Portfolio Guidance
Why is a portfolio important?
Portfolios are important to us because they show us how you look at the world around you and visually record it. They help us to see your creativity.
After applicants have applied through UCAS, we ask candidates who have met the entry requirements to submit a portfolio of their artwork.
Putting your portfolio together
Your portfolio should contain 12 – 16 images of your work. This can be made up with 3 – 4 images from each of the following categories:
-
Your hand drawings
-
Photographed images
-
At least one example of a 3D made piece, such as ceramics, fashion or a simple model.
The remaining 3 – 4 images can include work that is an expansion on sections 1 – 3 above or use of another medium entirely.
When thinking about what hand drawings or photographed images to include we’d encourage you to capture something that’s familiar to you such as where you live. That often tells us more about your interests than a drawing or photograph of a famous building.
Your portfolio must not include virtual 3D computer aided designs. These don’t give us a true understanding of your design skills or how you communicate by hand drawing.
You’ll receive an email from us confirming the portfolio requirements in more detail, the format and the submission date.
Portfolio gallery
Looking for some inspiration? See some of our previous student's portfolios.
Video guidance
Luke Yeulett, Architecture student, tells us how he put his portfolio together.
Farida Makki, portfolio reviewer and studio lead, explains more about portfolios.
Frequently asked questions
I have received a notification on MyNottingham that I am required to submit a portfolio but haven’t received an email.
It can take up to 4 weeks from the date of your application for us to undertake an initial review. Once your application has been initially reviewed by our Admissions team, you will be automatically sent an email to request your portfolio. This will be sent to the email address you have provided on your application. We advise you to also check your junk and spam folders and any associated settings. A copy of this email should also appear in the documents section of your NottinghamHub account so you can also check here if you have not received your email.
Can I include more than the stated maximum of 16 images?
You cannot have more than the stated number of images in your portfolio. This means individual images, not number of pages.
Should I annotate images?
A brief annotation giving the medium used and the time it took to complete the piece is sufficient.
Should images be of primary sources or secondary sources?
Images should always be from a primary source where possible.
Can portfolios exceed the 10mb limit?
No. The portfolio should be contained in a single document and not exceed 10mb.
Do you accept portfolios in any format other than PDF file?
No. The portfolio should be contained in a single PDF document.
Can I have an extension on the portfolio submission deadline?
Your portfolio must be submitted within the stated timeframe to ensure that your application is forwarded to the next stage of review in a timely manner. Any delays in uploading your portfolio will also lead to delays in processing your application. We endeavour to contact you if you have not provided your portfolio within the stated timeframe, and can sometimes provide an extension. We will usually only chase your portfolio once, and if it is not uploaded we will assume that you no longer wish to continue with your application and it will be withdrawn.