"The curtains don't go with the couch at all! Gosh, this room can be much better". Almost everyone has played games in which the user designs the interior of a house. All the interior was done by you, from the colour of that one pillow on the couch to the bathroom towel, but that was just a game. What if we tell you, you can make a career out of it in the UK, one of the best countries for interior design studies? Interior designing is one of the top career paths teenagers prefer to pursue today. This world is constantly growing in all ways, from tech to fabric material, and people love to keep their houses up to date, just like their mobile phones.If you're a person who examines a room's design, atmosphere, and appearance as soon as you enter it or if you frequently advise family members or friends on how to make their homes more attractive, this blog is just the thing you need. This blog contains all the information you need on UK interior design course.
What is Interior design?
The goal of interior design is to take into account the specifics of the area and the intended style while developing the most effective arrangement to maximize a space's potential for usage and beauty.
Recently, students have been quite interested in the dynamic interior design sector. It improves depth perception in various environments, including residential, hotels, hospitals, retail stores, business settings, and exhibition spaces. It is a flexible vocation that calls for a creative, ingenious, and artistic mind capable of carrying out and directing project design.
With specific modules focusing on colour, drawing plans, space planning, furnishings, wall and floor finishes, furniture styles, lighting, and best professional practise, interior design courses cover every aspect of the process, from initial design to branding to project management to execution. This will put you on the right path to becoming an interior designer. If you're confused about what honours and non-honours are, click here to learn more
Why study interior design in the UK?
Degrees in interior design aid students in developing their creative faculties and using them to improve their living spaces' aesthetics. Here are some reasons why UK interior design courses are the best courses out there;
- Interior design in the UK is a profitable career option that includes freelancing, working in design teams, branding and communications, and 3D design. Students can work in their chosen specialization.
- Excellent businesses like MKV Design, Align, Wilkinson Design, and Rouge Designs are based in the UK, and their work is well-known and respected abroad.
- A great approach to experiencing various spatial designs, networking with renowned designers, and working with various current and classic techniques is to study interior design in the UK.
Interior design colleges in the UK
More than 70 colleges in the UK offer degrees in art and design. Seven eminent schools from UK are among the top 50 design universities in the world, according to the QS Art and Design Rankings 2021. Here are the top 10 universities and colleges that provide the best courses in interior design UK.
Royal College of Art
Course: M.A
Tuition fee: £32,000 per year
Royal College of Art is the only college in the UK devoted solely to design and design-related programmes, and it is ranked #1 in the QS World University Rankings for arts and sciences. Students from more than 60 nations can get a postgraduate degree in art and design from this college (MA and MDes).
Eligibility Criteria
- Students are selected solely based on merit
- Students aiming for the MA program must have a B. A or B.Sc degree.
- A plus would be any relevant work experience or internships.
- Additionally, the student must demonstrate their proficiency in English by earning a passing IELTS score.
- You must prepare a portfolio with your artwork and submit it along with the application.
Admission Process
The MA program starts in September, and the last date to submit applications along with the portfolio is February. After your application is assessed, Your acceptance status will be communicated through email. After that, you can continue with your visa application. Scholarships are typically given based on an evaluation of financial needs and social disadvantage. You will be needed to upload relevant documentation to your application to support this.
Glasgow School of Art
Course: undergraduate and postgraduate programs
Tuition fee: £20,000 per year
GSA is regarded as Britain's top institution in terms of higher education in architecture, fine arts, and design. The institution is known for producing excellent artists, designers, and architects via its undergraduate and graduate design programmes every year. Glasgow School of art is ranked #8 in the QS World University Rankings for arts and sciences.
Eligibility criteria:
- You must submit a compelling Statement of Purpose
- You must submit a digital portfolio of your work to be considered
- A valid IELTS test score is also required as evidence of your English language skills.
Admission Process
If you meet the requirements, you may start the admissions process by completing the online application. The forms must be submitted along with any required supporting documentation. Your admission will be confirmed when your application has been reviewed, and you have been invited for an interview.
University of East London
Course: undergraduate and postgraduate
Tuition fee: £15,000 per year for three years.
With its internationally renowned programmes, the University of East London has helped millions of students shape their futures by providing one of the best interior design programmes in the UK. According to "The Complete University Guide - University Ranking (UK) in 2021," it is 116. UEL is committed to helping international students acquire the abilities, emotional intelligence, and creativity necessary to survive in a continuously changing world and a competitive job market. UEL is a careers-led institution.
Eligibility Criteria
- Diploma in design or any related course
- High school graduation
- Grade C in GCSE English and mathematics
- Portfolio
Admission Process
The student must appear for an interview with the institution after submitting the application form and portfolio. The next round of admissions begins in September 2022.
University of Portsmouth
Course: undergraduate and postgraduate
Tuition fee: £16,000 per year.
A public institution in Hampshire, The University of Portsmouth is placed 61 in the Complete University Guide - University Ranking (UK). Additionally, this institution is one of the four that received a Gold ranking in the Government Teaching Excellence Framework. It provides interior design degrees at the BA and MA levels and has a solid international reputation for employability.
Eligibility Criteria
- 75% or above in the grade 12 examination
- 24-31( minimum) score in the International Baccalaureate test
- a band score of 6.0 on the IELTS proficiency test
- A Portfolio of previous work
You must have completed a related course or have an honours bachelor's degree in design from an accredited university to be eligible for the master's programme.
Admission Process
An application form and a portfolio showcasing your work in design-related fields must be submitted. After this, you will have an interview to see if you qualify for the course.
Loughborough University
Course: undergraduate, Hons and postgraduate
Tuition fee: £26,000 per year for three years.
Loughborough University has strong ties with several well-known design firms throughout the world. This increases the likelihood that graduates of this programme will land a solid job. A four-year or three-year bachelor's degree is available from Loughborough. The extra year is referred to as the placement year, during which the student can apply for interior design assignments. The QS university rating for arts and sciences gives this institution a great rank of 31. A 20% additional price of the total fees must be paid if the student chooses the placement year.
Eligibility Criteria
- Upper secondary grades are considered to get admitted
- ICSE board graduates must have a score of 80–88% minimum.
- A valid IELTS test score is also required to prove your English language skills.
Admission Process
Beginning in October 2023 is the interior design course. Even if students haven't finished high school yet, kids can begin applying because the application forms are available online.
University of Chester
Course: Undergraduate, B.A Hons, postgraduate courses
Tuition fee: £14,000 per year
The university grants the BA (Honours) and the Design MA degrees. The institution provides incredible insights into an interior design for a deeper grasp of the field through these programmes. To receive the certificate, project work must be finished in the program's final year. The Guardian's 2021 rankings placed this university at number 81.
Eligibility Criteria
- The qualification criteria for a student to the master's program is 65% in UG
- a band score of 6.0 on the IELTS proficiency test
Admission Process
The MA programme will begin in October 2023. Due to the lengthy admissions process, the university has already begun accepting applications. All undergraduate students are eligible for international and merit-based scholarships, which are applicable to each year of study.
Northumbria University
Course: BA (Honours)
Tuition fee: £50,000 per year
The top interior design programme in the UK is provided by Northumbria University, which is situated in Newcastle, London. The Guardian's 2021 University Rankings placed it at number 27. Northumbria University confers an interior design BA (Honours) degree for students from more than 130 nations. This course primarily focuses on developing original ideas for contemporary architectural settings.
Eligibility Criteria
- High school graduation (preferably from ICSE), with a score of 65% or more.
- Students must have an English language proficiency score of 6.0 in IELTS.
Admission Process
The course usually begins in September, and the application process for 2023 has already started.
Coventry University
Course: undergraduate and postgraduate degree in interior design
Tuition fee:£17,000 per year.
The Guardian's 2021 University Rankings placed Coventry at number 26. Coventry University, located in Birmingham, grants interior design bachelor's and master's degrees. The programs help achieve students' creativity quotient to aid their journey to become world-class interior designers. In the two-year master's category, this university offers Product Design Innovation MA and a Design Management MA.
Eligibility Criteria
- For the master's degree, you need a BA (Honours) in any field related to interior design or product design.
- Also, a score of 6.5 is mandatory for the IELTS proficiency test.
Admission Process
The master's course intake takes place during January and May. Applications and admissions have closed for the May 2022 program, but you can now apply for the January 2023 program.
London Metropolitan University
Course: undergraduate, postgraduate, professional and research-level courses
Tuition fee:20,000 – 30,000 USD
London Metropolitan University is one of the most multicultural universities in the UK. The university offers a welcoming and friendly atmosphere with support for you at every step of your course. They offer an extensive range of courses available at undergraduate, postgraduate, professional and research levels. Working on various commercial and community projects, from the retail, workplace, and hospitality projects to education and healthcare, you'll collaborate with leading professionals in the sector to develop practical skills and expertise.
Eligibility Criteria
- A first-class or strong upper-second-class degree, or equivalent, in a related subject
- You must submit a compelling Statement of Purpose for studying at the postgraduate level.
- Applicants will also be expected to present a portfolio.
International applications are closed for most of our postgraduate courses due to the extraordinary demand for the spring 2023 intake. For admission in the fall of 2023, you may still apply. For the spring of 2023, distance learning courses are still accessible.
Admission Process
The master's programme typically has an admission between January and May. Students can now apply for the January 2023 programme even though the May 2022 program's application period has ended.
University of Arts London
Course: undergraduate, postgraduate, other short courses
Tuition fee: £25,970 per year
The performing arts, graphic and interior design, fashion, and fine art are just a few of the many fields that UAL offers students the chance to learn, create, explore, and invent. UAL is one of the top speciality creative colleges in the world, with a teaching team made up of practising artists, designers, critics, and theorists.
Eligibility criteria:
The following credentials, either individually or in combination, are the typical minimum entrance criteria for this course:
- passing the foundational art and design exam (Level 3 or 4)
- Grades of C or above on two A Levels
- BTEC Extended Diploma Merit, Pass, Pass (MPP)
- Pass Extended Diploma at UAL
- Access to a Higher Education Diploma
- or similar degrees from the EU or other countries, including an IB diploma with at least 24 points
- and three grade 4 or above (A*-C) GCSE passes
- IELTS level 6.0 or above, in which at least 5.5 in reading, writing, listening and speaking.
The quality of your application, which will primarily consider your portfolio of work, personal statement, and references, will also influence your admission to this programme.
Admissions Process
The Course pages contain all the information you need to apply, which includes application forms and entry requirements. You may start the admissions process by completing the online application if you meet the requirements. The documents must be submitted along with any required supporting documentation. Your admission will be confirmed when your application has been reviewed, and you have been invited for an interview.
That brings us to the end of the list of the best interior design schools in the UK. We hope we have been able to give you a better idea of what makes interior design one of the top fields in today's market and its current scope, so what are you waiting for? Go ahead and design away! You can also check out our blog on the highest paying design jobs.