Portfolio & Admissions Mentorship
Expert MA & MFA Fine Art Portfolio Preparation & Application Support
One-to-one MA Fine Art portfolio preparation and application support for RCA, the Slade, CSM, Chelsea, Goldsmiths, Glasgow, Oxford and the leading US MFAs. You work with practising artists. Above all, the plan is built around what each programme publishes it selects on.
From a career in finance to MA Fine Art at Central Saint Martins
Chen’s is the outcome most MA applicants are aiming for. So here is what it took.
Chen transitioned from a career in finance to secure a place on his first-choice MA Fine Art programme at Central Saint Martins – without a Fine Art degree or foundation.
How Cadmium approaches MA Fine Art portfolio preparation
At postgraduate level, good work is not enough. The application has to read as an emerging practice with enough depth, independence and direction to justify advanced study. In fact, no two schools ask for the same documents.
We start with the practice, then the school list. After that, support ranges from a single review to ongoing one-to-one mentorship across the portfolio edit, the statement or proposal, the video and, where it happens, the interview.
Every applicant begins with a diagnosis. From there, we build the support around what will make the biggest difference before the first deadline in early January.
Diagnose
First, we work out what the practice is, and what is missing.
- Is there enough recent, resolved work? Yale wants half the portfolio from the last twelve months; Glasgow and CalArts want work from the last three years.
- Is the problem production (not enough convincing work) or editing (enough work, but no clear structure or direction)?
- What does each programme actually ask for: 15 pages and a two-minute video at RCA, 20 pages and a video task at CSM, a single link and 1,000 words at Oxford?
The aim is not to force a theme onto the portfolio. Instead, it is to identify the enquiry that already has the most potential and make it visible to a selector reading quickly.
90 minutes · online · £250
Develop & Edit
Then we decide what needs to be made, developed, removed or foregrounded.
- First, we develop the projects that strengthen the central enquiry, rather than producing more work for the sake of volume.
- Then we edit for recency and coherence, not range. That is the opposite of the undergraduate advice: Chelsea bans sketchbook pages, Oxford wants labels only, and RCA allows a few process images inside 15 pages.
- After that, we order and label the pages so the strongest ideas become clear. That includes leaving out good work when it weakens the application as a whole.
Articulate
Finally, we make the written and spoken application match the work.
- We help you write one honest account of the practice, then cut it to each container: RCA’s 300 words, CSM’s 500, Oxford’s 1,000, the Slade’s study proposal or Yale’s one page.
- In addition, we rehearse the video and the interview: RCA’s two minutes to camera, CSM’s video task, and the 15 to 20 minute online interviews at Oxford, Glasgow and UAL.
In short, portfolio, statement, video and interview should feel like one coherent argument, not four separate exercises.
What a competitive MA Fine Art portfolio needs to communicate
Postgraduate selection is done on recent, resolved work plus a short written account of the practice, with an interview only for the shortlisted. In our experience, four things separate a competitive MA or MFA portfolio from a merely good body of work.
It shows a practice, recently
The postgraduate brief has changed from show range to show a practice, now. For example, Yale wants half the work from the last twelve months, Glasgow wants resolved work from the past three years, and Oxford asks for recently completed studio work with labels only. So a portfolio of undergraduate process pages reads as the wrong document.
The proposal is there, even when nobody asks for one
CSM asks for no proposal, yet it assesses your ability to devise and develop a self-directed programme of study. Oxford’s 1,000 words must contextualise the practice against named artists and ideas, and the Slade wants a study proposal inside its supplementary statement. In other words, every school assesses the proposal’s substance, whatever the document is called.
The video is the interview
RCA now asks every master’s applicant for a two-minute video and interviews only in a small number of cases. Similarly, CSM sets a 2 to 3 minute video task, and UAL bans AI tools during it. As a result, a rehearsed but unscripted account of the work to camera decides more than most applicants expect.
The calendar is front-loaded
CalArts’ preferred deadline is 1 December 2026, Oxford’s MFA closes on 5 January 2027 and RCA’s Round 1 on 8 January 2027, with UAL and the Slade expected in the same window. In addition, RCA weights scholarships to its earlier rounds. Above all, October and November are the working months, so a consultation in early autumn is the right entry point.
MA and MFA Fine Art application requirements by school
Each school sets its own combination of portfolio, statement, video and interview. Below is a concise overview of what matters at the main London programmes for 2027/28 entry, as well as how Cadmium helps you prepare.
Royal College of Art
What the application involves
Apply through the Applicant Portal to at most two programmes, each with its own portfolio. Round 1 closes at noon on 8 January 2027; the fine art MAs are one-year, 45-week programmes.
One PDF of up to 15 pages with 10 to 15 images, titled, dated and with materials, plus up to two embedded one-minute clips. Contemporary Art Practice asks for a curated selection of recent practice.
A 300-word personal statement and a two-minute video to camera for every master’s; Painting adds a 200-word portfolio statement.
Interviews happen only in a small number of instances, in person or online. Decisions rest on the portfolio, the statement and the video.
How Cadmium helps
Choose the programme and the round
First, we help you choose between Painting, Sculpture, Print, Photography and Contemporary Art Practice, and whether to apply in Round 1, where RCA says many scholarships are awarded.
Edit 15 pages that read as a practice
Then we edit the portfolio to RCA’s brief: recent, resolved work with a few process images where they reveal the thinking, titled and labelled, in an order that carries an argument.
Prepare the statement and the video together
Finally, we help you write the 300 words and the Painting portfolio statement, and rehearse the two-minute video unscripted, so all three describe the same practice.
Applying to the RCA? Start with a consultation.
We assess the strength and positioning of your current practice, and then give you a tailored plan for the portfolio, the statement and the video.
1 hour · online · £150
The Slade (UCL)
What the application involves
Apply through UCL for either the MA (two calendar years, with History and Theory) or the MFA (18 months), not both. The 2027/28 deadline is to be confirmed; last cycle closed on 6 January.
Up to 20 pages with title, date, size and materials, plus an optional five-minute showreel and an optional sketchbook video, submitted after an emailed invitation.
A Supplementary Personal Statement containing a study proposal and your academic interests, with no published word limit, plus a CV, a transcript and one reference.
Shortlisted at portfolio inspection, then interviewed on Microsoft Teams. International applicants need IELTS 7.5 for the MA.
How Cadmium helps
Decide MA or MFA first
You can apply for one, not both. So we help you choose on the basis of the practice, the History and Theory component and the time you have, before any page is edited.
Write the study proposal inside the statement
Then we help you develop a study proposal that describes the projected nature of your study and research, in your own words, and connect it to what the Slade and UCL offer.
Prepare for portfolio inspection and interview
The Slade shortlists on the portfolio first. As a result, we edit the 20 pages for recency and coherence, then rehearse the Teams interview around the work.
Applying to the Slade? Start with a consultation.
We assess your current work, your route and your timeline, then recommend the right level of support.
1 hour · online · £150
Central Saint Martins and Chelsea (UAL)
What the application involves
Apply directly to UAL. Last cycle ran two rounds, in early December and mid-March; 2027/28 dates open in autumn 2026. CSM runs 60 weeks over two years, Chelsea 45 weeks over 15 months.
A PebblePad portfolio of up to 20 pages at CSM, including a 2 to 3 minute video task on one project; Chelsea asks for completed work plus visual references and no sketchbook pages.
A 500-word personal statement and a CV; no separate proposal, so the 500 words and the video become the proposal.
An online interview of 15 to 20 minutes on Microsoft Teams, if invited; applicants after Round 2 are unlikely to be interviewed. No AI tools during video tasks or interviews.
How Cadmium helps
Sharpen the practice and its positioning
First, we identify the strongest ideas already present in the work and help develop them into a more coherent body of practice.
Edit the application into one argument
We refine the 20 pages, the statement, the CV and the video so they reinforce one another. CSM assesses the quality of your practice and research, your ability to devise a self-directed programme of study, and your ability to contextualise the work in writing. So in effect the 500 words and the video are the proposal.
Prepare you to articulate the work
Finally, we help you discuss the practice critically and confidently: its influences, development, context and future direction, on camera and in the interview.
Applying to CSM or Chelsea? Start with a consultation.
We assess the strength and positioning of your current practice, then recommend the right route: from a focused application block to longer-term mentorship.
1 hour · online · £150
Goldsmiths (up to 20 images and a statement), Glasgow (about 20 pages, a 500-word statement and a 20-minute Zoom interview), Oxford (a single link, 1,000 words and a 15-minute Teams interview, deadline 5 January 2027), Yale and CalArts are covered in the consultation. Formats and dates change by cycle, so we verify current requirements as part of your MA Fine Art portfolio preparation plan.
From a strong practice to a postgraduate offer.
Central Saint Martins
“My understanding of how to apply for a Fine Art master’s changed completely. I learned how to turn my ideas into strong visual compositions and secured my place at Central Saint Martins. This support marked my very first step toward becoming an artist.”
宫宸 (Chen)
★★★★★
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
★★★★★
Goldsmiths · MFA Fine Art
“My tutor was one of the most important people in my application process. I came to her at a point where I had work, but it didn’t feel like it was holding together properly, and I wasn’t confident in how to present it.
Read the full review →
What she helped me do wasn’t just “improve” individual pieces, but actually understand what my work was doing and how to build a portfolio that made sense as a whole. Her feedback is very direct, but in a way that makes things clearer rather than overwhelming. She has a strong sense of what different schools are looking for, but never pushes you into making work that feels generic or forced. Instead, she helps you refine what is already there and develop it properly, which made a huge difference for me.
We also spent a lot of time on how to position the work, how to speak about it, and how to edit the portfolio depending on where I was applying. That level of attention is rare and genuinely changed how I approached the process. I was accepted onto the MFA Fine Art at Goldsmiths, and I don’t think I would have got there in the same way without her guidance. I would strongly recommend working with her if you’re serious about your portfolio and want something that is actually coherent and well thought through, rather than just “polished.””
A
Alex (MFA)
★★★★★
Work That Felt Clearer, and Mine
“I worked with my tutor when I was applying for Fine Art after years in marketing, with a portfolio that was honestly a bit of a mess. I hadn’t made proper work since school and didn’t know what
Read the full review →
was useful, what was filler, or how to talk about any of it. She helped me apply to Camberwell, Chelsea, Goldsmiths and Glasgow. She was very good at cutting through the panic. We edited my sketchbooks, reordered the portfolio, rewrote my statement about ten times, and practised interviews without making me sound rehearsed. What I liked was that she didn’t give me fake confidence or try to make my work look like everyone else’s. She was direct when something wasn’t working, but always specific about why. By the end, my work felt much clearer and much more mine. I’d definitely recommend her! Outstanding art tutor for applications and everything else!”
A
Ana
★★★★★
A Completely Different Experience
“I came to my tutor after feeling quite disappointed with portfolio tutoring and studio-based guidance in Asia, where I struggled to find critical depth or clear direction. Working with my tutor has been a completely different experience.
Read the full review →
From the very first trial session, she demonstrated an exceptional ability to read my work and identify its underlying direction. She suggested artists and references that were not generic, but highly specific and deeply relevant to my practice, which immediately helped me see my work more clearly. Throughout our sessions, my tutor guided me through the process of refining my portfolio with the level of rigour.
Coming from a nontraditional art background and without formal art school training, I found her approach both patient and intellectually demanding in the best way. She asks precise questions, challenges assumptions, and helps articulate ideas without imposing her own voice. Beyond portfolio preparation for applications, she has helped me develop a stronger artistic awareness and confidence in how I think, speak, and position my work. I truly feel that working with my tutor has prepared me not only for applications, but for the mindset and critical environment of art school itself.”
H
Han
★★★★★
Residencies & Exhibitions Abroad
“I started working with my mentor shortly after graduating with a BA in Painting, at a point where I felt quite stuck in my practice. Within a few weeks, I think he’d helped me more than the three years I’d spent at university.
Read the full review →
The depth of his knowledge is really impressive and he seriously engaged with my work before making any suggestions. He took me back to basics and I was able to rebuild a much stronger foundation technically annd conceptually. His portfolio feedback has been really helpful to me and I think it’s because he’s been a university tutor, worked with admissions and also been a curator and gallerist. His advice changed the way I approach presenting and editing my work. And he’s so motivating! Through his guidance and encouragement, I’ve applied for and gotten opportunities I would never previously have considered, including international residencies and exhibitions abroad. I HIGHLY recommend my mentor to anyone applying to art school, preparing portfolios, or simply feeling lost within their practice and needing serious, thoughtful guidance from someone who truly cares about helping students and has the experience to back it up. Thank you!!”
E
Emily Hill
★★★★★
of Cadmium admissions students to date have secured an offer from one of their top-choice institutions.
90 minutes · online · £250
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 →