Study at The Glasgow School of Art

Location and student life

The GSA's main campus sits on Renfrew Street in Garnethill, in the centre of Glasgow, close to the city centre and public transport links. Its best-known buildings include the Mackintosh Building and the Reid Building opposite it, completed in 2014 to designs by Steven Holl Architects. Student halls at Blythswood House are about a five-minute walk from the studios. The school also runs a smaller Highlands and Islands campus at the Altyre Estate near Forres in Moray, in the north of Scotland, with its own accommodation.

Courses and subjects

Undergraduate and postgraduate teaching is organised into four schools: the School of Fine Art (painting and printmaking, sculpture and environmental art, photography), the School of Design (communication, fashion, textile, interior, interaction and jewellery design), the Mackintosh School of Architecture, and the School of Innovation and Technology (including games and virtual reality, 3D modelling, sound for the moving image and product design). Postgraduate options include taught masters degrees and research degrees (MRes and PhD). For applicants who need preparation, the GSA offers an International Foundation programme and a Portfolio Preparation programme, plus a pre-sessional English for Creative Disciplines course for offer holders who need to raise their English level.

Entry requirements for international students

International applicants generally apply through UCAS and are then asked to submit a digital portfolio (PDF, maximum 15 pages) with a portfolio statement of up to 500 words. Published English requirements for 2027/28 undergraduate entry are IELTS 6.0 overall with at least 5.5 in each component for most programmes, and 6.5 overall for architecture; research degrees ask for 6.5 overall and in each component. The International Foundation route asks for IELTS for UKVI 5.0. Exact grades, portfolio expectations and English scores vary by course, so check the application guide for your chosen programme.

Accommodation

The GSA offers places in its purpose-built halls at Blythswood House, about a five-minute walk from the main Glasgow campus, with furnished rooms and shared kitchens; there is also accommodation for students at the Forres campus. Applications for halls open in March each year and offer holders are emailed instructions on how to apply, with updated prices published from February. The school also publishes guidance on private rented housing in Glasgow.

Scholarships and funding

For September 2026 entry the GSA lists International Merit Scholarships giving tuition fee reductions to international fee-paying students, with eligible offer holders considered automatically, and £4,000 International Clearing Scholarships taken off first-year fees for eligible undergraduates entering through Clearing. Further Financial Support Scholarships are listed by academic school for undergraduate and postgraduate students. Names, values and deadlines change each year, so check the GSA scholarships page for the current round before applying.