Returning students and career changers
IT'S YOUR TURN
TO DESIGN.
Coming back to study after time away, switching from another course or changing careers? There's a way in that fits your experience, with part-time options and intakes in February, June and September. No ATAR required.
WHERE ARE YOU STARTING FROM?
Pick the one that sounds most like you.
I'm changing careers
YOUR WAY IN
You can apply on the strength of your work and life experience. If you left school more than two years ago and haven't studied since, you apply with your CV in place of academic transcripts, and you may be asked to complete a 1,000-word written research task set by the Academic Director.
WHERE TO START
Start with the Undergraduate Certificate of Design: 12 weeks at 1.5 days a week, with no portfolio. If you love it, it counts towards the Diploma, Associate Degree or Bachelor, and gives you credit for three subjects in the Bachelor of Design.
EXPLORE THE UNDERGRADUATE CERTIFICATEI already work in a creative field
YOUR WAY IN
Two or more years of significant professional or commercial practice in the creative industries can count towards entry to the Bachelor of Design, and relevant industry experience may earn you credit.
WHERE TO START
Go straight for the Bachelor of Design, full-time over two accelerated years or part-time, and ask about credit at your Design Meeting.
EXPLORE THE BACHELOR OF DESIGNI'm switching from another course
YOUR WAY IN
A Certificate IV, Diploma or Advanced Diploma, or an undergraduate or associate degree from a university or registered training organisation, finished or not, can be your way in. Advanced Standing for a completed course in a similar field can mean starting at study period two, three or four of the Bachelor of Design.
WHERE TO START
Talk to Admissions about Advanced Standing, then choose the Associate Degree or Bachelor of Design.
EXPLORE THE ASSOCIATE DEGREEI'm coming back after a break
YOUR WAY IN
When we assess your application, we take your age and time out of school into account, along with any exceptional creative work. Equity circumstances count too, such as being the first in your family to study at tertiary level or having had your education seriously disrupted.
WHERE TO START
Ease back in with the Diploma of Design: two trimesters (7 months) full-time, with no portfolio, in Fashion Design, Interior Design or Creative Direction & Styling. A trimester is a 12-week study period, with three a year. Your completed trimesters give you full credit into the Associate Degree and Bachelor of Design.
EXPLORE THE DIPLOMA OF DESIGNYOU'RE NOT THE ONLY ONE
44%
of Australian workers are open to changing careers.
SEEK, Evolving Working Life, 2025
29%
say a lack of qualifications is what holds them back.
SEEK, Evolving Working Life, 2025
Top 4
Creative thinking is one of the four skills employers value most.
World Economic Forum, Future of Jobs 2025
$0
upfront tuition for eligible domestic students with FEE-HELP.
StudyAssist; FEE-HELP limits and loan fees apply
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE?
Full-time study, shown to scale. A trimester is a 12-week study period, with three a year. Each step can lead into the next, with Advanced Standing for the units you've completed, so you can stop or keep going.
Already have a design degree, or significant patternmaking and garment construction experience? See the Master of Design (Fashion Design) in Sydney.
STUDY AROUND YOUR LIFE
Part-time or accelerated
The Diploma, Associate Degree and Bachelor can all be studied part-time. Or go accelerated and finish a degree in two years.
Start when it suits you
Intakes in February, June and September, plus a January Summer School for the Undergraduate Certificate. Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane.
No fees upfront
No application fee. Our higher education courses are FEE-HELP approved, so eligible domestic students can defer tuition. Fees and financial aid
HOW TO APPLY
Apply online
Direct on our website. No application fee. No ATAR required.
Send your documents
Your CV, proof of identity and any transcripts. Depending on your course, a creative portfolio of 4 to 6 pieces in any medium and a 300-word motivational statement.
Come to a Design Meeting
A conversation about your work and goals. A literacy assessment may be required.
Hear back in 48 hours
Once all your documents are in. Start in February, June or September.
FAQS
Every background is different. Our Future Student team can talk through yours: 1300 551 433.
BOOK A CALLDo I need Year 12 or an ATAR?
No ATAR required. Whitehouse assesses your creative potential, motivation and readiness for study, so there is a way in whether you left school last year or ten years ago. If you left school more than two years ago and haven't studied since, the work and life experience pathway looks at your professional practice instead of school results.
I don't have a portfolio. Can I still apply?
Yes. The Undergraduate Certificate and Diploma of Design don't need one. Whitehouse also runs short workshops throughout the year to help you try design and build a portfolio. Call 1300 551 433 to talk it through.
Can I keep working while I study?
Part-time study is available for the Bachelor of Design, Associate Degree and Diploma of Design. The Undergraduate Certificate runs 1.5 days a week, and the Master of Design is scheduled across one to two weekdays.
Will my previous study or industry experience count?
It may. Whitehouse can award credit for accredited subjects completed elsewhere and for relevant industry experience, and Advanced Standing for a completed course in a similar field, which can shorten your degree. Raise it with Admissions or at your Design Meeting.
Can I use FEE-HELP?
Our higher education courses are FEE-HELP approved, so eligible domestic students can defer their tuition and repay it through the tax system once their income passes the threshold. FEE-HELP covers tuition only, not course materials or technical kits, and limits apply. Check the latest limits and eligibility on the Australian Government's StudyAssist website.
NEXT STEPS
Book a call
Talk through your course, portfolio and start date with a Future Student Advisor.
Book a Call