Level 4 Foundation Diploma in Art and Design

Applications Open - Monday 27 October 2025

Applications Close - Open all year

How to Apply – Please apply through KentChoices and use your KentChoices login which your school should provide

PLEASE NOTE - Popular courses can fill up quickly so apply early to avoid disappointment

If you have any queries regarding the courses, please contact EKC Canterbury College

You can make up to 5 applications to Colleges within the EKC Group, that is:

• EKC Ashford College
• EKC Broadstairs College*
• EKC Canterbury College*
• EKC Dover College
• EKC Folkestone College*
• EKC Sheppey College

*Junior Colleges exist in these locations.

Please only add one course or T Level per application, except for A Levels at EKC Canterbury College, where up to 4 A Level courses can be added per application. At your interview, you and the tutors can discuss the best level and courses in order for you to progress.

Do you want to prepare for a degree in fine art, photography, graphic design, illustration or a related specialism? The UAL Foundation Diploma in Art and Design will prepare you to go on to study a practice-based undergraduate course.

The UAL Foundation Diploma is a Level 4, one-year, full time extensive programme which offers students the opportunity to challenge their preconceptions as to what art, design, visual arts and visual communication can be.

Phase One

Students will be asked to move away from the established and known approaches to explore new ways of working with materials, techniques, processes and idea generation skills in a creative context in sessions of short, exploratory projects.

In this phase, you will develop a methodology to creative problem solving which is transferable to all creative specialist areas in the visual arts. It is an environment that mistakes are not seen as failure but a vital part of the creative process. During this during six-week period students must make a specialist choice and will study that chosen specialist area from November through to the end of the course.

The specialist areas are:

• Fine Art
• Graphic Design and Illustration
• Photography
• Fashion and Textiles

Phase Two

Students will develop their understanding of their chosen pathway area, whilst also preparing a purposeful and relevant portfolio that will enable progression into their chosen degree.

Phase Three

Students will take part in a self-directed project, supported by the Visual Arts team, which will determine the final grade for this course.

Ongoing formative and summative assessment will take place with tutors making 'indicative grade judgements' on submitted work, but the grade will derive from the students Final Major Project in phase 3 of the course.

It would be expected that before starting the course you would have good grades (Cs and above) in at least three A levels or equivalent, including a visual art based course.

When you come to your one to one interview by clicking on Apply, ensure you bring a portfolio of your work, demonstrating your skill and ambition in a range of visual art techniques as well as your analytical and critical thinking abilities.

Upon successful completion of this qualification, you may progress on to a variety of degrees in the visual arts.