Arts University Bournemouth

Overview

AUB is a leading arts university for the creative industries, dedicated to turning creativity into careers. The institution fosters curiosity, risk-taking, and adventure across its creative subjects.

AUB has strong ambitions for its graduates, aiming to prepare them for rewarding careers. Alumni frequently return with stories of their achievements, including businesses they’ve founded and awards they’ve won. No creative discipline stands alone at AUB. Collaboration is key, extending beyond the courses to partnerships with the broader academic world and the creative industry. AUB staff and students actively engage with local, national, and international communities, fostering a vibrant maker culture alongside a commitment to professionalism.

The university works with global brands and local SMEs, contributing creative services to exciting projects. Innovative thinking drives AUB's support for communities and social enterprises both at home and abroad. The university serves as a gateway to the £92 billion creative industry, which is growing faster than the UK economy and accounts for 1 in 11 jobs.

AUB consistently achieves excellent employability outcomes, with 98% of graduates employed or pursuing further study within six months, according to the most recent DLHE Survey. This success is attributed to the high-quality teaching, as well as the campus and facilities that equip students for employment.

AUB's staff are exceptional, serving as inspiring teachers, researchers, industry practitioners, and technicians, all dedicated to supporting students in achieving outstanding outcomes. The university has been awarded Gold in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) by HEFCE, recognising its consistently outstanding teaching, learning, and student outcomes.

Services for International Students

There are currently nearly 400 international students from over 60 countries studying at the university. The International Office has an ‘open door’ policy, where students can pop in for a casual chat or find out answers to any queries or concerns they may have.

Students also benefit from English for Academic Purposes appointments, an International Student Society as part of the Students Union, Country Ambassadors who are always there if you need a friend (and they run events throughout the year that you can go along to or get involved in), and great Careers and Student Services departments.

Ranking

• 78th in the Times University Guide 2025
• 100th in the Guardian University Guide 2025
• UK’s Top Specialist Art and Design University in The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2021

Arts University Bournemouth consistently scores highly for student satisfaction and graduate prospects. AUB was awarded the Gold standard rating by the Teaching Excellence Framework. More than 12 per cent of the AUB’s research has now been classed as ‘world-leading’ with a further 42 per cent being classed ‘internationally excellent’, according to the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021.

Accommodation

Living and studying in Bournemouth is at least 20% cheaper than London plus there’s the bonus of being right on the coast with 10 miles of sandy beach! AUB offer a range of Halls of Residence, each offering something unique – from right on campus to the bustle of the town centre (and within walking distance to the beach!), to the quiet of residential streets. From modern self-contained studio flats to more traditional en-suite rooms in cluster flats or shared residential houses, there is something for everyone. AUB Halls are:

• On campus, 10 minute bus ride to the town centre
• Bath Road Lansdowne, Bournemouth town centre
• Madeira Road Lansdowne, Bournemouth town centre
• Skyline, Lansdowne, Bournemouth town centre

Alternatively, a number of students live in shared rented accommodation in areas including Bournemouth town centre, Winton, Charminster and Ensbury Park. Living in private rented accommodation can often be cheaper, with some students choosing to stay in the same house throughout their time at AUB.

Location

AUB is located in Bournemouth, which has been named the best seaside town in the UK by British Travel Awards. Bournemouth has a vibrant multicultural community and is home to the Bournemouth Arts by the Sea Festival and Bournemouth Emerging Arts Fringe. AUB is located right between Bournemouth and Poole, so you’ll have the best of both worlds when it comes to entertainment and eating out.

Bournemouth is surrounded by award-winning beaches, the New Forest, and the World Heritage Jurassic Coast, and is a lively student town with lots of things to do. And for those weekend trips, London is only 2 hours away.

AUB’s stunning state-of-the-art campus is a creative hub designed for specialists. With a backdrop of head-turning architecture, you’ll be in a community of like-minded makers and thinkers. AUB invest heavily in industry-standard technology and spaces that equip you for life in the creative industries.

Alumni

AUB alumni do amazing things – some go on to work for global companies in the creative industries and some become successful freelancers, while others start up their own businesses.

Wolfgang Tillmans (photographer and Turner Prize winner): Wolfgang studied Photography at the AUB in the early 1990s. He is a critically acclaimed photographer who has been published in magazines such as i-d and Vogue and he is the first photographer to win the Turner Prize.

Simon Beaufoy (screenwriter): Simon penned the scripts for ‘The Full Monty’, ‘Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day’, ‘The Hunger Games: Catching Fire’ and the multi-award-winning Danny Boyle film ‘Slumdog Millionnaire’.

Nick Knight (photographer): Nick studied Photography at the AUB in the late 1970s/early 1980s. He has photographed some of the world’s most famous people and is a multi-award-winning fashion photographer and owner of SHOWstudio.

Edgar Wright: Edgar studied a two-year National Diploma in Audio Visual Design at the AUB in the early 1990s and has achieved huge success as a writer, director and producer. He is most famous for his collaborations with Simon Pegg which include the Channel 4 television series ‘Spaced’ and films ‘Shaun of the Dead’, ‘Hot Fuzz’ and ‘The Worlds End’.

Suri Krishnamma: Suri studied Film at the AUB in the mid-1980s. He has directed several films, including ‘A Man of No Importance’, ‘New Year’s Day’, and ‘Wuthering Heights’ as well as several episodes of the BBC drama ‘Waking the Dead’. He has won four Film Festival awards and has been nominated for three BAFTAs.

Sir Peter Cook: Peter Cook received an Honorary fellowship in 2008. He originally studied at AUB in the 1950s. He was one of the founder members of the influential Archigram group in the 1960s and was co-editor of Archigram magazine. In 2007, he received a Knighthood for services to architecture in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.