Shillington School: Find Top Courses & Training Locations

Shillington has been teaching students the tools and skills of graphic design since 1997. Students can study the Shillington curriculum live online or in-person at the school's six campuses across Australia, the UK, and the US.

Founded in 1997 by its namesake Andrew Shillington, Shillington School is the original graphic design bootcamp. He created the school out of necessity when finding talent for his design studio proved difficult. He was in need of designers with the skills and ability to work efficiently; launching Shillington provided a new way to learn design that would fast-track students’ creative careers.

Throughout the last 20+ years, Andrew has led Shillington to expand across three continents and has transformed the lives and careers of 6,000+ graduates. The school’s innovative approach to design education has helped students achieve amazing, and even award-winning results in a short amount of time. Shillington creates an inspirational learning environment through which students learn real and relevant skills including design theory, typography, packaging, branding, digital design, and UX/UI from practicing designers. Through Shillington School, students can kick start their careers in just three months full-time, or nine months part-time.

School Locations

Individuals can take Shillington courses in New York City, London, Manchester, Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane. Those who prefer an online learning experience can also take courses remotely from any location.

Subjects Taught at Shillington School

Shillington School offers a Graphic Design Bootcamp. Through this course, individuals learn things such as design theory, typography, packaging, mobile app design, and user experience. See how Shillington School stacks up against other training providers by searching for graphic design bootcamps in your area using Noble Desktop’s Classes Near Me Tool—you can also search for graphic design classes if you are looking for less of a commitment.

What Classes Are Available?

Anyone looking to learn graphic design should look into Shillington School’s Graphic Design Bootcamp. Shillington is aware that graphic design is about so much more than making things look pretty, and teaches a solid grounding in design theory to ensure there’s a substance behind individuals’ style.

The course kicks off with the five design principles of balance, hierarchy, contrast, repetition, and alignment, and then reminds participants of the principles throughout every lecture, brief, and critique. The course then moves into design thinking, which enables participants to create relevant and innovative solutions that meet user needs.

Participants also learn design fundamentals and design programs. To learn graphic design, individuals need to learn Adobe software, such as InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop. Shillington’s course covers what designers need to know about the production process, document setup, and printing methods. No two days of Shillington’s course are the same, and participants are constantly learning best practices and working on engaging projects to build their portfolios.

Class Formats

Shillington offers both full-time and part-time programs, with online and in-person options to accommodate all kinds of schedules. Virtual classes allow students to attend from any location, at a pace that works best for them. Whether you’re ready to dive into the bootcamp full-time or want to enroll in a part-time program, Shillington School likely has the format to meet your needs.

Studying on campus means that all lectures, demonstrations, and briefs will be delivered in the classroom by Shillington’s top instructors. Individuals also have access to Shillington’s campus libraries, printers, and other facilities. Students who prefer on-campus learning can choose from either a full-time or part-time course format.

For those who prefer to take courses online, the online course mimics the on-campus experience as closely as possible. The majority of lectures, demonstrations, and briefs are delivered live by top instructors during class time, and additional material is made available as recordings for individuals to study after class.

Depending on individuals’ availability and lifestyle, they can choose to study full-time or part-time. The teaching standards of both course formats are identical, and students create the same high-quality work and get similar jobs after graduation.

The full-time course is an immersive three months. It is offered on-campus and is made for students who can commit 100% to a full-time program, or for those who want to start or change their careers as quickly as possible. The part-time course is nine months in duration and can be taken on-campus or online. This format is beneficial to those who work or have other major commitments.

Admissions Process

Shillington School has a four-step admissions process. The process begins with individuals selecting the course they are interested in taking, along with the date they are interested in starting. Individuals then share their personal details with Shillington School. Once Shillington School receives individuals’ personal information, applications are reviewed and accepted. Individuals then make their payment, and once it has been processed, Shillington reaches out to confirm all of the details.

Pricing & Payment Options

Cost ranges for Shillington School’s course vary based on the type of instruction and location of the course. For online courses, there are three time zone options, with fees in either GBP or USD. Individuals in America can pay an upfront price of $12,950 for the online bootcamp, or six monthly payments of $2,159. Those in the UK time zone can pay an upfront price of £9,950 or six payments of £1,659.

The in-person version of the course is offered both full-time and part-time in London, Manchester, New York, Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane. Pricing varies based on location but is generally similar to the part-time cost. For both the full-time and part-time options, individuals have the option to pay the full amount upfront or through a payment plan, which includes a deposit to secure a position and three monthly payments for the rest.

Career Support Services

When it comes to career support, Shillington encourages students to take on their job hunt independently but provides assistance along the way. During the course, mentors make sure students are confident in presenting their portfolios for future interviews. Shillington prepares individuals for a variety of careers. Graduates can work in digital design, publishing, packaging, or even take on freelance clients and build a business of their own.

Shillington believes that students who give 100% to their studies are in an excellent position to land their first design job. In addition to the other forms of support available, Shillington has a Jobs Board for employers seeking Shillington graduates, and also frequently shares career advice on their blog.

Alumni Outcomes

Shillington students get hired at top design studios, work for major brands, and sometimes even start their own businesses. Students emerge from the bootcamp confident for the job hunt, especially since they’ve completed a polished portfolio throughout the course to showcase their work. To stay connected, graduates also have the opportunity to join Shillumni, which is an esteemed global group of Shillington Alumni.

What Do Students Say?

Students taking the Shillington School graphic design bootcamp have the chance to review their experiences on bootcamp rating websites. Hearing from these students directly gives those considering the course a candid perspective on the program.

Overall, reviews for Shillington School are positive, highlighting excellent instructors and hands-on experiences. Many reviewers mention the support and knowledge of instructors and the course being a great way to understand how the industry works. One reviewer noted, “The teachers are approachable, understanding, fun, and have such an amazing level of expertise and insight.” Another reviewer stated, “The teachers were helpful and honest, nice, and constructive.”

Other positive reviews discuss an intense but balanced curriculum that teaches individuals everything they could possibly need to be successful in the field of graphic design. One reviewer states, “I learned so much that I can take with me to future jobs.” Several other reviews go on to discuss the extensive projects that help individuals break into the industry.

There is some mention of Shillington School’s downsides, especially when it comes to working outside of the traditional bootcamp training hours. One reviewer mentions, “There is a big emphasis on building concepts so a lot of technical learning comes from your own practice.” Another reviewer states, “You must really put in the hours outside of class in order to get the most out of the course.” Other reviews mention a lack of job support after the course, but state that students will be armed with the design skills needed to build a strong portfolio and easily land a job on their own.

Pros & Cons

Pros of Shillington School

Location flexibility (in-person or live online in multiple time zones)
Flexible pace (full-time and part-time options available)
Good for complete beginners as well as those looking for a career shift
Dedicated and helpful graphic design instructors
Hands-on projects

Cons of Shillington School

Lack of post-graduate job support
May need to put in extra work outside of course hours to fully benefit

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Shillington School

School Locations

Subjects Taught at Shillington School

What Classes Are Available?

Class Formats

Admissions Process

Pricing & Payment Options

Career Support Services

Alumni Outcomes

What Do Students Say?

Pros & Cons

Top Courses at Shillington School

Graphic Design Course

Subjects Taught at Shillington School

Graphic Design

Map of Shillington School Locations