Emily Carr University moved in 2017 from Granville Island to a purpose-built campus on Great Northern Way, near the False Creek Flats. Named after the British Columbia painter, it's British Columbia's only public university given over entirely to art, design and media. Students take BFA, BDes and Bachelor of Media Arts degrees, with graduate programmes in fine art and design. Studio time is heavy from the first year.
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Official website: ecuad.ca
Public art and design university
Great Northern Way, Vancouver
Painter Emily Carr
CA$24,000 – CA$30,000
International students, undergraduate programmes
CA$20,000 – CA$26,000
Rent, food and local transport
Approximate figures for 2026-27, please verify. Fees change every year and vary by course, so check the latest amount on ecuad.ca before you apply.
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Visual Arts
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Sep
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 84
Bachelor of Design in Communication Design
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Sep
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 84
Bachelor of Design in Industrial Design
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Sep
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 84
Bachelor of Media Arts in Animation
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Sep
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 84
Master of Design
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Sep
Exam Score
IELTS: 7.0, TOEFL: 100
Fine art, design, film and animation in one school.
A new purpose-built campus since 2017.
A portfolio-based admissions process.
Animation and film graduates work in Vancouver's VFX, animation and game studios.
Design graduates join agencies, product teams and tech companies.
Graduates can apply for a post-graduation work permit.
Undergrad
Mid-January
Postgrad
Mid-January
The campus is on Great Northern Way in Mount Pleasant, near VCC-Clark SkyTrain station. It shares the site with other university programmes.
Vancouver has the ocean, mountains and a big film industry. It's also Canada's priciest city for rent, so many students share.
Letter of acceptance from Emily Carr University
British Columbia provincial attestation letter
Proof of funds for tuition and living
Online IRCC study permit application
Medical exam, if requested
Valid passport and biometrics
Undergraduate applications, including a portfolio, are usually due in mid-January for September. Graduate deadlines are also in January.
Almost all programmes start in September.
A Canadian study permit. Start with the letter of acceptance from Emily Carr University and, where required, the provincial attestation letter, then apply to IRCC online. Allow a few months, as processing times vary by country.
Visual arts, communication design, industrial design and animation are popular. Undergraduates need secondary school completion and a portfolio. The Master of Design needs a relevant bachelor's degree.
Emily Carr offers entrance awards to international students with strong portfolios. Continuing students can apply for further awards.
