At the Royal College of Art (RCA) there is no such thing as a typical art and design student. Part of what makes it so special is that it draws students from across the UK and the world, many of whom have made significant life changes to work and study at its world-famous London campus. It is, of course, no surprise that students are choosing it – the RCA has long been a hotbed of talent and a place people come to make a name for themselves. Founded in 1837, it has produced generations of artists and designers who have shaped visual culture, from Dame Barbara Hepworth and Sir Frank Bowling to Dame Tracey Emin and Sir Ridley Scott. We spoke to current students and recent graduates who have pivoted from established careers to reshape their futures at the RCA.
‘It’s like being in an amorphous art gallery and seeing the work from start to finish’
James Nepaulsingh, 46, left his law career to pursue his love of art – he’ll graduate with a Master’s in Painting this year.
Five years ago I was working for a “magic circle” law firm in Tokyo, putting in long hours on global corporate deals, but I wanted something else. After completing various online art courses, I applied to the RCA for a relatively new degree called the Graduate Diploma. It’s designed for people pivoting into creative careers, or for those like me who didn’t go to art school, to teach them how to be an artist. I studied online alongside my day job and then applied to the full-time one-year MA Painting course and moved to London.
I’m 46, and I was quite worried because I thought I’d be the oldest person here, but the youngest is probably 23 and the oldest is 72, so it’s a massive mix. Some are pivoting from disciplines such as photography, while others are just at the start of their careers.
The MA is like being in a creative lab. It’s interdisciplinary, so when you walk through the studios, you see people working across a wide range of practices. It’s a massive privilege; it’s like being in an amorphous art gallery and seeing the work from start to finish. We’re all feeding off each other and there’s a real buzz and energy. It’s phenomenal.
This has been an unconventional path. It wasn’t as if I always wanted to be an artist – I didn’t even do GCSE art. When I finish at the end of August, I’m planning to set up a residency and my own art gallery.
‘There is so much support and freedom here’
Tech founder Hosan Lee, 48, is studying for a Master’s in Design Futures at the School of Design.
The story of why I’m at the RCA starts with Covid. I was living in Washington DC with my husband, closing up a tech company I had founded and doing some strategy consulting, when I started to reflect on how I wanted to spend the next 20 years of my life. I was able to work remotely, so we moved to Switzerland. I started looking at master’s degrees with the specific aim of deep-diving into the future of ageing and how we age as a society – what tools do we need and what is missing? That’s when I came across the Design Futures MDes programme at the RCA.
I moved alone to London as it felt like the global centre of Europe, and chose to study part-time over two years because I wanted to give myself space to think deeply about my work. The course is predominantly research-focused. We’re learning the tools, frameworks and skills to think systematically about the futures we envisage. I’m in my first year now and the toughest thing about this experience is being away from home and my husband. We try to have a Zoom dinner once a week where we plan the same menu and catch up over a meal.
I went to design school about 20 years ago, so coming in, I was worried I’d have a lot of catching up to do. I took some refresher sessions at the RCA, but it’s been illuminating to realise I actually know a lot more than I thought.
Another major draw was the RCA’s Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design, an institute dedicated to inclusive design, where ageing design is a core pillar. My tutors have been incredibly supportive. They connected me with the centre’s Director, Prof Hua Dong – and I have been invited to join them for a guest researcher secondment that I do alongside my studies. Having the weight of that institution behind me is a big deal. There is so much support and freedom here. You can make anything of it you want to.
‘My life now feels far more inspiring’
Cassidy Lowe, 26, graduated with a Master’s in Design Practice from the School of Architecture in 2025.
I did my undergraduate degree in business. It was never really a passion, but it didn’t cross my mind to do anything else. Afterwards, I worked in marketing for a few years and started to think: Is this going to be the rest of my life? I don’t want to do this.
I moved to London to start something new while still working remotely, and that’s when I discovered the Design Practice MArch programme at the RCA, which is for architects, designers, spatial and creative practitioners at any career stage. What really struck me was that they were open to people from different backgrounds. I was worried I wouldn’t have enough for a portfolio, but I went through my old artwork, collages and writing that I had done in my spare time and was accepted a couple of months later.
The Architecture School is at the South Kensington campus, right beside the Royal Albert Hall. I lived in Shoreditch and cycled there every day, along the Thames, past Big Ben and through Hyde Park. We were in four days a week, and even though I didn’t have the same background as most of my peers, everyone was keen to help if I struggled with the software, and the tutors were incredibly supportive. That network has been hugely important.
I graduated last year and my life now feels far more inspiring. When I was working in the business sector, it felt like I was always doing things for other people. Now I’m working on projects for myself, including my interest in examining Chinese migration to Canada. The course taught me how to advocate for myself and my work. I’ve built a network and met so many people – I feel really lucky I went to the RCA.
