Level 3 Level 3 Fashion Design

Our Level 3 Fashion Design diploma teaches you a broad range of fashion and design principles, giving you a strong understanding of the essentials of clothing creation.

It's the perfect first step towards an undergraduate degree, Level 4 diploma or apprenticeship.

By choosing to study fashion design at FRA, you’ll master key practical skills such as drawing, concept design and pattern-cutting. You'll use these to create collections of work including sketchbooks, construction journals, lookbooks and concept pieces.

You'll also study digital and technical skills using industry-standard software like Adobe Creative Cloud. We’ll help you create a professional portfolio that you can use for university applications and job interviews. As a student at the FRA, you’ll have access to professional research tools like WGSN, which you can use to improve your trend-forecasting skills to inform your designs.

Alongside your creative skills, you'll develop your contextual awareness of the fashion industry with regular trips to visit galleries, museums and flagship retail stores. We’ll also explore the issues surrounding sustainability and ethical production within the industry, and the increasing importance for fashion businesses to solve these challenges.

This course is perfect if you’re a creative, visual thinker with an interest in drawing, textiles and garment design. You'll be studying alongside other fashion design students in the heart of London, with access to a wide range of industry connections and expertise.

On our fashion design course, you'll also be given additional support for your next steps including UCAS applications, whether you choose to stay with us or study at another prestigious university. 

The Fashion Retail Academy is an approved centre for UAL Awarding Body Level 3 Diploma and Extended Diploma in Creative Practice: Art, Design and Communication.

The Level 3 Fashion Design course covers:

• The Creative Process: Explore the fashion design creative process through its various stages. Understand the tasks at each stage and their role in moving a garment from concept to creative outcome.
• Developing Creative Practice: Examine the various materials, techniques and processes used across creative practice, including garment design and construction. Learn the creative skills needed to solve problems, develop outcomes and present work.
• Responding to a Set Brief: Demonstrate skills learnt so far by responding to a creative brief. Learn how to use reflective practice to show decision-making and evaluate success.

• Researching a Specialist Industry Practice: Explore all aspects of a chosen specialist industry practice within fashion, supporting personal development and assisting with future career progression.
• Specialist Technical Skills Development: Focus on in‑depth technical, practical skills and creative processes within a specialist industry practice. Explore material and production processes and learn how to explore and experiment creatively.
• Specialist Creative Outcome: Complete and present an in-depth, self-initiated project, demonstrating all the skills and knowledge developed over the course. You could create a final collection, a textile piece, a conceptual outcome or a digital magazine.

We're proud of our exceptional industry links to over 250 major brands at the FRA. All our tutors have worked in the industry, and have plenty of knowledge and experience to share.

During your fashion design course, we’ll teach you to develop a strong professional network that will support you throughout your career. You’ll also take part in projects and challenges set by brands, and receive personalised feedback on your work.

Level 3 Mentor Scheme

Working in small groups, we'll assign you an industry mentor during your second year. They’ll meet with you to discuss, advise and support you on your journey into industry or higher education. Your mentor will offer insight into working in a business, and will help you plan your career goals. You’ll explore routes and opportunities in employment, as well as skills and attributes that will help you take active responsibility for the direction of your career.

Previous students have worked with mentors from New Look, Zara, Bestseller and Pritch.

Industry Projects 

You’ll be challenged to think on your feet to come up with a creative solution to a specific issue faced by brands in the industry in these projects. You’ll have a masterclass to support the project and will develop skills in time management, working to tight deadlines and team building. In your second year, the project will be set by a Visiting Industry Expert and you may have the opportunity to present your work to a panel for feedback. 

Many of our students progress into further education after finishing their Level 3 Fashion Design diploma, starting Level 4 diplomas or undergraduate degrees.

Our graduates have gone on to study womenswear or menswear design, tailoring, and design with development at prestigious universities like Central Saint Martins, London College of Fashion, and Westminster. 

If you pass the Level 3 Fashion Design course with a merit or above, you'll qualify for a place on one of our undergraduate degree courses. You can also progress to one of our specialist Level 4 diplomas.

From Level 3 Fashion Design, you can also move straight into an apprenticeship or employment as a junior or assistant in a design, sample or production department. This wide-ranging course has many other career options too, including fashion journalism, pattern and textile design and creative direction.

Awarding body
UAL Awarding Body

Qualification title
UAL Level 3 Diploma and Extended Diploma in Creative Practice: Art, Design and Communication

Age requirement
16-18

Course duration
2 years, delivered over 2 days per week

You’ll attend the Fashion Retail Academy for 2 full days per week (totalling an average of 16 hours per week) and you'll be expected to complete 2 days of independent study and coursework each week. Many of our students take on part-time work on their remaining free days to boost their industry experience.  

Course Fees

Tuition fees for this course are fully-funded for students aged 16-18

A £75 enrichment fee* is due at enrolment to cover the cost of activities throughout your course. This includes educational visits, guest speakers, specialist equipment and materials, and access to careers fairs, UCAS events, and other progression-focused opportunities.

Fees & Funding

*Fees are refundable up to and including the Academic Transition Day, provided the student withdraws before their official course start date

Entry requirement

• 4 GCSEs at grade 4 or above, including Maths & English (either Language or Literature)

For non-UK qualifications, please provide an ENIC Statement of Comparability. 

If you're applying from a non-English speaking country, you'll need at least 5.5 overall and in each section of IELTS test for English language. 

Assessment
Your work will be assessed throughout the course. You must pass each unit to progress to the next. Once you have passed all units in Terms 1 and 2, you'll move to the final units in Term 3. When you complete the course, you'll be graded at either Pass, Merit or Distinction.

Offers
After completing our online form, we'll process your application and send you the outcome by post and email in 5-10 working days. We process applications in the order we receive them, and offers are made on a first-come, first-served basis. 

• If you have your exam results and you meet the course's entry requirements, you'll be given an unconditional offer.
• If you don't have your results yet, your offer will be conditional on you meeting the entry requirements.

Your place on the Level 3 Fashion Design course is only secure after you have completed enrolment.

Below are the term dates for the current academic year:

2026-2027

*Subject to change 

AUTUMN TERM 

• Academic transition day – Week commencing 24th August 2026 
• Term starts - Week commencing 31st August 2026 
• Half term - Week commencing 26th October 2026 
• Term resumes - Week commencing 2nd November 2026 
• Term ends – Week commencing 14th December 2026 
• Winter break - Week commencing 21st December 2026 

SPRING TERM 

• Term starts - Week commencing 4th January 2027 
• Term ends – Week commencing 22nd March 2027 
• Spring break - Week commencing 29th March 2027 

SUMMER TERM 

• Term starts – Week commencing 5th April 2027 
• Term ends – Week commencing 31st May 2027 

Term dates for students starting the course in September 2027 will be published in summer 2027.

The Fashion Retail Academy is located at Electra House near Liverpool Street, central London. 

The listed building has undergone a £50 million refurbishment to give our students the facilities and spaces they need. Liverpool Street has excellent transport links to the rest of London and beyond, and Electra House is situated directly across from Moorgate tube station. 

There are: 

• 8 floors (Electra House is double the size of our old campus)
• A bigger library and more workspaces
• 26 classrooms
• Bespoke studio spaces
• 6 lecture theatres
• Dedicated fashion design wing
• IT hub and self-service laptop lockers
• On-site cafe
• 2 specialist exhibition and event spaces
• Wellness spaces and communal areas
• Discovery nook

Click here for more information about Electra House.