What is a portfolio?

Your portfolio is a collection of your work in a neat and tidy package! 

Portfolios can include sketches, photographs, digital art, concepts, creative writing, short sound samples or audition tapes! We accept the following file types: 

  • Image (.bmp.gif/.jpg/.jpeg/.png) 
  • Video (YouTube/Vimeo/Youku/56.com) 
  • Weblink 
  • Document (.pdf/.doc/.docx/.odt) 

You can add up to 12 files / links. To upload more than this, link to a website or document containing more images. 

We’re not looking for super-polished near-professional work and love to see work in progress so you can include early ideas, half-finished work, failed experiments, thoughts and ideas. Any work you upload must be your own. 

Where do I upload my portfolio? 

Our Portfolio Upload is in the in-tray of your UCA Applicant Portal. 

You can keep amending your portfolio until you’re ready to submit it. You’ll return to the last screen you completed each time you log in - this does mean you need to continue to the next step to ensure your work has been saved. 

Your Applicant Portal username is shown at the top of any emails we’ve sent you. You can reset your password on the log in screen if you can’t remember it. 

Please note: each screen times out after 30 minutes. We recommend you write descriptions in another programme and copy them to your Portfolio Upload so you don't lose them. 

How to
upload your portfolio

Start by selecting the type of document to upload (Image, Document etc) and click ‘Continue’. Information on how to upload each file type can be found in the dropdowns below. 

When you’ve finished uploading your portfolio files, you’ll be taken to a screen where you can:  

  • View files: check your portfolio files / titles / descriptions in the order they’ll appear.  
  • Amend the order the files appear: To amend the file order, change the numbers in the ‘New Order’ column and select ‘Reload this page’. This will reload the page with your files in the new order.  
  • Add more portfolio items: To add more files, select ‘Add more portfolio items’  
  • Edit title(s) or description(s): If you want to, select ‘Edit titles or descriptions’  
  • Delete files: If you need to, select ‘Delete items’. Then tick the files you want to delete and click ‘Next’. 
  • Submit your portfolio: If you’re happy with your portfolio select ‘Submit my portfolio’ and confirm that you’re ready to submit it by selecting ‘Yes – Submit’

You’ll also receive an email to confirm your portfolio upload has been received. 


  1. Find your image: Click ‘Choose file’ to find your image and click ‘Upload file’. If you upload the wrong image, select ‘Take me back a step’ to go back to the previous screen. 
  2. Check your image: A thumbnail of the image will display. Confirm it’s correct or if the wrong image appears, select ‘Go back and change this file’.  
  3. Add a title and description: The description should briefly explain the piece of work to the tutor who will view it. You may want to describe; the idea behind the work, how the piece developed, what inspired you to produce it, the materials you used, things that could be developed further etc.  
  4. Check title and description: To amend the title or description, select ‘Edit title / description’. If you’re happy with the title/description select ‘Upload another file’ to upload another file.

If you’ve finished uploading all portfolio files, select ‘I’ve finished uploading my portfolio’. 

  1. Confirm where your video is hosted: Select using the dropdown list (e.g. YouTube). If you uploaded the wrong link, select ‘I’ve made a mistake, take me back a step’.  
  2. Add details of your Video: Add your video link. If you can’t find this, click ‘View help on adding the link’ for more information on where to find the link for your video. 
  3. Add a title and description to your image: The description should briefly explain the piece of work to the tutor who will view it. 
     
    You may want to describe; the idea behind the work, how the piece developed, what inspired you to produce it, the materials you used, things that could be developed further etc.  
  4. Check details of your Video: To amend the title or description, select ‘Edit title / description’. If you’ve finished uploading all portfolio files, select ‘I’ve finished uploading my portfolio’.  
     
    Once you’ve finished, select ‘The details of my video are correct, let me continue’.  
  1. Add details of your Web Link: Add your web link, title and description. The description should briefly explain the piece of work to the tutor who will view it. You may want to describe; the idea behind the work, how the piece developed, what inspired you to produce it, the materials you used, things that could be developed further etc. Please note: The web link field already contains the start of the web link (http://) so be careful not to enter this twice. 
  2. Check details of your Web Link: To amend the details, select ‘Edit title / description’. Once you’ve finished, select ‘The details of my web link are correct, let me continue’. Select ‘Upload another file’ or if you’ve finished uploading your files, select ‘I have finished uploading my portfolio’.   
  1. Find your document: Click ‘Choose file’ to find your document and click ‘Upload file’. 
  2. Check your document: If the document is correct, select ‘Add a title and description to this document’. If the wrong document appears, select ‘Go back and change this file’.  
  3. Add a title and description: The description should briefly explain the piece of work to the tutor who will view it. You may want to describe; the idea behind the work, how the piece developed, what inspired you to produce it, the materials you used, things that could be developed further etc.  
  4. Check title and description: To amend the title or description, select ‘Edit title / description’. If you’re happy with the title/description select ‘Upload another file’ to upload another file. 

If you’ve finished uploading all portfolio files, select ‘I’ve finished uploading my portfolio’ 

Further information

If you have any more questions about your portfolio please get in touch with our Admissions team:

If you have additional needs you haven’t yet told us about – whether it’s learning support or physical assistance – we can work with you and support you through the application process. Please contact relevant campus to discuss this with us:

Getting in touch early gives us plenty of time to discuss any reasonable adjustments you might need.