Xela College of Design

Xela College of Design is a private design college in Mbombela, Mpumalanga, a city its own pages also call Nelspruit. The college describes its qualifications as accredited by FP&M SETA, CATHSSETA and the QCTO, and says its shorter courses and workshops do not carry accreditation.

Teaching is entirely in person. The college states that all of its courses are run on campus, with hands-on, career-focused training led by lecturers from industry. It does not offer online or distance study, and it has no student accommodation, although its student services can point people to places to stay around Mbombela.

The main fields are fashion design, interior design and visual merchandising, each offered as a qualification. The Fashion Design Qualification is a two-year course and the Interior Design Qualification runs for one year. Shorter offerings include an introduction to fashion design, a dressmaking short course, and workshops such as styling on a budget and matric dance styling. Durations across the college range from a few weeks to two years.

Intakes depend on the course. The Fashion Design Qualification has two intakes a year, in January and July. For other courses the start date varies, and applicants are told to ask the admissions office or follow the college's social media for the next intake.

Admission to the qualifications is selective. It is based on merit, passion and talent, and is assessed through an interview and an assessment process. Entry requirements differ from course to course, and the college says a passion for design and creativity is essential. People apply through an online registration form on the website. The form asks for personal details, with extra sections for foreign applicants and for applicants who are under 18 or whose fees are paid by someone else.

Fees are set per course, and the college says the fees and payment options are shown on its course pages and that applicants should know them before applying. The college states that it does not offer financial aid, and its site does not name NSFAS or any bursary or loan provider. Students who repeat a module re-register with their student number and receive a once-off discount on that module's original amount. Applicants should also check which stationery and equipment the college supplies and which they must buy themselves.