University in South Africa
Woodstock, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
University profile
Design Academy of Fashion (DAF) is a private fashion school in Woodstock, Cape Town, based at the Old Biscuit Mill, 375 Albert Road. It was founded in 1999 and focuses on the Bachelor of Fashion, a three-year, full-time, contact-class degree at NQF Level 7 (360 credits, SAQA ID 123001), alongside a Foundation in Fashion and short courses in patternmaking and garment construction, fashion design and illustration, Adobe digital fashion design and fashion styling. All classes are taught face to face and in English.
The curriculum is organised in four subject clusters. The Design Cluster covers fashion design, illustration and colour theory and digital illustration; the Technical Cluster covers patternmaking, garment construction and garment engineering; the Commercial Cluster covers marketing and advertising, retail planning and buying and micro-business management; and the Contextual Cluster covers communication, theory of clothing, textile studies, fashion forecasting and trends and life skills. The first year builds foundations and self-knowledge, the second year works on projects with industry partners (menswear with Fields, tailoring with Truworths, and a collaboration with Mohair South Africa, one of only three fashion schools worldwide in that partnership), and the third year centres on a personal brand, business plan and final collection.
DAF values human-centred design, innovation, happiness, growth, sustainability, creative expression and collaboration. It keeps classes small, with a maximum of 12.5 students per lecturer, and every student takes a Life Skills course run by the Managing Director, supported by a wellness department, career guidance and industry mentorships. Distilled, a department of the academy, runs brand development and industry projects, and students and graduates can sell their ranges in the DAF market.
The campus is a single site in the Old Biscuit Mill complex, a design and creative hub. It has a generator so that classes continue during load-shedding, 24-hour security with after-hours access to the Garment Technology studio, and many students work part-time in the fashion stores within the complex. Independent student accommodation is available in Woodstock, Salt River and Observatory within roughly 0.5 to 4 km of campus.
Design Academy of Fashion (Pty) Ltd is registered with the Department of Higher Education and Training as a private higher education institution under the Higher Education Act 1997 (Certificate No. 2010/HE07/002). International applicants are accepted subject to SAQA evaluation of foreign qualifications and a South African study visa.
DAF works with government and corporate partners to offer bursaries; 12% of the 2020 student body held bursaries. Fashion retailers that partner with the academy generally offer bursaries to second- and third-year students, and a strong first-year record supports an application. Scholarship applications are assessed only after the student has applied and been accepted into the programme.
DAF has partnered with Student Hero and other education funding providers so that applicants can learn about, apply for and pre-qualify for funding for the Bachelor of Fashion from one platform at no cost. Student Hero advertises payment plans spread over as much as 5 years. Early-payment discounts apply to tuition: for first-year 2026 these were 10% for payment in full before 1 November 2025, 8% before 10 December 2025 and 5% before 28 January 2026, with termly and monthly options also available. See Funding Support and Fees.
Browse the scholarships listed for Design Academy of Fashion (Pty) Ltd (The) and check each award’s eligibility.
View scholarships for Design Academy of Fashion (Pty) Ltd (The) →Entry is by Bachelor Pass: at least 6 of 7 subjects passed, with 40% or higher in the Home Language, 50% or higher in four high-credit subjects and 30% or higher in two additional subjects. Proficiency in English is mandatory because all teaching is in English.
Applicants submit a 1,000-word essay in English explaining their motivation to study fashion and two original fashion design drawings or renderings (PDF or JPG files, each up to 5 MB). Portfolios are reviewed regularly and enrolments continue until each course is full; there is no strict deadline, though early application is recommended.
Applicants with alternative qualifications may be considered if the qualification is deemed equivalent by the relevant equivalence-setting bodies, under the academy's alternative route access policy. Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) assesses knowledge gained through work and other experience and requires a CV covering formal and informal fashion experience and studies, plus an ID or passport. Credit Accumulation and Transfer (CAT) lets learners with an incomplete similar qualification transfer credits into the Bachelor of Fashion; applicants provide a transcript, a portfolio, an interview and skills tests. The 2026 CAT and RPL application fee is R3,500.
International applicants need a matric certificate with the relevant endorsement or an equivalent. Foreign qualifications are evaluated by SAQA, which takes 10 to 30 working days (screening fee R320; evaluation of the first qualification R1,700). Applicants may apply in the meantime, but acceptance depends on the SAQA outcome. After the portfolio is approved, DAF issues an acceptance letter for a study visa application at the nearest South African embassy or consulate; the visa can take up to 8 weeks and must name Design Academy of Fashion.
Applications are completed on the DAF Student Manager portal with the portfolio, the most recent qualification, an ID and proof of payment of the application fee uploaded. For 2027 the application fee is R500 for South African applicants and R3,200 for international applicants. The 2027 enrolment fee, due within one month of acceptance to secure a place, is R7,200 (R14,400 international), and first-year tuition is R110,400 a year. Apply at the online application portal; entry requirements are at designacademyoffashion.com.
Facilities include open-plan studios, a Garment Technology studio with industrial sewing machines, looms and knitting machines, a computer lab with industry-standard applications, high-speed campus Wi-Fi, a Learner Management System and a Perlego online library subscription. The campus has 24-hour security and a generator for load-shedding. Student support covers academic advising, career counselling and mental health support.
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