how to apply

Full Time

Recommended course of study:
Five courses each fall and spring
OR
Four courses each fall and spring plus
Two courses each summer semester

Application form. Select the user type “full-time.”
High school or college transcripts
One letter of reference from an employer or teacher
$25 Application Fee (non-refundable)

Optional: portfolio review of fine art and/or sewing examples
Optional: personal interview (if residing within 100 miles of SFD)

Part Time & Continuing Education

Day and/or evening, including summer sessions
 Part-time application form. Select the user type “part-time.”
$25 Application Fee (non-refundable)

GAP YEAR

Beginning in Fall 2026, the School of Fashion Design will be offering a Junior Certificate in Fashion Design for high school graduates seeking a creative gap year experience. 

The SFD Fashion Gap Year consists of six courses taken over the course of nine months, September – May.  Students take three courses per semester.  Fashion Gap Year students have access to the same facilities, professional equipment, expert teaching instruction, and student activities as students in our professional Certificate in Fashion Design program.

International Students

To begin, you will need to create an account here. Before you begin, be sure you have the following documents ready to upload to complete you application.

- Application fee, $25 (payable in your online account)
- A copy of your high school or college transcript
- A letter of reference from an employer, teacher, or family friend
- A copy of your passport
- A copy of a recent bank statement*

*Note: You may submit the bank statement of another individual on your behalf if they are willing to take financial responsibility for you while you are a student at the School of Fashion Design. Included with a copy of their bank statement, the individual must submit a document including their name, address, contact information, relationship to the student, and a statement regarding their commitment of financial support.

Once we receive the above materials, we will review your application. Upon acceptance, the school will issue a form I-20 so you can apply for an M-1 visa to study at the School of Fashion Design. 

International students who are applying for an M1-VISA through The School of Fashion Design are required to take 10 classes per year, typically five in the fall and five in the spring. The cost for tuition is $13,500 per year. Students are required to prepay first-year tuition and fees in full. Students holding an M1-VISA cannot be employed while in the US.

TOEFEL scores are not required to attend; however, instruction at the school is conducted in English and a mastery of the language will be necessary for you to succeed in our program.

Nonimmigrants in the US under a different visa status (F-1 for example) as well as their dependents, may not engage in a full courses of study at The School of Fashion Design but they may elect to take individual courses on a part time basis that are avocational or recreational. 

Helpful Resources:  Resource Library | Study in the States (dhs.gov)

Study in the States: http://studyinthestates.dhs.gov  

Regulations: https://www.ice.gov/sevis/schools 

Tuition and Fees

Full time

$13,350 annually* plus the cost of books and supplies.
Supplies for the first year total approximately $1,400.
*10 Courses per year

Part time

$1,335 per course plus the cost of books and supplies. 
Supplies for the first year total approximately $600.
Students should allot approximately $300 per semester for fabric.

International

$13,350 annually* plus the cost of books and supplies.
Supplies for the first year total approximately $1,400.
*10 Courses per year
Note that international students are required to prepay first year tuition and fees in full.

About our Scholarships

At the School of Fashion Design, we understand pursuing a college education may be a significant undertaking.  At SFD, we are committed to doing everything we can to work with incoming students to ensure everyone who is interested is able to complete our program.   

SFD is a private nonprofit studio arts school, licensed by the Division of Professional Licensure, Office of Proprietary Schools of Massachusetts. SFD is not included under Title IV of the Higher Education Act to receive Federal or State aid. This means we are not able to receive payments from students in the form of Federal or State loans.  

Students are eligible to apply for a scholarship after successfully completing one full semester of study at SFD. Scholarship applications are open in Spring semester. All scholarships are $1,335, the equivalent of the cost of one course. Scholarships are announced at our annual Spring graduation fashion show and applied toward a student’s tuition during the student’s next semester of study at SFD. 

Students may pursue private loans. We encourage you to research private scholarships available to students in your specific community or that fit your unique profile and circumstances. Several websites offer scholarship searches: collegeboard.com, fastweb.com, scholarships.com, studentscholarshipsearch.com 

The School of Fashion Design does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations.

SFD Board of Trustees Scholarship 
This scholarship is funded by our Board of Trustees and is awarded to a student who demonstrates talent and promise, as well as a commitment to SFD. 

SFD Alumni Scholarship 
Through the generosity of our alumni community, this scholarship recognizes a student who demonstrates creativity and technical proficiency in his or her design work. 

Dr. Denise Hammon Scholarship 
Generously endowed by an anonymous donor, this permanently endowed scholarship is awarded to an exemplary student who embodies the SFD mission, is striving to become a leader in the fashion industry and is committed to learning to be their best. Open to students having completed 10 or more courses. 

Daniel Faucher Scholarship 
Generously endowed by an anonymous donor, this permanently endowed scholarship is awarded to a currently enrolled, exemplary student who embodies the SFD mission and is striving toward a career in the fashion industry.  

Jo Somers Bay Village Scholarship 
Jo Somers is a former instructor and SFD Trustee, former long time Bay Village resident, and a celebrated Boston fashion icon who championed local designers. This scholarship, stewarded by friends of Jo and the Bay Village community, honors Jo’s long-standing commitment to SFD.  

Taranto Family Scholarship 
The Taranto scholarship is awarded periodically to a recipient selected for his or her appreciation of the SFD learning process, and demonstrates flexibility, perseverance, and commitment to his or her learning and growth as a student and designer. 

Yolanda Cellucci “Glamour” Scholarship 
This scholarship, established on the shared 90th birthdays of Yolanda and SFD, is awarded to a student dedicated to preserving the craft of couture garment making and who promotes generosity and sense of community at SFD. 

Louise Willus Cushing Memorial Scholarship 
Established by the family and friends of Louise Cushing to honor her legacy as an SFD alumnus and respected former faculty member, this scholarship is awarded to a student dedicated to the SFD community and demonstrating an entrepreneurial ambition to build their own business. 

Teen Fashion Award, Variable Amount
Awarded to a high school senior who has completed SFD’s Pre-College program in fashion design and is now enrolling as a full-time student at SFD with the purpose of accomplishing the Certificate in Fashion Design program. The cost of the Pre-College program is credited toward a student’s tuition at SFD.