Academy of Art University

About the School

An art and design school in San Francisco that has been called home by artists and designers since 1929. Over the years, the Academy’s curriculum, facilities, and resources have expanded, putting them on the front line of technological innovations—such as their online education, or their early adoption of augmented and virtual reality along with their drone courses, and the adoption of technology in design and fashion.

Academy of Art University’s School of Fashion is ranked as one of the top Fashion Schools in the US and was in the top 25 Schools in the world in 2018, according to the Fashionista.

"Artists teaching artists. Instructors instructing the truth. That's honesty and integrity, and Academy of Art University stands for these principles."

- Richard A. Stephens, Chariman Emeritus

Programmes

Graduates from fashion Tembusu Institute's Diploma programmes will be able to transfer credits from their studies to selected fashion programmes in the Academy of Art.

Select your Diploma of interest below to see the number of credits transferrable per programme
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Academy of Art University Programme	Total Units	Transfer units for Tembusu Institute Advanced Diploma Graduate
Fashion Marketing (BFA)	120	39-48
Fashion Merchandising (BFA)	120	39-48
Fashion Product Development (BFA)	120	48
Fashion Design (BFA)	120	39-48
Fashion Journalism (BFA)	120	39-48

View the Advanced Diploma here

Academy of Art University Programme	Total Units	Transfer units for Diploma in Apparel Design Graduate
Fashion Marketing (BFA)	120	33-36
Fashion Merchandising (BFA)	120	33-36
Fashion Product Development (BFA)	120	36
Fashion Design (BFA)	120	36
Fashion Journalism (BFA)	120	33-36

View the Diploma in Apparel Design here

Academy of Art University Programme	Total Units	Transfer units for Diploma in Fashion Business Graduate
Fashion Marketing (BFA)	120	30
Fashion Merchandising (BFA)	120	30
Fashion Product Development (BFA)	120	24-30
Fashion Design (BFA)	120	24-30
Fashion Journalism (BFA)	120	24-30

View the Diploma in Fashion Business here

Academy of Art University Programme	Total Units	Transfer units for Diploma in Footwear Design
Fashion Marketing (BFA)	120	24-27
Fashion Merchandising (BFA)	120	24-27
Fashion Product Development (BFA)	120	27
Fashion Design (BFA)	120	27
Fashion Journalism (BFA)	120	24-27

View the Diploma in Footwear Design here

An illustration of a derby shoe and its components

Fundamentals of Footwear

These short, half-day courses are a must for shoe enthusiasts that want to learn the essentials of shoemaking: great materials, great technique, and great fit.

Courses include:

An illustration of heels being digitally designed

Footwear Design and Sketching

Learn how to design your own footwear digitally and on paper with our pattern making, sketching, and digital design courses. Discover new softwares like Adobe Illustrator to design your shoes!

Courses include:

Footwear Pattern-making (Basic & Intermediate)
Digital Footwear Design
Footwear Design Sketching

An illustration of a derby shoe and its cost breakdown

Footwear Business Essentials

Whether you’re creating your own footwear brand or working at a footwear company, knowing how to plan a costing and buying strategy like the back of your hand will help you go far in the industry.

Courses include:

An illustration of a sneaker broken down and shoe making tools

On-Campus
Shoe-Making Workshops

Master the art of shoemaking with our signature hands-on courses. Learn to create your very own women's shoes, sneakers, and derby shoes with the use of our industry standard equipment at our footwear lab*.
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Courses include:

An illustration of a women's shoe collection

Footwear Capstone Project

Having completed the previous 14 modules, you will be put to the test of creating your own footwear collection in this final capstone project. From the creation of mood boards to the final technical package, create your final footwear collection which you can add to your portfolio and use to apply for jobs after graduation!
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Courses include:

Footwear Design Collection

In order to be accepted, you would need to fulfill the following criteria:

Admissions

Proof of enrolment in any Tembusu Institute's Diplomas
Academy of Art University application form
A copy of your passport
Application fee/Registration fee/International student service fee of US$500
English assessment (If English is not your first language)
Transcripts from high school and college
Official bank letter showing minimum balance of US$43,000
Portfolio
Affidavit of support letter
School reference letter
Additional transcripts (If applicable)

Total Payable Fee per Year

Tembusu Institute has secured this special rate exclusively for our alumni per on-site academic year:

£8,250

S$ 11,226.00* - 36,432.92*

*Currency conversion is done on 5th Aug 2020, 8:55 am UTC, and might not reflect accurate exchange rates as displayed.
*Subject to change without prior notice.

£1,995 - £5,550

S$ 3,582.27* - 9,960.72*

*Currency conversion is done on 5th Aug 2020, 8:55 am UTC, and might not reflect accurate exchange rates as displayed.
*Subject to change without prior notice.

US$ 45,018

S$ 60,775 *

Click here for the Fee Breakdown

2025/26	Tuition Fees (Special Rate for Tembusu Institute's Graduates)
Fees Payable by Unit (3 units per class)	US$ 1,680/unit, 3 unit class = US$ 5,050 (6,807* SGD per 3-unit course)
Application Fee	US$ 50 (70* SGD)
Registration Fee	US$50/semester (68* SGD)
International Student Service Fee (onsite only)	US$300 (405* SGD)
Student activity fee (onsite only)	US$30/semester (41* SGD)
Tuition Deposit (goes toward tuition upon enrollment)	US$2 500/semester (3,375* SGD)
Course Fees	US$ 1,500 average (2,025* SGD)
Materials/Supplies	US$545/average per semester (736* SGD)
Total Payable Fee* Estimated undergraduate expenses for a full-time student for the given academic year	US$ 45,018 (60,775* SGD)

*Currency conversion is done on 11 June 2025 and might not reflect accurate exchange rates as displayed.
*Subject to change without prior notice.

Current Memorandum of Understanding:
13/05/2020 - 13/05/2023

Practical Industry Knowledge

Our trainers are practitioners in the fashion industry today - so if they're teaching it, they've experienced it too. Everything you learn at TaF.tc can be applied to your professional life in fashion and will be taught through interactive workshops, whether online or in TaF.tc's Footwear and Bags Lab.

Global Network of Entrepreneurs and Experts

As the industry becomes more interconnected, so does our network. Our partners, contacts, and advisors are as close to home as Thailand or Japan and as far as Italy or the UK. Tap into a professional community built over decades of industry immersion.

Post-Graduate Career Support

We are committed to preparing you for success in the industry. Our career support connects you to jobs available on the market, opportunities for further studies, and resources to help you start your own brand. Whether you've just started your programme or just graduated, we're here for you.

Sergio Franco Aniorte

CEO at Sample Room & Teacher at Arsutoria School

Having been exposed to the Footwear industry through his family’s business in Spain and completing his studies at Arsutoria, Sergio has years of experience in the industry from working as a pattern maker for Manolo Blahnik, a product manager at H.H. Brown, and as a teacher at his alma mater. Sergio also founded Sample Room in 2014 where he offers services from design inception to production and continues to work with brands in Europe, South America, and Asia.

Richard Siccardi

CEO at Arise.S & Teacher at Arsutoria School

Always in love with shoes, Richard Siccardi started as a pattern maker in an Italian factory that was producing luxury ladies footwear. He then became a teacher at Arsutoria and specialized in providing skills to the next generation of shoe designers. He also started his own company Arise.S to help start-ups and established brands in the shoe business.

Vrinda Gupta

Founder of TEAL, Designer & Consultant

Vrinda has been in the footwear industry for over 12 years now with experience in retail, buying, brand creation, and consulting for upcoming footwear brands. Her label TEAL is a one stop shop for handcrafted, exquisite shoes and includes services like designing, prototype making, brand management, and consulting.

Learn More

Contact Us

Have more questions you'll like to ask our programme advisors about our Footwear Design Diploma?

Drop in your contact details in the form below and we'll get in touch with you soon!
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FAQs

Do I need any background knowledge about the Fashion Industry?

Not at all! You can enrol for our Diploma programme without any prior experience, as long as you have a passion for fashion!

Where will the Diploma be held?

The Diploma will be done both online via Zoom, and offline at our Thye Hong Campus (near Redhill MRT).

How much is the full Diploma programme?

The cost of the Footwear Diploma is S$7,151.32 for Singaporeans and PRs, and S$2,824.32 for Singaporeans above 40 years old.

Click here for more details!

Will TaF.tc support me with my Fashion career after graduating?

Yes we will! Whether it's through promoting your brand on our alumni portal THE LABEL SG, or providing mentorships and consultations to further your studies, we’ve got your back! Talk to us to find out more!

Will I get a certificate upon completion?

Most definitely! Upon completion of your Diploma programme, you will be awarded a hardcopy WSQ Diploma certificate from us, and you can also access the softcopy via your MySkillsFuture portal!

Is TaF.tc's Diploma recognised?

As an Edutrust and Singapore Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) certified training centre, with 11 top fashion schools recognising our Diplomas for accreditation programmes like Paris College Of Art and Atelier Chardon Savard, TaF.tc continues to stay in line with leading national and international fashion industry standards.

How are the courses conducted and assessed?

The courses are conducted in the form of lectures, discussions, demonstrations, case studies, practical exercises, and hands-on activities. You will then be assessed on the work you have done with a final evaluation at the end of every course.

What will the Diploma cover?

The Footwear Diploma will be split into 5 main categories which will cover the fundamentals of footwear, design & sketching, business modules, shoemaking, and a final capstone project to wrap up everything you’ve learnt in the Diploma.
‍Click here for more details!

Are there any pre-requisites?

You can join our Diploma programme if you’re aged 16 years and above and have either: at least 3 GCE 'O' Level credits with a minimum of C6 including English and Mathematics, or ES WSQ Workplace Literacy and Numeracy (WPLN) Level 5 and above, or an Advanced Certificate from TaF.tc.
‍Click here for more details!

About the School

Programmes