Discover the Requirements for Fashion School: A Comprehensive Guide

Are you passionate about fashion and considering pursuing a career in the industry? Fashion school may be the perfect place for you to hone your skills and kickstart your career.

Explore what fashion school is, the different types of fashion schools available, the requirements for attending fashion school, the benefits of enrolling in a fashion program, and how you can prepare yourself for success in the fashion industry.

Discover everything you need to know about fashion school!

What Is Fashion School?

Fashion school is post-secondary higher education that offers undergraduate, graduate, diploma, or certificate degrees. Programs commonly include a combination of classroom learning and hands-on studio workshops to prepare students for careers in fashion.

Fashion school degree programs focus on different aspects of the apparel industry to meet a variety of educational needs for prospective students. Some programs offer specific degrees, whereas others offer a wider range of options. Fashion design degrees are the most common and focus on the artistic and design-based aspects of fashion. They can be either baccalaureate of fine arts degrees (BFAs) or bachelor of science (BS) degrees.

Other undergraduate degrees are offered in areas such as fashion merchandising, fashion marketing, cultural costume design, apparel production, or fashion industry management. Unlike undergraduate degrees that build a broader knowledge base, graduate degrees offer specialized study in disciplines such as textile theory and science, accessory and footwear design, or fashion journalism.

What Are the Different Types of Fashion Schools?

Fashion design and business schools come in many varieties that have a variety of different emphases and program schedules.

• Standard Fashion Schools: These schools are the most common. Specializations in different types of fashion are common in these schools and students can choose a school or program that matches their interest.
• Vocation and Apprentice Fashion Schools: In these institutions, much time is spent on the shop floor. This primarily applies to vocational schools focusing on textile design, and it is common for these programs to take longer, often 3 to 4 years.
• Adult Education and Continuing Studies: Programs are available for people who can not commit to 2 or 4+ years of full-time study.
• Short Term Courses: Many schools, particularly in the UK, offer short courses of 10 weeks, or 1-3 years.

Fashion Design Schools

Fashion design schools are educational institutions that offer a range of programs from certificates to master’s degrees in the field of design as applied to fashion. Whether focusing on clothing, jewelry, graphic design, or anything else, design elements are included in every program and are one of the most important aspects of the curriculum. Short certification programs often focus almost exclusively on this area due to time constraints.

Fashion Design School Requirements Design school requirements vary in terms of initial qualifications needed, but most are either open enrollment schools or require a high-school diploma or equivalent. Although a portfolio might not even be required to apply to some programs, by not sending one, one is severely decreasing the chances of acceptance. Encompassing design on-and-off for fashion in many cases, this is both a vocational as well as intellectual and creative field. Students must come prepared to learn the range needed from fashion subjects like history and textile technology to business classes, as well as acquiring hands-on experience creating design through internships and apprenticeships.

Fashion Merchandising Schools

Fashion merchandising schools are different from design schools in that they provide a more business-focused education. Fashion merchandising is the promotion of apparel sales and involves all marketing campaigns and activities inclusive of on-site or remote sales and customer interaction. In the past, a degree in fashion merchandising was defined as rendering services as a buyer or marketing professional to create clothing, accessories, or footwear. Consumers in the modern day discover fashion through the internet and several other channels. This has led to a broader understanding of fashion merchandising. <=strong>Fashion merchandising schools’ requirements are likely to be less demanding than those required for fashion design schools. A few examples show that the average GPA for Rufus King International Baccalaureate High School is 3.0 while the average GPA required for the Associate of Science degree in fashion merchandising at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising (FIDM) in California is 2.5.

Fashion Marketing Schools

Fashion marketing courses are a specialization within general and/or broad-based business and marketing programs. These programs include public relations and advertising paths as well as a more direct focus on marketing retail management and marketing tactics. One of the few business schools with a standalone bachelor of business in fashion marketing is at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in the US. Courses here cover topics such as fashion consumer behavior, fashion branding, and marketing communications.

The target audience for degrees in fashion marketing are bachelors or masters students looking to master the tools of marketing with a targeted approach, marketers already working in fields such as beauty or cosmetics seeking to develop skills that are directly applicable to fashion, and for those seeking careers as working professionals in the following professions such as fashion marketing, forecasting and buying, public relations, direct retail field sales, and fashion merchandising, production, or advertising.

According to ICP’s Center of Excellence Performance Marketing Program, salary ranges are similar to fashion design roles where assistants start at around $32,000 (although as always, the New York average is higher at $70,000). Managers in fashion marketing can earn a range of salaries from $60,000 to well beyond $200,000+.

Fashion Communication Schools

Fashion communication schools offer programs in which students combine knowledge of fashion, visual language, storytelling, creative innovation, and media theory as they learn to communicate the fashion designer’s world. The courses can include fashion writing, history of costume, creative branding, visual merchandising, and other marketing aspects.

The admissions and curricular requirements are somewhat similar to other fashion programs, with the exception that initially planned and pre-meditated creativity in combination with a passion for communication will add an edge to the application of personal statements or portfolios in the admissions process.

Including studies regarding Marketing, Communications, or Journalism into an educational background will also give a broader look at career options in this field, as it will enable students to specialize even more. A broad understanding of consumer behavior in a digitally advanced world where influencer marketing, social media advertising, and storytelling is business-critical, is the need and buzzword in the industry today.

Fashion Communication schools that offer Bachelors degrees include:

1. Polimoda International Institute in Italy
2. Ryerson University in Canada
3. Accademia Italiana in Italy
4. Nottingham Trent University in the UK
5. Falmouth University in the UK
6. The American University of Rome in Italy

Fashion Communication schools that offer Master’s degrees include the aforementioned schools Polimoda, Accademia Italiana, Ryerson, American University of Rome, as well as Instituto Europeo di Design or IED in Italy.

What Are the Requirements for Fashion School?

The requirements to attend fashion school include demonstrating basic competency in the tools and technology students will be utilizing at the college including computer software, having a creative portfolio, essays, study goals, and recommendation letters, and completing the application and paying any associated fees. Specific requirements and the application process vary significantly depending on the school and the degree type you are applying for. Masters’s programs are significantly different from undergrad programs.

Educational Requirements

Public and private fashion-school programs in the USA and many other countries do not typically have educational requirements to be admitted. This means that to begin studying at a fashion school, such as Parsons, the Ryerson School of Fashion, or the Chelsea College of Arts, you need to have obtained a high-school diploma alongside other elements required by the specific school to which you are applying.

The New School’s Parsons School of Design – one of the most competitive and prestigious fashion schools in the US – required the following when applying to study there in 2021 under its information undergraduate-admission time requirements.

1. A degree from a high school, secondary school, or high school, or equivalent institution.
2. Those claiming high school equivalency must submit formal documentation of such.
3. According to each country’s educational system, this is generally a degree representing 12 years of primary and secondary-school education.
4. School-leaving qualifications such as British A Level results and an exit certificate such as the General Certificate of Education.
5. School-leaving qualifications such as the French Baccalaureate.
6. Transfer credits from a university in another country (in this case, you usually must submit an official transcript from the previous university).
7. Offered by EducationUSA, TOEFL or IELTS scores from internationally-aligned exams that demonstrate English-language proficiency (minimum TOEFL score: 100 or IELTS score 7.0).

Portfolio Requirements

Plus a formal application, most fashion schools will require you to submit a portfolio of your work. This is a collection of your strongest creative designs and should include anything from clothing sketches, photographs of clothing designs, art work, sculptures, and any other creative projects within or outside of the clothing context. The programs provide examples of how to format this portfolio, but its purpose is to show the depth of your interest in fashion and confirm your skill level.

Work Experience Requirements

Fashion schools generally do not have formal work experience requirements in order to apply or graduate, but some programs include the fulfillment of internship hours within their curriculum. The programs that do not, still recommend applying for internships or paid experience to build your portfolio and relationships in the fashion industry.

The Politecnico di Milano only has work experience requirements for a few programs. The MS program in Product Service System Design (60 ECTS, EU category) requires 12 weeks of academic-based internships or field project activities to be completed. The MS program in Leather Technology (120 ECTS, non-EU category) requires 9 months of internship or field project activities to be completed before graduation.

Language and Communication Requirements

There are no specific language and communication requirements, apart from the TOEFL or IELTS requirement that some fashion schools may have for non-native English speakers. Regular instructions, lectures, and design critiques at fashion schools are delivered verbally and in person, so attendance is usually considered mandatory. Even if an in-person presence is not possible users will be required to participate in lectures, presentations, critique sessions via video conferencing or another method, this will require good verbal and auditory language skills.

What Are the Benefits of Attending Fashion School?

The following are benefits of attending fashion school:

1. Increased knowledge and skill set: Fashion school teaches students a wide variety of subjects relating to the fashion industry including design principles, image presentation, textile procurement, retail management and marketing, drafting patterns, trend forecasting, draping and costing. Despite being able to learn some of these skills on their own, the diverse coursework covered under one roof is advantageous to overall learning and practical application.
2. Access to higher fashion legitimacy: Regional fashion schools and community colleges are not considered to be real fashion schools and are not included in rankings by the unbiased The Business of Fashion school rankings. Top-tier global fashion schools include the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York, Central Saint Martins in London, and the Bunka Fashion College in Japan.

Develop Technical Skills

The first requirement for fashion school is that you develop technical skills. While raw talent can land you in fashion school, it is not enough. Cathryn Boak’s online magazine Not Just A Label (NJAL) is a showcase for emerging designers, and states that fashion education traditionally focuses on honing technical skills such as sewing, pattern cutting, and fashion illustration. Therefore, the main purpose of studying fashion is to gain expertise in the execution of your ideas through acquired technical skills and the incorporation of cutting-edge technologies when crucial. By 2025, you will need some level of fluency with technologies such as Augmented Reality (AR), Mixed Reality (MR), and Virtual Reality (VR). Technical skills are essential to craft items that look as beautiful as your vision projects them.

Gain Industry Knowledge

Most fashion schools require some knowledge about the fashion industry despite the prerequisites being different in each program. On their website, Brooklyn Fashion + Design Accelerator says: we utilize interviews between BF+DA team members, past contributors and industry trade publications to supplement courses and give students a wide-reaching yet simultaneously personal insight into real-world perspectives on working with sustainability and technology in fashion, two areas which are integral to the BF+DA. With details outlined on the website, every fashion school has its requirements to be successfully admitted. Available this information on the school’s website is a good first step.

Build a Professional Network

Building a professional network can provide unique opportunities in the fashion industry such as internships or job offers. This aspect of education largely depends on the institution one attends but is an important part of the education process. Your professional network can include the people who graduated with you as well as some of the teachers and established designers at your institution. To gauge this aspect of an institution, seminars, workshops, and class projects should give you a chance to work with other students, get to know your professors, and bring accomplished industry professionals into your orbit. The connections you make can last your entire career.

Increase Job Opportunities

High schools provide basic job training by way of Apprenticeships, vocational education, and career and technical education (CTE). These differ from academic courses because the emphasis is on acquiring practical skills, often with hands-on learning components and externships or internships in which students acquire workplace skills around other professionals. The National Association of State Directors of Career Technical Education lists over 119 careers for which CTE degree or certificate programs are available.

How to Prepare for Fashion School?

Applying to fashion school requires assembling a strong portfolio that shows your expertise in design, pattern-making, sewing, event organizing, graphic design, and other artistic skills. Make sure your application essays have a strong personal statement, work experience, and a letter of recommendation. Additionally, keep your GPA above a B average (3.0 minimum), volunteer, and participate in extracurricular activities. When applying to an online program, understand the remote schooling basics, such as how to study online.

Research Different Fashion Schools

Before you pick a fashion school, you need to research the institutions to see which ones fit your needs and interests. At a minimum, make sure that the school is accredited so that you will receive a legitimate degree. The US Department of Education can provide a list of accredited institutions in the US, and can point you in the right direction if the institution you are searching for is located in another country. Find other metrics such as what types of programs they offer, the size and location of the school, admission policies and requirements, costs, and availability of financial aid.

Develop Your Personal Style

Personal Style refers to the clothing and accessory preferences chosen and worn by an individual. It often signifies that the wearer has chosen one or more specific pieces of clothing, accessories, and designs to express their personality.

According to The Business of Fashion (BoF) corporation, personal branding is a marketing strategy that identifies, differentiates, and includes branding for people versus products or commodities. BoF’s 2017 study even listed certain exercises that could help develop a personal brand, such as determining your objectives and values or identifying what you want to be known for. It would be hard to argue that this sort of personal growth and clarity about one’s direction would hinder the development of healthy relationships. Time spent creating and identifying a personal brand and extending the idea of a capsule wardrobe to other elements of one’s life will help with one’s studies and fashion school and may help in creating a healthier approach to relationships.

Build Your Portfolio

You build your portfolio to showcase your work to fashion schools and fashion industry professionals alike. To apply to fashion school you must build your portfolio, it is mandatory. Your portfolio is a physical or digital collection of your best work which can help admissions officers decide whether you are a good fit for their institution or not. This is why it is essential to have one for potential employers as well. If your goal is to go straight to work as a designer without fashion school, the portfolio is the key to your success.

Its content can include sketches, patterns, and articles of clothing you have produced. If you do not yet have a lot of fashion-related work to put in your portfolio, think of any translatable skills from graphic design, photography, or other fields that could lend a positive assessment to your application.

Most fashion schools will provide a list of their portfolio requirements which vary from school to school. If for example you are applying to Parsons School of Design, they suggest at least 12 digital images and/or movies and/or slides in addition to any physical pieces. They recommend utilizing their recommended lookbook template maximum file size 20 MB and to accompany everything with descriptions of how the pieces came into existence. They suggest you include written submissions describing your entry, potential, and progress as a designer either in a pdf or word document. There is a fee to submit your portfolio to Parsons’s for formal review.

Gain Work Experience

Students applying to fashion school do not need any formal work experience. However, having work experience in retail, design, customer service, or another relevant industry is beneficial for applications. Before applying to fashion school, students are encouraged to seek jobs in stores or companies related to the fashion industry in order to gain work experience and learn more about the profession. Obtaining work experience often helps the applicant to solidify that fashion design is something they definitely want to pursue.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the Requirements for Fashion School?

Fashion school is a popular choice for those interested in pursuing a career in the fashion industry. However, before applying to fashion school, it’s important to know the requirements needed for admission. Here are the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about the requirements for fashion school.

What academic qualifications are needed for fashion school?

The specific academic requirements for fashion school may vary depending on the institution. However, most fashion schools typically require a high school diploma or GED equivalent. Some schools may also require certain high school courses such as art, design, or business. It’s best to research the specific requirements of the fashion schools you are interested in before applying.

Do I need to have a background in fashion or design?

While having a background in fashion or design can be beneficial, it is not always a requirement for fashion school admission. Many schools look for creativity, passion, and a strong work ethic in potential students. If you don’t have experience in fashion or design, be sure to showcase your other skills and strengths in your application.

What is the portfolio requirement for fashion school?

Most fashion schools will require a portfolio as part of the application process. This is a collection of your best work that showcases your skills and creativity. The requirements for the portfolio may vary, so be sure to carefully read the guidelines set by the school. It’s important to have a well-organized and visually appealing portfolio to make a good impression.

Are there any prerequisites for fashion school?

Some fashion schools may require certain prerequisite courses before admission. These courses may include art, design, or business classes. It’s important to check with the specific school you are interested in to see if any prerequisites are required. If you don’t have these courses, you may be able to take them at a community college or through online courses.

Do I need to take any standardized tests for fashion school?

Standardized tests, such as the SAT or ACT, are not typically required for fashion school. However, some schools may ask for scores if you have taken these tests. Additionally, some fashion schools may require the submission of English language proficiency tests if English is not your first language. Be sure to check with the schools you are applying to for their specific requirements.