Find out more about applying to the Fashion Retail Academy through UCAS Clearing
Clearing opens on Saturday 5th July 2025. You can submit your application in person at our Open Day on Saturday 5th July - click here to register. Our Clearing hotline will open to take your application from Monday 7th July 2025 for phone applications.
Before then, explore your options for undergraduate study on specialist fashion degrees at the Fashion Retail Academy. We offer several undergraduate fashion clearing courses for those who haven’t yet secured a place or would like to change to another course. Our specialist fashion degrees include subjects like Fashion Business, Fashion Marketing & Communications, Buying & Merchandising, Fashion Communications & Styling and more.
WHY CHOOSE CLEARING COURSES AT THE FRA?
Save time and money compared to traditional university programmes: get there one year quicker by studying one of our accelerated, two-year undergraduate courses and graduate before your peers, whilst still earning a full BA (Hons) qualification.
Here are a few more reasons to apply to the Fashion Retail Academy through Clearing:
- Choose from six specialist accelerated two-year fashion degrees
- Work placement included on all undergraduate degree programmes
- Unrivalled access to over 250 of fashion's biggest brands
- Personal industry mentor to kickstart your fashion career
Our Fashion Undergraduate Degrees
Browse our available clearing fashion degree courses for school leavers aged 18+
BA (Hons) Fashion Business
BA (Hons) Fashion Business will teach you the different ways of doing business within the fashion industry. You’ll learn about the financial, commercial and ethical factors that impact brands, combined with all skills you need to start and manage a successful business.
BA (Hons) Marketing & Communications for Fashion
BA (Hons) Marketing & Communications for Fashion will teach you the skills you need to design effective marketing campaigns. We’ll teach you to combine your creative and analytical expertise to identify new opportunities for brands to communicate with their audiences.
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 trends, consumer profiling and consumer behaviour inform your business decisions.
BA (Hons) Fashion Communication & Styling
Do you feel like every fashion brand could present a launch in a more engaging way? Do you love photography, styling and magazines? By studying our undergraduate Fashion Communication & Styling degree course you will discover the different ways that visuals and communications impact a business and the effect they can have.
BA (HONS) ART DIRECTION FOR FASHION
Combine creative and technical skills to create captivating fashion imagery for brands through fashion photography, film, illustration and visual communications and media with this new undergraduate degree. This brand new course will teach you the skills required for an exciting and successful career in fashion art direction by developing your creativity and technical knowledge of digital image making techniques.
BA (Hons) Sustainability in Fashion
Our Sustainability in Fashion undergraduate course explores the pressing sustainability issues facing the industry today and how businesses can overcome them. You’ll look at the social responsibility of the fashion industry and the role of the retail sector from an ethical perspective, and learn how to make the industry more sustainable and ethical while still making businesses profitable.
Clearing FAQs
What Is UCAS Clearing?
UCAS Clearing courses are available to undergraduate applicants who either didn't get the grades for their first-choice university, are applying after the UCAS deadline or have changed their mind since making their choices.
Through Clearing, students can find a place on a degree course that still has spaces to start in the coming academic year.
How Do I Apply For A Course Through Clearing?
- Our Clearing Hotline will open to take applications from 7th July 2025 and closes in October or when our courses are full, whichever is sooner. You will also be able to apply for a Clearing place in person at our Undergraduate Open Day on 5th July - book your place here.
- Call us and we'll talk you through the application process on the phone. You'll need to tell us your UCAS ID (if you have one) and which course you'd like to study. We'll also need to take details of your qualifications, including the qualification name, your grades and the year of study, so please have this ready before calling.*
- We'll send your application to Falmouth University (who award our undergraduate degrees).
- Falmouth University will then tell you if you've been offered a place to study at the Fashion Retail Academy.
- To secure your place, you must accept your offer as soon as possible, as spaces on Clearing courses are limited. You'll receive an email from Falmouth University to confirm your place once you have accepted your offer.
*International students may need to supply additional information, such as an ENIC statement. We'll let you know if you need this when you call to apply.
Can I Visit The Campus Before Submitting My Application?
Yes! We'll be hosting an Open Day on 5th July 2025, when Clearing opens, so you can see for yourself what makes the Fashion Retail Academy the best place to study fashion and kickstart your career. You'll have the chance to see the campus, hear from the tutors and current students, and ask any questions you may have before you make your application. If you've made up your mind, you'll be able to apply in person on the day!
If you can't make it on this date, all Clearing offer holders will also have the opportunity to join a building tour. Once you've completed your Clearing application and had an offer from us, you'll receive an email inviting you to book onto the next tour.
STILL HAVE QUESTIONS?
Our Clearing hotline will open to take your application from 7th July 2025. If you'd like to speak to someone before then about studying at the Fashion Retail Academy, you can contact our Applicant Services team on 0300 247 0039 or email us at applicant.services@fra.ac.uk.
Visit our blog, How to Apply to the Fashion Retail Academy Through Clearing for a complete guide to the Clearing process - including what you'll need to apply, key steps to follow and everything else you need to know to complete your application.
You might also like to check these pages for further information about studying with us:
REGISTER YOUR INTEREST FOR CLEARING
Fill in your details below to register your interest in our UCAS Clearing courses, and we'll get in touch when our hotline opens on 7 July 2025.
We work with the FRA Talent Team to advertise our vacancies as it’s a way to tap into a great pool of relevant talent. Successful candidates that we have taken on from the Fashion Retail Academy have gone on to further their careers with us!
Amanda
Recruiter, M&S Clothing and Home
It’s been a great two years. The best part of the course was the industry placement; from that, I got a job with M&S! I’d definitely recommend the Fashion Retail Academy. You get great industry insight from the lecturers, not many other places have lecturers that are fresh out of head office.
Teni
BA (Hons) Buying & Merchandising for Fashion
My time at the Fashion Retail Academy has been extremely valuable to me. What sets the Academy apart from the rest is the industry connections: from industry mentors, work placements, job and intern opportunities. Without these, I wouldn’t have had the skills, experience or confidence needed to be in industry. Thank you FRA!
Abbie
BA (Hons) Marketing & Communication for Fashion
My first year at the Fashion Retail Academy has opened my eyes to the fashion industry and I’ve learnt so much already. I’ve met amazing new friends and tutors, and it’s all in central London - the heart of fashion.
Grace
BA (Hons) Fashion Business
I loved every minute of my time at the Fashion Retail Academy. Over the years, I have had some amazing opportunities and gained experience from well-known fashion brands. This has allowed me to go straight into the industry as a BAA alongside my course. It’s my dream job and I have the FRA to thank!
Amie
Level 3 Fashion Retail and BA (Hons) Buying & Merchandising alumni and BAA at Pretty Lavish
