What Students Say
Likes
- - Networking and Diversity: I appreciate the diversity of people and the ease to connect with peers.
- - Access to resources (tangible and intangible): It is amazing how easy it is to access the tangible resources, computers, materials. I also appreciate the ease of access to tutors and facilitators and the guidance provided by them
- - Wellness support: The college keeps supporting in mental health awareness sessions and also helps with brief financial support when required
Dislikes
- - Infrastructure: The spaces are nice but the building sometimes are too complex
- - Connections with the industry: It has a great networking community which can help us with industry connections and access, they aren’t made visible
- - Cost of education: As an international student, the cost of living and the tuition fee is exceptionally high
Course Curriculum
8
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The course is quite flexible. It is a mix of both theory and practical. Since it is an educational course, both aspects are important.
I really like the age range in terms of the learners in the course; I see a diversity of students who are already teaching in education and also freshers who wish to get into the educational space.
Admission Experience
- I only applied to RCA and got a confirmation. My plan was to do something in education which was more design led and not curriculum led. This made the choice easy.
- There was a programme at Harvard that I wished to apply to, but with lesser understanding, I couldn’t apply. I thought the program was for 2 years, but it was only a year-long program. I did not apply to any other college than RCA, London. This had the course that I wanted and which was in educational context.
- I applied to RCA because it provided the course I wanted and it is a super niche area which needs more visibility.
- RCA's application programme was very simple; they needed Letter of Intent, Statement of purpose and a video describing why I want to take the course.
- I had to take the IELTS exams before applying, which was also an easy process.
- The college made it super smooth and gave specific dates and deadlines for each step.I chose RCA because of it's credibility, the integration of design and education and the closeness to what I wanted to study. Also the facilities and diversity of space, people and environment.
- I took the second intake and the process was super easy. One of the friends was applying for the same and we decided to do it together.
- The admission process took about 3 months.
- The main difficulty in the entire process was for VISA because that required tons of time and documents to be accumulated.
- The deadline to apply was mid January. After which the acceptance were declared in Feb end. For the entire process of getting the final enrolment took 6 months because of the VISA processes.
Class Schedule
8
- We usually have classes 4 days a week, 2 core sessions and 2 electives. The timings usually vary depending on the course but a minimum contact time is of about 2-6 hours each day.
- We are 25 students who are doing this, but also includes a few faculty who are doing this as a PGcert program from college.
- There are 3 Indian students in the course including me.
Faculty
8
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The faculty-to-student ration is 1:6-7. I think that is great because then the faculty is able to attend to each student.
I am not very sure about securing a job in the field but I feel like it is quite reflective as a course on who you want to be as a person in the education field which is a great thing that it fulfils. - If we connect with the faculty, they are able to guide and assist you in the process. You personally need to be proactive in this case.
The ones that stand out to me are quite charismatic is their nature and deeply care about the education. Their teaching methods are also varied and the engagement with them makes it quite encouraging to be in the space.
Campus Life
6
- Our college has 3 campuses, the locations are beautiful and they are located in very different spaces.
- We have medical services, admissions offices that help with keeping the VISA checks and other administrative tasks in place, wellbeing space, a library, and workshop spaces like photography, weaving, sculpture, pottery, etc.
- We have a student union who host all the events in college and they have smaller societies within which there are events that take place. To name a few, karaoke night, winter ball, Diwali party, Halloween night, etc. They also set up Christmas Fete and stalls during the semester where students can showcase and sell their products.
Part Time Jobs
- TA, RA, or DA roles are limited at RCA due to its focus on postgraduate studies. I am not aware of any such positions available. But there are other roles available, for example, the cafeteria or bar at the college but I am not aware of the pay for the same. They are hourly pay, which ranges from 13 to 16 GBP.
- We are allowed 20 hours per week. I did not try applying for an on-campus job but they fill up very quickly and are difficult to secure just because of the number of applicants for the same.
- Usually students would earn anywhere between 11-20 pounds when working. It can be quite difficult to secure a job but during season time like Christmas, it can become easier. Students can explore on LinkedIn and Indeed when they are looking for jobs, or they can see the poster outside stores; they can also explore the websites of the brands with whom they would like to work. You send in your CV and cover letter wherever required, and you go through a 2-step interview process for the same.
Placement
4
- I am not aware of the percentage, but students choose to either study further or get a job. Currently in London, it is very difficult to secure a job. It can also vary depending on what area you wish to work in. In education, I have only seen teaching jobs and they need a huge checklist and qualifications for the same.
- Upon graduating, it can range from about 20k to 45k GBP in the industry.
- Students usually can use the online platforms and networking as their primary means. Referrals can also be used for the same. I suggest people should definitely keep trying and solidify their interview skills to secure the job.
- Companies that might hire us would mostly be schools and NGOs that are working in the educational space; Teach Space, UNICEF UK, Ark Schools are a few to name.
Accommodation
Off Campus
6
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We do not have campus accommodation. I booked mine through an online service suggested by the college which was quite smooth.
The monthly rent is 1170 GBP and it includes all the bills, water, electricity and we do not have to pay the council tax as students.
The main challenge was not being able to see it in person and trust the images shown. It usually is very different than what is shown in pictures. - Go for student accommodations if you wish to be a person who networks and would like to meet more people. If not, you can choose for separate flats which is much reasonable in terms of price. Choose accommodations closer to your college that makes you cut down on travel costs.
- My flat is a 30 minute walk to the nearest campus. Indian students are scattered all over London but they are mostly corse to one of the campuses.
Exams
- IELTS exam was required for the admission for checking the english levels.
- The documents required at RCA were a statement of purpose, a curriculum vitae, a video describing why you want to study at RCA and a Letter of Intent.
- The questions for each of the step were mentioned and that made the admissions process extremely smooth for me. There was no interview for my course.
Fees
- My course was at 33450 GBP (inclusive of the deposit fee) for the entire year. Which had a 2000 GBP deposit fee. The application was free of charge.I was able to pay in 2 installments. My monthly expenses are about 1600 GBP.
- 1170 GBP for Accommodation (College doesn’t provide this)
100 GBP for transport
150-200 GBP grocery
200 for social life
Scholarship
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There are Scholarships available for students who fall under the eligibility criteria.
The ones that college provides are the following:
- RCA Scholarships and Awards
- GREAT Scholarships
- Specific Program and Demographic Scholarships - The amount varies for each scholarship and depends on the eligibility. These scholarships can cover accommodation, tuition or even daily essential expenditure.
