The Fashion programme at Edinburgh College of Art is renowned for its cutting-edge approach to fashion education, emphasising personal creative freedom, design innovation, and individual student identities.

Our programme allows you to explore unique and innovative design methods, ensuring you are well-prepared for employment and career growth. 

We firmly believe that fostering individuality is key to developing future fashion innovators. By nurturing expressive and diverse design identities, our programme empowers you to become an independent thinker and designer with a deep understanding of the global fashion industry. 

By integrating technical, artistic, and practical design projects with contextual and theoretical studies, you will gain a comprehensive understanding of contemporary fashion design.

The programme delivers a broad range of key design and professional skills vital to becoming a future designer in the field, and allows our students to become skilled makers across a range of garment types. The skills you will develop include:

• research methods
• sketch and digital design skills
• portfolio building
• creative and advanced pattern-cutting methods

The curriculum emphasises the importance of designing for equality and diversity, encouraging you to celebrate all people, backgrounds, and abilities through your research and design work.

We also advocate for sustainable and environmentally responsible design, production, and materials. 

We frequently collaborate with industry, offering a range of industry-connected projects that provide you with real-world insights into designing for clients. Additionally, you may have opportunities to showcase your work at live events, including exhibitions and fashion shows.  

Upon graduation, we want to ensure that you have the best chance of employment and career development. We cultivate designers with a broad range of abilities. Our students are capable of being in all parts of the fashion design community and are:

• expressive
• visionary
• provocative

Our graduates work in a variety of roles, including:

• Fashion Designer
• Stylist
• Fashion Buyer
• Merchandiser
• Fashion Brand Owner & Entrepreneur
• Media and Public Relations Specialist
• Fashion Illustrator
• Textile Designer
• Pattern Cutter
• Garment Technologist
• Fashion Photographer
• Fashion Consultant
• Visual Merchandiser
• Costume Designer for film, TV, or theatre
• Trend Forecaster
• Fashion Marketing Specialist
• Fashion Product Developer
• Academic Researcher or Lecturer in Fashion
• Sustainability Consultant in Fashion 

Careers Service

Our Careers Service can help you to fully develop your potential and achieve your future goals.

The Careers Service supports you not only while you are studying at the University, but also for up to two years after you finish your studies.

With the Careers Service, you can:

• access digital resources to help you understand your skills and strengths
• try different types of experiences and reflect on how and what you develop
• get help finding work, including part-time jobs, vacation work, internships and graduate jobs
• attend careers events and practice interviews
• get information and advice to help you make informed decisions

Visit the Careers Service website

Further study

After you complete your programme, you may want to go onto further study at Edinburgh or a different university. You could progress to:

• a masters degree
• a postgraduate diploma or certificate
• a PhD
• a second undergraduate degree

Find out about options for further study 

Postgraduate degrees you might be interested in could include:

• Design (PhD, MPhil)

If you'd like to study on an undergraduate programme at Edinburgh College of Art, you must apply through UCAS, the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service. You can find out how to do this on the University of Edinburgh Degree Finder, where you'll also be able to

• see the structure of the programme and what you will study each year
• see detailed entrance requirements for each programme on the Degree Finder
• get information on what to expect after you apply
• find out about fees
• find out where to go for further advice and guidance.

If you have any questions about the application process, your qualifications or deadlines, our Undergraduate Admissions Office will be happy to help you.

Email the Undergraduate Admissions Office: futurestudents@ed.ac.uk

You need to submit a digital portfolio to show your artistic skill and potential. 

The portfolio guidance for 2026 entry will be released in August 2025.