Students who want to study Arts and Communication Design can choose from some excellent Pakistan university programs but there might not always be enough seats to go around or academic options for artists.
It is worth exploring options abroad. One of them is North Cyprus’s Arkin University of Creative Arts and Design. It says it offers scholarships of up to 75% and claims to be one of the first art and design-oriented universities in the region.
“You will find ample varsities that offer subjects such as Math, Engineering and Sciences,” said ARUCAD’s representative Maxim Zayed while talking to a digital channel at the DAWN Education Expo in Karachi on Sunday. “But what about the students who aspire to become painters, writers, photographers or filmmakers, where are they supposed to go?”
ARUCAD wants Pakistani students to know that its program also has an edge by offering non-traditional approaches. “The market here is becoming increasingly digital and there are many students who want to pursue digital media but do not have many avenues,” Zayed said.
The drawback is that ARUCAD may not be well known given that it started in just 2017, three years ago, which is not enough to gauge its reputation. It is difficult to say if its graduates will receive the same recognition as, say graduates from the well-respected Pakistani National College of Arts or the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture and University of Karachi’s Visual Studies department or Habib University and Szabist programs. Also, since there are no Pakistani ARUCAD graduates so far, it is difficult to assess if its programs have produced well-qualified and trained artists.
However, it is advised as caution for any student applying abroad and this article in not in any way an endorsement of this university. The purpose of interviewing ARUCAD’s representative at the DAWN expo was to provide students with information so they can explore on their own further.
ARUCAD offers a total of nine programs in its departments of arts, design and communication. The varsity has a higher teacher-to-student ratio, according to Zayed and focuses more on experiential learning rather than theoretical classes. “This is why most lessons are conducted in laboratories and studios instead of conventional classrooms,” he said.
It is offering a guaranteed 50% scholarship to all Pakistani students upon admission. This means that you have to pay almost Rs554,000 for a semester at ARUCAD. Students are also eligible for a 75% scholarship which is granted on the basis of your previous exposure in the field and an interview over Skype. If you pass this, your tuition fee for a semester comes down to almost Rs277,000. Please note that this budget does not necessarily include or factor in living and travel expenses.
The basic requirement to get admission:
- A 60% score for Intermediate students and a 70% for A’Levels, which is a B grade
- An IELTS score of 5.5 or 60% in TOEFEL
If you haven’t taken any of these English proficiency tests, the university takes a language test after you arrive in North Cyprus.
Its website is www.arucad.edu.tr.
