• Undergraduate

Fashion and Textiles BA (Hons)

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Overview

Overview

Why study at the University of West London?
  • Ranked 30th university in the UK - The Guardian University Guide 2025
  • Number 1 London university for overall student satisfaction - National Student Survey 2024**
  • Best university for Student Experience and Teaching Quality in the UK - The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024
Why study this course?

Take a fashion design course at UWL to learn the skills that will help you pursue a career in the fashion and textile industry.

The course covers a broad range of areas, from fashion illustration and textile design to pattern cutting and sewing. Study fashion and textiles with us to develop your own design voice as well as the technical expertise and knowledge, to enable you to compete globally within print, knit and fashion. 

We’re here to make you career-ready, and you will benefit from our strong links to the fashion industry to help you achieve that.

There’s also a chance to showcase your work at the prestigious Graduate Fashion Week. See the highlights video from our most recent Graduate Fashion Show.

View some of our students' recent work.

Select your desired study option, then pick a start date to see relevant course information:

Study options:
We support flexible study by offering some of our courses part-time or via distance learning. To give you real world experience before you graduate, we also offer some courses with a placement or internship. All available options are listed here. Your choices may affect some details of your course, such as the duration and cost per year. Please re-check the details on this page if you change your selection.
With Foundation Year
Duration: 4 years

Start date:

If your desired start date is not available, try selecting a different study option.

Why study Fashion and Textiles with us?

Why study Fashion and Textiles with us?

A collage of students

What our students say…

UWL helped to develop my individual handwriting as a designer in a stimulating, challenging and competitive environment, whilst providing me with the technical knowledge and experience to pursue a career. The support given by the lecturing staff is second to none; the team are invested in you and your potential and share in your success as you grow creatively and professionally.

Jessica Read
Next
The sewing room has industrial sewing machines for creating collections.
Top London University Fashion
Students will have the opportunity to showcase their designs and work
Use our pattern cutting room, equipped with high tables and mannequins.
Course detail & modules

Course detail & modules

You will be guided by our inspiring fashion and textiles team, who are all active in the industry. 

We help you build confidence in your designs as well as your presentation skills, preparing you for a future in fashion and textiles. You’ll also be given an insight into how the fashion world functions commercially and the professional qualities required to survive in this competitive sector.

We teach through hands-on workshops, tutorials and lectures. You will develop technical skills including:

  • screen and digital printing
  • domestic and industrial knit/sewing machine skills
  • pattern cutting
  • fashion and textile design 
  • fashion illustration
  • fashion video production
  • designing for a market.

You will have access to a range of specialist equipment and facilities, including:

  • digital computer-aided design packages
  • digital fabric printing
  • 3D printing
  • laser-cutting technologies
  • industry-standard sewing and knitting machines
  • fabric dyeing
  • screen printing
  • heat press facilities.

From the start, you will experiment with all aspects of fashion and textile design. At the end of your first year, you will choose a direction for the rest of your course: fashion print or fashion knit.

To help develop your creative voice, you will work on personal design briefs as well as designing for the market. Competitions, educational visits, guest lectures and design projects will bring what you study to life. 

In addition, we will support you in finding a work placement that provides experience, insight and understanding of your future career. Past students have interned at Roland Mouret, Proenza Schouler and TRAID.

Compulsory modules

Entry requirements

Entry requirements

112 UCAS points required from level 3 qualifications

These can include:

  • A Levels at grade B, B and C, or above
  • BTEC Extended Diploma with Distinction, Merit, Merit
  • Access to HE Diploma
  • T Levels

You also need GCSE English and Maths (grade 9 – 4 / A* - C) or Level 2 equivalents.

 

As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide a portfolio.

Looking for BA (Hons) Fashion and Textiles with Foundation Year?

View Foundation Year course
Whether you are changing career or don't have the exact subjects and grades required for this course, you might want to choose this course with a foundation year. This will give you an extra year's study to prepare you for the standard degree programme, where you can go on to graduate with a full Honours degree. Follow the link to see full details of the course with foundation year.

Mature applicants (aged 21+): If you do not hold the qualifications listed but have relevant work experience, you are welcome to apply. Your application will be considered on an individual basis.

Level 5 (year 2) entry
To directly enter the second year of this course you will need to show appropriate knowledge and experience. For example, you are an ideal candidate if you have 120 undergraduate credits at Level 4 or a CertHE in a related subject area.

Level 6 (year 3) entry
To directly enter the third year of this course you need to show appropriate knowledge and experience. For example, you are an ideal candidate if you have 240 undergraduate credits (at Levels 4 and 5), a DipHE, Foundation Degree or HND in a related subject area.

Looking for BA (Hons) Fashion and Textiles with Foundation Year?

View Foundation Year course
Whether you are changing career or don't have the exact subjects and grades required for this course, you might want to choose this course with a foundation year. This will give you an extra year's study to prepare you for the standard degree programme, where you can go on to graduate with a full Honours degree. Follow the link to see full details of the course with foundation year.
6.0 IELTS or above

You need to meet our English language requirement - a minimum of IELTS 5.5 for each of the 4 individual components (Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening). Visit our English language requirements page for information on other English language tests we accept. 

You also need academic qualifications at the same level as UK applicants. In some countries where teaching is in English, we may accept local qualifications. Check for local equivalents. 

We offer pre-sessional English language courses if you do not meet these requirements.

Find out more about our English Language courses.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide a portfolio.

Looking for BA (Hons) Fashion and Textiles with Foundation Year?

View Foundation Year course
Whether you are changing career or don't have the exact subjects and grades required for this course, you might want to choose this course with a foundation year. This will give you an extra year's study to prepare you for the standard degree programme, where you can go on to graduate with a full Honours degree. Follow the link to see full details of the course with foundation year.

Mature applicants (aged 21+): If you do not hold the qualifications listed but have relevant work experience, you are welcome to apply. Your application will be considered on an individual basis.

Level 5 (year 2) entry
To directly enter the second year of this course you will need to show appropriate knowledge and experience. For example, you are an ideal candidate if you have 120 undergraduate credits at Level 4 or a CertHE in a related subject area.

Level 6 (year 3) entry
To directly enter the third year of this course you need to show appropriate knowledge and experience. For example, you are an ideal candidate if you have 240 undergraduate credits (at Levels 4 and 5), a DipHE, Foundation Degree or HND in a related subject area.

Looking for BA (Hons) Fashion and Textiles with Foundation Year?

View Foundation Year course
Whether you are changing career or don't have the exact subjects and grades required for this course, you might want to choose this course with a foundation year. This will give you an extra year's study to prepare you for the standard degree programme, where you can go on to graduate with a full Honours degree. Follow the link to see full details of the course with foundation year.
Fees & funding

Fees & funding

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Additional costs

There are additional costs for this course that are not included in the tuition fees. See the links below to get a better idea of what to expect:

Please note:

  • Fees for the 2026/27 academic year and onwards may be subject to Government regulation and change.
  • Tuition fees are charged for each year of your course. If your course runs for two years or more, you will need to pay the fee for each academic year at the start of that year.
  • If your course runs for less than two years, the cost above is for your full course and you will need to pay the full fee upfront.
  • If no fee is shown above then the fees for this course are not available yet. Please check again later for updates.

Funding your studies

You may be eligible for a student loan to cover the cost of tuition fees, or a maintenance loan. Additional funding is available to some types of students, such as those with dependants and disabled students.

We offer generous bursaries and scholarships to make sure your aspirations are your only limit. In recent years, hundreds of students have received our Full-time Undergraduate Student Bursary.

Additional scholarships specifically for students in the fields of film, media and design are also on offer.

View full details, including conditions and eligibility.

Funding your studies
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Additional costs

There are additional costs for this course that are not included in the tuition fees. See the links below to get a better idea of what to expect:

Please note:

  • Fees for the 2026/27 academic year and onwards may be subject to Government regulation and change.
  • Tuition fees are charged for each year of your course. If your course runs for two years or more, you will need to pay the fee for each academic year at the start of that year.
  • If your course runs for less than two years, the cost above is for your full course and you will need to pay the full fee upfront.
  • If no fee is shown above then the fees for this course are not available yet. Please check again later for updates.

International students - funding your studies

We offer scholarships for international students including International Ambassador Scholarships. 

Further information about funding and financial support for international students is available from the UK Council for International Student Affairs.

 

Financial support for international students
Teaching staff

Teaching staff

Richard D'Souza

Richard D'Souza

I moved into higher education after an extensive career as an international womenswear designer. I have worked across designer and high-street brands in Hong Kong, New York, Paris and London. I am an inspirational and creative designer and lecturer with strong design vision and business acumen. As a Senior Lecturer at UWL, I have a passion to inspire students to achieve their goals.

I moved into higher education after an extensive career as an international womenswear designer. I have worked across designer and high-street brands in Hong Kong, New York, Paris and London. I am an inspirational and creative designer and lecturer with strong design vision and business acumen. As a Senior Lecturer at UWL, I have a passion to inspire students to achieve their goals.

Study & career progression

Study & career progression

A woman looking over some clothing on a mannequin

Your course will prepare you for where you want to be – whether it is couture or high street, as an independent maker or part of a global fashion brand.

Once you graduate, you could go on to work as a:

  • fashion, knitwear, print and accessories designer
  • textiles designer – for interiors, automotive, fashion and more
  • materials developer
  • pattern cutter
  • garment technologist
  • stylist
  • trend forecaster
  • buyer
  • visual merchandiser.

Your Fashion and Textiles course also prepares you for further study. If you’d like to go on and specialise in an area of the fashion business you’re really passionate about, you will be ready to take on one of our career-focused Masters degrees for creatives, including:

Please see our postgraduate courses for the full range of courses.

How to apply

How to apply

Search for courses

Student films

Student films

Student work

Elena Guillamon Martin

Elena has always been interested in occasion and bridal wear, and has developed an applique with cord that resembles knots and ropes from sailing boats, and used it to create bodices and occasion wear details.

Fatima Rahim

Fatima's work Abandoned delves into the theme of abandonment through the medium of textiles. With a focus on texture, distressed appearances, fabric manipulation, and decomposition.

Ellie Cumber

Ellie portfolio is a celebration of the joy of festival dressing, based on her recent holiday to the Grand Canyon and the rugged landscape and historical Aztec art indigenous to that area.

Janees Raza

Janees' sustainable collection is based on recycling and reworking denim into contemporary fashion, with a traditional Scottish tartan thrown into the mix, using patchwork and mending.

Donatella Onori

Donatella Onori’s work is based on African tribal wear and Ethiopian military costume, to create embroideries and prints for a contemporary London street vibe.

Mikel Kunze

Incognito by Mikel Kunze is a reaction to the automatic surveillance on London streets, and disguising yourself so that you are incognito.

Maria Jovrea

Maria Jovrea explores the feelings surrounding falling in and out of love, and the heartache and joy of it all.

The catwalk show

Catwalk Show

Gallery of student work

models showcase design
Models showcase students fashion designs
Models showcase students fashion designs
models showcase student fashion designs
models showcase design
Models showcase students fashion designs
Models showcase students fashion designs
models showcase student fashion designs

ARTSFEST

A collage of images demonstrating fashion at the University of West London.

Find out more about the work our students produce and view some of their recent work by visiting our Fashion ARTSFEST page.

Find out more

Important notes for applicants

Disclaimer

*Modern universities - defined as higher education institutions that were granted university status in, and subsequent to, 1992.

**The National Student Survey 2023 and 2024 - Average of answers to all questions by registered student population. Excludes specialist institutions.

Testimonials - our students or former students provided all of our testimonials - often a student from the course but sometimes another student. For example, the testimonial often comes from another UWL student when the course is new.

Optional modules - where optional modules are offered they will run subject to staff availability and viable student numbers opting to take the module.

Videos - all videos on our course pages were accurate at the time of filming. In some cases a new Course Leader has joined the University since the video was filmed.

Availability of placements - if you choose a course with placement/internship route we would like to advise you that if a placement/internship opportunity does not arise when you are expected to undertake the placement then the University will automatically transfer you to the non-internship route, this is to ensure you are still successful in being awarded a degree.