Courtauld Institute of Art

About Courtauld Institute of Art

The Courtauld was established in 1932 by Samuel Courtauld, Viscount Lee of Fareham, and Sir Robert Witt to advance serious study and public understanding of visual art. Today it operates as an independent college of the University of London. It is separately incorporated, is an exempt charity, and is regulated by the Office for Students. This structure distinguishes the academic institute from the Samuel Courtauld Trust, which separately holds the gallery collection. The institution brings together three closely connected activities: higher education, research, and a public gallery. This creates an unusually concentrated environment for students interested in the historical, material, curatorial, and institutional study of art. The Courtauld Gallery’s collection spans periods from the Renaissance to the present and is particularly associated with Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works. Undergraduate teaching explicitly includes first-hand study of artworks and classes in London collections. The Courtauld is a specialist choice. It does not offer the subject range, large-campus infrastructure, or broad extracurricular scale of a comprehensive university. Its appeal lies instead in sustained engagement with art history and related professional fields. A strategic relationship with King’s College London gives Courtauld students access to additional facilities and educational resources; undergraduate language teaching and some elective opportunities are delivered through King’s. Prospective students should compare this focused academic culture with their preference for a larger, more multidisciplinary university experience.

Undergraduate applications for the BA History of Art are made through UCAS. For the current published course information, typical A-level entry is AAA–ABB, excluding General Studies, and no particular A-level subject is required. The published International Baccalaureate threshold is 35 points overall. Prior study of art history is not required. International applicants must consult the qualification-specific equivalencies and demonstrate English proficiency when applicable. Contextual admissions may produce a lower offer for eligible applicants from groups underrepresented in higher education. Postgraduate taught applications are normally submitted through the Courtauld’s online portal, except where a programme specifies another route; the MA Contemporary Art and the Moving Image uses King’s College London’s application system. Requirements vary by programme but can include transcripts, two references, a personal statement, written work, a CV, English-language evidence, portfolios, interviews, or practical assessment. Applicants should follow the course-specific guidance rather than assuming that all master’s programmes use identical selection criteria. PhD applicants must first identify a suitable prospective supervisor and submit a pre-application proposal before being invited to make a full application. As of 20 August 2026, the official site states that applications for 2026 entry are closed across the listed postgraduate programmes and PhD. Applicants seeking 2027 entry should wait for the next official cycle and verify new deadlines when published; the 2025–26 dates used for 2026 entry should not be reused.

The undergraduate portfolio consists of one programme: the three-year, full-time BA History of Art. The degree totals 360 credits, with 120 credits taken each year. First-year study introduces periods, places, and methods and includes a modern language. In the second year, core work addresses the physical study of objects and the social role of museums, galleries, and exhibitions, alongside options and selected opportunities through King’s College London. The curriculum covers art and architecture across wide chronological and geographic fields, and teaching includes lectures, seminars, tutorials, gallery visits, and direct study of collections. The 2026/27 postgraduate portfolio includes the Graduate Diploma in the History of Art; MA programmes in History of Art, Curating, Art and Business, Preventive Conservation, Conservation of Easel Paintings, Conservation of Wall Paintings, and Art History and Conservation of Buddhist Heritage; a jointly connected MA in Contemporary Art and the Moving Image; and PhD study. Applicants should examine individual course pages closely because academic preparation, portfolios, practical tests, application routes, and fees differ substantially. Conservation programmes are professionally oriented and may involve selective practical assessment. Doctoral study is available full-time over three years or part-time over six years, although students requiring a UK Student visa cannot study part-time. PhD applicants are expected to define a research project and identify an appropriate prospective supervisor before submitting a full application. Across levels, the academic model is research-led and object-focused. This is especially suitable for students seeking intensive work in art history, conservation, or curatorial study, but less suitable for those wanting to combine these areas with a broad selection of unrelated majors.

Key Highlights

• Independent college of the University of London with separate nonprofit governance
• Founded in 1932 by Samuel Courtauld, Viscount Lee, and Sir Robert Witt
• Combines a specialist academic institute with access to the Courtauld Gallery and its collection
• Strategic relationship with King’s College London expands facilities and selected learning opportunities

Student Life & Environment

Student life is shaped by the Courtauld’s relatively small, specialist community and its central-London setting. All enrolled students automatically become members of the Courtauld Students’ Union, which represents academic, welfare, and student-experience interests through elected officers and course representatives. Student-run societies listed for 2026 include academic and professional-interest groups as well as creative, cultural, identity, film, photography, running, and yoga activities. Courtauld students may also explore societies at partner institution King’s College London. Housing is distributed rather than centred on one residential campus. For 2026/27, Courtauld-managed Duchy House offers 63 single-occupancy, self-catered rooms beside Somerset House, with 38- and some 50-week contracts. The Courtauld also has allocations in University of London intercollegiate halls in Bloomsbury and reserved rooms in two King’s residences. University of London halls mix Courtauld residents with students from other member institutions, which can broaden the social environment beyond the specialist institute. The Courtauld says it aims, using best endeavours, to offer first-year undergraduates a room in Duchy House or a University of London hall. Other applicants may face greater competition, with allocation considering factors such as disability or health needs, international status, distance from home, and previous UK study. Applicants should therefore treat accommodation as an application-based option rather than an unconditional guarantee.

Location & Surroundings

Teaching is currently centred at Vernon Square, near King’s Cross and St Pancras in central London. The Courtauld Gallery and Duchy House accommodation are at or beside Somerset House on the Strand. Students should expect to move between these locations: official accommodation information estimates Duchy House at roughly a 30-to-40-minute walk from Vernon Square, while University of London halls in Bloomsbury are approximately 15 to 20 minutes on foot from both teaching and gallery sites. The setting provides direct access to museums, galleries, libraries, archives, commercial art organisations, and cultural venues across London. This matters academically because the BA incorporates teaching in collections and first-hand examination of works. The Strand location is close to Covent Garden, Trafalgar Square, the South Bank, and major national galleries, while Vernon Square is well connected through the King’s Cross transport hub. The split-site arrangement is temporary in the institution’s longer-term plan. The Courtauld announced a consolidated Somerset House campus expected to open in 2029. Students entering before then should rely on the location stated for their specific programme rather than assuming that all teaching takes place at the gallery.

Costs & Career Outcomes

For 2026/27, annual BA History of Art tuition is £9,525 for UK-fee students and £28,350 for overseas students. Postgraduate charges vary significantly by programme. Published full-time UK fees include £16,275 for the Graduate Diploma, MA History of Art, and MA Curating; £24,750 for MA Art and Business; and £18,165 for each of the easel- and wall-painting conservation MAs. Full-time PhD tuition is £6,930 for UK students and £26,460 for overseas students. The Courtauld sets fees annually and may increase them, so later entrants should not treat these figures as fixed beyond 2026/27. Tuition does not cover general London living costs. The Courtauld notes that students may also need to pay local travel costs for site and exhibition visits, although travel grants support programme study trips and an institutional budget covers exhibition entrance charges. For 2026/27, King’s residence examples cost £11,880 for a 40-week ensuite room at Angel Lane and £13,660 at Canada Water. Other hall prices and contract lengths differ. Funding is eligibility-dependent. Home undergraduates meeting widening-participation and household-income criteria may receive a non-repayable Courtauld Bursary, while postgraduate scholarships vary by programme, background, and financial need. The Careers Service offers individual guidance, CV and application support, interview practice, help finding internships and graduate roles, and careers talks. One-to-one support remains available for up to two years after graduation. No verified salary or placement-rate data were found, so applicants should assess career value through course content, work experience opportunities, and likely roles rather than an unsupported earnings promise.