Getting started at the RCA

Once you are enrolled, our programme staff will be in touch by email during the summer to let you know more about any pre-arrival tasks and reading lists.

Some access and information will be dependent on you being enrolled, so please enroll as soon as you can.

We will also send you details via email on how to access Moodle – our centralised platform for everything you’ll need during your time at the RCA. Moodle will help you with College-wide information, such as accessing Student Support and RCA services.

As you wait to begin your studies, you will also be able to access our Orientation Course – a ‘one-stop shop’ for the information you will need to get going at the RCA. This will be delivered via Moodle and you will be able to access this once you are enrolled.

Further communication will be sent to you ahead of the start of term to confirm how to access your timetable including dates, times and locations for introduction sessions.

The start of term will be from 8 September 2025.

Once you have accepted your offer, paid your deposit and submitted the required documents, we will issue you with your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS).

Please visit our Student visa webpage for detailed guidance on preparing and submitting your visa application. Allow three months from the start date of your programme enough time to gather your documents and complete the application process.

The UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) standard processing time for students is three weeks but can be extended during busy periods. Please note the visa processing time for your visa application starts when you:

• verify your identity and submit your documents and application online using the UK Immigration: ID Check app
• complete your biometrics information at the visa application centre and not when you submit your online application.

The UKVI will not be able to provide you with information on the status of your application if it is still within the processing time.

When your visa has been granted you’ll get a letter or email to let you know that a decision has been made on your application.

You will receive a 90-day vignette but not a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP). While you can travel to the UK with your 90-day vignette, you must create a UKVI account. Creating a UKVI account will allow you to view your e-Visa and demonstrate your immigration status in the UK which will be a Digital Visa Status ( eVisa).

EU/EAA nationals will receive a Digital Visa Status (eVisa) on their passport when their visa is granted. You will not be issued a vignette on your passport.

You should keep your boarding pass and flight details as proof of your entry date into the UK. You must provide these along with your passport and sharecode when confirming your Right to Study during enrolment.

Please keep in mind that you cannot change from a Standard Visit visa to a Student Visa while still in the UK.

You will need to collect your RCA ID card from campus. Information on how to collect your ID card will be shared with you in advance of your first week on campus.

Once you are fully enrolled, your programme will email you details of any programme welcome activities around starting your course.

Our Student Support and Students’ Union teams also host a series of Welcome events during Welcome Week.

Keep an eye on your inbox in August for more information from the College sharing all the details about our Welcome Week events for new students.

The RCA has three campuses in central London based in Kensington, White City and Battersea.*

• You will be based in one campus alongside your programme, but you are welcome to travel between campuses and enjoy the shared spaces and cafes.
• You will have access to all three campuses during term time opening hours.
• A free shuttle bus service connects our campuses.

You can find the locations of our programmes and campuses in 2024/25 here.

* Please note, the campus on which a programme is based can be subject to change.

The RCA is home to a number of state-of-the-art specialised studios and workshops which you will be able to access during your programme.

When you join the RCA, you will gain access to various resources, including Technical Services, the RCA Library, Intranet and Moodle.

Technical Services at the RCA offer specialised support, facilities, and resources to empower students in achieving their creative and academic potential.

Our team of expert technicians, along with state-of-the-art equipment and dedicated spaces, are available across the College. Depending on your enrolled programme, you will have access to tailored technical orientations, primers, and inductions designed to enhance your learning experience. These sessions, which may be conducted in person or online, will be detailed in your timetable.

For students with specific technical needs outside of their scheduled programme activities, additional support is available through our virtual learning platform. This platform enables you to access technical orientations, book equipment and consultations, and take control of your own technical learning journey.

Dedicated Technical Resources

We provide a wide range of specialist resources, including:

• Digital Making
• Making
• Printmaking
• XR & Creative Coding
• Fashion & Textiles
• Future Materials
• Computing & Technology
• Applied Arts
• Media
• Open Access Services
• In addition to specialist support, Technical Services offer a variety of open-access resources, including:
  - Digital Print Labs
  - Computer and Technology Zones
  - Media Resource Stores
  - College Shops

Whether you need support for a specific project, or guidance from our technical experts, our services are designed to help you succeed.

Once you are fully enrolled you will automatically become a member of the RCA Library and can borrow books and access our online resources.

You will receive an introduction to Library services as part of the welcome events in your first week and a full induction as part of your programme teaching in the first term.

You will also be able to book to access our special collections, including the Colour Reference Library, one of the largest collections of printed books on colour in the world.

The Library is located in the Frayling building at the Kensington campus and is open:

• Monday–Friday 9am – 9pm
• Saturday 10am – 5pm during term time (except August: Monday – Friday 10am – 5pm, closed Saturday and Sunday).

In addition, we have the Monday Charity Library reading room space in the Studio Building at the Battersea campus.

RCA Library Search is the Library catalogue and is an excellent starting point for finding a large proportion of what you will have access to, once you are enrolled. It covers a wide range of disciplines, and includes printed books, ebooks, audiobooks, journal articles and more.

Intranet

The intranet will be your go to site for the latest up to date information about the College and its students, staff and alumni. You will also find news and events here including opportunities to get involved with prizes, exhibitions, and community projects.

Moodle

Moodle is where you will go to find out information specific to your programme and School as well as resources and technical services. You can see your calendar, book into workshops and courses and access staff from departments such as Student Support, the Library and Academic Skills.

Where the intranet provides information at a College-wide level, Moodle is specific to your particular needs. Here you can see what your calendar looks like for the next week, book into do some screen printing or speak to Student Support regarding access needs.

Student Support Centre

At the RCA we are committed to building a sense of belonging, pride and community within our student body by putting students at the heart of everything we do. Our Student Centre is located on the ground floor of the Stevens Building in our Kensington campus.

The Student Centre is open from 10am – 4pm Monday to Friday during term time. There are also bookable appointments with the Student Support team across all our campuses as well as online. There are events run by our Student Support team on all campuses.

The Student Centre is your first point of contact for help and questions relating to course and registry enquiries, student support and international student support, fees, student finance enquiries and financial support, mental health and wellbeing support, student/bank letters, IT enquiries,ID cards, estates issues, and wayfinding to help you navigate the RCA.

.The Student Centre can help you with a range of administrative tasks, as well as providing you with advice and guidance to support your studies.

If we can't solve your query, we can get you to the team or colleague who can.

Student Support team

Our Student Support team offers advice, information, and support to all RCA students and offer-holders. You can find out about the range of confidential support available here.

Support for international students

International students have access to support from the College which covers everything from immigration advice and pre-arrival information. You can find this information here.

Support for disabled students

At the RCA, we are committed to celebrating diversity and supporting and helping all our students reach their full potential.

Comprehensive support exists for disabled students. You can find information on how to disclose a disability at the RCA below. You can find more information about the RCA and government-funded disability support on the disability support page.

The Student Experience Team will contact all disabled offer holders from April onwards with an invitation to discuss support requirements.

At the College, we champion an environment of mutual respect, where inclusion is valued and respected, and where innovation, creativity and diversity can flourish.

Our Student Charter is our commitment between the members of our community (students, staff and visitors) and is underpinned by the RCA values which provide a framework for the way we work and operate together.

It’s important to look after your health while studying. We have partnered with Imperial College Health Centre (ICHC) to offer students NHS primary care services.

Once you are fully enrolled, and in the UK, you can register with the health centre using this quick online registration form.

Imperial College Health Centre is within a short walkable distance from our Kensington campus.

The practice provides a comprehensive, holistic, student-focused service, covering a range of health services delivered by a multidisciplinary team. An in-house psychology service is available too. Consultations can be face-to-face, via telephone, video and online to suit the needs of students.

See also our section on healthcare on our Before you arrive in the UK page.