Central Saint Martins works like an art school: BA Fashion Design expects a foundation year, and the portfolio of up to 25 pages is read as experimental, research-led design. London College of Fashion is organised around the industry: BA Fashion Design and Development admits students with 112 UCAS points from A levels or an IB of 25 without a foundation year, its portfolio of up to 30 pages shows technique, and the business courses need no portfolio at all. The international fee is the same: £30,890 a year.
Central Saint Martins vs London College of Fashion: the Difference
Both colleges belong to University of the Arts London and take applications through UCAS, but they read applicants differently. Based on UAL’s official pages, last reviewed September 2026.
Author The EDMONT editorial teamLast reviewed
| Criterion | Central Saint Martins | London College of Fashion |
|---|---|---|
| Character | Art school | Fashion industry college |
| Foundation | Expected for A levels and IB | Not required for Fashion Design and Development |
| Portfolio | Up to 25 pages, set structure | Up to 30 pages, technique and process; business: none |
| What they look for | Experiment, risk, development of an idea | Technical skill, construction, industry context |
| Interview | Online, 15–20 minutes, if invited | Online, 15–20 minutes, if invited |
| English | IELTS 6.0 | IELTS 6.0 (design), 6.5 (business) |
| Application | UCAS | UCAS, 13 January 2027 |
| Fees | £30,890 a year (2026 entry) | £30,890 a year (2026 entry) |
One application system, different portfolios
Both colleges use UCAS, with one personal statement for all five choices. Their portfolios differ: CSM looks for an idea in development, LCF also for how a thing is made. An applicant who sends both colleges the same work has usually read neither set of requirements.
For a fashion business applicant the choice is simpler: CSM has no such programme, while LCF offers BSc Fashion Management, BA Fashion Marketing and BA Fashion Buying and Merchandising with no portfolio.
What this means for an international applicant
At CSM the route almost certainly runs through a foundation year. At LCF a national certificate may be accepted as an equivalent qualification, but that is decided country by country, and we check it before applying. UAL’s Foundation Diploma costs £24,660 for autumn 2026 entry, and UAL notes that the fee may change for 2027. Under UAL’s published policy, a student who completes the diploma successfully and applies through UCAS receives at least one offer of a UAL undergraduate place, not necessarily on the course of first choice, and only where the course’s other entry requirements are met.
Which applicant each school suits
- Central Saint Martins suits an applicant with a strong conceptual practice who is ready for a foundation year and for experiment in the portfolio.
- London College of Fashion suits an applicant for whom technique and production matter, or who is heading into fashion business without a portfolio.
CSM and LCF differ not in standing but in the student they expect. The decision starts with the discipline: design as experiment, design as craft, or the business of fashion.
Each school in detail: what to submit, how the portfolio works, fees and common mistakes.Central Saint Martins
The second school in this comparison.London College of Fashion
Primary sources
The official pages of both schools used for this comparison. Last reviewed: .
- UAL, Central Saint Martins — BA (Hons) Fashion Design: Womenswear
- UAL, Central Saint Martins — BA (Hons) Fashion Design: Communication
- UAL, Central Saint Martins — BA (Hons) Fashion Communication: Image and Promotion
- UAL — Foundation Diploma in Art and Design
- UAL, Central Saint Martins — About CSM
- UAL, London College of Fashion — BA (Hons) Fashion Design and Development
- UAL, London College of Fashion — BSc (Hons) Fashion Management
- UAL, London College of Fashion — BA (Hons) Fashion Marketing
- UAL — Undergraduate tuition fees
- UCAS — Dates and deadlines for 2027 entry
EDMONT / FASHION & CREATIVE INDUSTRIES
Which of the two schools is realistic for the applicant
A comparison shows how the rules differ, but not which school suits a particular applicant. Tell us where they study now, the intended year of entry and a link to their work: we will say which selection model fits them and what to prepare in time.
The applicant’s profile
Tell us which curriculum the applicant follows, the intended year of entry and the discipline under consideration: design, business or communication. That is enough for a first substantive reply.