Metadata
Title
Master of Fine Art (MFA)
Category
graduate
UUID
42d3a4dec4444e979e84e2503271a426
Source URL
https://www.ncl.ac.uk/postgraduate/degrees/5808f/
Parent URL
https://www.ncl.ac.uk/postgraduate/degrees/
Crawl Time
2026-03-19T01:43:41+00:00
Rendered Raw Markdown

Master of Fine Art (MFA)

Source: https://www.ncl.ac.uk/postgraduate/degrees/5808f/ Parent: https://www.ncl.ac.uk/postgraduate/degrees/

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Overview

Our Master of Fine Arts is a two-year full time course that encourages a critical and experimental approach to studio-practice.

It's designed for fine art graduates and those with other backgrounds who wish to establish, progress or extend their position as practitioners in the contemporary art world.

Professional practicitioners from different areas will support your practice in the following specialisms:

On the Fine Art MFA we'll support and encourage you to:

If you've already completed an MA Fine Art either at Newcastle or elsewhere, you may be eligible to join our MFA Fine Art direct at Stage 2.

Important information

We've highlighted important information about your course. Please take note of any deadlines.

Your course and study experience - disclaimers and terms and conditions

Please rest assured we make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the programmes, services and facilities described. However, it may be necessary to make changes due to significant disruption, for example in response to Covid-19.

View our Academic experience page, which gives information about your Newcastle University study experience for the academic year 2025-26.

See our terms and conditions and student complaints information, which gives details of circumstances that may lead to changes to programmes, modules or University services.

\

What you'll learn

Alongside your practice, you'll develop the skills needed to practice as an artist including career development, such as:

75% of the course is studio-based art practice, with professional practice and dissertation modules making up the other 25%.

Stage 1 supports a critical and experimental approach to studio-practice, with a focus on making and exhibiting art. Bespoke studio based learning experiences will equip you with a versatile set of skills applicable to contemporary fine art careers. Students on the MFA and MA follow the same practice-based course and share the same studio space.

Stage 2 extends your critical positions with a focus on making, exhibiting, and professional practice, leading to a final degree exhibition.

Modules

You will study modules on this course. A module is a unit of a course with its own approved aims and outcomes and assessment methods.

Course content changes

The module information below is intended to provide an example of what you will study.

Our teaching is informed by research. Course content changes periodically to reflect developments in the discipline, the requirements of external bodies and partners, and student feedback.

Full details of the modules on offer will be published through the Programme Regulations and Specifications ahead of each academic year. This usually happens in May.

To find out more please see our terms and conditions.

Optional modules availability

Some courses have optional modules. Student demand for optional modules may affect availability.

Fine Art MFA programme

Compulsory Modules Credits
Studio Work (Stage 2) 150
Studio Practice 1 40
Studio Practice 2 40
Studio Residency and Exhibition 60
Art Writing 20
Exhibiting Art 20
Dissertation 30

How you'll learn

Delivery and teaching methods

Based in our purpose-built studio spaces, you'll work with leading researchers and practicing artists as you develop on your creative journey

The MFA creates a platform to help you push your practice forward. You'll do this through experimentation and by developing inventive, rigorous, and focused working methods. We provide a rich creative environment, along with time and space to develop.

We'll support your development as an artist through:

You'll be part of a vibrant and creative community of staff and students, working to define your own artistic identity. You'll do this through self-reflection and a critical understanding of the context in which you're working.

We place a strong emphasis on student-centred learning. You'll work alongside your peers in the postgraduate studio, including with MA Fine Art Students with whom the MFA share modules, teaching and space.

We encourage and support the practice and study of art through:

You'll exhibit at the end of each year as part of an 8-week Studio Residency and exhibition module. The course culminates in a final public degree exhibition. The exhibition is held throughout the Fine Art Building and in the Hatton Gallery.

Newcastle is a great place to study contemporary visual art with a vibrant arts scene. We encourage you to exhibit in the city and make connections for use beyond your degree. Our Alumni have made contributions to the creative arts ecology on the on the local, national and international stage.

Assessment methods

Depending on your modules, you'll be assessed through a combination of:

Additional assessment information

The creative project will be in the form of an exhibition

Student support

Throughout your studies, you’ll have access to support from:

You'll also be assigned an academic member of staff, who will be your personal tutor throughout your time with us. They can help with academic and personal issues.

Your teaching and learning is also supported by Canvas. Canvas is a Virtual Learning Environment. You'll use Canvas to submit your assignments and access your:

Our staff

Our teaching is research led and we have a committed and dynamic team of academic staff. They're all:

Many national and international artists, curators and art theorists also work with us through our weekly visiting lecture programme. This is where some of the most interesting and original

working today present and discuss their projects.

Your development

Overseas opportunities

There are regular study trips abroad. We organise these optional trips at an additional cost. Recent trips have been to:

Our exchange scheme also gives you the chance to study in Europe or overseas at one of our partner institutions.

Your future

We have strong links and partnerships in the industry, providing you with opportunities to engage with the art world in Newcastle and beyond. We work with artists, curators and critics from:

Careers

Our course equips you with the skills and knowledge needed for a career in the creative arts. As well as becoming artists, our graduates gain employment and make significant contributions in the arts arena, in areas such as:

The MFA also offers a solid grounding for those hoping to progress to PhD degree study.

Read more about how we support your career development

Our Careers Service

Our expert Careers Service is here to help you take the next steps in your professional life. We will support you while you’re studying with us and for up to three years after you graduate.\ \ You will have access to expert one-to-one advice and guidance through our campus careers centre and online, along with digital resources, workshops, networking opportunities, and careers and recruitment events.\ \ We’ve been awarded 5 QS Stars for Student Employability (2025). Many of our degrees are shaped by strong links with national and international businesses. We are committed to helping you access real-world experience opportunities and develop key skills through paid work placements and internships.

Visit our Careers Service website

Facilities

School of Arts and Cultures

Based in the heart of Newcastle city centre, our Fine Art department is consistently rated in the top five of all UK art schools.

At the School of Arts and Cultures, we're committed to the education of artists, along with the practice, exhibition, history and theory of art.

We offer interdisciplinary practice, research and engagement within centres such as:

We also provide well-resourced workshops (all with full technical support) and student studios. We offer:

Our facilities also include:

All students have the use of the award-winning Phillip Robinson Library and computer clusters around the University.

We're based in the same building as the Hatton Gallery. This is one of the largest exhibition spaces in North East England. It accommodates both student shows and large touring exhibitions. The Hatton's permanent collection consists of works of art from five centuries and includes the Elterwater Merzbarn construction by Kurt Schwitters.

Read more about our facilities

Quality and ranking

Recognition of professional qualifications outside of the UK

If you’re studying an accredited degree and thinking about working in Europe after you graduate, the best place to find current information is the UK Government’s guidance on recognition of UK professional qualifications in EU member states. This official resource explains whether your profession is regulated in another country, what steps you need to take, and which organisation you should contact.

Fees, Funding and Scholarships

Tuition fees for 2026 entry (per year)

Qualification: MA Full time
Home students Full time: 12 months Tuition fees (per year) £11,400
International students Full time: 12 months Tuition fees (per year) £26,500
Qualification: MFA Full time
Home students Full time: 24 months Tuition fees (per year) £11,400
International students Full time: 24 months Tuition fees (per year) £26,500

Home students - Arts and Cultures Postgraduate Taught Scholarships (2025 entry)

The School of Arts and Cultures is pleased to offer £2,000 tuition fee awards for outstanding home applicants who apply to commence full-time studies on this degree for 2025 entry. Read more.

Tuition fee increases

As a general principle, you should expect the tuition fee to increase in each subsequent academic year of your course, subject to government regulations on fee increases and in line with inflation.

EU, other EEA and Swiss nationals - tuition fee status

Depending on your residency history, if you’re a student from the EU, other EEA or a Swiss national, with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you’ll normally pay the ‘Home’ tuition fee rate and may be eligible for Student Finance England support.

EU students without settled or pre-settled status will normally be charged fees at the ‘International’ rate and will not be eligible for Student Finance England support. You may be eligible for a scholarship worth 25% off the international fee. Search our funding database.

If you are unsure of your fee status, check out the latest guidance here.

Scholarships

We support our EU and international students by providing a generous range of Vice-Chancellor's automatic and merit-based scholarships. See our searchable postgraduate funding page for more information.

What you're paying for

Tuition fees include the costs of:

Find out more about:

Deposit

If you are an international student or a student from the EU, EEA or Switzerland and you need a visa to study in the UK, you may have to pay a deposit.

You can check this in the How to apply section.

Funding deadlines

If you're applying for funding, always check the funding application deadline. This deadline may be earlier than the application deadline for your course.

For some funding schemes, you need to have received an offer of a place on a course before you can apply for the funding.

Search for funding and scholarships

Find funding available for your course

Select your country AfghanistanAlbaniaAlgeriaAntigua and BarbudaArgentinaArmeniaAustraliaAustriaAzerbaijanBahrainBangladeshBarbadosBelarusBelgiumBelizeBeninBhutanBoliviaBosnia and HerzegovinaBotswanaBrazilBritish Virgin IslandsBruneiBulgariaBurundiCambodiaCameroonCanadaCaribbeanCayman IslandsChileChinaColombiaCosta RicaCroatiaCubaCyprusCzech RepublicDenmarkDominicaDominican RepublicEcuadorEgyptEl SalvadorEritreaEstoniaEswatiniEthiopiaFijiFinlandFranceGabonGambiaGeorgiaGermanyGhanaGreeceGrenadaGuatemalaGuyanaHaitiHondurasHong KongHungaryIndiaIndonesiaIranIraqIsraelItalyIvory CoastJamaicaJapanJordanKazakhstanKenyaKiribatiKosovoKuwaitLaosLatviaLebanonLesothoLiberiaLibyaLithuaniaLuxembourgMadagascarMalawiMalaysiaMaldivesMaltaMauritiusMexicoMongoliaMontserratMoroccoMozambiqueMyanmarNamibiaNauruNepalNetherlandsNew ZealandNicaraguaNigeriaNorth MacedoniaNorwayOmanPakistanPalestinePanamaPapua New GuineaParaguayPeruPhilippinesPolandPortugalQatarRepublic of IrelandRomaniaRussiaRwandaSaint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da CunhaSaint Kitts and NevisSaint LuciaSaint Vincent and the GrenadinesSamoaSaudi ArabiaSenegalSerbiaSierra LeoneSingaporeSlovakiaSloveniaSolomon IslandsSouth AfricaSouth KoreaSpainSri LankaSudanSurinameSwazilandSwedenSwitzerlandSyriaTaiwanTajikistanTanzania, United Republic ofThailandTogoTongaTrinidad and TobagoTunisiaTurkeyTurkmenistanTurks and Caicos IslandsTuvaluUgandaUkraineUnited Arab EmiratesUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandUruguayUSAUzbekistanVanuatuVenezuelaVietnamZambiaZimbabwe

Entry requirements

The entrance requirements below apply to 2026 entry.

Academic entry requirements

A 2.2 honours degree in fine art, or international equivalent, plus a portfolio of recent art work.

\

Applicants who hold non-standard qualifications and/or have other relevant experience will be considered on an individual basis.

\

After consideration of your portfolio and your application, you may be invited to attend an interview - in-person or an online interview for those applicants outside of the UK.

\

If you've already completed an in MA Fine Art, either from Newcastle or elsewhere, please state this in your personal statement and include your qualifications in your application. We'll discuss your eligibility for direct entry to stage 2 at the interview stage

Qualifications from outside the UK

Select your country AfghanistanAlbaniaAlgeriaAntigua and BarbudaArgentinaArmeniaAustraliaAustriaAzerbaijanBahrainBangladeshBarbadosBelarusBelgiumBelizeBeninBhutanBoliviaBosnia and HerzegovinaBotswanaBrazilBritish Virgin IslandsBruneiBulgariaBurundiCambodiaCameroonCanadaCaribbeanCayman IslandsChileChinaColombiaCosta RicaCroatiaCubaCyprusCzech RepublicDenmarkDominicaDominican RepublicEcuadorEgyptEl SalvadorEritreaEstoniaEswatiniEthiopiaFijiFinlandFranceGabonGambiaGeorgiaGermanyGhanaGreeceGrenadaGuatemalaGuyanaHaitiHondurasHong KongHungaryIndiaIndonesiaIranIraqIsraelItalyIvory CoastJamaicaJapanJordanKazakhstanKenyaKiribatiKosovoKuwaitLaosLatviaLebanonLesothoLiberiaLibyaLithuaniaLuxembourgMadagascarMalawiMalaysiaMaldivesMaltaMauritiusMexicoMongoliaMontserratMoroccoMozambiqueMyanmarNamibiaNauruNepalNetherlandsNew ZealandNicaraguaNigeriaNorth MacedoniaNorwayOmanPakistanPalestinePanamaPapua New GuineaParaguayPeruPhilippinesPolandPortugalQatarRepublic of IrelandRomaniaRussiaRwandaSaint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da CunhaSaint Kitts and NevisSaint LuciaSaint Vincent and the GrenadinesSamoaSaudi ArabiaSenegalSerbiaSierra LeoneSingaporeSlovakiaSloveniaSolomon IslandsSouth AfricaSouth KoreaSpainSri LankaSudanSurinameSwazilandSwedenSwitzerlandSyriaTaiwanTajikistanTanzania, United Republic ofThailandTogoTongaTrinidad and TobagoTunisiaTurkeyTurkmenistanTurks and Caicos IslandsTuvaluUgandaUkraineUnited Arab EmiratesUruguayUSAUzbekistanVanuatuVenezuelaVietnamZambiaZimbabwe

English Language requirements

Select your qualification IELTSPearsonsDuolingo English TestTOEFLOtherPre-Sessional Entry - 6 weeksPre-Sessional Entry - 10 weeks

Admissions policy

This policy applies to all undergraduate and postgraduate admissions at Newcastle University. It is intended to provide information about our admissions policies and procedures to applicants and potential applicants, to their advisors and family members, and to staff of the University.

University Admissions Policy and related policies and procedures

Credit transfer and Recognition of Prior Learning

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) can allow you to convert existing relevant university-level knowledge, skills and experience into credits towards a qualification. Find out more about the RPL policy which may apply to this course

How to apply

Before you start

Start Dates

The course starts in September.

Closing Dates

We expect applications to be submitted by March 1st. We always consider later applications if there are spaces available. Please contact the Degree Programme Director

We suggest international students apply at least two months before the course starts. This is so that you have enough time to make the necessary arrangements.

Specialised application information

Portfolio

You need to submit a completed online application form together with 15-30 images of your studio work in the form of a digital portfolio. You should collate your images in a PowerPoint, Pdf or Word document and attach this to your online application. This document may also include URL links to videos. Work should be labelled and briefly described – size, date, materials etc.

You should include recent work, but you may also wish to submit other work that you feel is relevant and which supports your application.

Personal statement

In your application you need to provide a statement about you and your current studio work. You should state how as an artist you hope to develop your practice while on the MFA, as well as outlining your reasons for wanting to study at postgraduate level at Newcastle. We are looking for evidence of an independent and thoughtful creative practice, and for motivated and ambitious individuals who are looking for a challenging and inspiring educational and creative environment.

Deposit

All International students

If you are an international student or a student from the EU, EEA or Switzerland and you need a visa to study in the UK, you must pay a deposit or submit an official letter of sponsorship. The deposit is payable after you receive an offer to study with us. This deposit is non-refundable and will be deducted from your tuition fees when you register. You may also be subject to academic and English language qualification verification, confirmation of funds and credibility interviews.

International students who received an offer before 18 March 2026

International students Bangladesh, Ghana, Myanmar, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan who received an offer after 18 March 2026

All International students (excluding those from the markets above) who received an offer after 18 March 2026

Programme codes

Qualification: MA Full time
Full time: 12 months Programme Code: 4186F
Qualification: MFA Full time
Full time: 24 months Programme Code: 5808F

Using the application portal

The application portal has instructions to guide you through your application. It will tell you what documents you need and how to upload them.

You can choose to start your application, save your details and come back to complete it later.

If you’re ready, you can select Apply Online and you’ll be taken directly to the application portal.

Alternatively you can find out more about applying on our applications and offers pages.

\ Apply Online

Open days and events

Find out about how you can visit Newcastle in person and virtually

Overseas events

We regularly travel overseas to meet with students interested in studying at Newcastle University.

Visit our events calendar for the latest events

Get in touch

Questions about this course?

If you have specific questions about this course you can contact:

Nick Fox\ Degree Programme Director for the MFA\ School of Arts and Cultures\ Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 5684\ Email: nick.fox@ncl.ac.uk

General enquiries

For more general enquiries, you could also complete our online enquiry form.

Fill in our enquiry form

Application enquiries

If you've got a question about your application, send us an enquiry via the application portal you applied through.

If you haven't applied yet, you can send your questions via our enquiry form.

Fill in our enquiry form

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Our Ncl chatbot might be able to give you an answer straight away. If not, it’ll direct you to someone who can help.

You'll find our Ncl chatbot in the bottom right of this page.

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