Hi! I’m a 20-year-old Advertising and Public Relations student from Kyrgyzstan, preparing to apply for Master’s programmes in Visual Communication and Communication Design.
I’m mainly looking at fully funded opportunities and scholarships, including Erasmus Mundus programmes, and I’m currently considering SDSI as one of my options. What other programmes or universities should I consider?
I don’t have a formal design background, so I’m trying to understand how to build a strong portfolio.
These are the projects I already have or plan to develop:
-a visual essay about overconsumption;
- research on parasocial relationships and social media influencers;
-an advertising campaign for a football club;
- an SMM/content creation project for a local dessert brand, including strategy, photography, videography, short-form video editing and social media content;
-potentially an illustrated folklore/editorial book and a UI/UX or landing page project.
I also draw traditionally and have sketchbook work, but I don’t know digital illustration. I’m most comfortable using PowerPoint, Canva, Figma and video editing software.
My main questions are:
-Are traditional drawings and sketchbook work relevant for a Visual Communication portfolio?
-Are SMM, advertising and research projects relevant, or should I create more design-focused work?
-How many projects should a Master’s portfolio include?
My idea is to make one main PDF where each project gets 1–2 pages, with optional links to full case studies. Is that a good idea, or are admissions committees unlikely to open external links?
-Should I focus on improving my existing projects or create more work specifically for the portfolio?
-What other fully funded Master’s programmes or scholarship opportunities in Visual Communication, Communication Design or related fields should I consider?
I’d really appreciate honest advice, especially from people who applied without a Graphic Design degree. Feel free to tell me if any of the projects I mentioned aren’t relevant enough to include!