High school graduates enter FIT not on a bachelor’s but on the two-year Fashion Design AAS, and then apply for the BFA. The SUNY Application is due by 1 January for priority consideration for the fall, and the portfolio by 1 February through SlideRoom. The portfolio has a written response, two design projects and a sewing project: photographs of two or three garments the applicant has made. For an international student the AAS costs $17,370 a year.
- City
- New York
- Status
- A college of the State University of New York
- Programme
- Fashion Design AAS, then BFA
- Application
- SUNY Application; portfolio in SlideRoom
- Fall deadlines
- 1 January / 1 February
- AAS tuition
- $17,370 a year (out-of-state)
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How the application works
- 01
The SUNY Application
Opens on 1 August; for priority consideration for the fall semester it must be filed by 1 January.
- 02
Portfolio by 1 February
Uploaded through SlideRoom ($10 fee), 11–23 items in total. For the spring semester the deadline is 1 November.
- 03
Written response
A short essay about a time the applicant’s view differed from a teacher’s or employer’s assessment.
- 04
Two design projects
Sportswear Coordinates (3–6 images) and Fashion Design Artwork (4–8 images): colour drawings on figures by hand, with real fabric swatches.
- 05
The sewing project
Four to nine photographs of two or three garments the applicant has sewn, front and back.
- 06
International documents
Credentials evaluated by a NACES member; English at TOEFL iBT 80 (before 21 January 2026) or 4 in each section on the new scale, or IELTS 6.5. After admission, the International Student Financial Statement for the I-20.
What this means for an international applicant
FIT is the one school in our guide that tests sewing at admission. An applicant who cannot sew yet has to make the sewing project the centre of a year-long preparation plan: without it the portfolio cannot be submitted.
Entry through the associate degree surprises many families, but financially it is the most accessible option in New York: public college tuition is roughly a third of private school fees. FIT evaluates grades, preparatory coursework and the essay, generally considers applicants with a strong B average, and does not require letters of recommendation.
Why FIT’s portfolio is the most technical
The two design projects test whether an applicant can design a coherent group of garments and take it to a sheet with fabrics. The sewing project tests whether they can make it.
Fashion Business Management has no portfolio: FIT requires one only for art and design programmes and for Film and Media.
How much FIT costs
For 2026–2027: $17,370 a year on the associate degree and $21,692 on the bachelor’s at the out-of-state rate, which also applies to international students. Fees are $1,146 a year.
New York housing is extra; FIT estimates a full commuter cost of attendance from $33,366 a year for the AAS.
Common mistakes
- Confusing FIT with Parsons and applying through the Common App: FIT uses its own platform, the SUNY Application.
- Assembling a general art portfolio instead of the set projects.
- Leaving the sewing project to the final month.
- Forgetting the NACES credential evaluation: without it documents are not accepted.
Who it suits
- An applicant who already sews or is ready to learn, and for whom practice matters.
- A family that wants New York on a public college budget.
- If concept and a broad design foundation matter more, compare FIT with Parsons; if drawing and observation, with Pratt.
How this school compares: portfolio, set tasks, interview, language and fees at 13 schools in Italy, the UK, France and the US in the EDMONT Fashion Admissions Matrix.Fashion Admissions Matrix 2027