Bachelor of Arts in Fine Art at University of Cape Town

Programme overview

The Bachelor of Arts in Fine Art (HB008, NQF level 8, SAQA ID 10585) is a four-year degree at the Michaelis School of Fine Art combining studio practice with art history and discourse of art. The curriculum requires at least 27 semester courses or equivalent.

Faculty: Faculty of Humanities | Department: Michaelis School of Fine Art | Duration: Four years minimum (regular programme) | Intake: No new intake in 2026 for the extended programme (HB064); continuing students only | Study mode: full-time | Location: Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa

What you will study

First year: Studiowork I, Fine Art Foundation, Introduction to African Art, Approaches to Art History and a Humanities course. Second year: two studiowork options from Painting, Sculpture, Photography, Printmedia and New Media, Core Practice 2, Envisioning the Body or Art Narrative, and Discursive Strategies. Third year: a major studiowork course (Painting, Sculpture, Photography, Printmedia or New Media), Studiowork 3 Electives (for example Videography, Sound Art, Curatorship, Computer-aided design) and art-history courses such as New Art: New Perspectives and Curatorial Praxes. Fourth year includes a final studiowork major.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Admission to the programme is limited. Students are admitted on the basis of a portfolio of creative work, NSC results and NBT scores; selection criteria are published annually. To proceed to second-year studiowork a minimum of 55% is required in the first-year studiowork area, and 55% in the second-year studiowork option to major in third year.

Tuition is charged per module, so the total depends on the modules you register for each year. Current fees are listed in the official fee schedule.

Applications to study at UCT in 2027 opened on 1 April 2026 and close on 31 July 2026 for undergraduate study; late applications are not considered.

The application fee is R100 for undergraduate and postgraduate applications from South Africa and the SADC region, and R300 for applications from outside the SADC region; it is non-refundable and payable by direct deposit, EFT or credit card (online). UCT students and graduates are exempt except for GSB programmes.

Apply through the official page: https://applyonline.uct.ac.za

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