Fine Art, Graphic Design, Illustration & Photography Portfolio Reviews

Once you have applied for one of our art and design* courses and have been shortlisted, you will be asked to provide a portfolio and for our three-year degrees, invited to attend a portfolio review meeting which will include a two-hour activity. Your portfolio is an opportunity to show us who you are, your creative ability, and your potential. 

Courses: *Undergraduate Art and Design courses include BA (Hons) Fine Art, Graphic Design, Illustration, and Photography.

*Postgraduate Art and Design courses include MA Digital and Visual Communication.

Portfolio Review method: Undergraduate 3-year degree Portfolio Reviews will be Online in December 2024, and then On-Campus from 2025 for those wishing to start in 2025.

Postgraduate Portfolio Reviews are conducted digitally and will need to be sent to applicant@wlv.ac.uk.

On Campus Portfolio Reviews: George Wallis (MK) Building, Wolverhampton City Campus, WV1 1NT.  Directions can be found here.

Portfolio review preparation - Important Information

Pre-portfolio review tasks required:

  • Creative Portfolio - see details below.
  • Have a form of identification (e.g. passport, driving licence etc.) ready to present on arrival.
  • Do you know enough about the course you have applied for? Research information about the course and visit our open days or postgraduate open evenings to come and speak to our staff and students www.wlv.ac.uk/opendays.

Hints and Tips on what we expect of your Portfolio (Undergraduates only)

  • Your portfolio should be well organised and presented. The portfolio should aim to demonstrate your strongest work, indicating your creative and technical abilities rather than the quantity of work. 
  • Include photographs of a range of artwork showing the development of skills and/or experimentation with different media. 
  • For many courses, drawing is a key element to your portfolio. Include examples of different types of drawing, such as life drawing, still life, and illustrations. 
  • Include examples of different projects you have undertaken and be prepared to talk through the project and the development of your work. 
  • Include at least one project that shows how you have developed an idea from start to finish - don't forget to explain the project and how you developed your ideas. 
  • Use good quality, well-lit photographs of your work and try and find a plain background. 
  • You can put your portfolio together either physically, as a PowerPoint file or a pdf document.

Digital Portfolio Reviews (Foundation Year Degrees for those with Lower Tariff Points and Postgraduates only)

If you have applied for a Foundation Year route, and have a lower UCAS tariff, Admissions will first invite you to attend the Prepare for Foundation Year assessment day. If you pass this day you will be asked to provide a digital portfolio.

If you have applied for a Postgraduate Masters program, you will be asked to provide a digital portfolio and may be invited to a portfolio review.

Digital Portfolios must be submitted to applicant@wlv.ac.uk  and you can send it via suggested file-sharing platforms such as WeTransfer, Dropbox etc.

  • At the start of the portfolio review, you must show a form of picture ID as proof of who the interviewer is talking to. Acceptable documents include a passport, driving license, college ID badge, etc. (please note we do not accept copies).
  • The portfolio review will last up to three (online) or four (on-site) hours in total.
  • When arriving on-campus please arrive from 30 minutes before the review to ensure you are on time. In many cases, latecomers will not be permitted.
  • For online portfolio reviews, please ensure you have fully charged device and you have your e-mail account open on this device no later than 10 minutes before your review time.
  • The sessions on-campus will include a Welcome Talk (1-2pm) followed by a 1-1 Portfolio Review, and while you wait there will be an opportunity to explore the School of Art by viewing student work and talking to staff and students about life at Wolverhampton (2-5pm). The online sessions will follow a similar format.

After attending your portfolio review, you will be notified on whether or not you’ve passed within 3-5 working days. If you are successful, your offer will be confirmed within 14 working days.

If you’re unsuccessful, you will be made an alternative offer on another course that we think you are suitable for. Find out more.

If you’re unable to attend your interview, you can decline your date/time via e:Vision up to 48 hours before your selection event and you must then log a helpdesk call to request a new date or withdrawal. If you’re unable to attend less than 48 hours before, please get in touch with Admissions via 01902 323505 as soon as possible. Find out more about responding to your invite here.

Please note if you fail to notify us that you’re unable to attend, your application will be rejected.

Contact us via e:mail - interviews@wlv.ac.uk

Contact us via phone - 01902 518803