Whenever we think of high fashion, we instantly think of “made in Italy,” a symbol of top quality, authenticity, heritage, elegance, and craftsmanship. So, why not learn fashion design from this fashion capital? There are globally ranked fashion designing colleges in Italy that offer courses in the English language. Politecnico di Milano, Istituto Marangoni, NABA – Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti, Domus Academy, and IED Istituto Europeo di Design rank among the top fashion universities in Italy. Although not ranked globally, other colleges like Raffles Milan- Instituto Moda e Design, Instituto Lorenzo De’ Medici, and Polimoda, also are quite famous for their programs in fashion design.
In this article, we have covered five of the top-ranked universities in Italy for fashion design. We have also included universities that are not highly ranked globally yet provide fashion design programs for students from other countries. We have discussed English-taught bachelor’s and master’s programs, diplomas, and short courses these institutions and universities offer. These courses can be pursued by high school graduates, undergraduates, graduates, and even professionals who wish to deepen their skills in the field. Continue reading to find out more about fashion design colleges in Italy, including their rankings and tuition costs.
Highlights: Fashion Designing Colleges in Italy
| Globally ranked fashion designing colleges in Italy offering courses in English | Politecnico di Milano, Istituto Marangoni, NABA – Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti, Domus Academy, IED Istituto Europeo di Design |
| Courses offered | Bachelor’s, master’s, preparatory, and summer courses |
| Global ranking (QS, Art & Design) | 8-150 |
| Annual tuition fees for bachelor’s | 16,000-22,000 EUR |
| Annual tuition fees for master’s | 19,000 to 30,000 EUR |
Why Study Fashion Design in Italy?
Globally ranked universities: Italy has some of the best fashion design schools in the world. Politecnico di Milano, the oldest public university in Milan ranks 8th in QS subject ranking in art and design.
Internationally recognized degrees: A fashion design degree or diploma from Italy is recognized worldwide due to excellent standards of education. The fashion design education in Italy is quite advanced compared to other countries.
Immense internships and job opportunities: Being the fashion capital, Italy is home to high-end luxury businesses like Chanel, Ralph Lauren, Prada, Versace, Giorgio Armani, Fendi, and so on. Thus, fashion design graduates can apply for internships and jobs at these high-end fashion houses.
Study and work-life balance: The country’s laid-back lifestyle and warm and lively atmosphere are ideal for balancing education and job. International students can experience the local beauty, indulge in exquisite Italian cuisine, and party hard.
Globally Ranked Fashion Designing Colleges in Italy
| University/College Name | QS Ranking by Subject 2023: Art & Design |
| Politecnico di Milano | 8 |
| Istituto Marangoni | 51-100 |
| NABA – Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti | 51-100 |
| Domus Academy | 101-150 |
| IED Istituto Europeo di Design | 101-150 |
Politecnico di Milano
The Polytechnic University of Milan was founded in 1863 and is the oldest university in the city of Milan. It is a public technical university that offers courses in design, engineering, and architecture. It provides 4 undergraduate degrees and 7 master’s level degrees in
- Industrial Product Design
- Communication Design
- Fashion Design
- Interior Design
The School of Design of the Polytechnic University of Milan is the largest international university in terms of the number of students and professors. As per QS rankings, the School of Design ranks #1 in Italy, #3 in Europe, and #5 in the world. It offers bachelor’s and master’s degrees in fashion design, but only the master’s degree is available in English; the undergraduate program is taught in Italian.
| Course Name | Duration | Tuition fees (EUR) |
| Design for the Fashion System (Master of Science) | 2 years | Based on the student’s financial condition |
The master’s course is offered in collaboration with the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York (FIT) where 60 students are enrolled in the third or fourth year at FIT in New York. The program also includes an internship in the final semester of studies.
Istituto Marangoni
Founded in 1935, Istituto Marangoni, or Marangoni Fashion Institute is a private fashion school based in Milan, Italy. The school was founded by an Italian tailor named Giulio Marangoni and today it is one of the leading fashion schools in the world. It represents over 4,000 international students from 107 countries. It has established international campuses in multiple locations around the world including London, Paris, China, India, and the US.
Istituto Marangoni offers a range of courses in fashion design including undergraduate, postgraduate, preparatory, etc.
| Course Name | Type | Duration | Tuition fees (EUR) |
| Fashion Design & Accessories | Bachelor’s | 3 years | 21,100 |
| Fashion Design & Marketing | Bachelor’s | 3 years | 21,100 |
| Fashion Design & Accessories | Bachelor’s | 3 years | 22,148 |
| Sandwich Year | Sandwich | 1 year | 8,750 |
| Fashion Design | Master’s | 1 year | 30,500 |
| Fashion Design & Innovation | Master’s | 1 year | 21,500 |
| Fashion Design Intensive | One-year undergraduate | 1 year | 9,608 |
| Fashion Design | Undergraduate progression | 1 year | 9,280 |
NABA – Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti
NABA is the largest art academy founded in 1980 in Italy. It has two campuses in Milan and in Rome, two of the best cities in Italy. NABA is accredited by the Ministry of University and Research (MUR) and the Higher Education in Art and Music system. Along with the global ranking, the academy has been selected as a leading design and fashion school by DOMUS Magazine and FRAME Publishers.
NABA is a member of the ELIA (European League of Institutes of the Arts) and a founding member of Piattaforma del Sistema Formativo Moda which unites main fashion schools in Milan. It has collaborated with numerous Italian and international cultural institutions to boost international relationships and offer its students opportunities to study abroad for a semester.
The academy offers bachelor’s, master’s, academic master’s, and special courses in fashion design.
| Course Name | Type | Duration | Tuition fees (EUR) |
| Bachelor of Arts in Fashion Design | Undergraduate | 3 years | 19,500 |
| Master of Arts in Fashion Design | Postgraduate | 2 years | 19,500 |
| Special Program | Summer course | 2 weeks | 1,795-3,600 |
Domus Academy
It is a private design school located in Milan, Italy. Domus Academy came into existence in 1892 and today it is regarded as one of the best postgraduate design schools in the world. The Domus Academy’s Fashion School was founded by the famous fashion designer Gianfranco Ferré. It offers master’s, summer, and short courses in fashion design.
| Course Name | Type | Duration | Tuition fees (EUR) |
| Master in Fashion Design (MA) | Academic master | 11 months | 25,700 |
| Master in Fashion Design (MA) | Double award master | 14 months | 29,700 |
| Semester Course in Fashion Design | Semester course | 15 weeks | 8,500 |
| Design Experience Programs | Short course | 2-4 weeks | 2,150-4,000 |
The academic master’s program is accredited by the Italian Ministry of Universities and Research (MUR) and is awarded by NABA, Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti. The double-award master’s degree program comes with international validation from Regent’s University in London, UK. Students also get to attend courses, workshops, internships, and international competitions with many prestigious companies and design studios in and outside of Italy.
IED Istituto Europeo di Design
Is an international group of fashion schools with 11 campuses in 3 countries including Italy, Spain, and Brazil. The school was founded in 1966 with 50+ years of history in teaching fashion design. It is home to students from over 100 nationalities and is a member of academic networks like Cumulus, Elia, and WDO.
IED Design School offers 23 courses related to fashion design. The courses range from foundation, undergraduate, and postgraduate to summer courses.
| Course Name | Type | Duration | Tuition fees (EUR) |
| Fashion Design Bachelor of Arts (Hons) (Milan, Barcelona, and Florence) | Undergraduate | 3 years | 16,900 |
| Foundation Course in Fashion Design (Barcelona) | Foundation Course | 8 months | 15,100 |
| Fashion Design | Master’s | 1 year | 20,100 |
| Fashion Design and Creative Methodology | Summer Course | 3 weeks | 3,150 |
| Fashion Design: Design your Capsule Collection | 3 weeks | 2,600 | |
| Fashion Design – Junior | 2 weeks | 1,200 |
Other Fashion Designing Colleges in Italy
Polimoda
Established in 1986 in Florence, Polimoda is a leading fashion school in Italy. It was established in collaboration with the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), New York. Currently, it houses students from over 70 countries at three of its campuses in the heart of Florence. Polimoda offers the following courses in fashion design.
| Course Name | Type | Duration | Tuition fees (EUR) |
| Fashion Design | Undergraduate | 4 years | 18,000 |
| Fashion Design | Master | 9 months | 28,000 |
| Introduction to Fashion Design | Short course | 1 week | 1,200 |
| Fashion Design | Short course | 1 month | 4,500 |
| Orientation for Undergraduate Courses | Orientation course | 1 week | 1,500 |
Raffles Milan- Instituto Moda e Design
Raffles Milano is a private school in Milan, Italy. It offers the below-mentioned master’s program in fashion design and business and is suitable for students who possess a degree in fashion design or relevant work experience in the fashion industry.
| Course Name | Type | Duration | Tuition fees (EUR) |
| Fashion Design and Business | Master | 10 months | – |
Instituto Lorenzo De’ Medici
Istituto Lorenzo de’ Medici (LdM) is a specialized study-abroad fashion school founded in 1973 in Italy. Its main campus is located in Florence and its sister campus is in Tuscania. Students can choose over 500 different courses in 36 subject areas, all of which are taught in English. LdM is majorly known for its certificate courses in fashion design offered by the LdM School of Design in Florence.
| Course Name | Type | Duration | Tuition fees (EUR) |
| Fashion Design (One-Year Certificate) | Certificate course | 1 year | 14,075* |
| Fashion Design (Professional Certificate) | Advanced certificate course | 1 year | 14,964* |
Students who finish their one-year certificate course can progress to the professional certificate course.
*Tuition fees have been converted to EUR based on the current exchange rate of 1 EUR = 1.07 USD.
Note: The abovementioned fees represent annual or course duration tuition fees and do not include the cost of living and other expenses in Italy. For information about living expenses in Italy, read our article: Cost of living in Italy. Additionally, international students are eligible for scholarships to study in Italy.
As a part of the admission process for English-taught courses, international students are required to produce English language proficiency scores (IELTS, TOEFL, etc.). They must also possess a student visa in order to stay in Italy to study.
Conclusion
If you are interested in gaining a first-hand insight into the history and culture of the fashion industry, then there cannot be a better place than Italy. This land of fashion has numerous educational institutions that offer various programs and courses in fashion design. Politecnico di Milano, Istituto Marangoni, NABA – Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti, Domus Academy, and IED Istituto Europeo di Design are a few popular fashion schools in Italy known for their excellent courses in fashion design. They also offer short-term fashion design courses to students lasting 1 week to 1 year. For students who don’t have the necessary academic credentials in fashion design for entrance, several universities, including IED Istituto Europeo di Design, offer preparation courses in the field. If you are planning to go to Italy to study fashion design, we at Gyanberry Gyanberry can help. Our online admission services are one click away; book an appointment today or contact us via this form.
