Bachelor of Visual Arts
at The Australian National University, Australian Capital Territory.
ANU's fine arts degree is the three-year Bachelor of Visual Arts at the School of Art and Design in Canberra. Entry requires the minimum selection rank (80) plus a successful portfolio assessment, so no lowest selection rank is reported.
Lowest selection rank
ANU has not published a lowest selection rank for this course for recent intakes. That usually means too few ATAR-based offers were made to report one, or that selection also uses a portfolio, audition, interview or other criteria. Check the current entry requirements on the official course page.
Prerequisite Year 12 subjects
No formal Year 12 subject prerequisites; assumed knowledge may still apply.
What you will study
Studio areas are ceramics, glass, painting, photography and media arts, print media and drawing, sculpture and spatial practice, and textiles, alongside art history and theory. Honours is available as an additional year, subject to progress requirements.
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: qilt.edu.au. Last reviewed 2026-05-21.
After graduation
Graduates work as practising artists and in galleries, arts organisations and the creative industries, or continue to Honours, postgraduate study or a Master of Teaching.
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 selection ranks on the Australian National University website and on UAC before applying.