Writing & Research Mentorship
Expert Fine Art Personal Statement Help & Application Writing
One-to-one fine art personal statement help for UCAS and postgraduate applications: the three UCAS questions, the school-specific extras and the 300 to 1,000-word statements that MA and MFA courses set. Above all, we edit and question your own writing; we never write it for you.
From unclear MA applications to offers from Sotheby’s Institute and The Courtauld
Angelina’s is the outcome most statement applicants are aiming for. So here is what it took.
Angelina’s MA Art Business applications led to offers from The Courtauld and Sotheby’s Institute of Art. She is now studying at Sotheby’s and receiving first-class essay marks.
How Cadmium approaches fine art personal statement help
A fine art statement is read next to a portfolio. In fact, UCAS itself calls it a written accompaniment to your portfolio and performance at interview. So the job of the statement is to explain the work’s enquiry, influences and direction, not to list achievements.
We start with the portfolio, then the writing. After that, support ranges from a focused block of sessions on one statement to ongoing one-to-one mentorship across every document an application asks for.
Every applicant begins with a diagnosis. From there, we build the support around what will make the biggest difference before you submit.
Diagnose
First, we work out what the statement actually has to do.
- Which documents does your list of schools ask for: the three UCAS questions, Glasgow’s separate Portfolio Statement, Goldsmiths’ essay, CSM’s one-line captions, or a 300, 500 or 1,000-word postgraduate statement?
- Does the draft describe the work that is actually in the portfolio, or work that was cut in the last edit?
- Is the problem the ideas, the structure, or the sentences?
The aim is not to make you sound like an admissions template. Instead, it is to find the argument already in your practice and make it legible in the space allowed.
1 hour · online · £150
Develop & Edit
Then we decide what each answer needs to say, and in what order.
- First, we map the three UCAS questions to your practice, your training and your independent work, with the 350-character minimum and the 4,000-character total planned rather than discovered.
- Then we question and edit your drafts, sentence by sentence, so the statement refers to specific pieces, a project’s approach and your influences, which is what UCAS says art tutors appreciate.
- After that, we cut. In fact, most fine art statements improve more from removing generic claims than from adding new ones.
Articulate
Finally, we make sure the writing survives an interview.
- Schools that interview will raise your statement, so every claim in it should be one you can talk about for two minutes.
- In addition, we keep it yours. UCAS checks every statement for similarity and reports matches of 10 per cent or more to all your universities at once, and AI-written text can be treated as cheating.
In short, statement, portfolio and interview should feel like one coherent argument, not three separate exercises.
What a competitive fine art personal statement needs to communicate
Most free guides treat every subject the same. Fine art is different, because the reader has your portfolio open in the next tab. In our experience, four things separate a competitive fine art statement from a generic one.
It answers the three questions as an artist
Since 2026 entry the UCAS statement has three set questions in 4,000 characters, at least 350 each. For example, question one is the practice and its enquiry. Likewise, question two is what A level, Foundation or BTEC taught you about process and context. Finally, question three is the exhibitions, independent projects and reading you pursued on your own. So a generic answer to any of them wastes a third of the space.
It agrees with the portfolio
UCAS says tutors appreciate references to items in the portfolio and to the approach behind a project. However, a statement drafted in September about work that is cut in December tells a different story from the pages. As a result, we write the statement after the portfolio edit, not before.
It meets the published criteria in prose
CSM asks applicants to articulate and communicate their intentions with clarity and to show ideas beyond set project briefs. Similarly, Chelsea assesses written communication. Meanwhile, Ruskin reads the statement during shortlisting for your artistic and academic interests. In other words, the statement is where written criteria are met.
It is yours, and it can be defended
One statement goes to all five choices, so it should show fit through the practice rather than by naming a dream school. In addition, Falmouth and Manchester say the statement will be raised at interview, and the Slade and Goldsmiths interview in person. Above all, every sentence should survive a follow-up question.
Personal statement requirements by application type
The UCAS statement, the extra pieces some art schools set, and the postgraduate documents each place different demands on your writing. Below is a concise overview of what matters at each level, as well as how Cadmium helps you prepare.
UCAS personal statement (BA and BFA)
What the application involves
Three set questions, 4,000 characters in total and at least 350 each; unchanged for 2027 entry.
Why do you want to study this course or subject? How have your qualifications and studies helped you to prepare for this course or subject? What else have you done to prepare outside of education, and why are these experiences useful?
Similarity of 10 per cent or more is reviewed and reported to all your universities; text copied from an AI tool can be treated as cheating.
The statement goes in with the form: by 18:00 on 13 January 2027 for most courses, or 15 October 2026 for Oxford.
How Cadmium helps
Plan the split, not just the words
First, we decide how much of the 4,000 characters each question deserves for your application, so the strongest answer gets the room and nothing is padded to reach 350.
Edit against the portfolio
Then we read the draft next to the pages. Every reference to a piece, a process or an influence has to match what the reader will actually see.
Keep it yours
We question, cut and reorder your words. We never supply text, templates or model statements, because similarity review and the AI declaration make supplied text a risk to you.
Writing your UCAS statement? Start with a consultation.
We read what you have, look at the portfolio it accompanies, and then give you a tailored plan for the statement.
1 hour · online · £150
School-specific extras
What the application involves
A separate Portfolio Statement of 3,000 characters, uploaded with the portfolio, which must not be the same as your UCAS statement.
An essay from your Foundation or A level, uploaded with the 12-item portfolio and brought to the in-person interview, where the panel can ask about it.
CSM asks for one sentence per portfolio page to outline the ideas behind the work; the Slade asks for labels with title, date, size and materials.
No text with the portfolio at all. Instead, tutors use the UCAS statement during shortlisting for information about your practice and interests.
How Cadmium helps
Count the documents
For a five-choice list, the writing can be four or five short texts. So we list them at the start, with their limits and dates, and plan them alongside the images rather than in the last week.
Choose and rehearse the essay
For Goldsmiths, we first help you choose the strongest piece of critical writing you already have. Then we prepare you to discuss it, within your school’s integrity rules.
Make the short texts agree
Captions, labels, a portfolio statement and the UCAS statement all describe the same work. As a result, we edit them together so they tell one story.
Applying to Glasgow, Goldsmiths, CSM or the Slade? Start with a consultation.
We assess your drafts, your portfolio and each school’s written requirements, then recommend the right level of support.
1 hour · online · £150
Postgraduate statements and proposals (MA and MFA)
What the application involves
A 300-word personal statement on your motivation plus a two-minute video to camera for every master’s; Painting adds a 200-word portfolio statement. Round 1 closes on 8 January 2027.
Up to 500 words on your reasons, current practice and plans, plus a CV and a 2 to 3 minute video task. There is no separate proposal. In other words, the 500 words are the proposal.
A statement of up to 1,000 words that must contextualise your practice against other artists, exhibitions, thinkers and ideas, by 12 noon on 5 January 2027.
A Supplementary Personal Statement with a study proposal and your academic interests; no word limit is published and the 2027 deadline is to be confirmed.
How Cadmium helps
Write one account of the practice
First, we help you write one honest account of what the practice is, what question drives it and what the course is for. Then we cut it to each container: 300 words, 500, 1,000 or a study proposal.
Prepare the video as writing
RCA’s two minutes and CSM’s video task are the interview most applicants get. So we rehearse them unscripted and unedited, within the schools’ rules on AI tools.
Edit the portfolio alongside the words
Postgraduate statements are judged next to recent, resolved work. So for the portfolio side, see our MA and MFA Fine Art application support, which covers the same schools.
Applying for an MA or MFA? Start with a consultation.
We assess your practice, your drafts and your deadlines, then recommend the right route: from a focused writing block to longer-term mentorship.
1 hour · online · £150
Statement formats and deadlines change by cycle, and several schools still describe older formats online. So we verify current requirements as part of your application planning. All support is feedback and guidance on your own work; we do not write, rewrite or submit work on your behalf.
Statements that say what the work shows.
Sotheby’s Institute of Art · The Courtauld
“My tutor provided invaluable support during my Master’s application process, particularly with my personal statements for The Courtauld, Sotheby’s Institute of Art, and programmes in Art and Business. Her guidance helped me refine my ideas
Read the full review →
and present my experiences in a clear, confident, and effective way, while still keeping my writing authentic. She offered thoughtful, detailed feedback that strengthened my statements without losing my voice. I really appreciated her professional, insightful, and encouraging approach throughout the process. Thanks to her support through the application process, I was fortunate to be accepted into both The Courtauld and Sotheby’s Institute of Art. I would highly recommend my tutor to anyone seeking structured, expert support with personal statements, academic writing, or competitive university applications. Since working with my tutor, I was accepted into Sotheby’s Institute of Art, and I am now receiving first-class marks on all of my essays. Her guidance has continued to have a lasting impact on my academic work and confidence in writing.”
Angelina Lyapchuk
★★★★★
UCL · Art & Technology
“My tutor was extremely helpful during my university application process, specifically regarding my personal statement and art portfolio. He provided structured guidance on brainstorming new artworks and offered practical advice on how to tailor
Read the full review →
my portfolio to meet the requirements of my chosen course. Throughout our sessions, he was patient and demonstrated a thorough understanding of the admissions process. He is an effective guidance counselor and teacher who provides clear, professional support. With his help, I got into all the courses that I have applied for, and I will be heading to UCL to pursue Art and Technology.”
Annika Tsang
★★★★★
Goldsmiths · CalArts
“My tutor completely changed how I approached my art school application. I came in with a scattered portfolio and zero clue how to talk about my work. She helped me shape everything, from sketchbook pages to my personal statement,
Read the full review →
and helped made it feel like me instead of just ticking boxes. She’s honest, sharp, and actually cares. I got into my first-choice schools (Goldsmiths and Cal Arts) and felt confident going into the interview, which I never thought would happen. If you’re applying to art school or university in general, just book her.”
A
Adam
★★★★★
A Leading London University
“My tutor helped me every step of the way in my University application. The way she articulates and explains things is so uniquely helpful – I feel like I learned so much during our time together.
Read the full review →
We worked quite intensively over a few months as I had decided I wanted to change the degree I was applying for and, amazingly, I got in to a really prestigious red brick University in London! I absolutely recommend her”
H
Helen
★★★★★
Goldsmiths · Glasgow · UAL
“I worked with my tutor throughout high school while developing my Visual Communication Design and Art folios, as well as during my university applications. Her feedback helped me strengthen the direction and creativity of my work, and she
Read the full review →
also supported me with my personal statement and an art analysis essay for UAL. With my tutor, I was able to articulate my interests in curation and art history much more clearly, and the Programme Leader for Curating at Goldsmiths even emailed me to say they were impressed by my personal statement. With her help, I received offers for Curating and History of Art at Goldsmiths, History of Art at the University of Glasgow, and Culture, Criticism and Curation at UAL. What I found more valuable was my tutor’s ability to help me clarify and communicate my ideas more confidently, and I’d definitely recommend my tutor to students applying for competitive art and humanities courses.”
J
Jessica Shang
★★★★★
Application Research
“My tutor is an engaged and intelligent tutor. She asked poignant and challenging questions that made me think carefully about my work, and also gave me plenty of useful references that were relevant to the themes I’m researching. Would definitely recommend her!”
E
Earl Gibson
★★★★★
of Cadmium admissions students to date have secured an offer from one of their top-choice institutions.
1 hour · online · £150
Know exactly what to prioritise before you submit.
Our Mentors
Our mentors are Internationally exhibited, practising artists with proven experience navigating competitive foundation, BA and MA/MFA Fine Art admissions.
Cyrus
Artist & Filmmaker
- LONDON, UK
- ALSO Speaks: mandarin, CANTONESE
Amélie
Artist
- london, uk.
- ALSO Speaks: french
Hazel
Artist
- London and Newcastle, U.K.
Sean
Artist & Draughtsman
- LONDON, UK and Bangkok, Thailand
Enrica
Artist
- london, uk.
- ALSO Speaks: Italian
Carlotta
Artist
- London, U.K.
- ALSO Speaks: Italian
Choose your next step.
Whether you need focused feedback on an existing portfolio or broader guidance on your work, applications and next steps, choose the support that fits where you are now.
1-Hour Consultation
Broader advice on your work, goals and next steps.
Best if you need help deciding what support you need, how to approach your application, or what direction to take next.
1 hour · online · £150
Portfolio Review
Existing portfolio. Focused expert feedback.
Review your current work and get clear direction on what to keep, change and prioritise before you submit.
90 minutes · online · £250
Looking for ongoing support? Explore Portfolio & Admissions Mentorship →