Bachelor of Fine Arts
at University of South Australia, South Australia.
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 University of South Australia 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 | SATAC |
| 2023 | ATAR cutoff not published | SATAC |
| 2022 | ATAR cutoff not published | SATAC |
No verified cutoffs are available. Confirm the latest figure on the official SATAC cutoff release.
Prerequisite Year 12 subjects
Brush up on each prerequisite with our state-syllabus explainers and dot points.
What you will study
First year is studio foundation across media. You experiment with drawing, painting, photography, sculpture, screen, sound and digital practice while building core skills in materials, techniques and visual thinking. UniSA teaches fine art through studio practice and weekly critiques rather than lectures, supported by introductory art history and theory. Second year you focus a major studio stream (such as painting and drawing, photography, sculpture and spatial practice, screen and sound, or expanded and interdisciplinary practice). Studio briefs become more self-directed and conceptual, and you develop a body of work and a professional folio. Theory courses connect your practice to contemporary art and critical ideas. Third year centres on a sustained, self-directed studio project, professional-practice skills (exhibiting, grant writing, artist statements and working with galleries) and the annual graduate exhibition where you present finished work to the public and the arts sector. Work-integrated opportunities such as internships and exhibitions in UniSA's galleries are a feature.
Example first-year subjects
- Studio Practice: Foundations
- Drawing and Visual Thinking
- Photography and Lens-Based Media
- Sculpture and Materials
- Introduction to Art History and Theory
- Contemporary Art and Ideas
How you will be assessed
- Studio project work and finished artworks
- Portfolio and folio development across the degree
- Studio critiques and presentations of work
- Process journals and visual diaries
- Written essays in art history and theory
- Graduate exhibition body of work
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 or freelance creative
- Gallery or exhibition assistant
- Arts administration or programming officer
- Gallery educator or workshop facilitator
- Photographer, screen or sound practitioner
- Studio technician or fabricator
- Creative-industries or community-arts coordinator
Graduate starting salary
$55,000 - $66,000 per year
Source: https://www.qilt.edu.au/surveys/graduate-outcomes-survey-(gos). Last reviewed 2026-05-24.
After graduation
Most graduates build a studio practice alongside other work, exhibit, and grow a portfolio, which matters more than any single credential in the visual-arts sector. Postgraduate options include Honours, the Master of Fine Art or Master of Design, the Master of Teaching (secondary) to teach art, and curatorial or arts-management coursework. Some graduates move into arts administration, gallery education or creative-industries roles.
Is this the right degree for you?
You probably thrive here if
- Visually creative people committed to their own practice
- Students who can take and use critical feedback in crits
- Self-directed makers who manage long studio projects
- People comfortable showing and defending their work
- Students willing to build a folio and exhibit early
It is probably not for you if
- Students wanting a theoretical or exam-based degree
- Those uncomfortable with subjective, critique-based feedback
- People who need a clear single job title at graduation
- Students who dislike long hours of independent studio work
Related courses at UniSA
Sources
Course details are summarised by ExamExplained, not copied from the university. Confirm course content and ATAR cutoffs on the University of South Australia handbook and on SATAC before applying. Page generated at https://examexplained.com.au/uni/unisa/bachelor-of-fine-arts.