Bachelor of Fine Arts
at The Australian National University, Australian Capital Territory.
A studio-based fine-arts degree with majors in painting, drawing, photography, sculpture, screen, sound, performance or expanded practice. Includes an annual graduate exhibition.
ATAR cutoff history
Published cutoff data for the The Australian National University Bachelor of Fine Arts. We never invent figures; entries marked "not published" mean the university or admissions centre has not released a verified cutoff for that intake.
| Intake year | ATAR cutoff | Admissions centre |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | ATAR cutoff not published | UAC |
| 2023 | ATAR cutoff not published | UAC |
| 2022 | ATAR cutoff not published | UAC |
No verified cutoffs are available. Confirm the latest figure on the official UAC cutoff release.
Prerequisite Year 12 subjects
Brush up on each prerequisite with our state-syllabus explainers and dot points.
What you will study
The ANU Bachelor of Visual Arts (offered as the BFA equivalent through the ANU School of Art and Design) is a three-year studio degree on the Plan structure. Year one rotates through the foundation workshops in the schools studios: Painting and Drawing, Print Media and Drawing, Photography and Media Arts, Sculpture, Glass, Ceramics, Furniture, Gold and Silversmithing, Textiles, and the Photography and Media Arts darkroom. Most students try three or four workshops in year one before declaring a major. Year two consolidates major studio practice (intermediate-level technical, conceptual and historical units), plus mandatory units in art history and theory, and a contextual electives stream. Year three runs advanced studio sequences, a self-directed major project and the capstone graduate exhibition staged at the ANU School of Art and Design Gallery (a public Canberra venue). Class formats are dominated by small studio crits (8 to 15 students), workshop hands-on time and group critiques. Students benefit from being on a national-research campus next door to the National Gallery of Australia and Canberra Museum and Gallery.
Example first-year subjects
- Foundation Studio (Painting and Drawing)
- Foundation Studio (Photography and Media Arts)
- Foundation Studio (Sculpture and Spatial Practice)
- Foundation Studio (Print Media and Drawing)
- Introduction to Art History and Theory
- Materials, Process and Concept
How you will be assessed
- Studio projects with weekly desk crits and pinned-up reviews
- Studio portfolios with materials samples, process documentation and finished works
- Written art history and theory essays of 1500 to 3000 words
- Group studio critiques and oral defences
- Self-directed major project with supervisor mentorship
- Capstone graduate exhibition open to the public
Career outcomes
- Graduates work as practising artists, screen and stage performers, art directors and gallery educators across the cultural sector.
- Common destinations include exhibition assistant roles at state galleries, freelance studio practice and arts-administration positions in regional councils.
- Many alumni progress into curatorial roles, postgraduate study or arts education in secondary schools.
Typical first jobs
- Practising artist with studio in Canberra (Megalo, M16, Belconnen Arts Centre)
- Gallery officer at the National Gallery of Australia, NPG and Canberra Museum and Gallery
- Exhibition or program coordinator at ACT cultural facilities
- Studio assistant or technician at Canberra Glassworks, PhotoAccess and Megalo Print Studio
- Arts administration coordinator at ArtsACT and regional councils
- Casual secondary art teacher (with subsequent Master of Teaching)
Graduate starting salary
$50,000 - $62,000 per year
Source: https://www.qilt.edu.au/surveys/graduate-outcomes-survey-(gos). Last reviewed 2026-05-21.
After graduation
Strong students continue into the one-year BFA Honours (BVA Honours) with a self-directed studio research project and a written exegesis of 8,000 to 12,000 words. ANU is well regarded as a pipeline into the Master of Visual Arts and PhD by creative-practice, where studio practice is examined alongside a written dissertation. Postgraduate pivots include Master of Curatorial Studies (jointly with the National Gallery), Master of Cultural Heritage and the Master of Teaching (Secondary) for secondary art teaching registration via TQI. Many graduates take residencies at Canberra Glassworks, Megalo Print Studio and PhotoAccess before further study.
Is this the right degree for you?
You probably thrive here if
- Students who enjoy long workshop hours and ongoing critique of their work
- Those willing to combine technical making with reading art history and theory
- People drawn to the proximity of the NGA, NPG and Canberra arts institutions
- Students prepared to invest in personal portfolio work outside class time
- Those comfortable with self-directed major projects in the final year
It is probably not for you if
- Students wanting a structured timetable with clear right-or-wrong answers
- Those who avoid public critique of their work
- Anyone uncomfortable with messy, materials-driven workshop environments
Related courses at ANU
Sources
Course details are summarised by ExamExplained, not copied from the university. Confirm course content and ATAR cutoffs on the The Australian National University handbook and on UAC before applying. Page generated at https://examexplained.com.au/uni/anu/bachelor-of-fine-arts.