As the only exclusively postgraduate institution dedicated to art and design in the country, the RCA has an established and important place in UK higher education. Our staff, students and graduates represent the highest levels of achievement in both art and design research and professional practice. They are key players in the creative and cultural industries – areas that are increasingly important to the social and economic success of the UK as a whole, and London in particular. The RCA has, therefore, a special role to play on both national and regional stages. However, the College is also the only exclusively postgraduate institution dedicated to art and design in the world. As such, its aims and its reputation are international as well as regional and national.

The College seeks to both reach out to the world and to bring the world to us. We have numerous links with academic and commercial organisations outside the UK. 2009/10 will see new international initiatives, with the aim of forging collaborations at an institutional as well as departmental level in teaching, research and business with leading organisations overseas.

We have successfully ‘brought the world to us’ and are proud of our achievements – over the past five years, over 38% of students at the College have come from outside the UK. About 12% have come from outside the European Union, representing more than 35 countries in total. Just as London is an extraordinarily multicultural city, the College is a richly multicultural environment in which to study art and design.

We know this is one of the features that attracts UK students to the College. An MA course here isn’t just a chance to study with the most talented students in the UK, but with the most talented from around the world. With the new initiatives mentioned above, we hope to see a still more international flavour emerge over the next few years, with more students, staff and visitors from overseas populating the studios of every department.

The opportunity to study in London is often cited by international students as a factor in their decision to come to the College. As a world cultural centre, there is an enormous amount of artistic activity here, from major international exhibitions, concerts, conferences and events to street festivals, open-air art exhibitions and live-music venues. We know from a recent survey that many international students graduating from the RCA stay on to live and work in London. So perhaps, in fulfilling our international aims, we are also fulfilling our responsibilities to the very special city in which we are based.

Detailed information concerning life at the College and living in London is sent to successful applicants in the summer preceding their start. Additional information is distributed to students at registration, but for any further enquiries, please contact the Student Support Officer on +44 (0)20 7590 4140 or e-mail student-support@rca.ac.uk.