Fashion - BDes
Full-time format:
4 Year
Part-time format:
N/A
Requirements:
Grades-Plus
Grade range:
High 70s
Faculty:
The Creative School
Experiential learning:
Internship mandatory
On this page
Is this degree for you?
Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU)’s Fashion degree program is an interdisciplinary degree program that inspires students to reimagine fashion in bold, new ways.
Experiential learning opportunities: Internship mandatory
In response to the rapidly shifting landscape of fashion, you’ll be encouraged to hone your creativity and design thinking skills around inclusive, decolonized, sustainable and accessible perspectives. Through a flexible curriculum, you’ll find experiential learning opportunities and industry collaborations that align with your career aspirations. The program prepares you to become a leader in fashion, locally and globally.
Ranked in:
- Ranked among the Best Colleges That Are Shaping The Future Of Fashion (external link) by Forbes
- Ranked among the world’s top fashion schools (external link) by Business of Fashion
Concentrations:
- Design Leadership
- Fashion Communication
- Fashion Design
- Fashion Studies
- Textile and Material Practices
The following is a preview of first-year courses based on the available current academic undergraduate calendar for this program.
1st Semester
CORE ELECTIVE: One course from Table I (opens in new window)
LIBERAL STUDIES: One course from Table A - Lower Level Liberal Studies (opens in new window)
2nd Semester
CORE ELECTIVE:
Two courses from Table I (opens in new window)
Career possibilities:
- Buyer
- Brand strategist
- Art director
- Fashion designer
- Visual merchandiser
Employer possibilities:
- Aritzia LP
- Harry Rosen Inc.
- Holt Renfrew & Co.
- Lululemon Athletica Inc.
- Roots Corporation
Further education:
- Art history
- Communication
- Cultural studies
- Design
- Fashion (MA)
Mass Exodus attracts over 900 people across 3 runway shows
The School of Fashion’s annual end-of-year show returned with 3 themed runway shows and an immersive exhibition exploring the evolving boundaries of fashion. Featuring 60+ student collections and 40+ projects, Blended showcased the emotional depth, cultural relevance and innovation of graduating designers.
Read more: Mass Exodus 2025 showcases bold visions for the future of Canadian fashion
This is a Grades-Plus program. Admission decisions for Grades-Plus programs are based on academic performance plus non-academic criteria such as interviews, auditions, essays and portfolios. Your ability to follow and adhere to the requirements is part of the assessment of your application.
Academic requirements for full-time, 4-year program
To be considered for admission, Ontario high school students must meet the following requirements:
- Completion of the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD)
- Completion of 6 Grade 12 U or M courses with a minimum overall average of 70%
- Completion of the following required Grade 12 U course with a minimum grade of 70%:
- English/anglais (ENG4U/EAE4U preferred)
- Recommended: art/visual arts and sewing courses, if available.
An overall average of 70% is required for consideration. Due to competition, the average needed for admission can fluctuate each year (it depends on the number of applications received and the number of spaces available). The grade range at the top of this page represents the average required in previous years.
Academic admission requirements for all other applicants are available on the admission requirements page. If you haven’t been educated in Ontario, you may be considered with the equivalent of the Ontario requirements. TMU reserves the right to determine equivalency at its sole discretion.
Questions? Contact fashion.admission@torontomu.ca with questions about the portfolio.
Fall 2026 non-academic requirement due date:
February 1, 2026 or 10 business days from your application submission date, whichever comes later.
Winter 2026 non-academic requirement due date:
August 1, 2025 or 10 business days from your application submission date, whichever comes later. SlideRoom (external link) will open and be available for you to submit your non-academic requirements in late April 2025.
The portfolio is an essential part of your application and it represents an opportunity to display your creativity, exploratory research and technical skills. It's the place to showcase your concepts and critical thinking and express your interest in Fashion. Your portfolio contains a combination of visual and written work, including both process and finished pieces.
The 4 portfolio pieces:
Submit 4 finished pieces of your best creative work or samples of writing that display your skills and interest in Fashion. We really want to see how your ideas develop so you're encouraged to also submit process work along with the finished pieces to demonstrate the evolution of your ideas. Be sure to label your process work accordingly.
Your process may be demonstrated through:
- Sketching multiple concepts
- Material exploration
- Photos of work in progress
- Credited images of inspiration
- Notes and related research
Portfolio content options
Some suggested portfolio items are listed below, but you may also choose to submit work that's not listed here. We suggest choosing multiple categories to represent your skills and creativity. If you choose to submit multiple items from the same category, show us different skills.
Clothing and accessories
- Sewn garment: From a commercial pattern or your original design
- Creative reuse: Upcycled garment or accessory
Notes: Display on a dress form or body. Photograph front, back and detail views. Include a short description.
Graphic design
- Branding: Design a logo and advertisement using your original imagery and text
- Social media campaign: Promote an idea through a social platform of your choice. Include graphics and a written description of your strategy
Fine art
- Traditional art media: Painting, printmaking, sculpture, etc.
- Illustration/drawing: Fashion figure and garment design, accessory or product illustration
- Photography: Abstract, editorial or product-focused
Accessory or textile design
- Accessory design: An illustration, computer rendering or photographs of a physical prototype of your design for jewellery, hat, purse, etc. Include a short description along with images showing the overall design and details
- Textile design: Your original block print, digital design, weaving, embroidery etc. Include a short description along with sketches, prints or photographs showing the overall design and details
Writing
- Academic writing: An essay demonstrating your skills in research and writing
- Creative writing: An example of fiction, non-fiction or poetry
- Fashion journalism: An article you’ve written for a blog, print etc.
Fashion business
- New business or product idea: Include a one to 2 page description and concept sketches or photos
- Marketing plan for a fashion brand: Include a one to 2 page description and concept sketches or photos
Fashion event
- Describe your role or contribution to a Fashion event that you planned, coordinated, or participated in. Include a one to 2 page description plus photographs and other related materials
Your own choice
- The categories listed above are just suggestions. You're welcome to submit any work that represents your skills and creativity!
Drawing upon your personal experiences, tell us about:
- Your interest in Fashion
- Why you want to pursue a Bachelor of Design in Fashion
Please consider an important issue affecting Fashion and its potential solutions, such as:
- Cultural appropriation
- Diversity and inclusion
- Fashion activism
- Sustainability
- Or any other issue of your choice
Submission requirements:
- 500 word essay
- All work must be your own
- Visual work should be carefully photographed or scanned and prepared
- Written work should be carefully proofread
- Portfolio submissions will be assessed on their originality, creativity, level of complexity, technical proficiency and neatness
- Non-academic requirements including portfolios are only accepted online. No physical submissions will be accepted
- Ensure that all guidelines have been followed
- Only complete submissions will be accepted and reviewed
- You will not be permitted to re-submit missing or incomplete work
Your non-academic submission will be retained by the School of Fashion for the purpose of verifying authenticity. There will be no exceptions to this policy. Upon admission and registration in the program, if any element of the portfolio or statement of intent is found to be plagiarized (not wholly your own), your admission/registration in the program will be cancelled.
The non-academic requirements assessment fee is $50 CAD and must be paid in order for your submission to be reviewed. Here’s how to pay:
-
Access your ChooseTMU Applicant Portal account (instructions to access the portal can be found below under Submission Instructions).
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Click on the button to link to the eForms Centre.
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Next, click on the eForms Center tile.
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Then click on the Non-Academic Fee Form link.
Don't submit non-academic material until after you have submitted your application for admission. You'll receive an email acknowledgement of your application that will include your TMU Student Number. Please include your TMU Student Number on all materials you submit.
You're required to submit your portfolio and statement of intent via SlideRoom.
Go to SlideRoom (external link) and create an account (or sign in if you already have one).
File preparation
SlideRoom recommends:
- 1024x1024 px at 72 ppi is a good standard to use as a general guideline for browser based-viewing
- Images larger than 1280x1280 at 72 ppi will be resized in SlideRoom
- Images (up to 10MB each)
- Video (up to 500MB each)
- Audio (up to 60MB each)
- PDFs (up to 20MB each)
- You may also link to media from YouTube, Vimeo and SoundCloud
- Use PDFs where possible for multi-page documents
- Process work is recommended as a multi-page PDF
- PNGs are great for preserving the quality of your work
- Don't submit working files (.ai, .psd, .indd, .docx)
Submission instructions:
Use the following file naming label format for your portfolio pieces and process work in order to clearly identify which pieces belong together.
Portfolio pieces label format:
Use the following format for labelling your pieces:
- Portfolio_Piece1*_TMU Student Number
For additional uploads related to the same portfolio piece:
- Portfolio_Piece1a_TMU Student Number
- Portfolio_Piece1b_TMU Student Number
*Replace the number for each piece (2, 3, 4)
Process work label format:
Use the following format for labelling your process work:
- Process_1*_TMU Student Number
For additional uploads related to the same process work:
- Process_1a_TMU Student Number
- Process_1b_TMU Student Number
*Replace the number for each piece (2, 3, 4)
Continue to review your ChooseTMU Applicant Portal account for updates about your application.
If you're applying for readmission or reinstatement, you're not required to submit non-academic requirements. You must inform the program department of your intentions.
Email fashion.admission@torontomu.ca by February 1, 2026, or 10 business days from your application submission date (whichever comes later).
Tuition and fees range 2025-2026
For detailed fees info, visit tuition and fees by program and costs to expect.
Full-time format:
Ontario: $7,353 - $7,846
Out-of-province: $8,892 - $9,414
International: $36,845 - $37,265
Over $20M across all levels of study
We award more than $20M in awards, scholarships and bursaries throughout all years of study.
Find scholarships for you.
Explore financial assistance
Learn more about government financial aid programs like OSAP, out-of-province student loans and U.S. student loans.
Apply for financial assistance.
“Fashion at The Creative School, Toronto Metropolitan University, is thrilled to collaborate on Project Runway Canada, an exciting initiative that supports the development, visibility and long-term success of fashion in Canada. As the country’s leading fashion school, we’re proud to contribute our expertise and facilities in downtown Toronto to help spotlight Canadian talent and strengthen the creative industries."
- Joseph Medaglia, Chair, Fashion at The Creative School
Creativity is the catalyst for building the future — driving insights, inspiring learning and expanding what’s possible. At The Creative School at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU), creativity is at the heart of every experience. With unique programs, global partnerships and practical experience in the heart of Toronto, you’ll evolve your craft. You’ll graduate ready for an impactful, fulfilling career.
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Disclaimer:
While every effort is made to ensure accuracy on this site, in the event of a discrepancy, TMU's current Undergraduate Calendar is the official reference.