Did you know that interior decoration is not only about beautiful room design? The best interior design universities in the UK have structures that teach their students everything that is needed for interior design in our current century.
You may know what interior design is, but do you know what it is not?
Interior design is not interior decoration. The simple difference is that an interior designer needs a degree, while an interior decorator can be the kid who decorates his room with crayons.
Anyone can be an interior decorator.
So, an interior designer is a degree-holder and licensed professional who works with clients to create the interior structure of buildings.
The UK is the 2nd best country for international students to study after the US. In addition, they have 18 top 100 universities in the world.
That is, the UK maintains a high level of training and skill. This is why choosing the best UK universities for interior design is an amazing choice.
There are many historical buildings and interior items in London that say a lot about the country, Great Britain.
A simplified example of interior decoration dates back to ancient times. It was not called interior design until the early 19th century.
In 1899, the Institute of British Decorators was founded, a professional organization for interior designers, which currently has over 20,000 interior designers.
The UK’s top universities for interior design will make sure you study architecture along with your career.
Because professional architects will always argue that interior designers do not create space, but decoration. Thus, studying architecture throughout your career will allow you to balance these two things.
Experts say knowing these two areas gives interior design a balanced beauty. Of course, one cannot exist without the other.
Is interior design a good career in the UK?
The simple answer is yes, it is a good career in the UK. Especially if you have a love and passion for art and decorating.
In addition, you should note that becoming a professional interior designer who makes good money in the UK is not only about passion and enthusiasm.
Passion aside, you must be hardworking and committed to learning every part of interior design, including the architectural part of your studies.
Because interior design isn’t all about art, color, and fun, there are other stressful tasks that interior designers have to deal with. Some of them may seem like work, not fun.
However, the best interior design universities in the UK will not only accept you as their students, but will also provide learning tools to help you stay committed to your interior design career.
There are many programs available in the UK to start a career as an interior designer. Such as certificate, undergraduate and postgraduate programs.
Most applicants choose undergraduate programs in interior design. Then, after that, some bachelor’s degree holders will identify interior decoration niches through a graduate program.
There are many reasons why choosing interior design as a career in the UK is very important.
- First, in 2020, global interior design was valued at around £111bn , which means it’s one of the most valuable deposits in the world.
- Secondly, there are many job opportunities associated with studying at the best universities in the UK for interior design. An interior designer may create design plans, may work with an architect as a draftsman, may work as a building inspector.
As diverse as the careers are, it is easier for graduates from one of the UK’s top universities in interior design to find work. And they get paid above average. Some high professionals earn six-figure salaries.
- Thirdly, you get the opportunity to work with people of different qualifications. This will help you build relationships with people outside of your field of work.
- Fourthly, studying at one of the best universities in the UK in interior design allows you to master other necessary skills (both hard and soft skills).
For example, you will learn how to be more detailed in your career and life. You will even learn how to convey your ideas, your vision to your clients.
- Finally, earning a degree in interior decorating can help a job seeker become their boss. I’m talking about entrepreneurship.
The applicant can start his own business and start making money from it.
Top Universities for Interior Design UK
These are the best universities in the UK for interior design.
- Royal College of Art
- University of the Arts, London
- Glasgow School of Art
- Goldsmiths University London
- Edinburgh College of Art (ECA)
1. Royal College of Art
RCA is one of the oldest interior design colleges in the UK. It was founded in 1837 and is considered one of the UK’s top universities for interior design.
Many RCA alumni have developed interior designs that have had a significant impact on our world. To mention a few, Thomas Heatherwick, the founder of Heatherwick Studios, is known as one of the UK’s finest designers.
Also Christopher Ofili, British artist, winner of the Turner Prize.
Their alumni have gone on to make some respected innovations such as; Ford Ka and Jaguar XK8, PS furniture range.
RCA offers two different interior design programs; Taught master’s degree, short-term courses.
RCA master’s program
This is taught in architecture school. They do their work in design studios.
Further, lectures, master classes and seminars are also held in the design studio. Students are invited to lecture both internal and external researchers, academics and practitioners from similar disciplines.
These professionals are leaders in their fields and are renowned for their design work and architectural excellence.
You can apply from anywhere in the world.
From your portfolio, they would like to make sure that you are creative, imaginative and inventive (not a requirement).
In addition, RCA would like to make sure you have the potential to benefit from the program and achieve an excellent overall MA score. This is one of the things that makes them one of the best universities in the UK for interior design.
As with most master’s degrees, a good bachelor’s degree is required. But the Royal College of Art may also consider other suitable options.
If you have had professional experience, perhaps before, within, or after your first degree, this may be an added advantage for admission.
In addition, RCA Interior Design opens its doors to candidates who have similar backgrounds in architecture, graphic design, product design, and furniture design, for example.
So, you will need to submit a portfolio containing images, videos, or written work of your projects. This will let the college know about your ability to fit into the desired program.
Also, if you are not in one of the top English speaking countries, you need to have an IELTS (International English Language Testing System) score of 6.5.
In addition, 6.0 TWE (Test of written English) and at least 5.5 in other skills.
But if you get at least a 6.0 and a 5.5 at TWE, you may be eligible to take an English for College Academic Purposes course. This will allow you to reach the required standard.
However, if you have completed a 2.1 or higher degree from a university in an English speaking country within the last two years, you are exempt from IELTS and TWE.
Currently, starting September 2022, if you are in the UK, you will need to pay a subsidized fee of £13,500. But if you live abroad or study in the EU, you will need to pay £10,000.
In addition, UK applicants will be required to pay a non-refundable fee of £1,000. While overseas and European students will pay £2,000.
There are scholarships that students can take advantage of, you can read more about them here .
RCA Short Courses
The focus is on exploring the forces that are shaping our future retail environment. And when we talk about our future, we know that it’s all about change and trends.
As such, this course will help you make a cultural transformation to quickly meet current trends. You will often have guest lectures and workshops.
This short course has both offline and online classes.
To apply for this short course, you must be an interior designer, architecture, branding or other spatial practice graduate.
You also need to have 2 to 3 years of professional experience in retail design or other similar areas of design. You may need to be a designer or hold a creative degree.
In addition, knowledge of the English language is required.
The regular fee is £1,200.
2. University of the Arts, London
I like what Grayson Perry, Chancellor of UAL, said. She said UAL is “the world’s biggest problem factory.”
There are 6 colleges and over 19,000 students from all over the world. UAL is ranked 1st in the QS World University Ranking for Art and Design, behind the Royal College of Art.
This makes UAL one of the best universities in the UK for interior design.
Most importantly, unlike RCA, they offer pre-degree, undergraduate, graduate and short-term interior design courses.
preliminary program
UAL has both online and physical degree preparation programs. Their online program in just 6 months.
Where you are introduced to art, design and communication. Once you complete your courses, you will be eligible to begin your undergraduate studies at UAL.
This online program will help you align your studies with your schedule. This pre-degree flexibility leads many students to choose UAL as one of the UK’s top universities for interior design.
UAL has 5 more pre-degree interior design programs offered at 3 different colleges; Camberwell College of Art, Central St Martins, London College of Communications.
Their stand-alone degree preparation program also allows you to study the core disciplines of art and design. And upon successful completion of the courses, you will begin your undergraduate studies at UAL or higher.
The minimum requirements for applying for a preparatory degree program at the University of the Arts London are:
- Portfolio of works
- Personal Statement
- 1 Level A or equivalent
- Or equivalent Level 3/EU/International certificates such as International Baccalaureate certificates – 2 at “high level” and 1 at “standard level” – all grades 4 or higher
- And 3 GCSE passes for grade 4 and above (grade A * -C)
However, if you do not meet these requirements (as may be the case for some people), UAL will consider other factors to judge your credibility.
They will want to know about relevant academic or work experience, how convincing your claim is, and whether you have a strong professional reference.
Knowledge of English is also required. If your IELTS level is 5.0 or higher, this is an added advantage.
Then you also need to have at least 4.5 in Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening.
If you are an international PhD student and need a student visa, you will need to take the Secure English Proficiency Test (SELT).
This undergraduate program allows you to decide if an interior design degree is right for you.
Bachelor’s degree
UAL is one of the best universities in the UK for interior design and has undergraduate programs. They have 4 undergraduate programs at 4 different colleges.
Central Saint Martins, Chelsea College of Arts, Camberwell College of Arts London College of Communication.
Their interior design undergraduate courses are built to allow you to work on a variety of live projects.
In order to get into college, a candidate must fulfill a number of requirements. This does not mean that you must have all of these requirements.
- Applicants must pass a basic diploma in art and design.
- The candidate must have level 2 A in class C or higher.
- He/she must pass the Merit, Pass, Pass (MPP) exam on the BTEC Advanced Diploma.
- Applicants must pass the UAL Advanced Diploma.
- You must have access to a high school diploma
- Or equivalent European/International qualifications such as an International Baccalaureate diploma with a minimum of 24 points.
- Applicant must have 3 GCSEs in class 4 or higher (grades A*-C).
As with a degree program, in exceptional cases, if you do not meet the above requirements, there may be alternative requirements.
In their undergraduate program, you need to have an IELTS level of 6.0 and above plus 5.5 points in speaking, writing, listening and reading.
For new incoming UK students you have to pay £9,250 per annum (tuition fees may increase over time). However, for international students there is a fee of £10,000.
UAL is one of the UK’s top universities for interior design and not only offers scholarships but also allows you to collect loans.
Postgraduate Program
UAL is one of the UK’s top universities for interior design, offering 6 postgraduate programs across 3 colleges; Central St. Martins, Chelsea College of Art and Camberwell College of Art.
Having a postgraduate degree in interior design will allow you to advance further in the experienced world of interior design. Most people applying for a master’s degree in interior design already have a first degree.
To be accepted, you need a bachelor’s degree or equivalent, professional experience, a personal statement, and a portfolio of work.
IELTS is the same as an undergraduate program.
The postgraduate tuition fee for UK residents is £11,550. While for international students, £10,000 is charged.
There may be additional costs other than tuition fees.
Short course
UAL offers 50 interior design short courses making it one of the UK’s top universities for interior design.
Their short courses can be as little as 4 weeks. And, you can do it online.
For example, their online short course on Interior Style lasts 4 weeks and costs £360, upon completion of which you will be issued a certificate.
These short courses do not have any entry requirements because it is a certificate program.
3. Glasgow School of Art
The Glasgow School of Art is one of the best universities in the UK for interior design, founded in 1845. It awards a bachelor’s degree (with honors) in interior design, an MD degree in interior design.
There is a dedicated studio space dedicated to the study of interior design, where design work radiates. There is a lot going on in this studio.
Students are given access to numerous analogue and digital technologies.
In addition, the program only admits 30 students each year, which provides a special creative connection. And the staff can easily direct students to what is needed with their abilities.
In addition, GSA employees, whether full-time or part-time, not only teach, but also practice and research, making them experts in what they do. Invited tutors also enliven it with their level of knowledge.
Undergraduate admission varies by country and continent, click here for more information .
4. Goldsmiths University London
It is one of the UK’s leading universities for interior design. They offer both BA (Hons) design and MA design.
Jewelers’ vision goes beyond what design is, but what the future of design could be. In addition, they will help you understand the impact of design on our environment.
What’s more, their latest studio space laser cutting technology will greatly help you improve your interior design skills along with their 3D modeling technology. This latest improvement makes them stand out and has made them one of the UK’s top universities for interior design.
Entry Requirements for Bachelor (Hons)
To get into university, you need;
- Level A: BBB
- BTEK: DDM
- International Baccalaureate: 33 points overall in the three HL subjects (655).
However, even if you do not have these qualifications, you can still apply if you have professional experience and work samples.
Their undergraduate course lasts 3 years and in the 2nd year you do a professional internship.
The annual tuition fee at Goldsmiths for homeschooled students is £9,250. While international students have to pay GBP XNUMX XNUMX.
Entry Requirements and MA Design Fees
Goldsmiths is one of the UK’s top universities for interior design, accepting a 2.1 or higher in the relevant interior design program. Moreover, if you have practical experience in interior design or related courses, you can still apply.
Those who do not have any of the above but have participated in academic research either as a student or in academia may also apply. However, whatever your reference product is, it must be of a high standard.
For a UK resident, you need to pay an annual full-time fee of £11,200. For international students, their fee has not yet been confirmed.
5. Edinburgh College of Art (ECA)
Like other top universities in the UK for interior design, ECA has a studio for study and work. Starting at your level 100, you will diversify, and as you move up to a higher level, you will begin to identify your main interests.
ECA undergraduate admission requirements and fees
You must apply through the Universities and College Admissions Service (UCAS) for an undergraduate program. You will also need to provide proof of your past school or college grades.
In addition, proof of your knowledge of English is required. Your application and portfolio are also required.
ECA tuition fees are determined fairly based on the information you provided in the application process.
Master of Requirements and Fees in Interior Design
As with any other top UK university for interior design, there are entry requirements for postgraduate programs. First, you need to apply through EUCLID.
Again , you must meet their English language requirements. Your bachelor’s degree (Hons) must be above second class or higher.
