Fashion and design is the art of applying design, aesthetics, clothing construction and natural beauty to clothing and its accessories. It is influenced by culture and different trends, and has varied over time and place.
Fashion helps the economy grow and is the second-largest worldwide economic activity for trade; it also can be a means for artists and designers to tell a story through their designs.
Qualifications you could obtain in fashion and design include:
- Bachelor of Technology in Fashion
- Bachelor of Science in Textile Science
- Diplomas in Textile Technology
- Diploma in Clothing Management
- Advanced and/or Post Graduate Diploma in Apparel Technology
With these qualifications, potential career avenues in the Fashion and Textile industries can lead to a Clothing Technologist, Fashion Designer, Colour Technologist, and Textile Designer.
If you're pursuing Fashion and Design as a career and are in need of financial aid for tertiary education, here are a few bursaries for you to consider:
FEDISA Fashion School Bursary
FEDISA is a private higher education institution, registered with the Department of Higher Education and Training in South Africa.
The fashion school currently offers 3 types of qualifications, namely:
- Diploma in Fashion Merchandising
- Marketing and Media (NQF Level 6)
- Bachelor of Arts in Fashion degree (NQF Level 7)
- Bachelor of Arts Honours: Fashion degree (NQF Level 8)
FEDISA Fashion School are inviting students to apply for their Future Vision Bursary. There will be two undergraduate bursaries awarded for undergraduate studies at the FEDISA Fashion Schools in Cape Town or Sandton.
Students who are interested in pursuing a career in the world of fashion, should apply for the FEDISA bursary, which covers these 2 qualifications:
1) Diploma in Fashion Merchandising, Marketing and Media – an NQF6, worth 360 credit, for 3 years of full time studies.
The programme contains 4 major non-elective courses:
- Fashion Buying & Sourcing
- Fashion Theory
- Visual Merchandising
- Marketing & Media
- Fashion Retail Management
2) Bachelor of Arts in Fashion – an NQF7, worth 360 credit, for 3 years of full time studies.
The programme contains 4 major courses:
- Clothing Technology
- Lifestyle Studies
- Visual Studies
- Business Studies, each with sub-components. It includes a 3-week cycle of practical components and weekly rotated theoretical components.
The bursary will provide cover for part of tuition fees only; all other expenses will be for students own account (including registration fees, books, kits, resources levies, consumables, transport, accommodation and living expenses).
Applicants must satisfy the minimum entry criteria before applying. Eligibility requirements are as follows:
- Must be a South African citizen and resident
- Must have completed Matric OR be currently in Matric
- Must have achieved/ will achieve a Bachelor pass or a Diploma pass in Matric
- Must be interested in following a career in fashion (fashion designer/ fashion buyer/ fashion stylist/ fashion editor etc)
- Must meet the entrance criteria for the BA Degree in Fashion Design/ Diploma in Fashion Merchandising, Marketing and Media at FEDISA
- Must be fluent in English (all courses will be taught in English only)
The Foschini Group Bursary
The Foschini Group (TFG) is a South African clothing retail company based in over 3,000 locations in 34 countries throughout Africa, Australia and the United Kingdom.
The Foschini Group has partnered with FEDISA to offer deserving students a 3 year bursary programme.
FEDISA is the only Western Cape based tertiary institution that offers the fully accredited and registered and BA: Fashion and the BA Honours: Fashion Degrees. Other than the BA Degree programmes, FEDISA also offers a 3-year Diploma qualification in Fashion Merchandising, Marketing and Media.
Bursaries will be awarded to students who wish to pursue a career in the fashion industry.
The bursary will cover expenses such as tuition fees, prescribed textbooks, design kits, an overlocker, sewing machine, accommodation, and others.
Applicants must satisfy the minimum entry criteria before applying. Eligibility requirements include:
- Must be a South African citizen
- Must have a strong academic record
- Must have completed Mathematics, Arts and Design in Matric
- Must be able to start studies in January of the upcoming year
- Must be business minded
- Must be creative and have a love for fashion
*Preference will be given to students from designated groups (per the Employment Equity Act).
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS)
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) is a government bursary fund for South African students. NSFAS application and registration typically opens in the latter part of the year for students, with the closing date usually being in the next calendar year.
NSFAS awards bursaries to students from poor and working class backgrounds, which goes beyond just paying for your fees.
The scheme also pays for your registration, accommodation, transport and books, which are distributed on a monthly basis through NSFAS allowances.
NSFAS funds most undergraduate courses, but stopped funding postgraduate courses in 2021.
The most important requirement is that your household income should come to R350 000 or less per year. This means that if you add up everyone’s salaries in your house for the year and it comes to over R350 000, you won’t qualify.
Here's who can apply for funding from NSFAS:
- All South African citizens
- All Sassa grant recipients qualify for funding
- Applicants whose combined household income is not more than R350 000 per annum
- Person with disability: Combined household income must not be more than R600 000 per annum
- Students who started studying before 2018 whose household income is not more than R122 000 per annum.
Truworths Bursary
Truworths is a South African clothing retailer, which is awarding bursaries to students who are studying in fields related to (and wish to pursue a career in) the fashion and retail industry.
Bursaries will be awarded within the following fields of study:
- Fashion/ Textile Design
- Clothing Production
- Retail Management
- Commerce
- Finance
- IT
- Logistics
- Consumer Science
Applicants must satisfy the minimum entry criteria before applying. Eligibility requirements include:
- Must be a South African citizen
- Must have completed Matric
- Must be studying within one of the aforementioned fields of study (degree or national diploma qualification)
- Must be studying at a recognised tertiary institution
- Must have a good academic record
*Preference will be given to students with disabilities, as well as previously disadvantaged students in 2nd or 3rd year of study.
Cape Wools SA Bursary
Cape Wools SA (CWSA) is currently the South African Wool Industry’s official industry representative organisation.
CWSA, with support from the Wool Trust, established the Wool Industry Bursary Trust, with the aim of providing bursaries to deserving candidates, so they may further their studies within the field.
Cape Wools SA is inviting students to apply for the bursary funding, through the Wool Industry Bursary Trust, for studies towards Textile or Fashion Design and within the Wool Industry, in the wool or sheep direction.
Applicants must satisfy the following minimum entry criteria before applying. Eligibility requirements include:
- You must be a South African citizen
- You must be studying or intend on studying towards a qualification in the direction of Textile or fashion design, with a focus on wool
- You must must meet all the admission requirements of the institution
- Your final year collection must contain garments made of at least 50% wool
- Masters degree students: you must focus on wool and its applications
- Preference will be given to students pursuing studies at an Agricultural College AND tertiary students pursuing fashion and textile design studies
- Preference will be given to students in their 3rd year of study and onward (Honours/ Masters/ PHD) in a wool or sheep focused direction
- You must read and agree to all of the terms and conditions on the application form
