Birmingham City University

BA Visual Effects

Birmingham City University

Course overview

The Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Visual Effects from Birmingham City University teaches students how to create digital things like creatures, backgrounds, and special effects that look natural when combined with real-life filming. It combines imaginative skills with technical knowledge to prepare you for jobs in the visual effects industry.  

Students will use the same professional software used in the industry, like Maya, Houdini, and Nuke. They'll also have access to modern facilities, including motion capture studios and a large green screen. The course encourages working with students in similar subjects through shared projects.

Learning is hands-on, with lectures, workshops, and real-world briefs. Assessment is done through coursework, presentations, and portfolio work to prepare students for professional roles in the visual effects field.

Entry requirements

Grade Requirements

  • For the standard entry offer, applicants need 112 UCAS Tariff points. An Accelerate offer is also available, requiring 80 UCAS points. 

  • Other accepted qualifications include a pass in the Access to HE Diploma with 60 credits (45 at level 3), and an International Baccalaureate with a minimum of 28 points.

English Proficiency

  • International students need to show they have a good level of English. To be accepted, you'll usually need an IELTS score of 6.0 overall, with at least 5.5 in each part of the test (reading, writing, speaking, and listening).

Scholarships

  • Accelerate Scholarship

    If you come from a lower income family or household, you could receive an offer that is up to four grades below our normal entry requirements – and possibly claim a £1,000 scholarship too.

    Up to £1,000

  • International Undergraduate Scholarships

    BCU is offering a guaranteed scholarship of £5,000 to all self-funding international undergraduate students joining BCU on a full-time degree in September 2026.

    Up to £5,000

  • Sports Scholarship

    Enhanced performance support funding.

  • The High Achievers' Scholarship

    You will be eligible for a £1,000 scholarship to get your university life off to a flying start.

    Up to £1,000

Career opportunities

Graduates of the BA (Hons) Visual Effects from Birmingham City University can apply their creativity and imagination skills in job roles such as:

  • Compositor
  • VFX Artist
  • 3D Modeller
  • Matchmove Artist
  • Environment Artist
  • Motions Graphics Designer

Cost of study

International students interested in the BA Visual Effects at Birmingham City University should expect to pay  £17,690 for full-time study in the 2025/26 academic session.

Admission

Applications for this course are typically done through UCAS. For more guidance with this process, we encourage you to contact our expert counsellors today.

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