How to become

An Escapee
UNDERGRADUATE HOW TO APPLY GUIDE
Prepare to be amazed
Now that you’ve found out more about what

Escapee;
we do and the courses we offer, you’re probably
ready to start thinking about how you apply. [i-ske-pee] noun.
A graduate from Escape Studios.
The process involves getting your creative
portfolio ready, submitting a UCAS application
and attending a Workshop – there’s no denying
it can be a little stressful, which is why we’ve put
together this handy guide to becoming an Escapee.

So, what do you need to know?

4
How to apply to study at Escape Studios
Preparing your creative portfolio 10
The Creative Workshop 14
Finances – fee waives, student loans and scholarships 18
Scholarships 22
Student life in London – budgeting tips 24

Image courtesy of Framestore. ©WaltDisneyStudiosMotionPictures

2    Escape Studios | Pearson College London How To Become An Escapee 3   
How To Start Your Epic Journey
We’re looking for students with raw talent and big
aspirations – those that aren’t afraid to stand out and
be different. If you’re interested in our undergraduate
animation, game art or VFX degrees, here’s how to apply:
1
COME AND SEE WHAT WE DO
Our Open Days and Taster Days are the
perfect place to get all of your questions
answered. Both of which can be booked
online at: escapestudios.ac.uk/visitus
2
MAKE YOUR APPLICATION
Apply online via UCAS (ucas.com) by the
deadline (15th January) so you have the best
chance of receiving the right offers.
3
CREATE A PORTFOLIO
We’ll ask you to bring along some of your work
to the Creative Workshop, so it’s a good idea
to get working on this as early as possible.
4    Escape Studios | Pearson College London
4
SHINE AT A CREATIVE WORKSHOP
After applying, you’ll be invited to Escape
Studios for a Creative Workshop where you’ll
take part in a hands–on group activity. We’re a
friendly bunch and we’ll send you lots of advice
on what to expect so you can prep and really
shine on the day. Plus all applicants who pass
the Creative Workshop will be offered a
partial fee waiver. See more on page 14.
5 7
SHOW US YOUR WORK
Creativity can’t be bottled and we want to chat
to you one–on–one so you can show us what
really makes you tick. Part of the Creative
Workshop will be your chance to show us
your creative work. We don't mind what sort
of portfolio it is (drawing, painting, digital art,
video, photography, software, etc.) as long as
you’re passionate about what you’ve created.
*There are different application deadlines for UCAS main scheme, UCAS Extra and
6
TICK–TOCK, TICK–TOCK
Waiting to find out if you’ve been offered
a place can be nail–biting, but we promise
to reply as soon as possible. We reply to
everyone to let you know if we’ve offered you
a place and we’ll send over everything you
need to apply for accommodation and student
finance.
CONFIRM YOUR PLACE
Once you’ve received responses from all the
universities you applied to, you’ll be asked to
make your firm and insurance choices. We
hope to be your number one but if you can’t
decide and want to take another look around
or chat to us – just ask. We love showing off
and you’re always welcome at our studios.
UCAS Clearing. Please check ucas.com for the latest information.
How To Become An Escapee
Image courtesy of Framestore. ©WarnerBros
8
GET YOUR RESULTS
We hand out two types of offers, conditional
and unconditional. If you’re lucky enough to
get an unconditional place – you can start
celebrating early. Most applicants will receive
a conditional offer which means you’ll need
to achieve certain grades in your exams. We’ll
have our fingers crossed for you and if you
meet the required grades we’ll be in touch
on A–level results day in August to confirm
your place.
9
PREPARE TO BE AMAZED
In September an exciting journey awaits – the
big city, unique experiences, new friends and
the first step towards your future career! It
starts with our welcome week where you’ll
meet your classmates, staff and tutors. We
hope to see you there!
5   
 Using UCAS

UCAS Codes

Our institution code is P34, listed as Pearson College London

(including Escape Studios)

Course codes
• BA (Hons) The Art of Computer Animation 1700
• MArt The Art of Computer Animation 1701
• BA (Hons) The Art of Video Games 1630
• MArt The Art of Video Games 1631
• BA (Hons) The art of Visual Effects 1702
• MArt The Art of Visual Effects 1703

The UCAS deadline – January 15th

All applications received before this date will have equal consideration
– Escape Studios will consider late applications, depending on the
availability for the course.

Transferring

This is considered on a case by case basis and is not guaranteed. If you

want to transfer into the second or third year of one of our programmes,
you must first send our admissions team (admissions@pearson.com) your
Image courtesy of ILM. ©WaltDisneyStudios

current programme specification, modules studied and marks achieved,

and they will get back to you to let you know if you’re eligible.

6    Escape Studios | Pearson College London How To Become An Escapee 7   
 Using UCAS

Entry requirements

Applicants are normally expected to be predicted two passes at A–Level or equivalent

on courses that are currently being studied. We also require GCSE English and
Mathematics grade C or above, as well as attendance at a Creative Workshop.

We take students who have the talent to succeed in the VFX, games, or animation
industry, and we know the best way to judge this is by looking at your portfolio,
not just a set of academic grades. All applicants are required to bring a portfolio of
creative work along to a Creative Workshop.

We look for passionate and committed students and encourage applications from
students with a variety of backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. If you do not
have traditional qualifications but can demonstrate the ability to succeed on the
course we encourage you to apply. Contact our Student Services team for more
information via telephone 0207 190 4452 or email admissions@pearson.com.

English Language Requirements

If your first language is not English you may need to complete an English language test to
demonstrate you have the language skills needed to complete your degree.

cambridge online toefl IELTS PTE

english: CAE 90 Overall 6.5 IELTS (with a 62 including 60 in
and CPE including at least minimum of 6.0 each subtest
Image courtesy of ILM. ©WaltDisneyStudios

176 (with a minimum 22 in Reading, 21 Reading Writing and

of 169 in Reading in Writing, 21 in 5.5 in speaking and
and Writing and Listening and 23 in listening
162 in Speaking and Speaking
Listening)

8    Escape Studios | Pearson College London How To Become An Escapee 9   
Dr Ian Palmer, Director
of Escape Studios
Preparing Your Creative Portfolio
Probably the most common question that I get
asked by prospective students is “what do you
want to see in a portfolio?” – This is a very
reasonable, simple question. I just wish the
answer was as simple!
The short answer is “we don't mind, whatever
you want to put in it”, but that's not very
helpful, although it's true! I guess there are
different aspects to the question: what media
do you want to see, what are the important
features of the portfolio, how will you judge it?
So let me try and clarify:
1 We don't mind what sort of portfolio it
is (drawing, painting, digital art, website,
video, photography, software, sculpture)
2 The process is more important than the
finished item: what were you aiming to
achieve, how did you go about that, how
successful do you think it was?
3 We want an insight into the way you think
creatively (influences, problem solving, etc.)
So what is important is that it's something
that you're passionate about and that you're
pleased with it, so don't just put things in
that you think we want to see.
10    Escape Studios | Pearson College London
I may not like Jackson Pollock's paintings
(actually I'm rather keen on them), but
understanding what he was aiming to achieve,
what the process was in making them,
whether they successfully meet his aims,
that's what's important.
Take photography – I think it's fair to say that if
you take enough photos you'll eventually come
up with something that would pass as a piece of
art. But if that happened randomly you won't
be able to repeat it, nor will you be able to
explain the influences and thinking that went
into creating that. It's much more important
that you can explain why and how you've
created something than the object itself. Were
you trying to emulate something you'd seen
and really liked? How did you go about trying
to achieve your aims, did you experiment or
research how to do it?
All these are things that give us an insight into
your creative process. If in doubt, email us at
info@pearsoncollegelondon.ac.uk, tell us what
you'd like to include and we’ll get back to you. “If in doubt, get in touch and tell us what you were
thinking of including and we'll get back to you. It's
Hear portfolio tips from all our tutors over
more than likely we'll say “that's fine” though, because
on our Escape Studios YouTube channel:
escapestudios.ac.uk/youtube
if it's what you're proud of and says something about DR IAN PALMER
Director of Escape
you, then that's just what we want!” Studios
How To Become An Escapee 11   
Types of work to include

Drawing Sketchbooks

It’s great to see drawing for students applying Whilst the final piece of work is important,
for each of the disciplines, but particularly we’re also really interested in your thought
animation. Some great techniques can be picked process throughout the whole portfolio
up from life drawing, so do as much practice journey. For us, it's much more important that
as you can either in school/college or even at you can explain why and how you've created
home. Storyboards are also a great element something than the object itself. Were you
to include. trying to emulate something you'd seen and
really liked? Were you trying to capture a mood
or invoke certain feelings in the viewer? All
these are things that give us an insight into
your creative process.
Digital Work

It is not necessary to include digital work

within your portfolio, but as the course will
require you to produce work digitally it’s a Research
good idea to get a taste of the software. If you
have produced anything, we’d love to see any If your animation, games or VFX work has been
examples of CAD (computer–aided design) as influenced by anyone in the industry – tell us!
well as videos, animations or photographs. We’d love to find out more about who inspires
you and how it relates to your work.

12    Escape Studios | Pearson College London How To Become An Escapee 13   
The Creative Workshop
Once you’ve applied to study at Escape Studios
on an undergraduate programme, you’ll be invited
to a Creative Workshop. There are two tasks at
the Creative Workshop which help us assess your
suitability for the course:
14    Escape Studios | Pearson College London
What happens on the day
1. You’ll be asked to discuss some work from your
portfolio with a member of the Escape team so
we can understand how you work
2. You'll take part in an engaging team exercise
How does it differ from an Open Day?
Unlike an Open Day, our Creative Workshops are specifically for applicants.
We genuinely want to find out more about you and your motivation for your
chosen subject. You’ll be able to ask us questions, chat to students and check
out the studios. It’s a great opportunity to get detailed information about your
course, experience what it’s like to study here, meet other potential students
and show us what you’re made of.
Fee Waiver
If you’re successful, you’ll be offered a place on one of our programmes and
receive a partial tuition fee waiver, up to the maximum fee loan available for
the programme. For more information on our Creative Workshops, visit our
website: escapestudios.ac.uk/creative–workshop.
“The Creative Workshop was very casual and a great
ice breaker between students. I showed my portfolio
and had the opportunity to see other students work
and have an open discussion about the teacher's
feedback. I felt nervous in the beginning, but left SHANAE BEDFORD
BArt of Visual Effects
feeling more confident and uplifted.” Student
How To Become An Escapee 15   
The Answers To All
Your Questions
What is the difference between a
BA and MArt?
Our three pathways are available to study
full–time as either a three year Bachelor of
Arts (BA) or a four year Integrated Master
of Arts (MArt). Both prepare you for your
future career in your chosen field, but those
staying on for the extra year of the MArt are
likely to want to start their own studios as this
adds entrepreneurship to the mix and you’ll
spend this year running your own studio just
like a commercial venture (with support and
guidance from us of course). You can apply for
either the BA or the MArt from the start.
16    Escape Studios | Pearson College London
What are the job prospects
after an Escape Studios degree?
There is no way to guarantee a job for
everyone, but with our industry links, aftercare
programme and professional tutors, there are
multiple opportunities for students to get their
name and work seen and heard. Our courses
are developed with industry and are designed
to teach you the skills you need to succeed in
your chosen field. Good artists are hard to find
and the industry is growing fast – we intend to
help supply the demand for talent.
Do applicants need to
have experience of using the
software before they start
a degree?
You don't need any prior knowledge of
particular software packages but it helps if you
are used to working on computers. Escape
Studios has been training students since 2002
and we've built our reputation on being able to
up–skill people in industry standard software
quickly and effectively. It is more important
that you have some creative talent and a
passion for the industry – we can teach you
the rest.
Do I need to come to an
Open Day?
We encourage all students to attend an Open
Day or Taster Day before they apply. It will give
you the chance to see the studios and meet
our tutors. Taster Days are for students only
and you’ll spend the day in our studios working
on mini projects. Open Days are larger events
where you can bring along family and friends.
Book your place at escapestudios.ac.uk/visitus
How To Become An Escapee
What’s more important –
portfolio, academic grades
or personal statement? Or all
three of them?
The portfolio is the most important aspect of
the application process – it allows us to see
your potential. You’ll be able to discuss your
portfolio with a tutor at a Creative Workshop
and we also want to see how you can take
feedback and discuss your work critically with
others. We read all the personal statements
and that can give an insight into what drives
someone before they come, but it's much
better to speak to you at the Creative
Workshop and hear it first hand. Academic
grades are not always a great indicator of how
well someone will do on a degree, but they can
help us identify if students are able to apply
themselves to a task and complete a project.
Can I change my course
once I start?
All undergraduate students study the same
modules in the first year. This means if you
decide you want like to change discipline there
is an opportunity to switch courses at the end
of the first year, depending on availability of
the course.
17   
Student Finance
Our standard fees are £9,000 per year (before the partial
tuition fee waiver has been applied). All applicants who
pass the Creative Workshop will be offered a partial fee
waiver towards these fees.

fee waiver Tuition fee loans Eligibility

At time of going to print, the Government
offers tuition fee loans of £6,165 a year to
full–time students studying with Alternative
Providers on eligible programmes. As we
are committed to ensuring that talented
students with potential have the opportunity
to undertake our degrees, we give this partial
fee waiver to all successful applicants to take
the fee down to the level available as a tuition
fee loan. This means that you can graduate
with less than 70% of the level of student debt
when compared to the average debt held by a
graduating student from a Public Provider.
student loans
We currently hold designation for all our
undergraduate programmes, which means
you’re entitled to apply for Government
funding for your tuition fees and a maintenance
loan. If you are an English student you are able
to check what you may be able to borrow here:
www.gov.uk/student–finance–calculator.
Because our designation is reviewed every
year, you’ll have to apply for student finance a
little later in the year than everyone else – but
don’t worry, there’ll be plenty of time to apply
before the deadline in May.
Students studying in England do not have to pay Where you live – you must have been
the tuition fee up front. The UK Government ‘ordinarily resident’ in the EEA or Switzerland
provides students with a tuition fee loan to for the three years before the start of your
cover the full cost of the fee for the duration course. There’s more information about the
of your undergraduate programme. You do residency requirements on the Government
not have to start repaying the loan until you website www.gov.uk/studentfinance
have graduated from your course and you are
earning over £21,000 per year. Your nationality – you must be an EU
national, or the family member of an
These are loans from the Student Loans EU national.
Company, (the student finance company
for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Previous study – you will not normally be
Ireland) and the money will be sent directly able to get a tuition fee loan if you already hold
to us to pay your tuition fees. As a full–time a qualification equal to or higher than the one
student, you can borrow up to £9,000 (per you are studying for.
year) to pay your tuition fees at a publicly
funded university or college, or up to £6,165
(per year) for a privately–funded one like
Escape Studios.
EU students
If you are a new EU student studying an
undergraduate course in England, you can
apply for a tuition fee loan to help you pay
for your course.

18    Escape Studios | Pearson College London How To Become An Escapee 19   
Maintenance loans for Living Costs Government Loans

If you’re applying to study full–time, you may also get a You won’t start paying your tuition fee loan or maintenance
maintenance loan* to help with your living costs. You can loan back until the April after your degree finishes, and
apply for this when you apply for a tuition fee loan and you only if you earn above £21,000 a year. If you’re employed,
may have to give details of your household income. The loan your repayments will be calculated by your employer and
is paid directly into your bank account at the start of term. taken directly from your salary, then, at the end of the tax
year, they’ll be sent to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

How much can you receive

How much will you pay back
full–time student Loan for the 2017 to 201
academic year
YOUR INCOME PER YEAR Monthly REPAYMENTS

Living at home Up to £7,097

£21,000 and under £0
Living away from home, outside London Up to £8,430
£25,000 £30
Living away from home, in London Up to £11,002
£30,000 £67
You spend a year of a UK course Up to £9,654
£50,000 £217
studying abroad

Find out more about repaying your Loan here:

Extra Funding www.gov.uk/repaying–your–student–loan/what–you–pay

You may be entitled to extra funding if you’re from a low–income

household, you have children or adult dependants, you have a disability or
you’re a carer. You can check if you’re eligible here: www.gov.uk/apply–
for–student–finance/household–income

“If you have any questions about the student finance

application process, our admissions team will be able
to help you through the process. You can contact us
*Maintenance loans are only available to students who lived in the UK for more than 5 years before RICHARD EASEMAN
the first day of the first academic year of your course. at admissions@pearsoncollegelondon.ac.uk.” Admissions Manager

20    Escape Studios | Pearson College London How To Become An Escapee 21   
Out Of This World Scholarships EAMONN BUTLER
Scholarship for Computer
Animation undergraduates
Our scholarships are developed with iconic professionals Eamonn started his career at Walt Disney
and offer a unique opportunity to be hand–picked by some Animation Studios as a 2D Animator. He
spent 10 years at Disney, working on Fantasia
of the biggest names in the industry. You’ll automatically be 2000, Dinosaur and Chicken Little amongst
considered for a scholarship if you attend and pass one of other films. He trained under veteran
our Creative Workshops. You could receive a scholarship Disney animator David Brain at Dublin’s Dun
Laoghaire College of Art and Design. Eammon
to cover 100% of your tuition fees!
has since transferred to the world of VFX
animation and as Head of Animation at Double
Negative he worked on box offices hits such
as Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix,
Iron Man 2 and Edge of Tomorrow.
For the last 4 years, Eammon has been Head
of Animation at Cinesite – an award–winning
film and TV visual effects company.
PAUL FRANKLIN
Scholarship for VFX
undergraduates
Paul Franklin has worked on some of the
most memorable and successful films of
recent times, titles such as Interstellar,
Inception, The Dark Knight, Batman Begins
and Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince.
His work on Inception (2010) won the
Image courtesy of ILM. ©WaltDisneyStudios
Academy Award for Best Visual Effects and
the BAFTA Award for Best Special Visual
Effects and he won a second Academy Award
for Best Visual Effects for Interstellar (2014).
22    Escape Studios | Pearson College London How To Become An Escapee
IAN LIVINGSTONE
Scholarship for Game Art
undergraduates
Ian Livingstone is best known for being the
man behind huge franchises such as Tomb
Raider and tabletop game Warhammer. He
co–founded the iconic games company Games
Workshop, co–created Fighting Fantasy (the
gamebook series which has sold over 17 million
copies), designed Eureka (the first computer
game published by Domark in 1984), co–
authored the Next Gen review (spearheading
a campaign that led to the introduction of the
new computing curriculum in schools) and is
Chairman of Playdemic, Midoki, PlayMob and
Sumo Digital. In 2002, he won the BAFTA
Interactive Special Award for outstanding
contribution to the industry and was appointed
CBE in the 2013 New Year Honours list.
How to apply
1. Make a course application
by 15th January 2018
2. Attend a Creative Workshop
by 31st March 2018
If you meet the entry criteria for the
degree, you will be invited to attend a
Creative Workshop at Escape Studios.
3. Shortlisting stage
Three students’ work per course will
be shortlisted in early April.
4. Winners
In April, one applicant will be chosen
per scholarship to each receive their
tuition fees paid in full for the duration
of their programme (up to four years).
23   
24    Escape Studios | Pearson College London How To Become An Escapee 25   
Living Costs Budgeting Tips
Before starting university, it’s important to think about the Being able to budget whilst living in London is really important;
cost of accommodation and other living expenses. How so one of our Alumni Hayley Hewitt, has put together some
much you spend as a student is up to you – but the length handy tips for being a savvy student in London.
of your course will also affect your spending.
1. Use your Student Loan wisely.
We have found that the best thing to do is to
An academic year at Escape Studios is 35 weeks, so when keep to a strict budget during the first few
weeks after a loan instalments. Our favourite
budgeting you should think in terms of the following example. budget app to use is ‘Spending’ – it allows
you to set goals for each category of expense
e.g. you could set a limit of £30 per month to
How much can you receive spend on clothes. Spending is available free
from the App Store.
Accommodation (based on Tufnell House – 43 week contract) £9,847 2. Make your own lunch.
When living in London, it can be tempting
Food at £40 per week £1,225
to spend your loan on all the delicious food
Personal toiletries and laundry £175 around you. However, spending £5 on lunch
everyday can soon add up. We enjoy making
Clothes £245 lunch the night before; my favourite thing
to make is a prawn and avocado sandwich.
Zone 1–2 student Oyster Card (£22.10 per week) £791
If you don’t have time to prepare lunch then
check out Sainsbury’s or Boot’s meal deals
Leisure, social activities and sport at £35 per week £1,225
which offer value for money – as well as Ecco
Health costs (contact lenses, dentist, prescriptions) £100 Pizza bar on Drury Lane where you can get a
delicious Pizza for £3.90!
Emergencies and unexpected expenses £380
3. S hopping Discounts.
Total without accommodation £4,141
You can buy NUS extra for £12 or you can
Total with accommodation £13,248
download the app UNIdays, both provide great
*Based on living in student halls where TV licenses and insurance are included discounts to your favourite shops such as
Topshop, ASOS and Itsu – but be sure not to
spend the savings you have made!
26    Escape Studios | Pearson College London How To Become An Escapee
4. Get discounts on travel.
This is the discount that people miss the most
when they leave university. In London, after
you’ve enrolled in university at induction, you
can pick up an 18+ oyster card, which knocks
off a 1/3 off your travel costs. If you also have
a 16–25 Railcard, you can add the discount to
your 18+ Student Oyster photocard to get a
34% discount on off–peak pay as you go fares
and off–peak daily caps on Tube, DLR, London
Overground, TfL Rail and most National Rail
services in London.
5. Ditch the brands.
You may be food shopping on your own for the
first time and it can be easy to pay unnecessary
prices for goods. We advise sticking to own
brands items for the basic food items and
only splashing out on your favourite treats. I
love buying a galaxy chocolate bar to get me
through a long day.
HAYLEY HEWITT
Business and Enterprise
graduate
27   
Escape Studios

V2
Midtown Campus
190 High Holborn
London
WC1V 7BH

+44 (0)203 441 1303

info@pearsoncollegelondon.ac.uk
pearsoncollegelondon.ac.uk

@EscapeStudios

@Escape_Studios

@Escape Studios

@Escape Studios

@EscapeStudios

@Escape Studios

Cover image courtesy of Framestore. ©WaltDisneyStudios