Foundation Course

UAL ACCREDITED DIPLOMA IN ART & DESIGN 

Hampstead Fine Arts College is excited to introduce our Foundation Course.

This UAL accredited Foundation course is a one year, post-A-level course to prepare students for a creative life. Foundation Plus can be taken as a 4 or 5 term course for students who have not had sufficient experience in Art and Design.

You will be introduced to ideas, skills and ways of seeing the world under the guidance of experienced, enthusiastic tutors.

You will be encouraged to foster an attitude of curiosity and openness and find your own voice through research and experiment.

The course has three units:

Unit 1

Diagnostic Investigation into Practice

September to November (Internally moderated, 29 credits)

Unit 2

Developing Specialist Practice

November to February (Internally moderated, 46 credits)

Unit 3

Consolidating Practice

February to May (Externally moderated, 45 credits)

 

The preliminary ‘diagnostic’ period gives students an opportunity to try different disciplines, before focussing their interest on a particular specialism or pathway:

Fine Art
drawing, painting, collage, printmaking, sculpture
Fashion
clothes design, dressmaking, textile design, textile art
Communication
graphic design, photography, filmmaking

Each student has their own studio space in our new Parkhill building.

All students engage with keeping an art journal, studio practice, life-drawing, contextual and critical studies. There are weekly art trips, making the most of London’s superb museums and galleries.

You will receive assistance with applying for creative degrees at the most prestigious colleges in the UK and internationally: choosing the right course, writing a personal statement, assembling an impressive portfolio.

 

Requirements:

 

A level or equivalent.

Minimum 4.0 IELTS score for international students to study our Foundation course.

EVENING COURSES FOR ADULTS — AUTUMN 2026

Join Hampstead Fine Arts for one of two inspiring evening courses, beginning 15 September 2026:

LIFE DRAWING
Tuesdays, 6–8pm
For beginners to professionals, working from the unclothed model. Experiment with a variety of approaches and techniques — all materials included.

ART HISTORY: GREAT LIVES
Wednesdays, 6–7.30pm
Explore fascinating artists and historical figures, from the Sienese and Northern Renaissance to Hogarth, Elizabeth I and beyond.

Discover the courses and book your place here