic Applies to you

Living costs

London

Funding

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

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