Fine Art | University Of Oxford

Academic requirements 

Qualification	Requirements
A-levels:	AAA (or AAB for candidates who have undertaken or completed a post-18 Art Foundation course*)
Advanced Highers:	AA/AAB
International Baccalaureate (IB):	38 (including core points) with 666 at HL
Applied General Qualifications:	View pathways below**
Any other equivalent qualification:	View information on other UK qualifications, and international qualifications

* Post A-level applicants with AAB at A-level (or equivalent) will be expected to submit an outstanding portfolio and to achieve at least a Merit or equivalent on their Foundation course.

**Applied General and Alternative Academic Qualifications

Applicants taking Applied General (AGs) or Alternative Academic Qualifications (AAQs), including BTEC National, BTEC International, and UAL Level 3 qualifications, will be required to achieve Distinctions (or Upper Merit for the UAL Applied General Extended Diploma). As the Fine Art degree also includes a substantial history and theory component, candidates applying with AGs or AAQs are required to have an additional qualification at A-level or equivalent in an essay-based subject. There are two possible pathways to meet the entry requirements:

Level 3 Diploma(equivalent to 2 A-levels)	Level 3 Extended Diploma(equivalent to 3 A-levels)
Either of the following: BTEC National or International Diploma – grade DD Cambridge Technical Diploma – grade DD AND A-level or equivalent in an essay-based subject – minimum grade A	Any of the following: BTEC National or International Extended Diploma – grade DDD Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma – grade DDD UAL Extended Diploma – grade D UAL Applied General Extended Diploma – grade UM or D AND A-level or equivalent in an essay-based subject - minimum grade B

Wherever possible, your grades are considered in the context in which they have been achieved. 

Read further information on how we use contextual data.

Subject requirements

Recommended:	The Ruskin recommends that candidates have studied Art at A-level or equivalent qualification. It is highly recommended that candidates have undertaken a post-18 Art Foundation course before applying.

If a practical component forms part of any of your science A‐levels used to meet your offer, we expect you to pass it.

If English is not your first language you may also need to meet our English language requirements.

Applying

All candidates must follow the application procedure as shown on our Applying to Oxford pages.

The following information gives specific details for students applying for this course.

Portfolio submission

Description:

Portfolios must be submitted digitally, via an online platform called SlideRoom, which will be made available on the Ruskin website shortly after the application deadline. Candidates who have submitted a UCAS application to study for the BFA programme will be emailed the link to SlideRoom. There is no prescription for the content of a portfolio. Candidates should aim to include a range of work which gives a sense of their artistic and intellectual interests and their curiosity about contemporary art and its concerns.  You will be able to upload your portfolio with videos, photographs, audio files and PDFs. Please visit the Ruskin website for further information.*

Submission deadline:

Thursday 5 November 2026

*Read more about the portfolio

Interview

Interviews take place in early December. 

What are tutors looking for?

All applicants are required to submit a portfolio of their art work. Tutors are looking for work that goes beyond the mere fulfilment of school curricula.

Tutors will seek evidence of a breadth of engagement, a sense of purpose and an emerging artistic voice in the way the portfolio is edited.

If you are shortlisted you will be asked to submit a small number of additional recent pieces of your work to discuss during interview.

View the Ruskin School of Art website for more detail on the selection criteria for this course.