Level 3 Level 3 Fashion Business

Level 3 Fashion Business offers an in-depth look at the fundamental functions of the fashion industry from head office to shop floor. It covers a wide range of subjects, helping you to choose from multiple pathways into higher education or employment.

Our Level 3 Fashion Business diploma course explores the fashion retail environment as a whole. It gives you a comprehensive understanding of how fashion businesses are structured. You'll learn the role different departments play within a brand, and how they work together.

We’ll teach you a wide range of industry skills, from trend forecasting to fashion production, digital content creation to merchandising. It’s an excellent choice if you aren’t sure which area of fashion you’d like to work in. You'll develop a strong foundation for many careers including buying, visual merchandising, styling, marketing or retail operations.

Studying in the heart of London, you'll learn through a timetable of classes, workshops and practical sessions in our creative studio spaces. Throughout the course, you'll also work on projects set by major brands and network with industry professionals - including our exclusive Future Pathways Programme.

The Fashion Retail Academy is an approved centre for UAL Awarding Body Level 3 Diploma and Extended Diploma in Fashion Business and Retail.

This course was previously known as Level 3 Fashion Retail.

The Level 3 Fashion Retail course covers:

• Principles of Fashion Business and Retail: An introduction to the structure of a fashion retail business, and the role of each department in a brand.
• Communication for Fashion Business and Retail: Develop professional communication and presentation skills in the context of fashion retail.
• Critical and Contextual Awareness: Learn the history of fashion retail and the cultural, ethical and environmental influences which shape the industry.
• Fashion Production and Supply Chain: Discover how garments are produced, and learn about the global supply chain and the increasing impact of new technologies.
• Fashion Buying and Merchandising: An introduction to buying and merchandising. Learn how the two departments collaborate, and how they fit into the overall structure of fashion business.
• Fashion Management and Marketing: Examine the structure of a retail business in greater detail. Learn the importance of customer behaviour in marketing.

• Visual Merchandising for Fashion Retail: Discover how visual merchandising increases sales and profits for a brand. Learn the skills needed to succeed in this area.
• Collaborative Fashion Retail Project: Create and execute a fashion retail project focusing on a specific area; evaluate your own work and your classmates'.
• Specialist Study and Preparation for Progression in Fashion Retail: Identify which discipline you’d like to pursue by exploring your strengths and weaknesses, enthusiasms and ambitions.
• Fashion Retail Environments: Explore the factors and influences affecting the industry. Develop an understanding of consumers in different markets.
• Fashion Futures and Sustainability: Learn about the ethical and environmental impact of the international supply chain, and explore future developments and trends.

We're proud of our exceptional industry links at the FRA. All our tutors have worked in the industry, offering expertise and knowledge throughout your course.

We also work with over 250 industry partners helping you to develop a strong professional network to help you throughout your career. You’ll also take part in projects and challenges set by brands, and receive personalised feedback on your work.

FUTURE PATHWAYS PROGRAMME

The Future Pathways Programme is a 3-week, full-time (5 days per week) schedule of industry engagement activities to help you take your next steps after graduating, connect with industry professionals and build a range of skills and knowledge to improve your career prospects.

For students aiming to progress onto a university degree, we offer a dedicated UCAS Pathway. If you want to go straight into work after your course, you can choose from two career-focused routes.

UCAS Pathway: Focus on improving your professional skills and IT literacy alongside working on your application to higher education. You’ll build a portfolio and attend a university fair, complete an industry project and attend a networking event to expand your fashion retail contacts. 

Placement Pathway: Qualifying students* can opt to apply for our Work Placement Pathway to take a full-time three-week work placement with a brand. You’ll benefit from hands-on work experience, but placements may not always be directly related to your specific course.

Employability Pathway: Take part in a range of activities to support your progression into employment. You’ll work with a recruitment agency, learn about head office roles and complete an assessment centre, alongside an industry project and networking event to build your fashion retail contacts.

* Students will be provided with qualifying criteria ahead of the September in the year of placement

INDUSTRY ChallengeS

These quick challenges are designed to test your time management skills, requiring you to work to tight deadlines. Working in a small group, you'll be asked to find a solution to a challenge currently faced by the industry. A visiting industry expert will then critique and evaluate your work against industry standards, providing personalised feedback to provide you with real-world experience.

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

When you successfully pass our Level 3 Fashion Business diploma with a merit or above, you'll qualify for a place on one of our undergraduate degree courses. You will also qualify for one of our specialist Level 4 diplomas.

From this course, you can also start an apprenticeship or an entry-level industry role, such as stylist assistant, junior merchandiser or shop floor assistant.

Awarding body
UAL Awarding Body

Qualification title
UAL Level 3 Diploma and Extended Diploma in Fashion Business and Retail

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 requirements

• 4 GCSEs at grade 4 or above, including Maths and 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 Business 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.