Portfolio guidance for creative undergraduate degrees
Your guide to building an application-ready portfolio
If you are applying to one of our creative degrees below, you may be asked to submit a portfolio as part of your application. A portfolio is a collection of finished projects and works in progress you've created that best showcase your creative interests, experiences and skills. Your portfolio should be personal to you as a creative and there is no perfect formula, but you can use the guidance for each of our courses below to make sure you include what we need to see.
You will have up to 6 weeks to submit your portfolio after our request. If you are unable to submit within this timeframe, just drop us an email at portfolio-admissions@port.ac.uk with your name, course and ID number to request an extension. We’re here to help.
Portfolio guides
How to present your portfolio:
You can submit your portfolio to us in any of the following formats:
- A multi-page PDF
- A video presentation of up to 5 minutes talking through your work
- A link to a website or digital portfolio platform
- A link to a curated Instagram or TikTok feed, or reel
When submitting your portfolio, please make sure to label this with your name and contact details, and ensure that any links are accessible with no login access required.
What to include:
Your portfolio should show us what you're interested in and how you think as a creative. We recommend to include 5 pieces of finished or developmental work that you’ve created, which could be:
- Posters, illustrations, digital designs, paintings, photos, models, technical drawings, sculpture, textile work, video, animation
- Personal, school, or self-initiated projects
- Sketches, workbooks, visual research
- Moodboards, notes, tests, early experiments, ideas – we want to see how you think
- Your research and influences (1-2 paragraphs) – share with us what inspires you as a creative, whether that’s a designer, building, photographer, movement, place, film, or cultural moment
We ask you to include:
- Observational drawings, models, photos of buildings or cities, technical or conceptual sketches, and even creative writing.
We welcome applicants from a wide range of backgrounds and courses. Whether you're studying art, science, media, engineering, or anything in between, we’re interested in your creativity, curiosity, potential, and awareness of space, not just technical skill.
How to present your portfolio:
You can submit your portfolio to us in any of the following formats:
- A multi-page PDF file
- A video presentation of up to 5 minutes talking through your work
- A link to a website or digital portfolio platform
- A link to a curated Instagram or TikTok feed
When submitting your portfolio, please make sure to label this with your name and contact details, and ensure that any links are accessible with no login access required.
What to include:
Your portfolio should show us what you're interested in and how you think as a creative. We recommend to include 5 pieces of finished or developmental work that you’ve created, which could be:
- Illustrations, paintings, animations, game assets, or models.
- Sketches, moodboards, notes, visual research, ideas – we want to see how you think
- A short statement (1-2 paragraphs) about what inspires you – tell us about the artists, games, films, or cultural moments that drive your creativity
- A range of media and experimental work.
- Short animations (up to 30 seconds) are welcome.
- Any creative work such as photography, textiles, or model-making.
We ask you to include:
- Observational drawings from life (of people, objects, or landscapes).
- Examples of your storytelling through storyboards or visual sequences.
Don’t be afraid of putting too much into your portfolio. If you aren’t sure whether to include something, please add it - we love to see your work.
How to present your portfolio:
You can submit your portfolio to us in any of the following formats:
- A multi-page PDF file
- A video presentation of up to 5 minutes talking through your work
- A link to a website or digital portfolio platform
- A link to a curated Instagram or TikTok feed
When submitting your portfolio, please make sure to label this with your name and contact details, and ensure that any links are accessible with no login access required.
What to include:
Your portfolio should show us what you're interested in and how you think as a creative. We recommend to include 5 pieces of finished or developmental work that you’ve created, which could be:
- 3d models of props, environments, or characters
- 3d animations / VFX shots
- A range of sketches and drawings showcasing illustration and observational skills
- Gesture Drawings
- Photography
- Short films / videos
- Sketches, moodboards, notes, visual research, ideas – we want to see how you think
- A short statement (1-2 paragraphs) about what inspires you – tell us about the artists, games, films, or cultural moments that drive your creativity
We want to see your explorations into animation. Don’t be afraid of putting too much into your portfolio. If you aren’t sure whether to include something, please add it - we love to see your work.
How to present your portfolio:
You can submit your portfolio to us in any of the following formats:
- A multi-page PDF file
- A video presentation of up to 5 minutes talking through your work
- A link to a website or digital portfolio platform
- A link to a curated Instagram or TikTok feed
When submitting your portfolio, please make sure to label this with your name and contact details, and ensure that any links are accessible with no login access required.
What to include:
Your portfolio should show us what you're interested in and how you think as a creative. We recommend to include 5 pieces of finished or developmental work that you’ve created, which could be:
- Illustrations, paintings, animations, game assets, or models
- 2D artwork such as concept art and sketches
- 3D artwork such as props, environments, or characters
- Evidence of technical art (e.g., code, systems)
- Sketches, moodboards, notes, visual research, ideas – we want to see how you think
- A short statement (1-2 paragraphs) about what inspires you – tell us about the artists, games, films, or cultural moments that drive your creativity
Show us your passion for both art and games.
How to present your portfolio:
You can submit your portfolio to us in any of the following formats:
- A multi-page PDF file
- A video presentation of up to 5 minutes talking through your work
- A link to a website or digital portfolio platform
- A link to a curated Instagram or TikTok feed
When submitting your portfolio, please make sure to label this with your name and contact details, and ensure that any links are accessible with no login access required.
What to include:
Your portfolio should show us what you're interested in and how you think as a creative. We recommend to include 5 pieces of finished or developmental work that you’ve created, which could be:
- Illustrations, paintings, animations, game assets, or models
- Game design documentation such as storyboards and level designs
- Your original game ideas and how you developed them
- Playable prototypes or mock-ups
- Evidence of programming or scripting (C#, C++, UE Blueprints)
- Sketches, moodboards, notes, visual research
- A short statement (1-2 paragraphs) about what inspires you – tell us about the artists, games, films, or cultural moments that drive your creativity
Demonstrate your original ideas and how you develop them.
How to present your portfolio:
You can submit your portfolio to us in any of the following formats:
- A multi-page PDF file
- A video presentation of up to 5 minutes talking through your work
- A link to a website or digital portfolio platform
- A link to a curated Instagram or TikTok feed
When submitting your portfolio, please make sure to label this with your name and contact details, and ensure that any links are accessible with no login access required.
What to include:
Your portfolio should show us what you're interested in and how you think as a creative. We recommend to include 3 pieces of writing that you’ve created, which could be:
- Poems, short stories, short articles, screenplays, or a mixture of mediums
- Works in progress: sketches, moodboards, notes, visual research, ideas – we want to see how you think
- A short statement (1-2 paragraphs) about what inspires you – tell us about the literature, artists, games, films, or cultural moments that drive your creativity
We want your portfolio to demonstrate your understanding of creative writing as a subject area, your ability to express and reflect on your creative process, and your creativity and communication skills.
How to present your portfolio:
You can submit your portfolio to us in any of the following formats:
- A multi-page PDF file
- A video presentation of up to 5 minutes talking through your work
- A link to a website or digital portfolio platform
- A link to a curated Instagram or TikTok feed
When submitting your portfolio, please make sure to label this with your name and contact details, and ensure that any links are accessible with no login access required.
What to include:
Your portfolio should show us what you're interested in and how you think as a creative. We recommend to include 3 pieces of writing that you’ve created, which could be:
- Poems, short stories, short articles, screenplays, or a mixture of mediums
- Works in progress: sketches, moodboards, notes, visual research, ideas – we want to see how you think
- A short statement (1-2 paragraphs) about what inspires you – tell us about the artists, games, films, or cultural moments that drive your creativity
We want your portfolio to demonstrate your understanding of creative writing as a subject area and its application in a wider social and global context, ability to express and reflect on your creative process, and your creativity and communication skills.
How to present your portfolio:
You can submit your portfolio to us in any of the following formats:
- A multi-page PDF
- A video presentation of up to 5 minutes talking through your work
- A link to a website or digital portfolio platform
- A link to a curated Instagram or TikTok feed, or reel
When submitting your portfolio, please make sure to label this with your name and contact details, and ensure that any links are accessible with no login access required.
What to include:
Your portfolio should show us what you're interested in and how you think as a creative. We recommend to include 5 pieces of finished or developmental work that you’ve created, which could be:
- Posters, illustrations, digital designs, paintings, photos, models, technical drawings, sculpture, textile work, video, animation
- Personal, school, or self-initiated projects
- Sketches, workbooks, visual research
- Moodboards, notes, tests, early experiments, ideas – we want to see how you think
- Your research and influences (1-2 paragraphs) – share with us what inspires you as a creative, whether that’s a designer, building, photographer, movement, place, film, or cultural moment
We ask you to include:
-
Examples of your understanding of materials, colour, and patterns, even if they are not textile-focused
We welcome applicants from a wide range of backgrounds and courses. Whether you're studying art, science, media, engineering, or anything in between, we’re interested in your creativity, curiosity, potential, and awareness of space, not just technical skill.
How to present your portfolio:
You can submit your portfolio to us in any of the following formats:
- A multi-page PDF file
- A video presentation of up to 5 minutes talking through your work
- A link to a website or digital portfolio platform
- A link to a curated Instagram or TikTok feed
When submitting your portfolio, please make sure to label this with your name and contact details, and ensure that any links are accessible with no login access required.
what to include:
Your portfolio should show us what you're interested in and how you think as a creative. We recommend to include 5 pieces of finished or developmental work that you’ve created, which could be:
- Examples of individual films you have worked on
- Showreel material produced as part of study or personal work
- Examples of work that represents your production skills, such as scriptwriting and development, storyboards, camera operation, lighting, sound recording, editing
- Examples of work that represents your pre and post-production skills, such as research, project management, sound design, visual effects, marketing
- A short statement (1-2 paragraphs) about what inspires you – tell us about the artists, games, films, or cultural moments that drive your creativity
Where you provide examples of your work, please include a clear statement of how you personally contributed to the project, your technical or creative role in each example, and how you feel it developed your understanding of the technical and theoretical aspects of film production.
If you are applying to join in Year 2 or Year 3 of the course, you will need to include a statement about your experience with and understanding of Avid.
How to present your portfolio:
You can submit your portfolio to us in any of the following formats:
- A multi-page PDF
- A video presentation of up to 5 minutes talking through your work
- A link to a website or digital portfolio platform
- A link to a curated Instagram or TikTok feed, or reel
When submitting your portfolio, please make sure to label this with your name and contact details, and ensure that any links are accessible with no login access required.
What to include:
Your portfolio should show us what you're interested in and how you think as a creative. We recommend to include 5 pieces of finished or developmental work that you’ve created, which could be:
- Posters, illustrations, digital designs, paintings, photos, models, technical drawings, sculpture, textile work, video, animation
- Personal, school, or self-initiated projects
- Sketches, workbooks, visual research
- Moodboards, notes, tests, early experiments, ideas – we want to see how you think
- Your research and influences (1-2 paragraphs) – share with us what inspires you as a creative, whether that’s a designer, building, photographer, movement, place, film, or cultural moment
We ask you to include:
-
Examples of typography, layout, poster design, branding, or visual problem-solving – we’d love to see how you combine text and image to communicate
We welcome applicants from a wide range of backgrounds and courses. Whether you're studying art, science, media, engineering, or anything in between, we’re interested in your creativity, curiosity, and potential, not just technical skill.
How to present your portfolio:
You can submit your portfolio to us in any of the following formats:
- A multi-page PDF
- A video presentation of up to 5 minutes talking through your work
- A link to a website or digital portfolio platform
- A link to a curated Instagram or TikTok feed, or reel
When submitting your portfolio, please make sure to label this with your name and contact details, and ensure that any links are accessible with no login access required.
What to include:
Your portfolio should show us what you're interested in and how you think as a creative. We recommend to include 5 pieces of finished or developmental work that you’ve created, which could be:
- Posters, illustrations, digital designs, paintings, photos, models, technical drawings, sculpture, textile work, video, animation
- Personal, school, or self-initiated projects
- Sketches, workbooks, visual research
- Moodboards, notes, tests, early experiments, ideas – we want to see how you think
- Your research and influences (1-2 paragraphs) – share with us what inspires you as a creative, whether that’s a designer, building, photographer, movement, place, film, or cultural moment
We ask you to include:
- Projects that develop a character or idea across more than one image
- A range of media if possible – from sketching to digital illustration, comics to zines, experimental mark-making to visual storytelling
We welcome applicants from a wide range of backgrounds and courses. Whether you're studying art, science, media, engineering, or anything in between, we’re interested in your creativity, curiosity, and potential, not just technical skill.
How to present your portfolio:
You can submit your portfolio to us in any of the following formats:
- A multi-page PDF file
- A video presentation of up to 5 minutes talking through your work
- A link to a Google Drive, Soundcloud, Bandcamp or YouTube file
- A link to a website or digital portfolio platform
- A link to a curated Instagram or TikTok feed
When submitting your portfolio, please make sure to label this with your name and contact details, and ensure that any links are accessible with no login access required.
What to include:
Your portfolio should show us what you're interested in and how you think as a creative. We recommend to include 5 pieces of finished or developmental work that you’ve created, which could be:
- Pieces of music you’ve composed or recorded / produced / mixed in a studio
- Live recordings you’ve been involved in
- Music or sound design you’ve created for other media (such as films and games among others)
- Any examples of software development
- Relevant written work on an aspect of Music Technology
- Sketches, moodboards, notes, visual research, ideas – we want to see how you think
- A short statement (1-2 paragraphs) about what inspires you – tell us about the artists, games, films, or cultural moments that drive your creativity
Please include a brief description of any musical pieces you provide, with discussion of the techniques and processes you used.
We want your portfolio to demonstrate your musicality through composition or performance, ability to express your creative ideas and process, skills and technical ability, and enthusiasm.
How to present your portfolio:
You can submit your portfolio to us in any of the following formats:
- A multi-page PDF
- A video presentation of up to 5 minutes talking through your work
- A link to a website or digital portfolio platform
- A link to a curated Instagram or TikTok feed, or reel
When submitting your portfolio, please make sure to label this with your name and contact details, and ensure that any links are accessible with no login access required.
What to include:
Your portfolio should show us what you're interested in and how you think as a creative. We recommend to include 5 pieces of finished or developmental work that you’ve created, which could be:
- A mix of any digital, analogue, experimental or documentary photography you have created
- Personal, school, or self-initiated projects
- Sketches, workbooks, visual research
- Moodboards, notes, tests, early experiments, ideas – we want to see how you think
We ask you to include:
- At least one series or narrative-based set of images
- Your research and influences (1-2 paragraphs) – share with us what inspires you as a creative, whether that’s a designer, building, photographer, movement, place, film, or cultural moment
We welcome applicants from a wide range of backgrounds and courses. Whether you're studying art, science, media, engineering, or anything in between, we’re interested in your creativity, curiosity, and potential, not just technical skill.
How to present your portfolio:
You can submit your portfolio to us in any of the following formats:
- A multi-page PDF file
- A video presentation of up to 5 minutes talking through your work
- A link to a website or digital portfolio platform
- A link to a curated Instagram or TikTok feed
When submitting your portfolio, please make sure to label this with your name and contact details, and ensure that any links are accessible with no login access required.
what to include:
Your portfolio should show us what you're interested in and how you think as a creative. We recommend to include 5 pieces of finished or developmental work that you’ve created, which could be:
- Examples of individual films you have worked on
- Showreel material produced as part of study or personal work
- Examples of work that represents your production skills, such as scriptwriting and development, storyboards, camera operation, lighting, sound recording, editing
- Examples of work that represents your pre and post-production skills, such as research, project management, sound design, visual effects, marketing
- A short statement (1-2 paragraphs) about what inspires you – tell us about the artists, games, films, or cultural moments that drive your creativity
Where you provide examples of your work, please include a clear statement of how you personally contributed to the project, your technical or creative role in each example, and how you feel it developed your understanding of the technical and theoretical aspects of film production.
If you are applying to join in Year 2 or Year 3 of the course, you will need to include a statement about your experience with and understanding of Avid.
How to present your portfolio:
You can submit your portfolio to us in any of the following formats:
- A multi-page PDF file
- A video presentation of up to 5 minutes talking through your work
- A link to a website or digital portfolio platform
- A link to a curated Instagram or TikTok feed
When submitting your portfolio, please make sure to label this with your name and contact details, and ensure that any links are accessible with no login access required.
What to include:
Your portfolio should show us what you're interested in and how you think as a creative. We recommend to include 3 pieces of writing that you’ve created, which could be:
- Poems, short stories, short articles, screenplays, or a mixture of mediums
- Works in progress: sketches, moodboards, notes, visual research, ideas – we want to see how you think
- A short statement (1-2 paragraphs) about what inspires you – tell us about the artists, games, films, or cultural moments that drive your creativity
We want your portfolio to demonstrate your understanding of creative writing as a subject area and its application in a wider social and global context, ability to express and reflect on your creative process, and your creativity and communication skills.
Top Tips for your Portfolio
-
Do your research: check what your course is looking for and tailor your portfolio to match.
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Tell the story: add context to your work and share your ideas, thought process and decision-making.
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Show us who you are: we celebrate diversity of thought, culture and background. Include cultural references, identity, community or topics that matter to you.
-
Group work counts: if you are sharing something created with others, explain your contribution.
-
Work-in-progress is welcome: unfinished pieces are fine. We value your creative process as much as the final result.
-
Think broad and bold: from murals and installations to fashion, architecture tours, street photography or creative TikToks, all kinds of work are welcome.
Contact us
Any questions? Contact the University Admissions Centre.
Phone: +44 (0)23 9284 5566
