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How to become a Fashion & Jewellery Designer

Designs clothing, accessories and jewellery, from concept to finished product.

What does a Fashion & Jewellery Designer actually do?

More about this career

Turns ideas into clothing, accessories or jewellery – sketching, pattern-making, choosing materials and managing production – for clothing brands, retailers, manufacturers or their own label. Fashion production courses lean towards the manufacturing side; design courses lean towards creative concept work. A portfolio or interview is common.

Where this degree can take you

  • Pattern Maker
  • Fashion Buyer
  • Jeweller
  • Costume Designer

This is our general description of the role and related jobs, not from an official source – it’s here to give you a fuller picture, not as a careers-counselling guarantee.

Not from an official source

Subjects that usually help

  • Visual Arts or Design (helpful)
  • Consumer Studies (helpful)

This is our general guidance about which school subjects suit this career. It is not an admission requirement and not from an official source – the real requirements are on the degrees below.

Not from an official source

Where to check this yourself

What the programmes we’ve captured actually ask for

  • Mathematics – asked for by 7 of 11 programmes
  • Mathematical Literacy – asked for by 7 of 11 programmes
  • Technical Mathematics – asked for by 2 of 11 programmes
  • Accounting – asked for by 1 of 11 programmes

Counted from the requirements below (an “or” alternative counts for each subject named). Each programme links to the page it came from.

Programmes that lead here

11 programmes at 6 universities. More are added as we verify them.

Durban University of Technology

No cut-off publishedSelection programme

Diploma in Fashion Design

Arts & Design

No points cut-off published for this one – see the note below.

  • English: level 3 (40% or more)
  • Four more subjects – Three 20-credit subjects at level 3 (not more than one language) plus one recognised subject at level 3.
  • Portfolio, entrance test and interview – Short-listed applicants submit about 10 fashion/art work items, write an entrance test and are interviewed.

New row, read directly from DUT’s 2027 Study Opportunities prospectus (dut-pass-3). DUT says a minimum of 20 points or more is recommended; Mathematical Literacy and Visual Arts or Engineering Graphics and Design are recommended subjects. Closes 30 September 2026. From DUT’s 2027 Study Opportunities prospectus. Applications go through the CAO (cao.ac.za), not directly to DUT; general closing date 30 September 2026 (fee R250 SA / R300 international).

Source: View the official page (dut.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

No cut-off publishedSelection programme

Diploma in Jewellery Design and Manufacture

Arts & Design · 3 years

No points cut-off published for this one – see the note below.

  • English: level 3 if it is your Home Language, level 3 if it is your First Additional Language
  • Four more subjects – Four 20-credit subjects at level 3 (not more than one language).
  • Portfolio, test and interview – Portfolio, selection test and personal interview (held around November/December 2026).

New row, read directly from DUT’s 2027 Study Opportunities prospectus (dut-pass-3). CAO code DUCID3. Closes 30 September 2026. From DUT’s 2027 Study Opportunities prospectus. Applications go through the CAO (cao.ac.za), not directly to DUT; general closing date 30 September 2026 (fee R250 SA / R300 international).

Source: View the official page (dut.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

Tshwane University of Technology

Selection programme

Diploma in Fashion Design and Technology

Arts & Design · 3 years

TUT APS 20 points

  • English: level 3 (40% or more)

New row, read directly from TUT’s 2026 faculty prospectus (tut-pass-3). Creative programmes at TUT may add a portfolio or interview - check the department. Closes 31 July 2026 (TUT First-Year Course Information).

Source: View the official page (tut.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

Selection programme

Diploma in Jewellery Design and Manufacture

Arts & Design · 3 years

TUT APS 20 points

  • English: level 3 (40% or more)

New row, read directly from TUT’s 2026 faculty prospectus (tut-pass-3). Creative programmes at TUT may add a portfolio or interview - check the department. Closes 31 July 2026 (TUT First-Year Course Information).

Source: View the official page (tut.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

University of Johannesburg

BA (Fashion Design)

Art, Design and Architecture · 3 years

UJ APS 25 points

  • English: level 5 if it is your Home Language, level 5 if it is your First Additional Language
  • Mathematics: level 4 (50% or more) OR Mathematical Literacy: level 5 (60% or more)

Read from the 2027 UJ Undergraduate Prospectus, page 33, programme code B8FD1Q. APS 25 with Mathematics, 26 with Mathematical Literacy; Technical Mathematics not accepted.

Source: View the official page (uj.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

Diploma in Fashion Production

Art, Design and Architecture · 3 years

UJ APS 22 points

  • English: level 5 if it is your Home Language, level 5 if it is your First Additional Language
  • Mathematics: level 3 (40% or more) OR Mathematical Literacy: level 4 (50% or more)

Read from the 2027 UJ Undergraduate Prospectus, page 34, programme code D8FP1Q. APS 22 with Mathematics, 23 with Mathematical Literacy; Technical Mathematics not accepted.

Source: View the official page (uj.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

Diploma in Jewellery Design and Manufacture

Art, Design and Architecture · 3 years

UJ APS 20 points

  • English: level 5 if it is your Home Language, level 5 if it is your First Additional Language
  • Mathematics: level 3 (40% or more) OR Technical Mathematics: level 5 (60% or more) OR Mathematical Literacy: level 4 (50% or more)

Read from the 2027 UJ Undergraduate Prospectus, page 34, programme code D8JD1Q. APS 20 with Mathematics, 21 with Mathematical Literacy, 22 with Technical Mathematics.

Source: View the official page (uj.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

University of South Africa

No cut-off published

Bachelor of Consumer Science Fashion Retail Management

Human Sciences

No points cut-off published for this one – see the note below.

  • English: 50%
  • Mathematics: 40% OR Mathematical Literacy: 60%

Read 2026-10-04 from Unisa’s own qualification page (code 98005 – FAR). NSC with Bachelor’s Degree endorsement (or equivalent). Unisa states percentages, not an APS, on this page. Confirmed current for the 2027 intake: Unisa’s own pages state its 2027 application window as 17 August - 9 October 2026.

Source: View the official page (unisa.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

No cut-off published

Bachelor of Consumer Science Fashion Small–Business Management

Human Sciences

No points cut-off published for this one – see the note below.

  • English: 50%
  • Mathematics: 40% OR Mathematical Literacy: 60%

Read 2026-10-04 from Unisa’s own qualification page (code 98005 – FSB). NSC with Bachelor’s Degree endorsement (or equivalent). Unisa states percentages, not an APS, on this page. Confirmed current for the 2027 intake: Unisa’s own pages state its 2027 application window as 17 August - 9 October 2026.

Source: View the official page (unisa.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

Vaal University of Technology

Selection programme

Diploma in Fashion

Human Sciences · 3 years

VUT APS 21 points

  • English: level 4 (50% or more)
  • Mathematics: 30% OR Technical Mathematics: 30% OR Mathematical Literacy: 40%
  • Interview and portfolio – A practical interview and portfolio submission are an additional compulsory selection criterion.

Read 2026-10-04 from the VUT 2027 Undergraduate Minimum Admission Requirements poster (page images). APS 21 with Mathematics or Technical Mathematics, 22 with Mathematical Literacy. Shared admission table with Photography, Graphic Design and Fine Art. From VUT’s 2027 Undergraduate Minimum Admission Requirements PDF. Academic applications close 30 September 2026 (residences 31 October 2026); fee R110.

Source: View the official page (vut.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

Walter Sisulu University

Selection programme

Diploma in Fashion

Law, Humanities & Social Sciences · 3 years

WSU APS 19 points out of 48 (56 for Education programmes)

  • English: level 4 (50% or more)
  • Mathematics: level 2 (30% or more) OR Mathematical Literacy: level 3 (40% or more) OR Accounting: level 2 (30% or more)

Raw-read 2026-10-04 from WSU’s own 2027 Undergraduate Information Brochure & Admission Requirements (main-stream figures; Extended Curriculum Programmes accept a lower APS, noted where the brochure gives one). Buffalo City campus. Students who meet the minimum are evaluated (portfolio) before final placement. Applications: the brochure lists no closing date - check wsu.ac.za.

Source: View the official page (wsu.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

Are your marks enough?

Put your subjects in once and we’ll check them against every programme above – scored each university’s own way.

What do I qualify for?