Bachelor of Fine Arts
at The University of Queensland, Queensland.
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 University of Queensland 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 | QTAC |
| 2023 | ATAR cutoff not published | QTAC |
| 2022 | ATAR cutoff not published | QTAC |
No verified cutoffs are available. Confirm the latest figure on the official QTAC cutoff release.
Prerequisite Year 12 subjects
Brush up on each prerequisite with our state-syllabus explainers and dot points.
What you will study
The UQ Bachelor of Fine Arts is a three-year studio-based degree taught from St Lucia, combining hands-on creative practice with art history and critical theory. Year one is broad and foundational, with students working across multiple media (drawing, painting, photography, sculpture, screen, sound and performance) in studio courses, while building a grounding in art history, visual culture and contemporary practice. Studios run as small workshop classes with regular making, group critique and feedback. Year two narrows toward a chosen area of practice, deepening technical skills and conceptual development. Students refine a personal studio direction, learn professional skills such as documentation, exhibition methods and proposal writing, and continue art-theory and history courses that frame their work within contemporary debates. Year three is dominated by self-directed studio practice and the development of a coherent body of work, supported by individual supervision and group critique. The year culminates in a graduating exhibition where students present a resolved project to the public and industry. Throughout, written and theoretical work sits alongside making, and many students take electives in art history, curatorial studies, writing or other creative disciplines.
Example first-year subjects
- Foundation Studio Practice
- Drawing and Visual Thinking
- Introduction to Art History
- Photographic and Lens-Based Media
- Contemporary Art and Ideas
- Materials, Process and Making
How you will be assessed
- Studio folios and resolved creative works (the major assessment in studio courses)
- Group critiques and studio presentations
- Art-history and theory essays of 1500 to 3000 words
- Studio journals, sketchbooks and process documentation
- Exhibition proposals and artist statements
- Final graduating exhibition project
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 freelance studio and commission work
- Gallery or exhibition assistant at state and regional galleries
- Arts administrator or programme coordinator in councils and arts organisations
- Gallery educator or public-programs officer
- Studio assistant, technician or fabricator
- Photographer, screen or sound creative in the cultural sector
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
Many graduates move directly into independent studio and freelance creative practice, building an exhibition record and portfolio. Postgraduate pathways at UQ include the Master of Museum Studies, graduate study in art history and curatorial practice, and the Master of Teaching (Secondary) for those entering visual-arts teaching with Queensland College of Teachers registration. Research-minded artists can pursue Honours, MPhil and Doctor of Philosophy study, including practice-led research degrees. Studio skills also transfer into arts administration, gallery, design and cultural-sector careers.
Is this the right degree for you?
You probably thrive here if
- Students with a strong, self-driven creative practice
- Those comfortable presenting work and taking critique in studio
- People who can sustain long, unstructured periods of independent making
- Students who enjoy connecting practice with art history and theory
- Those committed to building an exhibition portfolio
It is probably not for you if
- Students wanting a structured timetable and a single clear job title at graduation
- Those uncomfortable with public critique and exhibiting their work
- Anyone hoping to avoid written art-theory essays alongside studio work
Related courses at UQ
Sources
Course details are summarised by ExamExplained, not copied from the university. Confirm course content and ATAR cutoffs on the The University of Queensland handbook and on QTAC before applying. Page generated at https://examexplained.com.au/uni/uq/bachelor-of-fine-arts.