Teaching is based upon the individual's capacity for self-critical analysis. Students are expected to be able to identify the context in which they see their own work and to contribute to the advances of Fine Art practice within their chosen medium. The small size of the Schools allows students to interact, move freely between specialist areas and contribute to our creative environment. The Schools are not affiliated to a university, giving us a unique status in postgraduate Fine Art education. To maintain this creative freedom, the Schools are supported by the Council of the Royal Academy and the Membership of Royal Academicians.
Students are often unable to continue in art education because of financial considerations.
The Schools is one of the few centres of postgraduate education where students are selected solely upon their artistic merit and where exceptionally talented students are supported, freeing them of financial restraints. The length of the course reflects the teaching structure of the Schools and allows us to adopt a different pace from other colleges. Unlike any other institution in Europe, we provide students with the opportunity to experiment, reassess and develop their work within the ethos of the Schools. In discussions with other postgraduate centres, the importance of maintaining a three-year course of study has been consistently reaffirmed. The Schools attract a broad range of applicants from national and international art schools.