Bachelor's Degree in Animation at UDIT: how to tell if creating characters, worlds and stories in motion is your thing

The question isn’t whether you like animation, but whether you want to learn how to make it frame by frame

You’ve probably been watching animation for months — or even years. You watch shorts on YouTube, follow artists on ArtStation or Instagram, analyse anime sequences, watch the ‘making-of’ features for feature films, or open Blender to see what happens. All of that is fine. But there’s a huge gap between enjoying animation as a viewer and wanting to train to produce it.

Drawing a character isn’t the same as animating it. Creating a 3D model isn’t the same as giving intention to a gesture. Imagining a scene isn’t the same as planning it in terms of shots, timing, sound and editing.

Animation begins when a single image is no longer enough and you have to decide how a character that didn’t exist before breathes, feels, looks, hesitates or moves.

This article isn’t going to try to convince you to study Animation. It’s going to help you work out whether you want to devote four years to learning that entire process, and to distinguish this path from others that might also be calling to you.

Animation, Illustration, Video Games, Digital Art or Audiovisual Design: how to distinguish between these paths

This is the question that comes up most often. You love characters, visual worlds and stories, but you’re not sure whether your place is in Animation, Illustration, Video Games, Digital Art or Audiovisual Design. These are paths that share a visual language, but the process you’d learn in each one is different.

Don’t choose based on the aesthetics you consume. Choose based on the kind of process you want to learn to sustain over four years.

From script to showreel: the real journey of an animated piece

When we talk about the ‘complete process’, we mean something specific. An animated audiovisual piece doesn’t start on the computer, nor does it end when the character moves. It has different phases, and each one requires different skills.

Animation doesn’t begin when everything looks good. It begins when an idea is still clumsy and you have to figure out how to bring it to life. Storyboards are ugly but useful. Characters that work on paper sometimes don’t work in motion. Feedback forces you to redo scenes. And your showreel isn’t put together in the final week: it takes shape from the very first exercise you critique with a discerning eye.

You don’t need to turn up with a finished film, but you do need to show signs of being an animator

Degrees at UDIT start from scratch, and no specific A-levels are required. Arts, Science and Technology or Humanities and Social Sciences are recommended depending on your profile, but this is not a deal-breaker.

That said: starting from scratch doesn’t mean everything is equally valid. There are signs that suggest animation might be a good fit for you.

Signs that it’s a good fit

• You notice how people, animals or everyday objects move.
• You observe gestures, expressions and rhythms in what you see.
• You frequently draw or design characters, even if you don’t consider yourself a professional.
• You’re just as, if not more, drawn to ‘making-of’ videos than to the finished pieces.
• You have the patience to repeat, correct and improve the same piece of work.
• You’re not put off by feedback or having to redo things.
• You’re interested in both technique and story.
• You want to work as part of a team, not just on your own.
• You can see yourself building a portfolio and a showreel over the course of several years.

You don’t need to know how to animate when you start. But it’s important that you’re interested in the process, not just the result.

2D, 3D, stop motion, cut-out, rendering and motion capture: different ways of thinking about movement

When people say ‘2D and 3D animation’, it sounds as though everything fits into two boxes. That’s not the case. Each technique involves a different way of approaching movement.

2D animation works with drawing, line work, expressive acting, timing and colour. 3D animation focuses on volume, rigging, cameras, motion curves, weight and rendering. Stop motion demands physicality, patience, scale and a direct relationship with materials. Cut-out works with articulated pieces, efficiency and systems of symbols. Motion capture captures real movement and requires precision, interpretation and adaptation to the digital pipeline.

None is better than the other. But knowing that they exist, and what kind of visual thinking each one requires, helps you understand which part of the degree programme aligns with what interests you most.

What your portfolio or showreel should demonstrate during your degree

The showreel is not a final-year video. It is living evidence of how you think, make choices and improve. It is built up from the very first exercise.

A good showreel doesn’t show everything you know. It shows the kind of movement, vision and judgement you’re starting to develop.

Generative AI and animation: why learning the fundamentals matters more, not less

AI can generate images, explore references, create mood boards, suggest stylistic variations or assist with visualisations. It is a real tool, and forms part of the context in which you will be working.

But AI doesn’t decide for you what a character should be feeling in a shot, nor why that particular movement tells the story better. It doesn’t replace art direction, narrative judgement, acting, timing, visual consistency between scenes, ethics regarding intellectual property, or the ability to review, defend and improve creative decisions as a team.

Software matters, but the fundamentals matter more. Software changes; timing, acting and narrative remain key.

What to look for in UDIT before making a decision

If you’re comparing animation degrees, there are specific criteria you can check at UDIT:

• UDIT’s Bachelor’s Degree in Animation is an officially recognised, on-campus programme taught in Spanish, lasting four years and comprising 240 ECTS credits.
• Campus in Madrid (Avda. Alfonso XIII, 97), with dedicated facilities.
• Full production process: the degree is designed to create an animated audiovisual piece from scratch, combining scriptwriting, storyboarding, character and background design, 2D and 3D animation, post-production, VFX and sound.
• Toon Boom Centre of Excellence, with access to Harmony Premium and Storyboard Pro from classrooms and at home.
• Full Adobe Creative Cloud licence throughout the course.
• Professional tools included in the curriculum, covering processes involving Maya, ZBrush, Substance Painter, Arnold, After Effects, Premiere Pro, Adobe Animate and Motion Builder, amongst others.
• Guaranteedwork placements as part of the course.
• 60 places allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, with no minimum entry grade.
• Admissions process comprising a psycho-educational test and a personal interview with the academic department.
• Placement test to identify any areas requiring extra support before the course begins.
• Start date: September
• Timetable: mornings and afternoons.

Please check with the admissions team for current availability of places.

Do not choose this degree if…

• You just want to learn a specific piece of software quickly.
• You’re looking for a short course to enter the job market as soon as possible.
• You’re not interested in screenwriting, storyboarding or narrative.
• You just want to illustrate and aren’t interested in animation.
• You just want to programme video games.
• You don’t want to work in a team or receive constant feedback.
• You find the technical patience required for animation a bit of a struggle.
• You want a purely artistic education without production or the production pipeline.
• You’re not interested in building a portfolio or showreel over the course of several years.
• You expect AI to do the hard work for you.

If any of these points resonate with you, perhaps another path would be a better fit for what you’re looking for. Take a look at the comparison table above or speak to the admissions team.

Consider these questions before making your decision

You can bring this list with you to a campus visit, a call with the admissions team or an Open Day:

1. What is the actual availability of places at the moment?
2. What exactly does ‘places allocated on a first-come, first-served basis’ mean?
3. How do the educational psychology test and the personal interview work?
4. What happens if I haven’t studied at an arts-focused sixth-form college?
5. What support is available if I need to improve my drawing skills before starting?
6. How much emphasis is placed on 2D, 3D, stop motion, cut-out and motion capture in the curriculum?
7. What software is used on each course, and are the licences for Harmony Premium, Storyboard Pro and Adobe Creative Cloud still valid?
8. Where can I see real student projects?
9. How do I build my portfolio and showreel over the four years?
10. How do the curricular work placements work, and what sort of companies or studios are involved?
11. What sort of final-year project is undertaken, and is the final project a team effort?
12. What specific facilities are used for animation?
13. How does this degree differ from those in Audiovisual Design and Illustration, Video Games, Digital Art or Multimedia?
14. What scholarships and grants can I apply for?
15. Can I visit the campus and speak directly to someone on the degree programme?

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between studying Animation and Illustration?

Animation involves working with movement, timing, acting, storyboarding, sound, editing and audiovisual production. Illustration focuses on still images, composition, graphic style and static visual storytelling. If you want to create characters and worlds that move within an audiovisual piece, Animation might be a better fit.

What is the difference between Animation and Video Game Design?

Animation creates audiovisual works: characters, shots, movements, short films and visual storytelling. Video game design focuses on interactive experiences: mechanics, engines, levels, gameplay and play systems. They share 3D, characters and visual worlds, but the ultimate goal is different.

Do I need to know how to draw to study Animation?

You don’t need to be at a professional level. The degree programmes at UDIT start from scratch and do not require a specific A-level or equivalent qualification, although Arts, Science and Technology or Humanities and Social Sciences are recommended depending on your profile. The important thing is to come with an interest in observation, movement and visual creation, and a willingness to practise.

What do you study on the UDIT Bachelor’s Degree in Animation?

The degree covers the entire process of creating an animated piece: script, storyboard, character and background design, 2D and 3D animation, modelling, rigging, stop motion, cut-out, rendering, VFX, sound, art direction, production, pitching, work placements and the Final Year Project.

What should my showreel include by the end of the course?

It should showcase drawing, character design, storyboards, animatics, 2D and 3D exercises, acting, body mechanics, modelling, post-production and short film projects. It’s not just about showing off eye-catching pieces, but about demonstrating judgement, progression and the ability to work within a production.

Does it make sense to study Animation with the advent of generative AI?

Yes, if you understand that AI can support visual exploration or provide references, but it does not replace fundamentals such as narrative, timing, acting, art direction, movement, sound, character consistency or intellectual property ethics. The difference will lie in knowing how to use the technology with sound judgement.

What career opportunities are linked to animation?

The course links to areas such as 2D/3D character design, storyboarding, concept art, 2D/3D animation, cut-out animation, stop motion, backgrounds, colour, VFX, editing, compositing, lighting, rendering, art direction, project management and creative direction in advertising. This should not be taken as a guarantee of employment, but rather as areas of professional practice.

Basic glossary

• Storyboard: a sequence of panels that translates the script into visual shots.
• Animatic: a preliminary version of the edit, including pacing, shots and timing.
• Layout: the arrangement of the camera, characters, background and composition of a scene.
• Rigging: the construction of the skeleton and controls that enable a 3D character to be animated.
• Ink & paint: the phase involving cleaning up, colouring and visual finishing in 2D animation.
• Cut-out: a digital animation technique based on articulated pieces.
• Stop motion: a frame-by-frame animation technique using physical objects.
• Body mechanics: the study of weight, balance and body movement as applied to animation.
• Lip-sync: synchronisation between mouth movement and speech.
• Rendering: the process of generating the final image from a 3D scene.
• Motion capture: the capture of real-life movement for use with digital characters.
• Animation bible: a document outlining the universe, characters, tone, style and development of a project.
• Showreel: a short video showcasing an animator’s best work and skills.

What should your next step be?

If this approach resonates with you, the next step isn’t simply to choose based on a pretty picture or a list of software programmes. Look at real student projects, check the curriculum, ask about portfolios and work placements, visit the campus and see if you want to spend four years learning how a story comes to life. Contact the admissions team and take your next step.