Popular Questions

We hold regular Open Days where you can discover the Fashion Retail Academy and the exclusive advantages of studying with us! Dates are released throughout the year, and since our Open Days fill up days, we recommend checking our Open Days page regularly for new dates.

We also offer Virtual Open Days, giving you the chance to explore the FRA from wherever you are. Plus, if you receive an offer, you'll be invited to attend a Taster Day before starting your course.

Our Open Days are split by level; please make sure you register for the correct event. All our open days feature tours of our campus, talks about the courses and the chance to speak to staff and current students.

Level 4 diplomas specialise in one area of fashion retail. The courses are one year long, offering one of the fastest routes to starting your career in the fashion industry. They are entirely assessed through coursework, so you won’t need to take any exams. For those aged 18, they are fully funded. Advanced Learner Loans are available for those aged 19+.

Our two-year undergraduate degrees are taught over three teaching semesters a year, instead of two, saving you time and money compared to a traditional degree. They are the only accelerated fashion degrees in the UK. We also teach traditional three year degrees which are taught over two semesters per academic year.

Our courses cover a wider variety of topics within their subject area, including marketing, buying and sustainable fashion, and have a more academic focus. As part of all of our undergraduate degree programmes, you'll have access to industry mentorship and two work placements.

For more information about choosing which course to study, read our blog post: Should I choose a Level 4 diploma or Undergraduate degree?

Level 3 Fashion Design diploma is a highly creative, practical course where you’ll learn the fundamentals of clothing creation. You’ll create practical work like sketchbooks and concept pieces as part of your studies, and have regular lessons in our Sewing Studios.

Level 3 Fashion Retail is still a creative course but is focused more on the business aspects of the fashion industry. It prepares you for a huge variety of fashion retail careers, including buying, merchandising, marketing, visual merchandising or retail operations.

Level 3 Visual Communications & Styling is a creative, hands-on course that blends both creative and business skills to prepare you for a career in styling, photography or creative direction. You’ll learn to connect with audiences and tell compelling ‘style stories’ that turn fashion products into modern, must-have trends.

For more information on choosing between Fashion Design, Fashion Retail and Visual Communications & Styling, read our blog post: An Inside Look at Our Level 3 Diplomas

You’ll be sent an email inviting you to enrol online after you have uploaded your achieved grades on results day. We recommended enrolling as soon as you can as we allocate places on our courses on a first come, first served basis. 

If you have an unconditional offer and have already got your exam results, you will be notified via e-mail to enrol online over the summer.

You’ll need to give us proof of your identity and proof of your exam results. If your course has any extra fees, you’ll also need to pay these.

For our diploma courses, you can apply on our website.   You will be asked to register before continuing with your application.

For our undergraduate courses, you can apply on the UCAS website. You’ll need your current or predicted grades, and a personal statement.

For our diploma courses, we recommend applying as soon as possible. Offers are sent on a first come, first served basis.

For our undergraduate degrees, we recommend applying by the January UCAS deadline.

If you don’t meet the entry requirements for your course, your application will be sent to our Principal to see if we can offer a more suitable course. 

We’re able to offer places to a very limited number of students looking to retake their Maths and/or English GCSE. However, if you don’t meet the entry requirements for your course, we are unable to guarantee you a place. 

If you’re retaking Maths and English with us, you’ll have an extra day of study on your timetable for your classes. 

Enrolment is fully online, so you'll need to upload your GCSE results online during the enrolment process.

You can find term holiday dates at the bottom of your course page.

If you have non-UK qualifications, we require you to submit a NARIC Statement of Comparability. Please visit the NARIC website for more information and instructions on how to apply.