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FIDM's main campus in Los Angeles

College Description
FIDM/The Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, is a specialized, private, degree-granting college, dedicated to educating students for the Fashion, Graphics, Interior Design, and Entertainment industries. Since FIDM’s inception in downtown Los Angeles in 1969, FIDM has grown to four dynamic campuses with a co-ed student body of 6,000 full-time students from 30 countries and more than 30,000 graduates. FIDM has branch campuses in San Francisco, San Diego, and Orange County. FIDM is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).

Academic Programs
FIDM offers Associate of Arts, Professional Designation, and Advanced Study programs. FIDM’s curriculum is relevant, practical, and continually updated. The curriculum has been developed with the advice of industry professionals on its Advisory Board. Seventy-five percent of coursework is in a student’s major; twenty-five percent in general studies. FIDM currently offers of Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management and offers degrees in the following: Apparel Manufacturing Management, Beauty Industry Merchandising & Marketing, Fashion Design, Graphic Design, Interior Design, Merchandise Marketing, Merchandise Product Development, Textile Design, Visual Communications, Film & TV Costume Design, Footwear Design, Digital Media, International Manufacturing & Product Development, and Theatre Costume Design.

Campus Life
FIDM’s four dynamic campuses are located in key cities along the Pacific Rim, in major California ccampuses. Our main campus, in downtown Los Angeles, is at the heart of a trend setting city, where Hollywood meets Fashion Central. Located just blocks from the famed California Mart (the country’s largest year-round wholesale apparel mart), students in L.A. learn the latest design skills on a 180,000 square-foot campus located in the 4-acre Grand Hope Park. Within a few short blocks are the world famous Garment District, Museum of Contemporary Art, the International Jewelry Center and world class restaurants. FIDM San Francisco overlooks the City by the Bay from a classic high-rise in Union Square, near the headquarters for fashion, interiors, manufacturing and product giants. In this cosmopolitan city, FIDM students find never-ending inspiration. San Francisco offers impossibly steep hills, quaint neighborhoods, plus Japantown, Chinatown, and Fisherman’s Wharf. FIDM Orange County’s ultra-modern campus features lofts, an indoor/outdoor student lounge, dazzling color, and a one-of-a-kind audio-visual igloo. World-renowned and award-winning architect Clive Wilkinson designed the new campus, which is located in the center of the surf wear industry and close to leading apparel manufacturers and retailers, such as South Coast Plaza. The campus is only minutes from the white sands of Laguna Beach, Balboa Island, and Huntington Beach. FIDM San Diego is at the center of San Diego’s “new” downtown, where turn-of-the-century architecture sits side-by-side with contemporary high rises and lofts. FIDM’s neighbors include the NBC building and Horton Plaza, one of America’s most dramatic retail and entertainment complexes. Close by is the popular Gas Lamp District, Seaworld, and the San Diego Zoo.

Facilities and Resources
FIDM’s Resource and Research Center is the largest specialized fashion library in the Western United States. The Center offers students access to books, periodicals, newspaper clippings, trade publications, and fashion predictive reports. In addition to print resources, the Center also offers access to electronic and online resources like WGSN.com, which is a trend report, as well as visual and creative materials resources. FIDM offers full-service Career Centers at each campus to work one-on-one with students throughout their time at FIDM to identify industry-related job opportunities. The Career Centers sponsor recruitment events and help students build skills in job hunting, portfolio creation, interviewing, and networking. FIDM alumni always have access to this service as well. In addition to this, FIDM students have access to our 10,000-piece Costume Collection, which ranges from the late 18th century to the present. At our Los Angeles campus, the FIDM Museum and Galleries feature extraordinary exhibitions unavailable anywhere else. Each year it presents The Art of Motion Picture Costume Design featuring costumes from the previous year’s best films and a sampling of Academy Award- nominated costumes. Each FIDM campus has computer labs, student lounge, drafting studios and more.

Financial Aid
FIDM administers a full range of State of California and Federal Financial Aid Programs. The FIDM Student Financial Services Office can assist with information for financing a student’s education. Numerous local, state , and national scholarship competitions also provide opportunities, as do scholarships and awards available to eligible FIDM students. Each year FIDM presents the National Scholarship Competition. Winners will receive a full one-year scholarship to attend FIDM. This Competition is open to high school seniors and graduates interested in the global industries of Fashion, Visual Arts, Interior Design, and Entertainment.

Admissions Requirements
No two students are alike. There are many routes that can be taken before deciding to pursue an A.A. degree at FIDM. Some students come directly from high school or from community college. Others apply here after receiving a degree elsewhere, when they discover their true passion and decide to pursue it. Many turn to FIDM after having worked in the industry for a few years, and realizing they need the kind of training available at FIDM to make real headway in their careers. Recognizing this diversity, FIDM takes all of a student’s qualifications and assets into consideration. Each student is reviewed as an individual. To help us better understand your motivations for attending FIDM, we ask all applicants to submit similar materials. Candidacy for admission to all Associate of Arts, Professional Designation Programs, and Associate of Arts Advanced Study Programs is based on an Initial Application and satisfaction of the following requirements:
1. Submission of high school/secondary school transcript(s) and, if applicable, all college/university transcript(s). All candidates must possess or be a candidate for a high school/secondary school diploma or General Equivalency (GED).
2. Submission of three recommendations from professionals such as faculty, counselors, school administrators, or employers.
3. Admissions process. Whenever possible, campus visits and personal interviews are encouraged for all candidates. However, Out-of-State students may interview by telephone and International students may apply through the mail. Students may also apply online at www.fidm.edu.
4. Submissions of portfolio requirement for certain majors. Contact the Office of Admissions or access portfolio requirements at www.fidm.edu
5. Submission of initial $25.00 application fee. This non-refundable fee is applied toward the final application fee at the time of enrollment.

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