Fashion schools are known to be among the most expensive educational institutions, with high tuition fees and limited scholarship opportunities. A typical fee for a fashion design course can reach up to USD 28,000 annually.
However, some countries in the world provide free education to their students, and in some cases, to international students as well. The public universities of the Czech Republic, Germany, Austria, Iceland, Norway, and Finland are sponsored by their respective governments. Generally, courses offered in English are not sponsored and thus have a fee, but courses offered in their official languages often have no tuition. All students are required to pay a registration fee, which usually costs no more than 500 USD per semester.
Most of the tuition-free schools in the mentioned countries that offer fashion courses are public Art & Design schools, which are small to medium-sized institutions. Solely fashion-based schools are typically private and not funded by the government, thus having higher tuition fees.
The Berlin University of the Arts is the largest and one of the most diverse art schools in Europe, with 3,500 students. The Faculty of Design offers Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Fashion Design & Product Design. The Bachelor of Arts (Design) program consists of 8 semesters. The first semester is a foundation course, after which students choose to focus on either fashion or product design.
The university charges no tuition fee but requires a registration fee of 300 Euros (approximately USD 365) per semester, which includes registration and a semester ticket for cheaper public transport. This applies to both EU citizens and international students. However, the language of instruction is German. Every year, DAAD awards 1,000 Euros to one international student for academic excellence.
With over 300 years of history, the university presents around 600 art events annually, making it an integral part of Berlin’s cultural scene. The campus offers a University Library and a Concert Hall Box.
Founded in 1856, the Oslo National Academy of the Arts has over 550 students and offers 24 study programs in Design, Art & Craft, Fine Arts, Dance, Opera & Theatre. The Design department offers a three-year Bachelor’s and two-year Master’s degree in Fashion Design & Costume Design. However, the program is taught in Norwegian.
The institution does not charge tuition fees, but students are required to pay NOK 600 (approximately 69 USD) every semester as a semester fee. Note that Norway is an expensive country to live in, and you will need to show sufficient financial support to obtain a student visa.
It is one of only two institutions in Norway offering design & visual arts programs. The art & design department of the institution is ranked 51-100 in the world by QS World University Rankings.
3. AALTO UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF ARTS, DESIGN AND ARCHITECTURE
Aalto University School of Arts, Design & Architecture is the largest art university in the Nordic region, with over 11,000 full-time students. It was ranked 9th worldwide in 2018 for its design subject by QS World University Rankings. The campus is located in Espoo, 10 minutes away from Helsinki.
It offers an integrated (3 + 2 years) Bachelor’s & Master’s degree in Fashion & Design. Programs offered in Swedish & Finnish have no tuition fee. Programs offered in English cost 12,000 – 15,000 Euros per year for non-EU students. Numerous scholarship programs are available for non-EU students, covering 50% – 100% of the tuition fee. Admissions are based on interviews and preliminary & intake assignments provided by the university.
The university has partnerships with Helsinki Design Week and other fashion events across Europe. Students can also opt for an exchange semester at one of the partner universities worldwide.
Häme University of Applied Sciences is a public university situated in southern Finland. It has 7,800 students and 670 faculty members. International students from 70 different countries make up 7% of the total student population.
The university offers a 4-year Bachelor of Arts in Intelligent & Sustainable Design. Students can choose to specialize in clothing, footwear, textile skills, smart design, and sustainable design. No tuition fee is charged for programs taught in Finnish, regardless of nationality.
HAMK has 7 campuses in total, located 10km to 100km from each other, and it is quite easy to find accommodation near the university. All campuses provide medical and library facilities.
5. BURG GIEBICHENSTEIN UNIVERSITY OF ART AND DESIGN
BURG is the second-largest art university in Germany, with over 1,000 students, more than 20 programs offered, and three campuses. It offers a four-year Bachelor of Arts in Fashion Design & Textile Design and a one-year Master’s in Conceptual Fashion Design & Textile Design. All of its courses are in BA/MA format. The university does not charge tuition fees and offers all its courses in German.
The campus is diverse, with 15% of the student population being international. Students have opportunities for international exposure through the university’s 53 partner institutions worldwide.
At the end of each academic year in July, public exhibitions are conducted for a week to showcase student work. Fashion students present their collections at the gala fashion show.
6. ACADEMY OF ARTS, ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN IN PRAGUE
The Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design offers Bachelor’s, Master’s, integrated Bachelor’s & Master’s programs, and Doctoral studies. Some of its courses include Fashion Design, Fashion & Footwear Design, and Textile Design.
Each year, the school organizes 15 exhibitions, and twice a year, it opens to the public for student presentations. The university is ranked in the top 20 in the country and, according to QS World University Rankings, is among the top 51-100 art schools in the world. UMPRUM is a small-sized university with 1,000 students, including 60 international students. The acceptance rate of the university is low, at about 10-25%. The university charges no tuition fee for programs carried out in Czech.
Students also have opportunities to participate in international events in Milan, Berlin, Brussels & London. AAAD also provides dormitory facilities starting from 4,800 CZK (approximately 222 USD).
Founded in 1998, the Iceland University of the Arts provides university-level degrees exclusively in the arts. It offers a three-year Bachelor’s in Fashion Design & Product Design and a two-year Master’s in Design. Most courses are offered in English. It is a small university with 440 students and 89 staff members.
The university charges tuition fees, but they are very low compared to those in countries like the USA, UK & Australia. Students are required to pay ISK 288,167 (approximately USD 2,500) per semester for a BA course and ISK 445,578 (approximately USD 3,500) per semester for an MA course.
Distance learning is also available through the Open Academy of the Arts, offered by all faculties. Students have the option of taking courses with or without credits. The fee for distance learning courses with credits is ISK 20,400 (approximately USD 160) and without credits is ISK 15,250 (approximately USD 120).
TUL is one of the top universities in the Czech Republic. It has seven faculties and over 9,000 students. The Faculty of Textiles offers courses such as Textile and Clothing Design, Jewelry Design, and Design and Creation of Textiles. Admission to some programs is based on high school results, while others require an entrance exam.
The university is funded by the Czech government and has no tuition fee for programs carried out in Czech. The Bachelor in Design program taught in English costs USD 3,000 per academic year. Scholarships are also available for international students.
The university provides accommodation starting from 100 Euro/Month and has an impressive campus with sports, leisure & shopping facilities.
The Technical College of Iceland, also known as Technical College Reykjavik, is an upper secondary school with 8 sub-schools and 50 study programs. The School of Design and Handicraft offers 3-4 year study programs in Dressmaking and Tailoring & Design and Innovation.
All courses are offered in Icelandic, and the registration fee is ISK 25,200 (approximately USD 197) per semester. The institution charges no tuition fee. It also has a program ‘Icelandic as a second language’ for international students to learn the language.
Although the college was founded in 2008, its history dates back to 1891. In 2008, 4 major vocational institutions in Iceland merged to form one large college. The campus is spread out across Reykjavik. The student council hosts events such as dances, trips & cozy evenings to promote a healthy social life.
The University of Applied Arts, also known as Die Angewandte, offers Diploma, Bachelor’s, Master’s, Ph.D., and Postgraduate courses in architecture, art & design. The school offers an 8-semester Diploma course in Fashion Design. Admission to the program requires a portfolio submission & an entrance exam.
Design courses are offered in German. The tuition fee depends on one’s nationality:
EU/EEA or Swiss nationality: EUR 383 (approximately USD 467) tuition fee + EUR 20 (approximately USD 24) student union fee per semester.
Nationalities mentioned in Appendix 3 of the Regulations of Tuition Fees (mostly African, Asian & Caribbean): EUR 20 (approximately USD 24) per semester.
Other nationalities: EUR 746 (approximately USD 910) per semester.
The school provides modern sewing studios, knitting studios, design studios & personal work areas for every student. At the end of the academic year in June, the school organizes Austria’s most popular fashion show, where students showcase their collections.
Is it possible to get a fully funded scholarship into a fashion and design school in Germany?
Blessing
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Johnson chuku queen Nnennaya
Thanks for this wonderful information. sir, am from Nigeria. And am into fashion and design, presently I have my own fashion design school but I want to know more about fashion that is why I want to travel and study more about fashion. But I need a school with low Fee’s also the school that will enable me to work as I’m studying.
Oshobukola Victoria
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Balikiss
Is it possible to get a fully funded scholarship into a fashion and design school in Germany?
Blessing
Less expensive fashion schools free free tuition
Johnson chuku queen Nnennaya
Thanks for this wonderful information. sir, am from Nigeria. And am into fashion and design, presently I have my own fashion design school but I want to know more about fashion that is why I want to travel and study more about fashion. But I need a school with low Fee’s also the school that will enable me to work as I’m studying.