Fashion degree entry requirements (2024)

CONTENTS

• What is fashion?
• Fashion degree entry requirements
• How to compare fashion courses in Clearing
• What if I can’t find a fashion course in Clearing?

What is fashion?

A degree in fashion will give you the opportunity to explore many sectors in this growing industry. From casual to catwalk, learn all the processes involved in design, production and advertising.

It'll also prepare you to take on a vast range of careers depending on what inspires you most. Your degree will equip you for a job in fashion or textile design, magazine journalism, make-up artistry, visual merchandising and so much more.

If your grades don’t meet the entry requirements to study fashion at your firm or insurance choice universities, don’t be disheartened. You'll have plenty of other options to consider, including searching through Clearing find an alternative course to apply to. Here’s how to get started.

Fashion degree entry requirements

The minimum UCAS Tariff points to study fashion ranges from 80 points (CCD at A-level) to 128 points (ABB at A-level), with the average being 112 points (BBC at A-level).

For applicants with A-levels, most universities will require you to have studied an srt and design related course as well as subjects in humanities, English and maths. Universities also require you to have at least four or five GCSE grades of C or above. Typically, subjects such as general studies and critical thinking are excluded and cannot be counted as part of your points total.

BTECs are accepted by most universities, however, they must be in a related subject (e.g. Diploma in art and design or other related subjects). You’ll need a DDM for the top universities but could find a place on a course with as little as PPP.

There are also a number of universities that offer fashion degrees with integrated foundation years, specifically for students who don’t have the required qualifications to gain direct entry onto their degree programme. The first year is designed to equip students with the necessary academic knowledge and skills for degree-level study.

The entry requirements for these courses are much lower– as little as 32 UCAS points– so this could be a good option for you. It’s important to remember though, that not only will your degree take longer to complete, the extra year will add additional course fees and living expenses to the cost of your studies.

Fashion Degree Entry Requirements

Note: The exact entry requirements for fashion courses will vary from university to university. It’s important to check the individual course pages for exact entry information – including information on what other qualifications may be accepted– before making any applications.

It’s important to remember that universities don’t just assess you on your grades or UCAS points totals. They will also take into account your personal statement, and how well you’ve communicated your passion for the subject and for your chosen career path. They will also want to see what you can contribute to university life, so will look favourably on students who’ve been active members of clubs and societies at college/sixth form.

It's likely that for a fashion degree you will be asked to attend an interview or selection day to show and discuss your portfolio and your performance here will form part of your application success.

Top tip: If you have only just missed out on the grades/UCAS points needed for your chosen university, it’s worth giving them a call to see if they would be willing to accept you– based on your personal statement and interview performance. There are no guarantees, but it’s worth a try.

How to compare fashion courses in Clearing

Other important information to look at when choosing a fashion course includes: what the module choices are; how you’ll be taught and/or assessed; whether there are placement opportunities; and what the graduate employment rates are.

You can compare courses based on all these important factors right here on Whatuni. To start your search, head over to Whatuni’s Clearing tool and enter ‘fashion’ into the search bar. Then you can start browsing through the courses that are available and using the filters to narrow down your search based on your preferences.

Top Tip: During Clearing, some universities have been known to lower the entry requirements for some of their courses. There is no way to tell if this will happen to fashion courses in Clearing, but if a university has a lot of vacancies to fill, they may be willing to accept students with lower grades.

The easiest way to see which courses your grades make you eligible for is to click the ‘YOUR GRADES’ button located at the top of the search results page and fill in the on-screen form. The list will then be personalised with matching courses:

Once you’ve compiled a list of courses, you then need to decide which of the shortlisted universities you’d be most happy living at for the next three to four years. A good place to begin your research is by ordering the university’s prospectus, which will give you an overview of what they offer students in terms of learning facilities, accommodation, social activities, and financial and welfare support.

We would also advise you to book yourself onto an open day tour or event at each university– if you have time to do so. This will give you a chance to have a closer look at the campus and perhaps speak to some current students and/or potential tutors. Open day events are really useful for helping you build a picture of what your life there might be like and whether you’d enjoy it.

Before making any final decisions, we’d also suggest you check our student reviews. They'll give you an honest insight into what it’s really like to study and live at your shortlisted universities. Simply enter the university name and/or subject name to see what students are saying:

What if I can’t find a fashion course in Clearing?

If you haven’t been able to find or secure a place on a suitable fashion course in Clearing, don’t despair. There are still a number of other options available to you:

• Apply for a joint honours degree: If you can’t find a suitable fashion course to apply for, then one alternative is to search for a joint honours course where fashion makes up one half of the degree. Common subjects to be paired with fashion include business studies, marketing, media and photography. Just make sure to think carefully about your future career aspirations before making a decision.
• Apply for a Clearing course in a similar subject: Subjects like textile design, surface pattern design, hair and media make-up, costume design and art & design all cover important creative aspects of fashion as part of their curriculum and may be good alternatives to consider. Again, make sure to think carefully about your future career aspirations before making a decision.
• Study a fashion HNC/HND: Higher National Certificates and Diplomas are vocational based courses that are the equivalent to one (HNC) or two (HND) years of a bachelor degree. They aim to produce graduates who are ready for employment in a wide range of fashion-related areas. The entry requirements for fashion HNCs and HNDs are a lot lower than for a degree– as low as 32 UCAS points (from art-related Level 3 qualifications– i.e. A-levels or BTECs).
• Study a fashion foundation degree: Much like HNDs, foundation degrees (FdSc) are vocational-based courses that last two years full-time and are worth two years of a bachelor’s degree. Entry requirements are a lot lower– between 32 and 80 UCAS points (EE– BCC at A-level or PP– MMP BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma). They're ideal for those who didn’t get the grades for entry onto a degree or for mature students looking to re-enter higher education. After completing a foundation degree, students can progress onto the third year of a BSc degree or gain employment.
• Resit your exams: If none of these alternative options appeals to you, or you have your heart set on a particular course at a particular university, then you could opt to re-sit your A-level exams and apply for university entry next year.