About The Glasgow School of Art

Founded in 1845, the Glasgow School of Art is one of the few remaining independent art schools in the UK. With a proven history of producing some of the world’s most influential and successful artists, designers and architects, the GSA’s studio-based specialist, practice-led education draws talented individuals with a shared passion and concern for visual culture from all over the world. The GSA is ranked 3rd in the UK and 13th in the world (QS World rankings 2024).

There is no GSA without Glasgow, and arguably no Glasgow of the past 150 years without the GSA. Walking around the city, you’ll spot the influence of the School and its graduates in its buildings, in its shop windows, and in its theatres, galleries, restaurants and record shops. The spirit of the city buzzes through its festivals, cultural institutions and events, but can also be found in more ad-hoc spaces, and in conversations between its creative residents. Although Glasgow is still very much the heart of the GSA, in recent years we have established an idyllic Highlands and Islands campus, as well as a representative office in China. We also maintain important connections and partnerships with institutions across Europe and the rest of the world, offering exchange opportunities and collaborating on projects with international students, tutors and practitioners. Our DNA can also be found in the footprints of our graduates, many of whom choose to stay in Glasgow as an important part of the city’s creative ecology, but who can also be found across the world, presenting, addressing, and finding innovative solutions to some of society’s most important questions.

Our studio-based approach to research and teaching is focused on developing intense specialisms alongside collaborative practice. Our studios are a site of interdisciplinarity, peer learning, critical enquiry and prototyping, where our students, tutors, and researchers address problems in new ways and find innovative solutions. Our links to other academic institutions, research partners, and the wider creative industries help us address many of the challenges confronting Glasgow and the wider world.

All GSA degree programmes are validated by the University of Glasgow. Established in 1451, the University of Glasgow is a member of the prestigious Russell Group of leading UK research universities and a founder member of Universitas 21, an international grouping of universities dedicated to setting worldwide standards for higher education. For detailed information on our relationship with the University of Glasgow please see the link here.

Creative Network

The Glasgow School of Art’s Creative Network includes over 20,000 graduates spread across 95 countries around the world, who in turn contribute to the continuing life of the school through teaching, advice and partnerships. Our graduates can be found working in all areas of the creative industries, and they include leading architects, recent Turner Prize winners, and designers at top international firms and fashion houses, as well as world-renowned musicians, writers and academics. A significant number have chosen to stay in Glasgow after graduation, choosing to make the city their home and build on its reputation as one of the best cultural cities in Europe.

At The Glasgow School of Art we pride ourselves on the success of our students and graduates and we do not want any achievements to go unnoticed. Creating links for ideas to develop, accomplishments to be recognised and creative endeavours to grow is at the centre of our Creative Network initiative.

If you attended the GSA for three months or more you are automatically eligible to become a part of this community and have access to a further range of services and support. Please make sure you gain maximum benefit from what our Creative Network and support services can offer by sending your most up to date contact details to CreativeNetwork@gsa.ac.uk