Arts Students' Union (Arts SU) are delighted to announce the publication of Name Your Price: a report reviewing the cost of study at University of the Arts London (UAL).  

This groundbreaking research was formed from the views of over 900 UAL students, and examines the financial challenges faced by our diverse student community. Students shared their insights, views, and experiences of the reality of the cost of study in 2024/25, with the cost of materials for assessed work, funding sources, and the impact of financial strain on academic performance all coming under the spotlight. 

Crucially, our findings included that 67% of respondents believed that course costs were not transparently communicated to them before they enrolled on their chosen course, with 35% indicating that each piece of assessed work took them 40 or more hours to complete, and 17% spent over £200 on each piece of assessed work. 

Calum Sherwood, Senior Policy and Research Officer and the report's author, said: "the findings from this research provide an urgent call for action. UAL must invest in more robust financial support systems, increase transparency around the costs of study, and implement practical solutions to reduce the financial burden on its students. 

"By addressing these financial barriers, UAL will not only improve the educational experience for current students but continue to position itself as a leader in the sector with a social purpose commitment to equitable, accessible creative education." 

We last conducted research into the reality of the cost of study in 2018, and re-examining our students' experiences in a post-Covid landscape has provided clear evidence of not only continuities of the difficulties our students face, but additional challenges that may present barriers to their academic experience and post-graduation prospects. Name Your Price is a refreshed call for the University, its constituent colleges, and its various support teams, to make meaningful, long-lasting changes to not only bring down the overall cost of completing a course at UAL, but also to offer greater financial support that students can thrive with.  

From making Adobe Creative Cloud free for students and providing more transparency around course costs, to reviewing UAL's pricing structures and dedicating more resources to improving the cost of study, we are hopeful that Name Your Price offers a roadmap to ensuring UAL is a more equitable, affordable institution to attend.  

You can read the report here.

Alternatively, find the direct PDF document here.

Thank you to Marina Marbella for designing this report.

Are you a UAL student interested in the cost of study and how you can sustain your creative practice? Our open call for Gathering, an Arts SU exhibition showing works themed around what sustains student artists, is open for applications until 13th April 2025.