# animation courses london
Animation courses in London, 2026.
Seven London-based animation programmes worth applying to, from short courses through to postgraduate. GBP fees, format, duration, and which studio pipeline each feeds. If you want to move to London specifically to study animation, this page is the short list.
By CGT Editorial Team. Last verified 2026-07-06. Sources cited inline.
TL;DR verdict
- Best PgDip in London: NFTS Beaconsfield (35 minutes from Marylebone; treat as London-adjacent).
- Best BA in central London: Central Saint Martins BA Animation or Escape Studios BA.
- Best short course: Escape Studios 12-week animation.
- Best MA for career switchers: UAL Camberwell or RCA Animation.
- Skip if: you already have Maya fundamentals. Mentor-led online (Animation Mentor, CGMA) is cheaper for specialist upskilling.
# the table
Seven London animation courses compared.
| Course | Institution | Format | Duration | Fee (Home) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MA Animation Direction | NFTS Beaconsfield | In-person, cohort | 2 yrs | ~£17,750/yr |
| BA Animation | Central Saint Martins (UAL) | In-person | 3 yrs | £9,535/yr |
| BA Animation | Escape Studios | In-person accel. | 2 yrs | £9,535/yr |
| PgDip Character Animation | Escape Studios | In-person | 12 mo | ~£12,000 |
| BA Animation | Middlesex University | In-person | 3 yrs | £9,535/yr |
| MFA Animation | UCL Slade School | In-person | 2 yrs | ~£13,750/yr |
| BA Animation | London Metropolitan | In-person | 3 yrs | £9,535/yr |
Fees verified against each provider’s 2026-27 fee page and UCAS. Ravensbourne’s BA Animation is technically in Greenwich (not central London) but serves the London studio market and is worth adding to a shortlist; see the UK universities page for its detail.
# the three worth applying to
NFTS, Central Saint Martins, Escape Studios.
NFTS MA Animation Direction
Two years, ~£17,750/yr Home fee, 12 to 18 places per cohort. Interview-driven admission with a heavy portfolio requirement. Placement into Aardman, DNEG, Framestore, and BBC Studios is effectively baked in for cohorts who complete. The single strongest UK-based postgraduate animation credential. Only apply if you already have a directorial voice; NFTS is not a “learn to animate” programme.
Central Saint Martins BA Animation
UAL, King’s Cross. £9,535/yr Home fee. Three years. Portfolio-driven admission. Strengths: broad creative development, strong critical framework, alumni into Passion Pictures, Blue Zoo, and Cartoon Network Europe. Not the strongest technical pipeline; expect to top up with Maya + Blender study outside of course hours.
Escape Studios BA Animation
Pearson-validated, Holborn campus. Two-year accelerated, £9,535/yr Home fee (~£19,070 total tuition). Technical pipeline is stronger than most BAs (Maya + Blender + Houdini exposure from year one). Best fit for career switchers with a first degree already. See the full Escape Studios review.
# short courses
Short-course options for mid-career upskilling.
If you already have industry-adjacent experience (motion graphics, illustration, film) and want a specialist top-up, the short-course landscape in London runs from £1,995 (Escape Studios 12-week) up to £4,995 (Escape Studios extended PgDip modules).
- Escape Studios 12-week character animation: £1,995. Evening + weekend format available. Best entry point for a working professional.
- Escape Studios PgDip modules: £4,995 per module. Full-time; not part-time compatible.
- City Lit + Central Saint Martins short: £300 to £900. Broader creative content, less pipeline focus.
For remote and mentor-led alternatives see Animation Mentor, CGMA, and CG Spectrum.
# studio pipelines
Which London course feeds which studio.
Course selection matters more than most reviewers admit. Different London animation programmes reliably deliver students to different studio types. Rough mapping based on repeated LinkedIn alumni patterns:
- NFTS Animation Direction → Aardman, DNEG feature-animation, BBC Studios, Netflix animation.
- Central Saint Martins BA Animation → Passion Pictures, Blue Zoo, Cartoon Network Europe, independent commercial animation.
- Escape Studios BA / PgDip → Framestore, DNEG, MPC (VFX-side); The Mill and Passion for animation-side graduates.
- UCL Slade MFA → artist-led practice, gallery, and experimental animation. Rarely into commercial studio careers.
- Ravensbourne BA Animation → Passion Pictures, Blue Zoo, The Mill motion strand.
- Middlesex BA Animation → Blue Zoo, BBC Children’s, small kids-TV animation shops.
- London Metropolitan BA Animation → mixed outcomes; slightly weaker studio pipeline; best fit for students with strong personal work who network locally.
# living in london
Cost of studying animation in London, 2026.
London Home undergraduate students access a maintenance loan of £10,227/yr (2025/26 rates) from Student Finance England. For most animation degrees the realistic total 3-year cost is:
- Tuition (3 yr): £28,605 via Student Finance England tuition loan.
- Maintenance loan (London): ~£30,681 across three years.
- Realistic top-up (part-time work + family): £4,000 to £8,000/yr in Zone 2 or 3 London.
- Software during study: most institutions supply Maya, Blender, Nuke education licences. Budget £150 to £350/yr for personal Substance and Wacom.
Escape Studios’ two-year accelerated BA saves roughly one full year of London living cost (~£15,000 to £20,000 in rent, transport, and living expenses). For a career switcher paying maintenance out of pocket, that saving is material.
For salary context once you land a first role see 3D artist salary UK. For studios that hire animation-focused graduates see Soho VFX studios and Bristol animation studios. For a longer view on whether the London degree route is worth the money see the guide on is a CG degree worth it.