Undergraduate
Next Steps After Your Offer
You’ve received an offer from Arts University Plymouth. Congratulations!
Whether your offer is conditional or unconditional, this page will guide you through every step you need to take next, from accepting your offer to preparing for your first day on campus.
If you have any questions along the way, our Admissions team is here to help.
Contact our Admissions team
<p dir="ltr">Use this checklist to stay on track.</p><ol><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/applicant-journey#step-1-accept-your-offer">Accept your offer</a></p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/applicant-journey#step-2-check-your-offer-conditions">Check whether your offer is conditional or unconditional</a></p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/applicant-journey#step-3-submit-your-portfolio">Submit your portfolio (if required)</a></p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/applicant-journey#step-4-visit-us-as-an-offer-holder-on-an-applicant-experience-day">Attend an Applicant Experience Day</a></p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/applicant-journey#step-5-meet-your-future-classmates">Meet other applicants through Unibuddy Community</a></p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/applicant-journey#step-6-accommodation">Explore accommodation options</a></p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/applicant-journey#step-7-fees-funding-and-financial-support">Check funding, fees and scholarships</a></p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/applicant-journey#step-8-student-support">Find out what Student Support can offer you</a></p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/applicant-journey#step-9-support-for-international-students">International students: prepare your visa application</a></p></li></ol>
<p dir="ltr">You can complete these steps in any order, but we recommend starting with accepting your offer.</p>
One of our Technical Tutors, Russell Cleave, shows an applicant how to light a film set during a workshop.
<p><strong>Accepting an offer through UCAS</strong></p>
<p>If you applied through UCAS, log in to UCAS Hub to respond to your offer. You’ll be asked to choose your firm and (if applicable) insurance choices.</p>
<p>Your offer will show as either:</p><ul><li>Unconditional – your place is confirmed once you accept</li><li>Conditional – you’ll need to meet specific conditions, such as grades or portfolio requirement<br /></li></ul>
<p><strong>If you applied directly</strong></p>
<p>If you applied directly through Arts University Plymouth, follow the instructions in your offer email and applicant portal.</p>
<p><strong>Top tip: </strong>Make sure you check your email regularly, including spam or junk folders, so you don’t miss any important updates.</p>
<p>If your offer is conditional, your offer email will clearly explain what you need to do.</p>
<p>This might include:</p><ul><li>Achieving certain grades or UCAS points</li><li>Submitting a portfolio</li><li>Providing evidence of qualifications</li><li>Meeting English language requirements (for international students<br /></li></ul>
<p>If you’re unsure about any conditions, contact our Admissions team and we’ll talk you through it: admissions@aup.ac.uk</p>
Applicant Experience Days are also a great chance to try out some workshops on your chosen degree and get a feel for what it will be like studying at Arts University Plymouth
<p>Most of our undergraduate courses ask you to submit a portfolio as a condition of your offer, so we can see how you think, make and develop ideas.</p>
<p>Your portfolio does not need to be perfect. We’re interested in your creative process as much as your finished work.</p>
<p>What to include:</p><ul><li>A range of work that reflects your interests and ideas</li><li>Sketches, development work and experiments</li><li>Finished pieces, where relevant</li><li>A brief explanation of your thinking or process</li></ul>
<p>Need top tips to help prepare your portfolio? <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/posts/top-tips-on-building-a-creative-portfolio">Read our handy blog</a> or take a look at our Portfolio Guide below.<br /></p>
<p>You’ll receive instructions by email explaining how to upload your portfolio through your applicant portal, or how to bring it to an Applicant Experience Day. Instructions are also included below. If you need more guidance, our Admissions team is happy to help.</p>
<p>A successful portfolio submission will either lead to:</p><ul><li>an unconditional offer or;</li><li>an adjusted conditional offer which will be tailored to you individually.</li></ul>
<p>We believe in making offers that recognise that artists, designers and makers can have a wide range of relevant experience and skills, beyond formal qualifications.</p>
<p dir="ltr">You can submit your portfolio digitally via our <a href="https://forms.student-crm.com/Forms/view/45093434-809a-4d82-9e15-19b1476f5817" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">portfolio submission form</a>. You can choose to present your portfolio in a number of different formats. For example, you might convert your portfolio into a PowerPoint or Google Slides presentation, a PDF, a Canva presentation, or you might send us a link to a website, blog, YouTube or Video film. Alternatively, you can send us an image file, sound file, video file, or an alternative digital format. <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/posts/top-tips-on-building-a-creative-portfolio" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Read our top tips on building and submitting your portfolio here</a>.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Ensure your portfolio is saved as a web link (e.g. a link to a cloud document, a YouTube showreel, a portfolio website etc) and shared with the email address <a href="mailto:admissions@aup.ac.uk">admissions@aup.ac.uk</a>. It is really important you share it with that email address or we will not be able to access it and it may delay us reviewing your portfolio.<br /></p>
<p dir="ltr">The best way to submit your portfolio in person is at one of our Applicant Experience Days. Once you have received an offer, you will be emailed with an invitation to book an Applicant Experience Day. You will be given the option to book a 1:1 discussion with an academic where you can submit your portfolio. If you are having any issues booking your place or can’t make any of the dates you are offered, email <a href="mailto:admissions@aup.ac.uk">admissions@aup.ac.uk</a> and we can arrange for a bespoke 1:1 discussion with an academic at a time of your choice.<br /></p>
<p>Once you’ve submitted a portfolio, we aim to review it within 10 days of receiving it, and you will be informed of the outcome via UCAS Hub. Once your portfolio is reviewed, your offer will be updated to one of the following:<br /></p><ul><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr"><strong>Unconditional</strong>: you have a guaranteed place with us</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr"><strong>Conditional</strong>: the portfolio submission criteria has been met, but additional specific requirements need to be met (e.g exam results)</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr"><strong>Unsuccessful</strong>: unfortunately, no offer has been made this time</p></li></ul>
<p dir="ltr">If we require any further information to help us make a decision on your application, our admissions team will get in touch via email and phone. In some instances, our academic team may want to talk to you about your portfolio to help them make their decision and we will get in contact to organise this discussion.<br /></p>
At an Applicant Experience Day, you will get to meet tutors, current students, and your future course mates.
<p>Applicant Experience Days are designed exclusively for students who have received an offer and happen on-site, at our main campus. <br /></p>
<p>On the day, you’ll be able to:</p><ul><li>Meet your future lecturers and classmates</li><li>Take part in subject-specific sessions</li><li>Explore our studios, workshops and facilities</li><li>Chat to current students about life at Arts University Plymouth</li><li>Ask questions about accommodation, funding and student support</li></ul>
<p>If you can’t attend one of our in-person events, we have online options available, or you can book a campus tour or request a one-to-one conversation with your course leader, either in-person or online, on a date that suits you.<strong><br /></strong></p>
<p><strong>Did you know?</strong><br /></p>
<p>Our <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/posts/claim-up-to-80-when-you-come-to-visit-us2">Travel Bursary</a> offers you up to £80 to help pay for your travel expenses when you come to an Applicant Experience Day.<br /></p>
BOOK YOUR APPLICANT EXPERIENCE DAY
<p dir="ltr">A typical Applicant Experience Day Schedule;</p>
<p dir="ltr">10am - Arrival </p>
<p dir="ltr">10:15am - 12:00pm - Course specific workshop</p>
<p dir="ltr">12:00pm - 12:30pm - Student Life Q&A panel hosted by our Student Ambassadors </p>
<p dir="ltr">OR</p>
<p dir="ltr">12:00pm - 12:45pm - Campus Tour</p>
<p dir="ltr">12:30pm - 1pm - Accommodation in Plymouth talk</p>
<p dir="ltr">OR</p>
<p dir="ltr">12:30pm - 12:45pm - Campus Tour</p>
<p dir="ltr">13:00 - End of Event<br /></p>
<p dir="ltr">Applicant Experience Days are exclusive, invite-only events designed for students who have already applied to Arts University Plymouth. These events offer a deeper dive into the course content and provide a chance to meet your future classmates, lecturers, and course leaders. In addition to detailed sessions related to your chosen course, you can explore the university through discussions with various support teams, including Accommodation, Admissions, and Student Support, to address any personal requirements or questions you may have.<br /></p>
<p dir="ltr">You are more than welcome to bring guests, however they will not be able to attend the course specific workshops, as this is aimed only at applicants, to give them a feel for what the course will be like when they start in September. </p>
<p dir="ltr">During the Applicant Experience Day, we will have a Parents, Guardians and Supporters drop-in with refreshments, and if they’d like to look around our campus, they can join in on one of our campus tours. <br /></p>
<p>Our Travel Bursary offers you up to £80 to help pay for your travel expenses when you come to an Applicant Experience Day.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/posts/claim-up-to-80-when-you-come-to-visit-us2">Read our blog</a> to see how much you can claim to cover the cost of travelling to visit us.</p>
<p>We also have a range of hotel discounts, and discounts for local restaurants specially for Arts University Plymouth applicants. We'll email you with more details and updated offers, so keep an eye on your inbox.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Unibuddy Community is an online platform that enables applicants to connect with one another as well as current students at Arts University Plymouth. It provides a space for sharing first-hand experiences of life in Plymouth and studying at a specialist arts university.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Through moderated one-to-one and group messaging, Unibuddy Community offers insight into courses, portfolio preparation, facilities, student support, accommodation and life in Plymouth. Conversations reflect a range of interests, creative disciplines and study stages.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Designed to support informed decision-making during the application process by offering an authentic view of student experience at Arts University Plymouth, Unibuddy Community complements official course information and guidance available elsewhere on the website.</p>
<p dir="ltr">If you have already received your offer to study with us, and you can't find your invitation to join the community, you can email <a href="mailto:hello@aup.ac.uk">hello@aup.ac.uk</a> to be sent an invite.<br /></p>
<p dir="ltr">Finding the right place to live is an important part of preparing for university. Plymouth is a creative, student-friendly city with a range of affordable accommodation options close to campus.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Arts University Plymouth offers guidance on:</p><ul><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">University-recommended halls accommodation</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">Private housing options in Plymouth</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">When and how to apply</p></li></ul>
<p dir="ltr">Our friendly recruitment team are here to support you with making the right choice for you. Email <a href="mailto:accommodation@aup.ac.uk">accommodation@aup.ac.uk</a> or visit us on site.<br /></p>
<p><strong>Tuition fees</strong></p>
<p>Your tuition fee depends on your course and whether you’re a UK or international student. <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/fees-financing-and-funding">The most up-to-date fees are published on our website.</a></p>
<p><strong>Student finance</strong></p>
<p>UK students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan and Maintenance Loan through Student Finance England. Students from Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales can still apply for student finance, but will need to apply through their respective websites</p>
<p>You don’t need to have accepted your offer as your firm choice before applying for student finance, but we recommend applying as early as possible.</p>
<p><strong>Scholarships and bursaries</strong></p>
<p>We offer a range of scholarships, bursaries and progression awards to support students from different backgrounds.</p>
<p>If you need advice about funding your studies, our Registry team is here to help. You can email them at <a href="mailto:registry@aup.ac.uk">registry@aup.ac.uk</a></p>
<p>We are fully committed to providing equal opportunities to all, and the Student Support Team work alongside lecturers to support students.</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/disability-support-and-reasonable-adjustments#disability-support-and-reasonable-adjustments">Click here to find out more about Disability Support and reasonable adjustments</a></li><li><a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/disability-support-and-reasonable-adjustments#counselling-health-wellbeing">Click here to find out more about the counselling and wellbeing support our students can access</a></li></ul>
<p>When you apply to Arts University Plymouth, you will receive a Disability Disclosure questionnaire which will allow you to inform the university of any support you might require during your studies. You are also able to discuss your requirements with Student Support at any time by email: <a href="mailto:studentsupport@aup.ac.uk">studentsupport@aup.ac.uk</a></p>
<p>If you’re joining us from outside the UK, we’ll support you through every stage of the process.</p>
<p><strong>Visas and CAS</strong></p>
<p>Once you’ve accepted your offer and met all conditions, we’ll issue your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS), which you’ll need to apply for your Student visa.</p>
<p><strong>English language requirements</strong></p>
<p>Your offer will confirm the English language level you need to meet. We also offer guidance and support if you need to improve your English before joining us. Find out more about our requirements on our website here</p>
<p><strong>Arriving in Plymouth</strong></p>
<p>Our International team can help you prepare for travel, arrival and settling into life in the UK. If you need support booking travel and accommodation, email our friendly Senior International Officer <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/people/dan-baker">Dan Baker</a> at <a href="mailto:international@aup.ac.uk">international@aup.ac.uk</a>.</p>
<p>If your offer is conditional, UCAS will automatically check your results once they’re released.</p>
<p><strong>If you meet your conditions</strong>, your place will be confirmed and you’ll receive confirmation from UCAS and Arts University Plymouth.</p>
<p><strong>If you don’t meet your conditions</strong>, don’t panic. In many cases, we may still be able to confirm your place, or talk to you about alternative options, including Clearing.</p>
<p>Our Admissions team will be available to support you throughout results day and beyond: <a href="mailto:admissions@aup.ac.uk">admissions@aup.ac.uk</a></p>
<p>Once your place is confirmed, we’ll guide you through:</p><ul><li>Online enrolment</li><li>Timetables and term dates</li><li>Access to MyAUP, our campus app, the Student Portal and other digital learning tools</li><li>What to bring with you</li></ul>
<p>You’ll receive clear instructions by email at each stage.</p>
<p dir="ltr">We're here to help! If you have any questions about your application or you’re concerned about meeting your conditional offer requirements, don’t hesitate to contact our friendly Admissions team.</p><ul><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr"><strong>Email: </strong><a href="mailto:admissions@aup.ac.uk">admissions@aup.ac.uk</a></p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr"><strong>Call: </strong>01752 203400</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr"><strong>Whatsapp: </strong><a href="https://wa.me/+447722744184">07722 744184</a></p></li></ul><div>You can also <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/ask-a-student" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>start a live chat</strong> </a>with our current students below and find out why they chose to study at Arts University Plymouth. You can ask questions about course content, industry experience, <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/student-life/students-union">student life in Plymouth</a>, <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/student-life/accommodation">finding accommodation</a>, <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/student-life/discover-plymouth">the city of Plymouth and the surrounding area</a>, and their top tips for settling into your first year of studies.</div>
