How to Apply
Places on the BA Fashion Design course at the University of Westminster are highly sought after and competition for them is extremely competitive. Therefore we strongly advise that you attend one of our many fashion open days that we run from October each year. We also advise you to attend those of the our competitors so that you are sure that your choice of course is right for you.
To download the course prospectus for 2013 entry please click here.
You must have achieved our minimum entry requirements before we will consider you for the course and then ask you to send an example of your portfolio work. You may then be asked to attend an interview at the university along with your portfolio of current work. Our current minimum entry requirements can be found to the left.
Applications for first year entry to the full time and sandwich degree are made through a central admission organisation, the University and Colleges Admission Service (UCAS).
The code for the University of Westminster is W50, and the code for the BA Fashion Design course is W230 for the 3-year course and W232 for the 4-year course.
The deadline for applying is 15 January 2013.
Please click to go to the UCAS website.
Entry Requirements
We ask for the following qualifications for applicants:
5 GCSE's at C or above including Maths and English.
You also need either:
BTEC National Diploma - Grade: DDM
Foundation Diploma in Art & Design - Grade: Distinction
WE DO NOT TAKE APPLICANTS STRAIGHT FROM A LEVELS
WE DO NOT TAKE DIRECT ENTRY TO LEVEL 5 OR 6
If you do not meet these requirements then we will not be able to consider you for a place on the fashion design course.
However, suitably qualified students will then be asked to send in a small sample of their portfolio work to us towards the end of January. Once we have reviewed this work we will then decide who we wish to attend an interview and to present a complete portfolio of their work in March.
We usually select around 250 people to interview.
After we have interviewed you we will make our decision as to whether to offer you a place on the course.
Please note the course is extremely popular and therefore selection for the course is based on qualifications, interview, and the portfolio of work you present if selected for interview.
Suitable Candidates
We are looking for fashion design students that are ready for the challenges and levels of commitment that this highly successful fashion course demands.
You need to show not only a high level of enthusiasm for the subject of fashion, but be ready to become part of the highly competitive and exciting fashion industry.
The fashion course, through its industry networks and alumni has a prestigious reputation for producing some of the very best designers working in the global fashion industry. Therefore you need to be ready to meet the demands and challenges that such a course will bring. To be successful in the fashion industry takes hard work, passion and determination to succeed.
Since we only take a small, select group of fashion students of approximately 40 students gaining a place on the course is a real achievement and the first step towards a career in fashion.
We strongly advise that you attend an open day so that are aware of the courses facilities and are prepared should you be called to be interviewed.
We expect you to be self motivated, lively and committed to meeting the demands of this exciting, rewarding and highly regarded course.
Tuition Fees 2012/13
The fashion course fees for students from the UK will be £9,000 per year from 2012/13.
A loan is available to cover the full cost of the fees and you won’t have to pay this back until you are working and earning at least £15,000 a year.
We have a range of grants, bursaries and scholarships can help with living costs.
Overseas fees are £10,975 for 2012/13.
Money for fashion course fees
Providing you meet the eligibility rules for home undergraduates, broadly those from the UK and EU, you will be able to take out a fees loan to cover your full fees at the beginning of each academic year. However, you will need to apply for this loan. If you don’t apply, you will have to pay the fees yourself.
Please contact our admissions office for more information.
More information on fees can be found here.
Money to live on
If you are a UK student and are eligible to receive the fees loan you can also apply for extra support to help with living expenses. Some EU students will also be able to apply.
We also have a number of bursaries that fashion design students can apply for, please contact our admissions office for more information.
Oversea Students
We welcome applicants from overseas fashion students. We have a diverse cohort and understand the importance this plays in creating fashion designers that will go on to be recognised in the global market in which they will work and design in.
The fashion course accepts many different qualifications from education systems all over the world for entry to degree courses.
Given the number of possible qualifications, it is hard to list all acceptable qualifications, however, a few of our geographically closest are French Baccalauréat, German Abitur, Netherlands Diploma Voorbereidend Wetenschappelijk Onderwijs and the International Baccalaureate.
Competence in written and spoken English language for those whose first language is not English is required to at least IELTS 6.0, TOEFL 550 (paper based examinations) or TOEFL 80 (computer based test) and Edexcel London Tests of English level 4.
Fees for overseas students is £10,975 per year.
If you have any questions about your eligibility for the fashion design course please contact our admissions officer Nila Gandhi either by telephone or email.
+44 (0)207 911 5903
Portfolio Advice
The following information is for your guidance if you are selected for interview for the BA Fashion Design course at Westminster.
We are looking to recruit future fashion design students that show an exceptional flair and understanding of the creative process.
You should be able to clearly demonstrate this in the work that you present in your portfolio and when questioned about your passion, knowledge, and experience of the fashion industry.
We would like to see work in both fashion sketchbook form as well as in your final portfolio so that we are able to see the progression of your initial ideas into your final design outcome.
Please note we are looking for quality over quantity and we expect you to be able to self edit your work so that we get a sense of you as a person and as a practitioner.
As a guideline you should be able to present all the work for interview in one portfolio with the portfolio being able to close with ease. Additionally we would also like to see your personal sketchbook.
Contact Us
For more information on the course and to speak to a course advisor in our admissions office please contact:
Nila Gandhi
+ 44 (0)20 7911 5903