A.
Programs will be allocated days when they will have access to the building, allowing for student numbers to be managed to ensure safe distancing around the building.
Programs will be allocated days when they will have access to the building, allowing for student numbers to be managed to ensure safe distancing around the building.
Yes, at this time all students and staff, unless exempt, will be required to wear face coverings in the building, including classrooms. Should the scientific guidance change in March we shall follow the recommendations.
Cleaning of classrooms, shared facilities will occur regularly throughout the day. There will be hand sanitizer available throughout the campus and nightly full cleaning of classrooms, offices, toilets, library, and public spaces. There will be additional cleaning stations throughout the building with hand sanitizer and disinfectant spray and wipes for everyone to use for added reassurance. Cleaning products and process will adhere to all recommended guidelines.
There is an approved Covid-19 Outbreak Plan and system for managing cases, along with academic and pastoral support for students required to self-isolate.
At this time, we confidently plan to reopen in March with a phased approach that will assure the protection of our campus community and be in line with governmental, medical, and higher education guidelines. As March approaches we will follow public health advice and tailor our planned reopening accordingly, communicating details about facility accessibility and in-person programming with students in advance.
Click here for the January 2021 entry prospectus, including course descriptions.
September 2021 entry course information coming soon.
All assessment remains the same as other years according to our accrediting body and internal academic standards.
At the start of the program, students are allocated a personal tutor who supports their academic and personal development. During the third and final section of the program, students research their dissertation topics under the guidance of individual supervisors.
If possible, the Library may be accessible by appointment from January. Students will have access when campus reopens in March, and student study spaces available with social distancing guidance. The extensive online resources and research tools will remain accessible.
Online resources include: 100+ databases of full-text articles, scholarly journals, and reference sources (e.g. JSTOR, ProQuest suite, etc.), industry standard art business resources (Artnet, ArtPrice, ArtTactic, ArtBnk, and more), 100,000+ ebooks, and access to past MA student theses and master’s projects.
We will host a number of social events once the semester has started, giving you the chance to get to know your classmates in a more relaxed setting. As part of the welcome process, we will host a range of academic orientation events to give you all the resources you need to start your program. The student publication, Made in Bed, continues to operate and recruit contributors. There will also be social activities, such as quiz nights, film screenings, at home handling sessions, and more!
Once campus reopens, we plan to offer a range of Covid-safe activities, such as evening lectures and live auction screenings. Each course will have its own extra-curricular activities that will be announced throughout the semester, such as the MA in Contemporary curating collaboration with Chelsea College of Arts. We also plan an annual Careers Fair for you to engage with a range of employers from the art world.
The MA Work Placement Elective is still available, however this may be reviewed due to Covid-19. It is predicted that the placements provided by the Careers Service will adhere to the employers Covid-Secure Practices. This may mean that the internships will be offered as ‘Virtual Experiences’. If students wish to ‘self-source’ a placement for the Elective the employer will need to complete the Health and Safety Questionnaire, which will include Covid-19 Security questions before the placement will be approved.
The last chance to submit your application is December 16, 2020. You may request an extension if you were not able to meet the deadline according to exceptional circumstances and are not planning to relocate to London before campus reopens at the beginning of March.
We accept a range of English Language qualifications including Cambridge English Tests, TOEFEL iBT, Pearson PTE Academic, and IELTS Indicator (open only to applicants who don’t require a student visa to study in the UK).
If you have received an offer of enrollment and need to complete the English language requirement, we offer an English Language test, which is similar to the IELTS test and assesses all 4 components: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking.
We kindly ask you let the admissions office know of your study choice within a 14 day period of receiving an offer. Your place will be held upon receipt of your non-refundable deposit.
You may be able to defer your offer of admissions to September 2021 for a one-time only reduced fee of £1000. (Normally £2000.) You must also pay a non-refundable deposit of £1000 to hold your place. Students who applied to begin in September 2020 or January 2021 and who now wish to defer to September 2021 must inform the Admissions Office or their offer of acceptance will not apply to the following year.
Applications for September 2021 entry are now open.
Most international students planning to study full-time in the UK will need to apply for their visa under Student Visa. Information on the student visa application process is available here.The information is continually updated, so it is important that you visit this page and the UKVI website at regular intervals to ensure you have the most up-to-date information.
No, you don’t need to be in the UK to study remotely prior to March 1, 2021.
International applicants (including EEA/EU nationals from 1 January 2021) can apply for a CAS after they have met all the conditions of their offer and paid the first semester tuition fees. Guidance on how to request for CAS is available here. Please click here for the CAS Request form link below to apply for a CAS.
If you are currently based outside of the UK, you can apply for a student visa after you have received your CAS. You must apply for your student visa before you travel to the UK and commence your studies at Sotheby’s Institute of Art. The UK's new and improved Student route, which falls under the UK's new points-based immigration system, is now open for applications. The Student route improves on the previous Tier 4 route making for a more streamlined experience for international students. The period in which a student outside of the UK can apply for a visa, prior to the commencement of their course, has been extended from three months to six months; this change will enable students to apply earlier and provide certainty of their immigration status prior to commencing their programs.
International applicants should be aware that new COVID-19 restrictions (including those related to self-isolation) could come into place in the UK or in their home country, which may affect the time it takes to process their student visa application. Please seek further advice and information from your home country.
It is vitally important to note that a student’s visa application will not be refused due to the impact of COVID-19. The UK provides detailed guidance on why visas are ordinarily refused, these include not meeting financial conditions. Sotheby’s Institute of Art will not accept responsibility for any visa refusal. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure they follow the UKVI guidance on how and what documents to supply in support of a student visa application. Furthermore, a CAS will not guarantee a successful outcome.
The Government has confirmed that international students studying by distance/blended learning will be eligible to apply for the Graduate route provided they are in the UK by April 6, 2021 and meet the other requirements of the route. For further information please visit the UK Government website.
Please note if you have immigration queries related to coronavirus, please read the information on the UK Government website.
If you arrive in the UK before January 1, 2021, you will not need a student visa. As you will need to f to stay in the UK longer than January 1, 2021, to complete your full program you should apply online for the EU Settlement Scheme. The scheme is free of charge. You should apply as soon as possible after you’ve arrived in the UK, and by June 30, 2021.
If you arrive in the UK from January 1, 2021 onwards, you will need to apply for a student visa if you are studying a course which is longer than six months in length. Information on how to apply for a student visa is available here.
You will need to complete an application, pay an application fee (£348 for students), and have a current passport or other valid travel document.
As with other semesters, courses are led by our renowned MA faculty. The curriculum, syllabi, contact hours, assessment, grading, and accreditation by the University of Manchester also all remain the same, which are the components that are reflected in tuition fees.
We are confident that the quality of the teaching and learning opportunities via online classroom are comparable and even have additional features. Additional extracurricular activities and opportunities for interactions being scheduled both virtually and for when campus reopens are an added advantage to students beginning studies in January 2021.
US citizens can apply for private education loans such as Sallie Mae to help towards funding their studies with us. Please note Sotheby’s Institute of Art London is not a participant in the Title IV Financial Aid Program. For more information on Sallie Mae please visit https://www.salliemae.com/
For any private loan lenders we highly recommend that you also check with your loan provider in order to see if they accept the loan going towards the remote learning semester.
After October 30, 2020, our scholarship application window for Spring 2021 will be closed, but we encourage you to research other providers.
The scholarship application for January 2021 entry is now closed. The scholarship deadline for September 2021 applicants is May 3. Click here for more information.
Programs will begin as scheduled on January 11, 2021, with the first seven weeks delivered online. This is to ensure the safety of students and staff and to provide flexibility around your travel and relocation arrangements. This phase will include a virtual orientation, Navigating the Art World, initial teaching of program-specific units, student services, and extracurricular events. It is not essential to be in London during this period and we will support you in building your academic and social community remotely.
The second phase will commence from March 1, 2021, when we plan to introduce an in-person program supplemented by virtual interactions as required. This will include on-site, socially distanced classes in our Bedford Square campus and visits throughout London, with some larger sessions delivered online.
As public health advice allows, we plan to increase the in-person teaching throughout the spring, continuing into the “electives” period beginning on April 26, and throughout the summer and remainder of the program. With the major London institutions such as the National Gallery, Victoria and Albert Museum, and Tate safely welcoming visitors, we anticipate there will be ever-increasing opportunities to expand student activities on campus, and in-situ access across the art world.
Students do not have to be in London as the first seven weeks of the semester will be delivered online. Students can attend the program remotely from the semester start date of January 11 from either London or other locations, although will be expected to be on campus by the time campus begins reopening, currently scheduled for March 1, 2021.
Students will need a computer and reliable internet connection to be able to actively participate in remotely taught courses. Our remote courses will utilize Zoom, Canvas, and other generally available software and tools. As part of your registration, you get free access to Microsoft 360 package for the duration of you program and your own SIA e-mail address.
All MA courses will be taught with live MA faculty via Zoom and students may access recordings if they miss any live sessions or want to re-watch sessions.
All student support services will continue to be delivered online. When campus begins to reopen in March, there will be an onsite presence by appointment with the Student & Academic Services, Career Services, the Libraries, and Administrative teams. More information on in-person services will be announced close to March.
The program is taught via a mixture of lectures, seminars and other activities that will take on two to four days per week, Monday to Friday. You will be provided with a timetable via our online learning system, Canvas, to help you structure your time. Whilst learning is taking place remotely, you may catch up on lectures if you are unable to join them live due to time differences. When teaching is offered in person, you will be expected to join lectures, seminars and visits as scheduled throughout the week.
Currently, planning for international study trips scheduled in the summer will take the MA in Art Business to the Venice Architecture Biennale, the MA in Contemporary Art to cultural hubs in Germany and/or the Netherlands, the MA in Fine and Decorative Art and Design to Paris, the MA in Modern and Contemporary Asian Art to the Art Basel fair in Switzerland, and the MA in Art Logistics to Italy or Switzerland.
An update on confirmed dates and locations will be shared at a later date.