I remember how scared I was. I had found the school of my dreams and it was all I could think about. And the most prevalent question on my mind was “How will I ever get in?”

I was sixteen when I fell in love with the Amsterdam Fashion Institute. I felt I was too young and inexperienced but I was determined and hopeful. Four years later, I am about to graduate with a degree in International Fashion Management. AMFI, like many fashion schools has a rigorous selection program and I am here to give you the one thing I would have killed for at the time: a guide on how to get in.

In order to make it helpful to as many people as possible, I have used not only my own experience at AMFI and at my exchange at the London College of Fashion, but asked some of my friends at LCF for some help. Together we have experience at getting into four different schools in three different continents. So we are pretty much experts, or at least as close as it gets. All of their beautiful blogs are linked below.

Orientation.                           

First off all, it is important you do your research. Start by looking at which school is best suited for you: what kind of courses do they offer? What are the job opportunities after graduation? What is the school’s focus? AMFI is very commercial and lays a lot of emphasize on sustainability, work is hands on and very creative while LCF is a lot more academic. The approach a school takes makes a world of difference so choose something that suits you. Questions you need to answer are what are your interests? What are you good at? And most importantly, what do you want to learn? This step was the hardest for me. It can be very daunting because there is so much information out there but once you are able to answer all these questions it is time to write a killer application letter.

The letter

Fashion schools get many applicants whose motivation is that they like shopping or that they are always wearing the latest trends. Neither of these things proves that you understand the industry and that you are hard-working and dedicated enough to commit to such a demanding course/career path. Here are some good points to include:

*How you discovered the industry and further developed this interest

*Any work experience you had and what it taught you

*What you want to learn at the school and why you want to learn it there specifically

*The school’s unique selling points and how you’ll make use of them of those advantages.

*What you think you’ll like to do after the course.

The interview

Most schools have some sort of interview as part of their application process; this can be in a group or individual, in person or via skype. Here are some tips:

* Don’t worry too much about what to wear, you are not being judged on that at all. Make sure you look professional and feel comfortable with you choice, if that means wearing a suit, go for it! Rather wear a jumper and a skirt? Just as good.

* Prepare a short and longer answer for the standard questions: what are strengths, weaknesses, goals etcetera. This way you’ll be able to explain your choices and appear self-aware.

* Feel free to bring your own work if you feel it helps convey your message, even if they don’t ask for it, as long as it looks professional. And no more than three pieces to keep it clear and concise.

 * Show your enthusiasm! Just wanting to be there is not enough but it helps if you

show you do.

Most importantly, be aware of the fact that fashion is a massive industry, everybody wears clothes, and there are many different jobs out there. Even if there is a lot of competition for them, don’t let that scare you. You’ll meet a lot of different people and find friends in unexpected places. Working in fashion is rarely as glamourous as people might think but you’ll grow to appreciate it in new ways.

If there is anything else you would like to know, don’t hesitate to leave your questions in the comments. And if you have been through something similar I would love to hear your story!​


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