MPhil/PhD tuition fee bands
The RCA has two separate fee bands for MPhil/PhD students in the academic year 2025/26.
The RCA has two separate fee bands for MPhil/PhD students in the academic year 2025/26.
Candidates applying to commence doctoral study in autumn 2025 should indicate at interview which mode they wish to pursue (high residency or low residency).
Existing students will also have the opportunity to select the low residency route in the 2025/26 academic year, where appropriate.
Low Residency
The Low Residency route is available to students studying full-time and involves:
- Full-time fees of £8,400 (Home) and £25,700 (Overseas)
- Study and supervisory contact mainly on campus
- 22 direct academic contact hours per year across two supervisors (plus additional staff time for non-contact and assessment responsibilities)
- Access to the College library and online resources
- Access to a shared/bookable workspace and open study spaces
- Access to a low level of technical provision
- Participating actively in on-campus activities and events and in the research student community (e.g. through the RCA doctoral training programme and School/Research Centre seminar series)
High Residency
The High Residency route is available only to full-time students and involves:
- Full-time fees of £10,250 (Home) and £30,450 (Overseas)
- Study and supervisory contact mainly on campus.
- 22 hours of direct academic contact hours per year across two supervisors (plus additional staff time for non-contact and assessment responsibilities)
- Access to the College library and online resources
- Access to a dedicated workspace within a larger shared space (reviewed annually)
- Access to a higher level of technical provision
- Participation in on-campus activities and events (e.g. the RCA doctoral training programme and School/Research Centre seminar series)
- Being present on campus regularly, making good use of the space allocated and participating actively in the research student community (e.g. through the RCA doctoral training programme and School/Research Centre seminar series).
The College reserves the right to charge students the higher fee band if, having agreed the lower fee band, a student is found to be occupying space and using resources in line with the ‘high residency’ provision.