The International Foundation Programme is designed specifically for international students, and is made up of 4 components:
- Foundation Studio - Art & Design
- Co-Lab 1
- Co-Lab 2
- Foundation Skills English (for students with IELTS score 6.0 or below)
or Extended Studio (for students with IELTS score over 6.0)
Foundation Studio: Art & Design (60 credits) – This course introduces students to the fundamentals of Art and Design through studio-led practice. It provides specialised projects and tuition by a dedicated staff team in the International Foundation studios. The course supports students’ emerging creative practices and provides tailored teaching in preparation for specialist undergraduate study. Completion of the International Foundation supports students’ applications for entry into Year 2 of GSA undergraduate degree programmes in the School of Fine Art, School of Design and Innovation School or other institutions in the UK.
Co-Lab 1 and Co-Lab 2 (20 credits / 20 credits) – These 4-week courses form a complementary suite as part of the First Year Experience at the Glasgow School of Art. Co-Lab 1 provides International Foundation students with the opportunity to develop projects in the context of a wider creative community whilst Co-Lab 2 provides all Year 1 students from the Glasgow School of Art with the opportunity to meet and collaborate in response to a collective theme.
Foundation Skills English (20 credits) – This course provides English language support to enable students to improve their skills in communication and achieve the required English language threshold of IELTS for UKVI (Academic) with 6.0 overall and no less than 5.5 in each component for progression into most of our degree programmes. The International Foundation course enables students to develop their abilities in talking, listening, reading, and writing. It develops students’ ability to communicate in appropriate conceptual terms, informed by critical discourse through lectures and studio discussion groups.
As a result of the specialist English Language support on the International Foundation programme, students are asked to attain a minimum of IELTS for UKVI (Academic) with 5.0 overall and no less than 5.0 in each component, prior to admission.
Extended Studio (20 credits) – Students with 6.0 IELTs or over with no lower than 6.0 in any one area are eligible to take the Extended Studio option instead of Foundation Skills English. This course allows students to develop a studio-led project that forms a response to objects from Scottish-based collections. The course develops student’s understanding of material culture in relation to their chosen area of study.
