The Drawing Year Applications

The Drawing Year is our full-scholarship postgraduate-level programme designed to offer artists and creatives a transformative next step in their practice.
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The Drawing Year
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The Drawing Year
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Course details

Deadline

1 April 2026, for Sept 2026 start

Duration

4 terms of tuition & studio practice

Fees

Free + Living grants available

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How to apply

Please read through this overview prior to starting your application.

Key dates
  • Applications for The Drawing Year 2026-27 open in November 2025
  • Application deadline: 1st April 2026 at 12pm (midday). 


Applicants must demonstrate a strong portfolio and a commitment to drawing, with a willingness to engage creatively and critically, necessary for postgraduate study. 

Prospective applicants need to:

  • Complete the online application form
  • Upload 20 pieces of work 
  • Submit two sketchbooks (see guidelines below) 

Shortlisted applicants will be invited for an interview and must bring all works included in their digital portfolio. 

 

Application requirements

As part of the application for you must provide:

Personal statement
A statement (maximum 500 words) explaining your interest in The Drawing Year. 
Referees
Provide contact details for two referees who can give either an academic or character reference related to your artistic practice. Referees will only be contacted if you are invited for an interview. 
Digital portfolio
Your portfolio must include 20 pieces of work: 
  • 10 Drawings – created in dry media, ink or watercolour
  • 10 Additional Works – in any medium of your choice 
File Guidelines 

Files must be:

  • JPEG or PNG
  • Maximum 200dpi resolution
  • Maximum 4MB per file
  • Work must have been created within the last three years 
Animators

Applicants may submit short video files (maximum 2 minutes, 50MB) as part of their Additional Works. 

File Naming Format

Each file must be named in the following way: 

  • Drawing1_TitleOfWork_Dimensions
  • AdditionalWork1_TitleOfWork_Dimensions 

 

Shortlisted applicants must bring these works, along with additional sketchbooks, to the interview.

Sketchbook submission

Applicants must submit two sketchbooks to the school as part of their application. 

Submission guidelines 
  • Maximum two sketchbooks per applicant
  • No larger than A3
  • Loose sheets must be securely bound
  • No loose or rolled sheets (folders and portfolios are not accepted)
  • Clearly label each sketchbook with your full name, email, and phone number 
Sketchbook drop-off
  • Dates: TBC (April 2026)
  • Times: 10am – 6pm
  • Location: Royal Drawing School, Shoreditch 
    19-22 Charlotte Road, London, EC2A 3SG 
Postal Submissions 

Sketchbooks may be posted but must arrive by the drop-off deadline. Please allow enough time for delivery. 

Please note: The Royal Drawing School is not responsible for any loss or damage to sketchbooks. 

If you are invited for an interview, sketchbooks will remain at the School until then. If your application is unsuccessful, collection details will be provided in May. 

Sketchbooks will only be accepted if the application form, portfolio, and fee have been submitted by midday on date 1 April 2026. 

Building your portfolio

Portfolios offer a chance for applicants to demonstrate their commitment to drawing and artistic practice at a postgraduate level. From highlighting your best works to illustrating variety, we have collated recommendations that will give you an idea of what assessors are looking for in applications.

Read the full blog
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Interviews

Shortlisted applicants will be contacted a few weeks after the application deadline. 

What to expect:
  • Interviews will take place in May 2026
  • Applicants must bring their physical portfolio and sketchbooks
  • Additional work not included in the digital application may also be presented
  • Candidates will discuss the role of drawing in their practice and how The Drawing Year would support their development
  • Applicants will receive a decision within one week of their interview 

International Applicants 

The Royal Drawing School is unable to sponsor Student Visas, so we can only accept applications from international or EU students who already hold an appropriate visa or settlement status. 

EU/EEA and international students wishing to study on the Drawing Year who do not have a valid UK Passport, will require either:

Settled or Pre-Settled Status in the UK

After Brexit, all EU/EEA students require pre-settled or settled status in order to study on The Drawing Year. If originally from a country in the European Union (EU), European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland, you will need to have either  

You will not be eligible to apply for the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) unless you were living in the UK before 31 December 2020. For more information please see https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families/applying-for-settled-status

Before starting study, the School would require evidence of your Settled or Pre-Settled Status and evidence of your identity.

A Graduate Visa

The Graduate visa launched on 1 July 2021. A Graduate visa gives you permission to stay in the UK for at least 2 years after successfully completing a course of study in the UK (such as a BA or MA). Your current visa must be a Student visa or Tier 4 (General) student visa.

The Graduate visa is open to students currently studying in the UK and you must apply before your Student visa or Tier 4 (General) student visa expires.

You can apply for a Graduate visa if all of the following are true:

  • you’re in the UK
  • your current visa is a Student visa or Tier 4 (General) student visa
  • you studied a UK bachelor’s degree, postgraduate degree or other eligible course for a minimum period of time with your Student visa or Tier 4 (General) student visa
  • your education provider (such as your university or college) has told the Home Office you’ve successfully completed your course

A Graduate visa lasts for 2 years, beginning from the day the application is approved, and would give you sufficient time to complete the Drawing Year course (15 months).

Students wishing to apply for a Graduate visa would need to do so upon receiving a confirmed offer to study on the Drawing Year. Successful interviewees would usually receive an offer of study in late May/early June.  

For more information please see Graduate visa - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Application Support 

There are lots of ways we aim to support applicants:

Download an application guide
A detailed application guide will be available to download when applications open in November 2025.
Application support webinars
For further guidance, register to attend an Open day or a 'How to submit a Portfolio' webinar, you can also view a recording from last year here.
Open days and Q&As

We run regular online and in-person open days throughout the recruitment period. Book on to an open day here, or view a recorded open day online.

There is also the opportunity to ask questions on our Instagram Drawing Year Q&A sessions, follow us @royaldrawingschool 

Contact us

If you still have questions you can get in touch with us at drawingyear@royaldrawingschool.org

You can also visit our FAQs page or read our Admissions Policy for further information.