Fashion colleges in USA

Article prepared by : Sumit Saurabh director : Desizn Circle International

College	Degree (UG Fashion)	Location	Tuition / year (latest published)
Parsons (The New School)	BFA (Fashion Design)	New York City, NY	$30,120 per semester (12–18 credits) ≈ $60,240/year (newschool.edu)
FIT (SUNY)	AAS (Fashion Design) + options to continue to BS	New York City, NY	Out-of-state: AAS $8,235/semester; Baccalaureate $10,846/semester (Fashion Institute of Technology)
RISD	BFA (Apparel Design)	Providence, RI	$63,966/year (tuition) (sfs.risd.edu)
Pratt Institute	BFA (Fashion Design)	Brooklyn, NY	$62,214/year (12–18 credits) (pratt.edu)
SCAD	BFA (Fashion)	Savannah/Atlanta + more	$42,165/year (3 quarters) (SCAD.edu)
CCA (California College of the Arts)	BFA (Fashion Design)	San Francisco, CA	$61,776/year (academic year 2026–27) (CCA)
Drexel (Westphal)	BS (Fashion Design)	Philadelphia, PA	$61,842/year (tuition; 3 terms) (Drexel University)
University of Cincinnati (DAAP)	BS (Fashion Design)	Cincinnati, OH	Out-of-state: about $29,310/year (full-time year) (University of Cincinnati)
the fee structure might change every year

Detailed list

1) Parsons School of Design (The New School)

Location: New York City, NY Degree: BFA (Fashion Design) (plus other related majors)Fees (tuition): Full-time undergraduate (Parsons) $30,120 per semester (12–18 credits)

Admissions process (UG):

• Apply via Common App

• Portfolio required for BFA programs

• Parsons also requires two Parsons-specific essays (Common App personal essay not required per their page)

  
  

Portfolio requirement (key points):

• 8–12 slides (freshman BFA); can include drawing/painting/sculpture/fashion/sketchbooks, etc.

• Short written process descriptions required for at least 2 favorite pieces

• They explicitly caution about AI-generated work and require process disclosure if used

  
  

Scholarships / aid process (how it works):

• Parsons routes you to The New School’s aid systems; you’ll typically apply for institutional + external support (their tuition pages point you into their billing/aid workflow).

• 
  

Top alumni :

• Donna Karan, Marc Jacobs (featured by Parsons)

Course style (what you’ll do):

• High concept + NYC industry exposure; strong emphasis on experimentation + fashion systems + storytelling (and a portfolio culture that rewards process work).

2) Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), SUNY

Location: New York City, NYDegrees: Common pathway is AAS → then BS (depending on major/department).Fees (tuition):

• Full-time (Fall/Spring) AAS out-of-state: $8,235/semester 

• Baccalaureate out-of-state: $10,846/semester 

  
  

Admissions process:

• FIT has standard admissions + some programs require additional steps; FIT also notes a tuition deposit for new matriculating students.

  
  

Scholarships / aid process:

• FIT financial aid uses FAFSA; NY residents may also use TAP; they mention Excelsior timing on their aid page.

  
  

Top alumni (examples):

• FIT’s own list includes Calvin Klein, Michael Kors, Nina Garcia, Norma Kamali 

  
  

Course style (typical FIT vibe):

• More “industry-professional” and technical; strong fashion business ecosystem in NYC, with specialized tracks (design, textiles, merchandising, etc.). (Use FIT department pages when you shortlist a specific major.)

3) Rhode Island School of Design (RISD)

Location: Providence, Rhode IslandDegree: BFA (Apparel Design)Fees (tuition): $63,966/year (2025–26 tuition)

Admissions + portfolio:

• RISD is portfolio-centric (RISD uses a formal admissions workflow; you’ll submit a substantial creative portfolio—generally 12–20 pieces is the common RISD range used in their applicant guidance, and they strongly value drawing + observation + experimentation).

  
  

Scholarships / aid process:

• RISD offers institutional aid for domestic + international students; their page says you access the financial aid application after submitting your admissions application (same portal).

  
  

Top alumni (examples):

• Nicole Miller (RISD-trained; also confirmed by CFDA)

• Wikipedia also lists fashion alumni like Jill Stuart, Nicole Miller 

  
  

Course style:

• Strong studio foundation + conceptual rigor + craft; excellent if your portfolio is process-heavy (sketchbooks, material studies, draping experiments, iterative collections).

• 

  
  

4) Pratt Institute

Location: Brooklyn, New YorkDegree: BFA (Fashion Design)Fees (tuition): $62,214/year (12–18 credits)

Admissions + portfolio:

• Pratt visual portfolio: 10–15 pieces (recent work), organized clearly; observation drawing recommended.

• 
  

Course details highlight:

• Pratt’s Fashion BFA includes required internship credit and cites placements at major designers/brands.

  
  

Scholarships / aid:

• Need-based aid: FAFSA required (international students not eligible for need-based per Pratt).

• International merit scholarships: automatic consideration (no separate application required).

  
  

Top alumni (examples):

• Wikipedia lists fashion alumni such as Betsey Johnson, Jeremy Scott, Norman Norell 

5) Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD)

Locations: Savannah + Atlanta + online options (and others)Degree: BFA (Fashion)

Fees (tuition): $42,165/year (full-time, 3 quarters)

Admissions + portfolio:

• Portfolio not required for undergraduate admission, but strongly encouraged for scholarships.

• Portfolio guideline: you may submit 10–20 pieces across visual art/design media.

Scholarships / aid:

• SCAD explicitly positions portfolio submission as a scholarship lever for undergrads.

Course style:

• Career-driven studio pipeline + runway/showcase culture + big production value; good if you want structured portfolio-building and frequent critique cycles.

6) California College of the Arts (CCA)

Location: San Francisco, CaliforniaDegree: BFA (Fashion Design)

Fees (tuition): $61,776/year (academic year 2026–27)

Admissions + portfolio:

• Portfolio via SlideRoom is required:

  • First-year: 10–15 images

  • Transfer: 15–20 images 

Scholarships / aid:

• CCA financial aid page: apply using FAFSA (or CADAA for eligible CA residents).

Course style:

• Explicit emphasis on fashion + technology + material innovation and interdisciplinary thinking (Bay Area context).

7) Drexel University (Westphal College of Media Arts & Design)

Location: Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaDegree: BS (Fashion Design)

Fees (tuition): $61,842/year (tuition; 3 terms)

Admissions + portfolio:

• Drexel states Fashion Design requires a portfolio for admission (in their first-year instructions).

Course structure highlight:

• Program includes co-op structure options (Drexel is known for co-op; the Fashion Design listing shows co-op option and required credits).

  
  

8) University of Cincinnati (DAAP)

Location: Cincinnati, OhioDegree: BS (Fashion Design)

Fees (tuition): UC cost page shows ~$29,310/year out-of-state (full-time year, Uptown/Clifton cohort table).

Admissions + portfolio:

• DAAP curriculum page notes: effective Fall 2025, first-year applicants can no longer submit an optional portfolio in undergrad admissions.

Course style:

• DAAP emphasizes facilities + advanced tech + industry preparation + (often) experiential learning culture.

  
  

What “a strong fashion UG portfolio” usually looks like (wins across most schools)

Use this as your universal structure (then adjust to each school’s count/format):

• Observation drawing (figure/objects/interiors): 3–6 strong pieces

• Material + texture studies (fabric manipulation, smocking, pleats, surface design)

• Fashion thinking: silhouettes, proportion explorations, mini-collections, styling concepts

• Process pages: ideation → trials → failed attempts → final (schools love process)

• Construction evidence: patterns, drapes, toile/muslin tests, seam samples

• 1–2 “wild cards”: photography, sculpture, mixed media, set design—if it supports your voice

• Clear captions: concept + medium + what you learned (Parsons explicitly asks for process descriptions).

Portfolio Expectations (Quick Sheet)

College	Portfolio Size	What They Look For
Parsons	8–12	Process, concept, originality
RISD	12–20	Drawing, material exploration, thinking
Pratt	10–15	Observation, construction, design
SCAD	Optional (10–20 for scholarships)	Creativity, skill range
CCA	10–15	Experimentation + sustainability
Drexel	Varies	Design thinking + readiness
FIT	Program-specific	Technical & fashion fundamentals
UC DAAP	Not required	Academics + interest