Our newly created “Admission Insights” articles aim to bring greater attention to international universities as viable options for students. While we’ve traditionally focused on US colleges, it’s also become clear that tremendous opportunities exist beyond our own borders that are worth a closer look. Here, through a series of interviews with admission officers, we provide key details about their schools and links where you may find more information.
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1. Please share a brief overview of Falmouth University.
We are a leading creative university located in the beautiful coastal region of Cornwall, England. We have a rich history of over 120 years and today our future-focused courses, world-class facilities and staff mean that we are at the forefront of the creative economy.
Falmouth is a vibrant and welcoming community of artists, entrepreneurs, programmers, researchers, and designers. With over 4,500 students from all over the world, we offer a range of creative and business-related courses ranging from Fine Arts and Architecture to Computer Science, Entrepreneurship and Creative Advertising.
Whether it’s paid opportunities through our in-house agencies, our nationally award-winning employability service, an international placement, or access to our multi-million-pound professional facilities, we empower our students to carve out successful, entrepreneurial careers by giving them a head start in industry.
2. What is typically your percentage of enrolled international students?
Our average percentage of enrolled international students is between 10-13% and we currently have students from more than 50 countries studying at our two campuses.
3. Are there any special requirements for international students versus domestic? If yes, please share them. e.g. In the US, we require a TOEFL score or equivalent.
For applicants whose first language is not English, we accept a variety of English language tests. Where an offer of a place is conditional on you meeting our English language requirement, you will need to meet that condition before your offer is made unconditional and you can apply for a visa to begin studying with us.
Our IELTS requirements are as follows:
Undergraduate – 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each skill
Postgraduate – 6.5 with a minimum of 6.0 in each skill
We welcome applications from students of all nationalities and from all over the world. We’ll consider the equivalency of your specific qualifications against our entry requirements and help you through every stage of the application process.
You can read more about our international entry requirements here.
4. What resources are available at your school to help support international students?
- Airport Collection Service available from Heathrow and Newquay Airports
- Free term-time English Language classes and one-to-one tutorials
- Guaranteed accommodation to international undergraduate students
- Student Mentor Scheme (matching second-year students with new first years)
Students also have access to:
- On-site health centre
- Wellbeing support
- Living support
- Accessibility and Inclusive Learning support
- Academic skills support
- RealWORKS Employability & Careers Service
5. Do you offer financial assistance or scholarships for international students?
Falmouth University is offering a range of scholarships to undergraduate and postgraduate international students who will be starting their first year of study with us in September. Find out more here.
The International Talent Awards offers eligible international students £5,000 towards undergraduate or postgraduate studies.
The GREAT Scholarship offers students from India and China £10,000 towards postgraduate tuition fees (in partnership with the British Council).
6. For US universities, there is great emphasis on Extracurricular Activities as part of an applicant’s overall credentials. Of what relevance are these in your admission requirements, and are these encouraged for student participation once enrolled?
Extracurricular activities are a great way to demonstrate to us your commitment and enthusiasm for a subject—particularly if you are applying to study a subject that you haven’t had a chance to study in school, such as Fashion Design or Game Development.
At Falmouth University, we are interested in your subject-specific skills, interests and motivations. This is why, for most programmes, you will be asked to submit a portfolio, performance or presentation since this is more relevant to us than academic grades. We also like to interview all applicants who show potential.
Your personal statement, interview, portfolio, performance or presentation are all opportunities to show us your skills, talent and enthusiasm for your subject—and a good opportunity to talk about any extracurricular activities you’ve taken part in that relate to your subject.
Once you enroll, you are encouraged to collaborate with students across departments and have over 120 different student societies to explore through our Students Union.
7. What would you say is unique or stands out about your university among others?
Well, there aren’t many universities with a campus just five minutes’ walk from the beach!
Our two stunning campuses offer dynamic, inspiring environments where collaboration and creativity spark ideas. The purpose-built Penryn Campus is a contemporary creative hub while the historic Falmouth Campus is nestled in the heart of glorious sub-tropical gardens and just a short walk to the beach. Both campuses are equipped with state-of-the art facilities situated in picturesque surroundings.
The Falmouth area is also very safe and has the second lowest crime rate of any university town in England and Wales (Complete University Guide, 2020). Cornwall’s stunning natural environment offers the sort of beauty that has been inspiring creatives for generations. The area is famous for its surf beaches, spectacular coastal paths and unspoilt countryside.
In terms of teaching, at Falmouth we believe in students “Doings it for Real.” Our students work in the same or similar way as they would do in industry: responding to live briefs, working across departments to deliver projects, and connecting with industry professionals. Our teaching fuses creativity and technology to bring about new ideas and ways of thinking, doing, making, creating and working across sectors as diverse as fashion, tourism and immersive technology.
The students, alumni and staff are recognised for their bold innovation, winning awards, gaining commissions, and building their own businesses.
8. Have you found that graduates are well prepared for the international workplace upon completing their degree?
We are very proud that 97.6% of our postgraduate students are employed or in further study (Graduate Outcome Survey, 2018-19) and we are 1st in UK for graduates starting or managing their own business (Capital on Tap, 2021).
Our industry-focused curriculum ensures students are prepared with the skills, experience and connections they need when they graduate to enter industry. Alongside this, our award-winning employability service, RealWORKS, supports students with all aspects of their career: from CV guidance and practice interviews, to finding employment and internship opportunities or taking the steps to going freelance.
Our graduates have gone on to become everything from award-winning composers and choreographers to programmers, entrepreneurs and performers. Read more about what our graduates are up to here.
*For more information, be sure to visit our Falmouth University Profile