You may not realize it but what – or who you wear is determined by a group of individuals within the fashion industry. These individuals, taking cues from New York and Paris fashion weeks, determine the trends for each season, which then trickle down into larger retailers.
Upcoming designers work tirelessly to make it to fashion week, as it’s both the ultimate accomplishment and opportunity, wrapped into one stress-bundle.
Then, the retailers work with buyers to figure out what will or will not be offered to the everyday consumer because not everything translates from the runway.
However, if you’re studying to go into the industry, you already know all of this.
Scholarship providers do, too. Those within this tight-knit industry want to help individuals, like you, gain a head start in this exhausting, but exhilarating, world.
Fashion and retail encompass an entire industry of careers, from fashion design and fiber/textile arts to visual merchandising and apparel retailing, just to name a few.
The following scholarships are for students pursuing an interest related to the fashion industry:
Available to: High School Seniors through College Freshmen
Award Amount: $20,000 The Gucci Changemakers X CFDA Scholars By Design Program is open to diverse graduating high school seniors who plan to study fashion design at an accredited four-year undergraduate college or university. Learn more about the Gucci Changemakers Scholarship Program.
Available to: High School Seniors through College Seniors
Award Amount: $20,000 The Gucci Changemakers Scholarship Program is open to graduating high school seniors and currently enrolled undergraduate students attending an accredited four-year college or university in pursuit of a bachelor’s degree within the field of fashion in North America. Special consideration will be given to students who live or study in one of the 12 Gucci Changemakers cities– Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Toronto, and Washington DC and/or plan to attend or currently attending a Historically Black College and University (HBCU). Learn more about the Gucci Changemakers Scholarship Program.
Available to: High School Seniors through College Freshmen
Award Amount: 100% of Tuition
The Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising (FIDM) Scholarship Competition is open to all U.S high school seniors and graduates who would like to attend FIDM. To be considered, you must submit a project in one of the following categories: Fashion Executive of Tomorrow, Interior, Designer of Tomorrow, Graphic Designer of Tomorrow, Fashion Designer of Tomorrow, Visual Designer of Tomorrow, and Digital Media Artist of Tomorrow. Projects are judged on creativity, thoughtfulness and promise. Get more information on the FIDM National Scholarship Competition.
Available to: College Freshmen
Award Amount: 100% of Tuition
Provided by the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising (FIDM), the Prom Advice Scholarship Competition is open to students who would like to attend FIDM. To enter, you must submit sketches of a fashion line of your own creation or design an imaginary fashion boutique. You must be a Fashion Club member to be eligible for this award. Get more information on the Prom Advice Scholarship Competition.
Available to: College Sophomores through College Seniors
Award Amount: $5,000
Provided by the Fashion Scholarship Fund, the YMA Fashion Scholarship Fund is open to sophomore, junior and senior students who are enrolled at a member FSF college/university. You must be majoring in or have an interest in a fashion related field and have a minimum GPA of 3.0 to qualify for this award. Get more information on the YMA Fashion Scholarship Fund.
Available to: College Junior through College Senior Provided by Nordstrom, Inc., the Visual Stylist Internship is available to junior and senior students with experience in merchandising and visual styling to be considered for this internship. Intern duties will include learning the art and business of visual styling through hands-on experience building store visual displays and window presentations and demonstrate your knowledge and excitement about fashion by creating promotional displays that show off our latest merchandise for in-store events as well as individual departments. You must thrive in a fast-paced environment thanks to your ace organizational skills and ability to quickly learn new processes and procedures to considered for this internship. Get more information on the Visual Stylist Internship.
Available to: College Juniors through College Seniors Provided by Nordstrom, Inc., the Retail Management Internship Program is available to junior and senior students with an interest in a career in retail management. Intern duties will include working on our sales floor and the rest of your time learning business and management skills in a variety of settings. You must thrive in a fast-paced environment thanks to your ace organizational skills and ability to quickly learn new processes and procedures to be considered for this internship. Get more information on the Retail Management Internship.
Available to: College Juniors Provided by the Neiman Marcus Group, Inc., the NMG Internship Program is open to rising college juniors. Interns will gain the skills necessary to be an assistant buyer and will work in the corporate buying offices, planning division, marketing, advertising, or online divisions. This is a nine-week paid program. Get more information on the NMG Internship Program.
Available to: College Freshmen through Graduate Students, Year 5 The Fashion Design Internship is available to students pursuing a career in fashion design. In this paid position, students will gain hands on experience from initial design concept through sample development. Get more information on the Fashion Design Internship.
Available to: College Juniors Provided by Sears Holdings Corporation, the Sears Retail Management Internship is available to college juniors who are interested in a career in the retail industry or in management. You must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident to be eligible. You must demonstrate a dedication to customer service, team-building skills, strong communication skills, and leadership abilities. Internships are available at Sears locations nationwide. Get more information on the Sears Retail Management Internship.
Fashion-Related Scholarships
Gucci Changemakers Scholarship Program
Deadline: 12/31/19Award Amount: $20,000 The Gucci Changemakers X CFDA Scholars By Design Program is open to diverse graduating high school seniors who plan to study fashion design at an accredited four-year undergraduate college or university. Learn more about the Gucci Changemakers Scholarship Program.
Gucci Changemakers Scholarship Program
Deadline: 12/31/19Available to: High School Seniors through College Seniors
Award Amount: $20,000 The Gucci Changemakers Scholarship Program is open to graduating high school seniors and currently enrolled undergraduate students attending an accredited four-year college or university in pursuit of a bachelor’s degree within the field of fashion in North America. Special consideration will be given to students who live or study in one of the 12 Gucci Changemakers cities– Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Toronto, and Washington DC and/or plan to attend or currently attending a Historically Black College and University (HBCU). Learn more about the Gucci Changemakers Scholarship Program.
FIDM National Scholarship Competition
Deadline: VariesAvailable to: High School Seniors through College Freshmen
Award Amount: 100% of Tuition
The Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising (FIDM) Scholarship Competition is open to all U.S high school seniors and graduates who would like to attend FIDM. To be considered, you must submit a project in one of the following categories: Fashion Executive of Tomorrow, Interior, Designer of Tomorrow, Graphic Designer of Tomorrow, Fashion Designer of Tomorrow, Visual Designer of Tomorrow, and Digital Media Artist of Tomorrow. Projects are judged on creativity, thoughtfulness and promise. Get more information on the FIDM National Scholarship Competition.
Prom Advice Scholarship Competition
Deadline: VariesAvailable to: College Freshmen
Award Amount: 100% of Tuition
Provided by the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising (FIDM), the Prom Advice Scholarship Competition is open to students who would like to attend FIDM. To enter, you must submit sketches of a fashion line of your own creation or design an imaginary fashion boutique. You must be a Fashion Club member to be eligible for this award. Get more information on the Prom Advice Scholarship Competition.
YMA Fashion Scholarship Fund
Deadline: VariesAvailable to: College Sophomores through College Seniors
Award Amount: $5,000
Provided by the Fashion Scholarship Fund, the YMA Fashion Scholarship Fund is open to sophomore, junior and senior students who are enrolled at a member FSF college/university. You must be majoring in or have an interest in a fashion related field and have a minimum GPA of 3.0 to qualify for this award. Get more information on the YMA Fashion Scholarship Fund.
Fashion-Related Internships
Visual Stylist Internship – Nordstrom, Inc.
Deadline: VariesAvailable to: College Junior through College Senior Provided by Nordstrom, Inc., the Visual Stylist Internship is available to junior and senior students with experience in merchandising and visual styling to be considered for this internship. Intern duties will include learning the art and business of visual styling through hands-on experience building store visual displays and window presentations and demonstrate your knowledge and excitement about fashion by creating promotional displays that show off our latest merchandise for in-store events as well as individual departments. You must thrive in a fast-paced environment thanks to your ace organizational skills and ability to quickly learn new processes and procedures to considered for this internship. Get more information on the Visual Stylist Internship.
Retail Management Internship – Nordstrom, Inc.
Deadline: VariesAvailable to: College Juniors through College Seniors Provided by Nordstrom, Inc., the Retail Management Internship Program is available to junior and senior students with an interest in a career in retail management. Intern duties will include working on our sales floor and the rest of your time learning business and management skills in a variety of settings. You must thrive in a fast-paced environment thanks to your ace organizational skills and ability to quickly learn new processes and procedures to be considered for this internship. Get more information on the Retail Management Internship.
Neiman Marcus Group (NMG) Internship Program
Deadline: VariesAvailable to: College Juniors Provided by the Neiman Marcus Group, Inc., the NMG Internship Program is open to rising college juniors. Interns will gain the skills necessary to be an assistant buyer and will work in the corporate buying offices, planning division, marketing, advertising, or online divisions. This is a nine-week paid program. Get more information on the NMG Internship Program.
Fashion Design Internship – True Blessyn, LLC
Deadline: VariesAvailable to: College Freshmen through Graduate Students, Year 5 The Fashion Design Internship is available to students pursuing a career in fashion design. In this paid position, students will gain hands on experience from initial design concept through sample development. Get more information on the Fashion Design Internship.
Sears Retail Management Internship
Deadline: VariesAvailable to: College Juniors Provided by Sears Holdings Corporation, the Sears Retail Management Internship is available to college juniors who are interested in a career in the retail industry or in management. You must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident to be eligible. You must demonstrate a dedication to customer service, team-building skills, strong communication skills, and leadership abilities. Internships are available at Sears locations nationwide. Get more information on the Sears Retail Management Internship.
