Reply 1
Original post
by jessllvexHi, I’m currently very unsure about where to apply through UCAS Extra. I originally applied for fashion design courses but have since rejected my offers, mainly because my maintenance loan wouldn’t cover living in London, and I live in the West Midlands. I’m now considering universities that are local or within a manageable commute.
My main options are Birmingham City University, Staffordshire University, or Manchester Metropolitan University.
• Birmingham City University is the closest to me, with a 25-minute train each way costing around £5. Living at home would mean my maintenance loan would cover materials, social life, and other expenses comfortably. I really enjoyed my visit there and love the campus, but I’m a bit concerned about their recent Guardian ranking (38th), which I think reflects student satisfaction and graduate employment.
• Staffordshire University has a slightly longer commute—just under an hour with tickets around £15—but it’s ranked 7th in the Guardian, which I like. I’m drawn to their placement year option, which I feel would be very valuable. I’m just unsure about their industry connections and how well-known the university is within fashion.
• Manchester Metropolitan University is my aspirational choice. I’ve heard excellent things about their fashion course, and the university has strong industry links and high overall rankings. The commute would be longer: about 1 hour 10 minutes by direct train plus a 20-minute drive to the station, with tickets around £25. It’s manageable, but daily commuting might be tiring. I was thinking if I didn’t finish work and i need to finish things off it takes time off getting there, but i do have a sewing setup up at home so would it be doable to finish work or add to work at home? I was just wondering if any mmu students see this, fashion preferably
, what about timetable looks like so i could have a rough estimate! Would be much appreciated!
I have also considered coventry as it’s the best out of bcu and staffordshire for west midlands area but I don’t really one much about their fashion course and their industry’s as I haven’t looked into it, any help for that would be great to!!
I want to find a course that balances being close enough to live comfortably , while also giving me strong career prospects in fashion. I’d be grateful for any advice on which option might be the best fit for me.
My main options are Birmingham City University, Staffordshire University, or Manchester Metropolitan University.
• Birmingham City University is the closest to me, with a 25-minute train each way costing around £5. Living at home would mean my maintenance loan would cover materials, social life, and other expenses comfortably. I really enjoyed my visit there and love the campus, but I’m a bit concerned about their recent Guardian ranking (38th), which I think reflects student satisfaction and graduate employment.
• Staffordshire University has a slightly longer commute—just under an hour with tickets around £15—but it’s ranked 7th in the Guardian, which I like. I’m drawn to their placement year option, which I feel would be very valuable. I’m just unsure about their industry connections and how well-known the university is within fashion.
• Manchester Metropolitan University is my aspirational choice. I’ve heard excellent things about their fashion course, and the university has strong industry links and high overall rankings. The commute would be longer: about 1 hour 10 minutes by direct train plus a 20-minute drive to the station, with tickets around £25. It’s manageable, but daily commuting might be tiring. I was thinking if I didn’t finish work and i need to finish things off it takes time off getting there, but i do have a sewing setup up at home so would it be doable to finish work or add to work at home? I was just wondering if any mmu students see this, fashion preferably
, what about timetable looks like so i could have a rough estimate! Would be much appreciated!I have also considered coventry as it’s the best out of bcu and staffordshire for west midlands area but I don’t really one much about their fashion course and their industry’s as I haven’t looked into it, any help for that would be great to!!
I want to find a course that balances being close enough to live comfortably , while also giving me strong career prospects in fashion. I’d be grateful for any advice on which option might be the best fit for me.
Hi 😊 I thought I’d jump in, I'm Holly, the Programme Leader for Fashion at University of Staffordshire. You’ve clearly put a lot of thought into your options and are asking exactly the right questions.
Our Fashion course has a strong and growing reputation, particularly around employability and industry engagement. We represent our students every year at Graduate Fashion Week, across all pathways – design & technology, marketing and communication, and textiles for fashion. Our students are regularly shortlisted and have won awards, which often leads directly to further opportunities within the industry.
In terms of career outcomes, our graduates now work across a wide range of sectors for brands including Tom Ford, Burberry, Mint Velvet, and many more. Employability is embedded throughout the course, with a real emphasis on networking, live briefs, cross-course collaboration, and building a strong professional portfolio. The placement year is a popular option and something many students find invaluable in gaining confidence, contacts and real-world experience.
Staffordshire is also very well connected by train and car, and many of our students commute successfully. We’re mindful of this when timetabling, and independent studio practice is a key part of fashion education anyway, so students often continue development work at home alongside taught sessions.
Before moving into education, I worked for several years in industry as a garment technologist, and I bring that experience – and those industry links – directly into the course. A big part of my role is encouraging students to put themselves forward, make connections, and graduate with an all-round profile that reflects how the fashion industry actually works.
Rankings can be useful, but I’d always encourage you to look closely at student experience, outcomes, and how supported you feel on a course. If you enjoyed your visit and like the feel of a place, that really matters.
If you have any specific questions about the course, commuting, or placement opportunities, I’d be very happy to help. Wishing you the best of luck with UCAS Extra – it sounds like you’re being very thoughtful about finding the right fit for you.
You can find out more about students experience of our course on YouTube.
Reach out if you need any more information.
Best wishes, Holly
Senior Lecturer & Programme Leader – Fashion University of Staffordshire
Reply 2
i can’t really help with the course but i viewed mmu and it really is such a great uni hope u get it figured out
Original post
by jessllvexHi, I’m currently very unsure about where to apply through UCAS Extra. I originally applied for fashion design courses but have since rejected my offers, mainly because my maintenance loan wouldn’t cover living in London, and I live in the West Midlands. I’m now considering universities that are local or within a manageable commute.
My main options are Birmingham City University, Staffordshire University, or Manchester Metropolitan University.
• Birmingham City University is the closest to me, with a 25-minute train each way costing around £5. Living at home would mean my maintenance loan would cover materials, social life, and other expenses comfortably. I really enjoyed my visit there and love the campus, but I’m a bit concerned about their recent Guardian ranking (38th), which I think reflects student satisfaction and graduate employment.
• Staffordshire University has a slightly longer commute—just under an hour with tickets around £15—but it’s ranked 7th in the Guardian, which I like. I’m drawn to their placement year option, which I feel would be very valuable. I’m just unsure about their industry connections and how well-known the university is within fashion.
• Manchester Metropolitan University is my aspirational choice. I’ve heard excellent things about their fashion course, and the university has strong industry links and high overall rankings. The commute would be longer: about 1 hour 10 minutes by direct train plus a 20-minute drive to the station, with tickets around £25. It’s manageable, but daily commuting might be tiring. I was thinking if I didn’t finish work and i need to finish things off it takes time off getting there, but i do have a sewing setup up at home so would it be doable to finish work or add to work at home? I was just wondering if any mmu students see this, fashion preferably, what about timetable looks like so i could have a rough estimate! Would be much appreciated!
I have also considered coventry as it’s the best out of bcu and staffordshire for west midlands area but I don’t really one much about their fashion course and their industry’s as I haven’t looked into it, any help for that would be great to!!
I want to find a course that balances being close enough to live comfortably , while also giving me strong career prospects in fashion. I’d be grateful for any advice on which option might be the best fit for me.
My main options are Birmingham City University, Staffordshire University, or Manchester Metropolitan University.
• Birmingham City University is the closest to me, with a 25-minute train each way costing around £5. Living at home would mean my maintenance loan would cover materials, social life, and other expenses comfortably. I really enjoyed my visit there and love the campus, but I’m a bit concerned about their recent Guardian ranking (38th), which I think reflects student satisfaction and graduate employment.
• Staffordshire University has a slightly longer commute—just under an hour with tickets around £15—but it’s ranked 7th in the Guardian, which I like. I’m drawn to their placement year option, which I feel would be very valuable. I’m just unsure about their industry connections and how well-known the university is within fashion.
• Manchester Metropolitan University is my aspirational choice. I’ve heard excellent things about their fashion course, and the university has strong industry links and high overall rankings. The commute would be longer: about 1 hour 10 minutes by direct train plus a 20-minute drive to the station, with tickets around £25. It’s manageable, but daily commuting might be tiring. I was thinking if I didn’t finish work and i need to finish things off it takes time off getting there, but i do have a sewing setup up at home so would it be doable to finish work or add to work at home? I was just wondering if any mmu students see this, fashion preferably
, what about timetable looks like so i could have a rough estimate! Would be much appreciated!I have also considered coventry as it’s the best out of bcu and staffordshire for west midlands area but I don’t really one much about their fashion course and their industry’s as I haven’t looked into it, any help for that would be great to!!
I want to find a course that balances being close enough to live comfortably , while also giving me strong career prospects in fashion. I’d be grateful for any advice on which option might be the best fit for me.
Hi there! Just thought I'd also jump in and give you a bit of info on the Fashion course at Manchester Met!
BA Fashion is a fulltime course and is “studio practice” based, with a strong hands-on, experimental model, so you can expect a significant portion of your time will be spent in practical workshops, not just lectures. Most years, you will be in University approximately 2.5 days a week, but this can vary with additional workshops etc, with much of your time spent in studio and focused on self-directed study.
We have a lot of students who commute, however the academics cannot control the exact timetable, it is done centrally. This means the course could be timetabled for a 9am start and can be timetabled up to 7pm (albeit rarely), but it happens, so is worth considering when looking at travel.
If you are interested in exploring your course options or discussing student life with some of our students, you can reach out and chat to them via our Unibuddy platform. The option to speak to one of our friendly Student Ambassadors should appear on-screen when you are visiting any of our web pages. Alternatively, you can choose from the full list of our ambassadors by clicking the link here: https://www.mmu.ac.uk/chat-with-us-unibuddy. We have quite a few Fashion students on the platform who would be happy to answer any of your questions!
I hope this helps you make your choice!
Louie 😊
Original post
by jessllvexHi, I’m currently very unsure about where to apply through UCAS Extra. I originally applied for fashion design courses but have since rejected my offers, mainly because my maintenance loan wouldn’t cover living in London, and I live in the West Midlands. I’m now considering universities that are local or within a manageable commute.
My main options are Birmingham City University, Staffordshire University, or Manchester Metropolitan University.
• Birmingham City University is the closest to me, with a 25-minute train each way costing around £5. Living at home would mean my maintenance loan would cover materials, social life, and other expenses comfortably. I really enjoyed my visit there and love the campus, but I’m a bit concerned about their recent Guardian ranking (38th), which I think reflects student satisfaction and graduate employment.
• Staffordshire University has a slightly longer commute—just under an hour with tickets around £15—but it’s ranked 7th in the Guardian, which I like. I’m drawn to their placement year option, which I feel would be very valuable. I’m just unsure about their industry connections and how well-known the university is within fashion.
• Manchester Metropolitan University is my aspirational choice. I’ve heard excellent things about their fashion course, and the university has strong industry links and high overall rankings. The commute would be longer: about 1 hour 10 minutes by direct train plus a 20-minute drive to the station, with tickets around £25. It’s manageable, but daily commuting might be tiring. I was thinking if I didn’t finish work and i need to finish things off it takes time off getting there, but i do have a sewing setup up at home so would it be doable to finish work or add to work at home? I was just wondering if any mmu students see this, fashion preferably, what about timetable looks like so i could have a rough estimate! Would be much appreciated!
I have also considered coventry as it’s the best out of bcu and staffordshire for west midlands area but I don’t really one much about their fashion course and their industry’s as I haven’t looked into it, any help for that would be great to!!
I want to find a course that balances being close enough to live comfortably , while also giving me strong career prospects in fashion. I’d be grateful for any advice on which option might be the best fit for me.
My main options are Birmingham City University, Staffordshire University, or Manchester Metropolitan University.
• Birmingham City University is the closest to me, with a 25-minute train each way costing around £5. Living at home would mean my maintenance loan would cover materials, social life, and other expenses comfortably. I really enjoyed my visit there and love the campus, but I’m a bit concerned about their recent Guardian ranking (38th), which I think reflects student satisfaction and graduate employment.
• Staffordshire University has a slightly longer commute—just under an hour with tickets around £15—but it’s ranked 7th in the Guardian, which I like. I’m drawn to their placement year option, which I feel would be very valuable. I’m just unsure about their industry connections and how well-known the university is within fashion.
• Manchester Metropolitan University is my aspirational choice. I’ve heard excellent things about their fashion course, and the university has strong industry links and high overall rankings. The commute would be longer: about 1 hour 10 minutes by direct train plus a 20-minute drive to the station, with tickets around £25. It’s manageable, but daily commuting might be tiring. I was thinking if I didn’t finish work and i need to finish things off it takes time off getting there, but i do have a sewing setup up at home so would it be doable to finish work or add to work at home? I was just wondering if any mmu students see this, fashion preferably
, what about timetable looks like so i could have a rough estimate! Would be much appreciated!I have also considered coventry as it’s the best out of bcu and staffordshire for west midlands area but I don’t really one much about their fashion course and their industry’s as I haven’t looked into it, any help for that would be great to!!
I want to find a course that balances being close enough to live comfortably , while also giving me strong career prospects in fashion. I’d be grateful for any advice on which option might be the best fit for me.
Hello,
i hope you are well!!
The Fashion design course at coventry university is amazing!!
i would highly recommend for you to visit us on one of our open days, keep an eye out on our website for our next undergraduate open day. This event gives you the chance to visit the campus and get a feel as to where you could be studying as well as attending a course exploration session where you can meet your future lecturers and meet student ambassadors like myself who are current students and always happy to answer any questions you have about our current experiences. There is alot of activities that happens on a Coventry University open day, however if you visit one, i can guarantee that you will not be disappointed, the Fashion design course happens in our Delia Derbyshire building, which is one of our newest and state of the art buildings which opened in 2023 and you have the chance to see all the facilities available by coming along to our next open day.
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