FAQs

How to choose a course

How do I find out which of the FRA courses is right for me?

Go to the Study section of our website.

You can filter our course selection by your current grades, course subject or course level. Each course has a full description and information about entry criteria.

You can also register on our website to attend an Open Day where you’ll be able to take part in an interactive workshop, see our facilities and chat to our staff and current students.

If you have any other questions, you can call our main reception on 0207 307 2345 or Applicant Services on 0300 247 0039. You can also email us at info@fra.ac.uk.

Should I study Level 3 Fashion Retail or Fashion Design?

Level 3 Fashion Design diploma is a highly creative, practical course where you’ll learn the fundamentals of clothing creation. You’ll create practical work like sketchbooks and concept pieces as part of your studies, and have your lessons in our fashion design wing when we move to Electra House in September 2024.

Level 3 Fashion Retail is still a creative course but is focused more on the business aspects of the fashion industry. It prepares you for a huge variety of fashion retail careers, including buying, merchandising, marketing, visual merchandising or retail operations.

For more information on choosing between Fashion Design and Fashion Retail, read our blog post: Should I Study Fashion Design or Fashion Retail?

Should I do a Level 4 diploma or an undergraduate degree?

Level 4 diplomas specialise in one area of fashion retail. The courses are a year long, offering one of the fastest routes to starting your career in the fashion industry. They are entirely assessed through coursework, so you won’t need to take any exams. For those aged 18, they are fully-funded. Advanced Learner Loans are available for those aged 19+.

Our accelerated undergraduate degrees are taught over three teaching semesters a term, instead of two, saving you time and money compared to a traditional degree. They are the only courses of their kind in the UK. They cover a wider variety of topics within their subject area, and have a more academic focus. 

For more information about choosing which course to study, read our blog post: Should I study Level 4 or an Undergraduate degree?

When are your Open Days?

We hold regular open days throughout the year, where you can discover more about the Fashion Retail Academy and the exclusive advantages of studying here! If you can't attend an Open Day in person, you can request a Virtual Open Day recording. Please email events@fra.ac.uk or visit our Open Days page for more information.

Our Open Days are split by level; please make sure you register for the correct event. All our open days feature a talk from our Principal or Director of Academic Excellence, the chance to find out more about our courses and the opportunity to speak to staff and student ambassadors.

Can I speak to you about my options?

You can call our main reception on 0300 307 2345 or Applicant Services on 0300 247 0039 to talk an advisor. You can also talk to us on live chat, or email us at info@fra.ac.uk