Portfolio preparation and requirements: user guide

You need to submit a digital portfolio as evidence of your artistic ability and potential. You should start planning your portfolio as soon as you decide to apply.

You will upload your portfolio through a separate system after you apply through UCAS.

The portfolio submission period is from 1 December 2025 to 28 January 2026.

If you do not complete your portfolio submission by the deadline, your application will be unsuccessful.

The following programmes require a portfolio to be submitted:

• MA Fine Art: https://study.ed.ac.uk/programmes/undergraduate/346-fine-art-5-year-programme
• BA Fine Art: https://study.ed.ac.uk/programmes/undergraduate/669-fine-art
• BA Animation: https://study.ed.ac.uk/programmes/undergraduate/495-animation
• BA Fashion: https://study.ed.ac.uk/programmes/undergraduate/496-fashion
• BA Film and Television: https://study.ed.ac.uk/programmes/undergraduate/497-film-and-television
• BA Graphic Design: https://study.ed.ac.uk/programmes/undergraduate/500-graphic-design
• BA Illustration: https://study.ed.ac.uk/programmes/undergraduate/501-illustration
• BA Interior Design: https://study.ed.ac.uk/programmes/undergraduate/502-interior-design
• BA Jewellery and Silversmithing: https://study.ed.ac.uk/programmes/undergraduate/503-jewellery-and-silversmithing
• BA Performance Costume: https://study.ed.ac.uk/programmes/undergraduate/504-performance-costume
• BA Product Design: https://study.ed.ac.uk/programmes/undergraduate/505-product-design
• BA Textiles: https://study.ed.ac.uk/programmes/undergraduate/506-textiles

You can find subject specific guidance under the 'applying' section on the degree finder page for your programme.

• 1 PDF containing up to 20 pages (maximum of 5 pages for each of the 4 assessment criteria)
• The file should be a maximum of 50MB (any resolution)
• You should name the file with your universal username (UUN), for example, "S2212345"
• Each page of your PDF can contain multiple images and text

• Initial research, investigative work, examples of how you explore your ideas, and your finished pieces of work
• Short accompanying text that provides insight into your process, critical thinking and reflection
• Personal projects as well as your school work

• 1 short film or movie clip of up to 5 minutes long
• Written responses to 3 questions
• You should name the file(s) with your universal username (UUN), for example, "s2212345"

• Personal projects as well as your school work

The portfolio is made up of two sections:

• a short film
• written responses to 3 questions

Short film

The film should consist of a dramatic, documentary or experimental work. 

The film should be:

• no more than five minutes long.
• a complete work, or else a strong excerpt that shows your ability to express a story or concept through audio-visual material.

If your film is not in English, it should include English subtitles.  

We are looking for a clear understanding of what it means to employ film as a means of artistic expression, and as such, portfolios consisting of the following will not meet our criteria:

• showreels
• music videos
• travel reports
• social media content
• storyboards

All submitted portfolio clips must be:

• uploaded as one digital video file, or available at a URL with the link provided.
• readily accessible (for example, not password-protected) and must not contain copyrighted material.
• Written responses to questions

Written responses

You must provide written responses (maximum of 250 words each) to the following 3 questions:

• What element of filmmaking do you feel most passionate about and why?  
• What attributes do you feel you would bring to the course and what have you done so far that shows this?
• Which scene or sequence in a film has made a real impression on you and why? We are not looking for a description of the scene or sequence, but how you have been inspired by it.

We use four criteria to assess your portfolio: 

1. Visual research and enquiry: the level of your engagement in structured visual enquiry and how well you communicate this.
2. Idea development: your ability to explore and develop your ideas, and your level of skill in the use of appropriate materials and techniques.
3. Selection and resolution: how well you judge which ideas have the most appropriate potential and your ability to complete them to good standard.
4. Contextual awareness: the depth of your knowledge of the subject, including practitioners and other sources of inspiration, and how your work relates to it.

Your portfolio will be assessed by a team of academic staff with professional expertise and specialist knowledge.

We understand that not all applicants will have access to the same types or level of resources to produce their final works. Instead, we are particularly interested in:

• your potential
• how you have researched and developed your ideas in a visual way
• how you engage with the visual arts through your imagination and creative responses to ideas, observations, processes, and concepts.

After you submit your application to UCAS, you will need to submit your portfolio to the University through a separate process.

You will receive instructions to the email address you included in your UCAS application. You will not be notified via UCAS.

The deadline for portfolio submissions is 28 January 2026 at 12pm.

Logging into MyEd

You will have received authentication details by email (to the email address supplied in your application to UCAS). If you have not received your MyEd login details, please see the support page for guidance.

Log into MyEd and access the EUCLID or My Application channel.

MyEd login

To access the portfolio submission portal

1. Login to MyEd
2. Click on the 'Manage my application' or 'Launch EUCLID' button to open EUCLID
3. Click on the 'My UG Applications' link in the left menu bar
4. Scroll down to find the 'portfolio' section
5. Click the 'Open portfolio' link to open Survey Monkey Apply

We will let you know if your application has been successful after it has been reviewed by our assessors.

We aim to make all decisions by the end of April. 

You will receive a decision no later than 6 May 2026.

If you have met, or are predicted to meet, all our entry requirements by the relevant deadline, then your application will go into our selection process.

As part of this selection process, we will review all the information you submit in your UCAS application when we decide who to select for this degree programme.

How we select applicants