Royal Academy Schools

The Royal Academy Schools thrives on the commitment and intellectual inquiry of its students. Our aim is to provide an environment in which you can test out and re-evaluate your practice in dialogue with a diverse group of contemporary artists. The programme is full-time, with lectures, group critiques, tutorials and artist talks given each week. Students attend and contribute to these activities, alongside the production of studio work.

The Royal Academy Schools has been an integral part of the Royal Academy of Arts since its foundation in 1768. A key principle of the RA Schools is that our programme is free of charge to every applicant offered a place.

We welcome candidates who want to engage at an advanced level with their own work, and importantly, the work of their peers. As a student at the RA Schools you will form part of a diverse group of motivated artists who aim to develop their work in an environment of discussion and investigation.

A total of 40-51 places are available at the RA Schools at any one time, set across three year groups. The high tutor/student ratio ensures that the individual art practice is subject to in-depth and sustained discussion with a variety of lecturers and visiting artists. The comparatively small size of the RA Schools also allows us to be in a constant state of evolution, inflected by the contribution and experience of our participants. Your ideas and interests are at the heart of the programme.

Additional financial support is available through bursaries and contributions to the cost of some materials. This support does not fully cover the cost of living and studying in London and most students undertake part-time work outside of their commitments to the course.

Above: Photo by Cat Garcia. Copyright Royal Academy of Arts.