We consider you an adult learner if you’re over the age of 19 when you start studying with us.
We understand you may have breaks in your education for many reasons. You might be looking to retrain and start a career in an industry you’re truly passionate about, or want to upskill from your existing role in fashion. You might also be wanting to restart your career after some time off.
We welcome students of all ages and backgrounds on our courses. We recognise that adults returning to education are some of our most successful students, bringing attributes and skills they’ve gained through employment and other life experiences.
OUR COURSES
All our courses are taught over two full days a week, meaning you can continue to work part-time whilst you study.
Degrees
Our accelerated undergraduate degrees take just two years to complete, instead of the traditional three, and we deliver our degrees over three teaching semesters a year. Studying on of our accelerated courses will save you time and money compared to a traditional degree format, without compromising on your education. We also have a one-year postgraduate degree, MA International Fashion Marketing & Communications.
Level 4 Diplomas
Our Level 4 specialist higher diplomas are an excellent degree alternative. These are one-year programmes that prepare you for a particular role or department at a fashion brand. All our Level 4 diplomas, including our Fast Track course, come with our Level 4 Job Guarantee. You'll study two days per week at the FRA campus, leaving your other days free for part-time work and independent study. They are also fully funded for 18-year-olds!
Online Courses
If you can't travel to London, you can kick-start your career in fashion from the comfort of your own home. Our online courses fit around your other commitments (with just one live lesson per week) and you can keep working full-time whilst you study. These are accredited Level 4 diplomas (currently undergoing validation) and you'll benefit from regular industry enrichment, such as industry-set challenges or projects.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS FOR ADULT LEARNERS
We review each application individually. We welcome applications from those in employment who may not have the academic qualifications we have specified but can demonstrate they have the experience and ability to be successful on our courses.
If you don't meet our entry requirements or have been out of education for several years, please contact our Admissions team to discuss your personal circumstances. Send an email to admissions@fra.ac.uk or call 0300 247 0039.
FUNDING & Support
At the Fashion Retail Academy, we have lots of support available for our adult learners.
WELLBEING
Our Wellbeing Team offers all of our students personalised mental health and wellbeing support, considering each individual and their specific needs. All our services are free for all of our students.
FUNDING YOUR STUDIES
You may be eligible for funding support or loans from the government to help cover the costs of studying with us.
- You could get a Student Loan to help fund your undergraduate or postgraduate degree
- You might be eligible for an Advanced Learner Loan, if you choose to study one of our Level 4 courses
See our Fees & Funding page for more information.
ADVANCED LEARNER LOANS
Advanced Learner Loans are available for students aged 19 or over. You don’t need to have your income assessed to be eligible. You’ll only start paying it back once you’re earning over £25,000. You’ll pay back 9% of anything you earn over this amount.
For more details about the Advanced Learner Loans and to apply, please visit the government website.
COURSE DEPOSITS
If you are 19+ years old, a deposit is due on the FRA portal within two weeks of accepting your offer. Without payment of a deposit, your offer is not secure. You’ll need to pay:
- £350 if you are paying privately (£300 of which will be taken off the final balance)
- £50 if you are taking out an Advanced Learner Loan
See our Fees & Funding page for more details and the deposit terms and conditions.
OPEN DAYS
We hold regular Level 4 & Undergraduate & Postgraduate Open Days. Our central London location means we’re extremely easy to get to. We’re just a few minutes' walk from Moorgate and Liverpool Street Station tube stations.
Visit our Open Days page for more information and to register for upcoming events.
FASHION DEGREES
BA (Hons) Marketing & Communications for Fashion
BA (Hons) Marketing & Communications for Fashion will teach you the skills you need to design effective marketing campaigns. Discover how to combine your creative and analytical expertise to identify new opportunities for brands to communicate with their audiences. Learn about social media management, digital visual communication methods and integrated marketing strategies.
BA (Hons) Fashion Business
BA (Hons) Fashion Business will teach you the different ways of doing business within the fashion industry. Learn about the financial, commercial and ethical factors that impact brands, discover how to create business plans and understand the business of fashion on a global scale. Develop your entrepreneurial skills, financial and problem-solving skills and build a solid foundation of business knowledge.
BA (Hons) Buying & Merchandising
Studying BA (Hons) Buying & Merchandising, you’ll discover how to plan and trade a fashion season from concept to customer, and how to plan successful product ranges and fashion collections. Learn about how trends, customer profiling and consumer behaviour can help inform your business decisions, and discover the principles of sustainable and ethical product innovation.
BA (Hons) Sustainability In Fashion
With our BA (Hons) Sustainability In Fashion course, we'll teach you the essential knowledge and skills you need to develop sustainable and ethical practices in the fashion industry. Examine the pressing sustainability issues facing the fashion industry and discover the practical aspects of creating products from design to finished product.
BA (Hons) Fashion Communication & Styling
BA (Hons) Fashion Communication & Styling will teach you the essential skills and knowledge you'll need for a successful career in fashion media. Learn about fashion imagery and visual storytelling, as well as fashion film, live performances and product styling. Discover how to create effective communication strategies and learn to create inspiring visual media.
BA (Hons) User Experience Design for Retail
On BA (Hons) User Experience Design for Retail, you'll master the technical and aesthetic skills you need to produce, communicate and implement effective user interfaces and user experiences for retail brands. Discover key design theories, develop skills in prototyping and wireframing, and understand how to create interactive experiences through storytelling.
BA (Hons) Art Direction for Fashion
BA (Hons) Art Direction for Fashion will teach you the creative and technical skills to create captivating fashion imagery for brands through fashion photography, film and visual communications. Develop a multi-modal approach to fashion imagery, learn about historic and contemporary theories in photography and examine storytelling through the lens of fashion imagery.
BSc (Hons) Data Analytics for Retail
BSc (Hons) Data Analytics for Retail will teach you the essential data gathering, analysis and management skills needed to effectively interpret data and create innovative solutions to business problems. Learn about customer insight, data management, or data visualisation. Discover the R programming language and the AI tools that assist and enhance coding.
MA International Fashion Marketing & Communications
On this course, you will refine your skills in marketing, communications and advertising, and specialise in global and international marketing and strategy. You’ll complete modules including planning and strategy, design and communications and advertising management.
fast track Courses
Our Fast Track diplomas are perfect for those looking to break into fashion after studying or working in an unrelated industry. In this 22-week conversion course, you'll learn everything you need to secure a role at a fashion brand and launch a brand-new career. Our Level 4 Fast Track courses provide some of our fastest routes to a job in the fashion industry, and all come with our Level 4 Job Guarantee.
Level 4 Fast Track Buying & Merchandising is a condensed, 22-week course that will prepare you for entry-level roles as either a Merchandising or Buying Admin Assistant. This is the perfect choice for those looking to upskill or retrain whilst continuing to work part-time. It's also a great conversion course for those with an undergraduate degree looking to quickly enter the fashion industry.
Level 4 Diplomas
Specialist higher diploma courses are a great degree alternative, preparing you for an entry-level industry role in industry in just one year.
Level 4 Fashion Buying
Our Level 4 Fashion Buying diploma will teach you the essential skills you need to start a career fashion buying. Learn how to source garments from across the world, accurately forecast trends and how to design range plans that maximise sales. Develop data analytics skills, learn about the issues surrounding environmental impact and discover design software used in industry.
Level 4 Digital Marketing for Fashion
Studying Level 4 Digital Marketing, you’ll develop an in-depth understanding of how marketing strategies are created and implemented by fashion brands. Learn about content marketing, email marketing and how to measure metrics, as well as the principles of social media for businesses. Discover how to increase brand awareness and learn about email marketing, SEO principles and marketing planning.
Level 4 Fashion Retail (with Marketing)
Studying Level 4 Fashion Retail (with Marketing), you’ll explore the fashion retail industry as a whole, learning about the entire product lifecycle from head office to store. Develop knowledge and skills in consumer behaviour, business management, culture influences and much more, so it's ideal if you know you want to work in fashion but aren't sure what area yet.
Level 4 Garment Technology
Study the UK's only Level 4 Garment Technology diploma, and master the skills you need for a successful career as a garment technologist. Learn to improve and refine garment designs, making sure products fit perfectly and that details are consistent across a range of sizes and colours. Discover how to work with designers' and buyers' creative visions as well as develop trend forecasting skills.
Level 4 Visual Merchandising
Level 4 Visual Merchandising for Fashion will teach you a wide range of digital and design skills for visual display and branding. Learn to create dynamic physical and digital assets for brands retailers, from window displays to social media content, using trend forecasting skills to support your ideas. Explore new trends in sustainability, technology and consumer behaviour, and learn how to use Adobe Creative Cloud software.
ONLINE COURSES
Study remotely from the convenience of your own home, around other commitments, with our brand-new online courses
Buying & Merchandising [Online]
Studying Buying & Merchandising [Online], you'll learn the essential skills you need for a career as a fashion buyer or merchandiser. Discover how to plan and trade a fashion season from concept to customer; and how trends and consumer behaviour inform your business decisions.
Fashion Business & Retail [Online]
Studying Fashion Business & Retail [Online], you’ll learn about the structure of businesses within the fashion industry. You’ll discover all the roles and careers available and how they work together to achieve business goals. Learn the key skills fashion brands are looking for, including consumer behaviour and data analysis.
My first career was in banking, but I always knew that I wanted to work in fashion. After a brief career break, I found the Fashion Retail Academy. My overall experience has been really great, everyone was really welcoming. I’ve not quite finished my course yet, but I’ve already started my first full-time job in fashion as a Merchandising Admin Administrator for Whistles!
Lena
Level 4 Fast Track Buying & Merchandising and MAA at Whistles
Any time is the right time to change your career. Studying at the Fashion Retail Academy has shown me I’m really passionate about fashion and it’s the industry I want to work in long-term. I just had a call from ASOS offering me a job as a Buyer's Admin Assistant - that’s the reason I enrolled at the Fashion Retail Academy!
John
Level 4 Fast Track Buying & Merchandising and BAA at ASOS
