FAQ | Summer Fashion

FAQ's

• Fees & Info

Fee includes:

All materials required (fabrics, haberdashery, art materials and equipment)
Studio tuition

• What happens in the case of an accident or emergency?

As our residential staff are first aid trained and will be on hand 24 hours a day, they will be able to act quickly if there is an accident or emergency. The nearest A&E is Chelsea and Westminster Hospital which is 5 minutes away from both Lightfoot Hall and our studio at Kensington and Chelsea College.

All students must provide the contact details of two parents or guardians prior to starting the course who must be available during the programme. It is vital that we have the correct information in case of an emergency.

• Should I bring a mobile phone?

Yes! Students should definitely bring their mobile phones with them if they have a camera phone that will work in the UK, as this provides family and friends, as well as our staff, with a way of contacting them. We also encourage our students to take photographs of their work to record their process and to support their design work.

However, audio/video calls and text messaging are not permitted during our classes, masterclasses, talks or during any other educational session/activity.

• Are parents allowed to visit?

Parents/guardians are required to drop off and collect their child every day unless the parent/guardian has communicated the student will be making their own way. We do not allow parents/guardians into the studio unless we are holding an exhibition

• What kind of clothing should I bring?

Students who have booked and confirmed a place on one of our programmes will receive an email a few weeks before the course begins. This will contain important and useful information including what to bring and a list of packing suggestions. So please make sure your contact information is up-to-date and you check your emails regularly!

In July and August, it is normally warm in London – but it’s very unpredictable so it is important that you pack for all weathers! Above all, dress to reflect your own fashion personality rather than worry about anyone else. We love your style! You will need trainers or comfortable shoes for walking around London (you can always put your other fabulous shoes in your bag until we get to our destination) and a foldaway umbrella just in case!

Weather reports and forecasts can be found online at BBC Weather.

• Do I need a visa to travel to the UK?

If your country is part of the EU or the European Economic Area you will not require a visa. However, if you’re not in the EU or you’re unsure, we strongly recommend checking whether you require a visa to visit and study within the UK before applying. You can check this online by visiting the UK Government’s website.

Application

You can apply for a Short-term study visa online here which costs £186 for a 6-month visa. Please ensure you have applied for this at least 3 months before the course start date. We can support your application by providing evidence that you have been offered a place on one of our programmes. Please get in touch and a member of our team will be able to assist you.

• Are meals included in my programme fees?

No meals are provided during the programme this year (2023). Please either bring a packed lunch, pre-order a lunchbox from Farm Girl or students can buy something each day at a nearby Tesco’s with permission.

• When should I arrive for my course?

Our general studio hours are Monday – Friday 9.30 am – 4.00 pm. Please check your booking for the exact dates and times.

• Will I receive a certificate after the course?

Absolutely! Students will be awarded The Summer Fashion School London Certificate upon completion of the programme. This will be presented on the last day of the course during your final exhibition.

All certificates are personalised and hand signed by our programme director, Caroline Gration. Therefore, please make sure your name is spelt correctly on your application form. If it isn’t, please let us know as soon as possible!

• What’s your cancellation policy?

We understand that sometimes, due to a variety of reasons, you may need to cancel your place on one of our courses.

Your deposit is non-refundable under any circumstances. This is due to the school reserving a space for your child and making the necessary arrangements at our venues, on our trips and at our accommodation (once we resume the residential programme). However, if you paid for the course in full when your application was confirmed, you can get a refund as detailed below.

If you need to cancel due to Covid-19 related reasons:

You have the right to cancel before 30 days of the start date of your programme. You will have a full refund minus the deposit.
Within 14 days of your programme start date, if any of these reasons prevent you from attending, your place will be deferred until next year* (we will ask for proof to verify the reason,) such as:
· You or a member of your household contracts COVID-19
· You have to quarantine before the course at the time of travel (due to last-minute change in local laws)
· There is no travel available from your country to the UK

If you are forced to cancel through illness or injury and you have bought travel insurance, then you will be able to claim on the insurance policy, subject to the policy’s terms and conditions and exclusions.

For any other cancellation reason, our terms and conditions for refunds are as follows:

Any cancellation must be received in a letter sent electronically and can only be for cancellations before your course start date where you have paid in full in advance. The course fees minus the deposit amount will be proportionally refunded as per the table below.

Period before start date Total refunded

120+ days 100%

90-119 days 50%

45-89 days 10%

0-44 days. 0%

If you have any questions regarding a refund, please do get in touch. In addition, it may be useful to read our Application and Payment Terms.

• How do I pay for the course?

Until 30th April 2023, you can either pay the course fees in full, or you can pay the non-refundable deposit amount of £130. The remaining balance is required at least 30 days before the start date of the course. Any applications after the 30th of April 2022 must be paid in full.

If you choose to only pay the deposit you will be sent an invoice to pay the remaining balance. You will receive this invoice at least 30 days before the start of your programme. The invoice can be paid either by credit/debit card or via Bank Transfer (UK students only). Payment is made securely online by credit or debit card – this is our preferred payment method as it is convenient and removes unnecessary bank transfer fees for our students. We do accept BACS payment, however, all bank charges must be covered by the fee payer and you will be billed accordingly.

If you have any questions regarding payment, please email us.

• What’s your Age Policy?

Our Age policy states that you must fall in-between the given age brackets to partake in the programme, at the time the course will take place. This is to ensure students are of a similar age, in addition to providing a more tailored programme to their age group. If you have any questions with regards to our policy, please contact us.

• Meet entrepreneur fashion designers

If you are on our 12 – 18 year old programme, you will have the opportunity to meet business savvy fashion designers who are currently working in the fashion industry. You will get to hear how they began their own brands after University, if they completed internships and what they learnt from them, and their plans for the future. Our programme will provide you with an exclusive tour of their studio in London as well as the opportunity to work on a design brief written by the designer themselves – extremely exciting for budding fashion designers!

(Subject to change)