Free Application and Portfolio Support for Eligible 16-18 Year-Olds.
ACES (Access to Creative Education Scotland) at the University of Edinburgh
About this opportunity
Are you interested in studying art, design or architecture at university?
Access to Creative Education in Scotland (ACES) is a national Widening Participation project, funded by the Scottish Funding Council (SFC). Our project aims to support eligible 16-18 year olds who are considering pursuing degrees or careers in art, design, or architecture.
We work with young people to support their creative development, explore their future options, and help them create a competitive application and portfolio regardless of which university or college they want to apply to.
Our events are free, we cover the cost of bus/train tickets to Edinburgh where needed and we provide food for longer events.
We currently support young people within the following Local Authorities:
- Edinburgh
- The Lothians (East Lothian, Midlothian and West Lothian)
- Falkirk
- Stirling
- Scottish Borders
- Clackmannanshire
If you are S4-6 (16-18 years old) and enrolled in a Scottish State Secondary School and meet any of the below criteria, you will be eligible to sign up for ACES Edinburgh:
⦁ Living in a Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) Quintile 1 or 2 postcode area
⦁ Care Experienced
⦁ Young Carer
⦁ Estranged from your family
⦁ Refugee or Asylum Seeker
⦁ Entitled to Free School Meals (FSM)
⦁ Entitled to Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA)
⦁ Living in a low-income household in receipt on state benefits
⦁ Living in an area considered to be remote and/or rural
⦁ Facing educational disadvantages due to challenging circumstances
If you would like to find out more, please email aces@ed.ac.uk or visit our website.
You can also access our free resources here.
Level of Study
- Pre-university
Eligibility
Asylum seeker, Refugee status, Humanitarian protection, Temporary refugee permission, Limited or Discretionary Leave to Remain (private/family life), Indefinite Leave to Remain, Ukraine schemes, Other forms of sanctuary (including Calais Leave, Section 67 Leave, UASC leave and Stateless Leave)
Other eligibility criteria
If you are S4-6 (16-18 years old) and enrolled in a Scottish State Secondary School and meet any of the below criteria, you will be eligible to sign up for ACES Edinburgh:
⦁ Living in a Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) Quintile 1 or 2 postcode area
⦁ Care Experienced
⦁ Young Carer
⦁ Estranged from your family
⦁ Refugee or Asylum Seeker
⦁ Entitled to Free School Meals (FSM)
⦁ Entitled to Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA)
⦁ Living in a low-income household in receipt on state benefits
⦁ Living in an area considered to be remote and/or rural
⦁ Facing educational disadvantages due to challenging circumstances
Additional notes about eligibility criteria
Further definitions of our the terms in our criteria can be found on our website.
What is included in this opportunity?
- Fee Waiver (no fees)
- Application support and advice
Additional notes about support provided
Our main offering of support is our Portfolio Preparation programme which runs from August-February. Pupils will attend a group session on a Friday or Saturday. Some of these sessions are delivered on campus at Edinburgh College of Art and some are delivered online. During this time, our ACES tutors will guide pupils through various creative projects to help them to build a strong and competitive portfolio.
Throughout the year, we also host one-off events, gallery visits, campus exploration days and creative workshops.
If you are part of a community group who are collectively interested in applying to art/design/architecture courses, please get in touch about our Outreach Officer, Jasmine, visiting your group. We would be happy to travel to meet you at your location.
Types of study available
- Online
- Part-time / flexible
- Face-to-face
Additional information about the types of study
We run a variety of online and in-person events throughout the year.
Additional details about application process
We host application workshops and provide guidance throughout the year to support ACES Pupils with their application journey.
Number of places available
Dependant on event
Is this opportunity available for individuals outside of the UK?
No
On-going opportunity
Yes
For further questions contact Jasmine Bitsakaki
Email Us
aces@ed.ac.uk
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