Best Arts Colleges in India: 2026 Fees, Exams, Admissions, Ranks Cutoff, Placements

About 2,000+ best Arts (Fine / Visual / Performing) colleges are there in India. Some of the top Arts colleges in India include BHU, PSTU, Rabindra Bharati University, College of Arts, Amity University, Noida, Whistling Woods International, MSU, IGNOU, DU, MIT WPU, JMI, Visva Bharati University, and many others.

Of these,  930+ colleges are privately owned,  400+ colleges are owned by public/government organisations, and public-private entities own 180+ colleges. Students can secure admission on merit basis or through entrance exam like CUET.

As per popularity basis, listed below are the top Fine Arts colleges in India along with their tuition fees:

Top Colleges	Tuition Fee
Banaras Hindu University	INR 2,400 - INR 2.49 lakh
PSTU Hyderabad	INR 1,200 - INR 13,200
College of Arts, University of Delhi	INR 12,400 - INR 16,800
Amity University, Noida	INR 1.4 Lacs - INR 9.36 lakh
Whistling Woods International	INR 1.5 Lacs - INR 8.5 lakh

Disclaimer: This information is sourced from the official website and may vary.

A Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) and a Bachelor of Arts (BA) differ primarily in their programme focus and structure. Despite being undergraduate degrees, they differ in terms of their focus on academic subjects and aspirations for their careers.

Bachelor of Arts degree includes liberal arts courses like Literature,  History,  etc.. while a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) includes more design studies and intensive art subjects. BA is an all-encompassing subject that includes various career options such as Gender Studies, Literature, and other liberal studies.

Fine Arts on the other hand consists of courses in sculpture and other such visual arts which are meant to enhance the beauty of objects and make them more appealing to the clients. However, it is to be noted that many colleges have the nomenclature of offering BA courses in various disciplines of fine arts. Read Bachelor of Fine Arts: BFA Specialisations, Scope and Career Options. 

 

Presidency University is a private university in Yelahanaka, Bangalore. The University is ranked 101-125 in national ranking & 201-300 in worldwide ranking by THE World University Rankings 2026. The highest package offered during 2025 placements was INR 16.42 LPA. Top companies like Federal Bank, Accenture, Deloitte, DHL, Ecolab, Mphasis, HCL, EY, Nestle, etc. took part in the placement drive. In short it is a good university in terms of placements, rankings, faculty & infrastructure.

Sister Nivedita University is a good choice for students interested in either the Engineering or Management streams with the university being ranked 113 and 105 in the Engineering and Management categories, respectively by Outlook Ranking 2025.

The university is also known for its other UG, PG, Diploma and certificate courses  with Sister Nivedita University Kolkata being a good choice overall for many students depending on their interests.

In performing arts, you have different specialisation like dance, drama, music, etc. According to your course you have core subjects. Majoring in performing arts involves study that integrates the overlapping fields of drama, music and dance practices. Even when students specialize in one of the three areas, they will take courses in the other performance arts disciplines as well, as well as taking some general education courses.

Performing arts are all pervading bringing colour and joy to numerous festivals and ceremonies, and reaffirming the faith of the people in their heritage. These facets have been responsible for sustaining the long continuities of ancient traditions. They are the link between the past and the present. It thus exemplifies the complex, organic interaction of all aspects of life implicit in all tribal and folk art forms; art is not seen as something apart from life, a mere ornamentation or entertainment, but as an intrinsic part of it.

A performing arts B.A. Programme may include courses in the following subject areas:

• Music performance
• Theatre history
• Dance and culture
• Musical theatre
• Dance technique
• Dramatic literature

The Courses in Performing Arts include:- 

• B.A. (Music Tabla)
• B.A. (Theatre)
• B.A. (Music Vocal)
• BPA (Music Tabla)
• BPA (Theatre)

Following are the Career opportunity:-

• Actor
• Community arts worker
• Dancer
• Dramatherapist
• Music therapist
• Theatre director

Thes are the Top Colleges for Performing Arts:-

1. Loyola College, Chennai
2. Christ University, Bangalore
3. Lovely Professional University, Jalandhar
4. St. Xavier's College, Mumbai
5. K. J Somaiya College of Arts and Commerce, Mumbai.

Yes, joining the best Fine Arts colleges in India can be worthwhile for you. For that, you need to check its ROI. Listed below are some colleges along with their tuition fees and average placement package:

Top Colleges	Tuition Fee	Average Placement Package
BHU Courses	INR 2,400 – INR 2.49 lakh	INR 8 LPA – INR 9 LPA
College of Arts, University of Delhi Courses	INR 12,400 – INR 16,800	INR 8.5 LPA – INR 16 LPA
MSU Courses	INR 1,840 – INR 51,720	INR 2.8 LPA – INR 3.1 LPA
Delhi University Courses	INR 480	INR 16 LPA
Jamia Millia Islamia Courses	INR 21,100 – INR 50,200	INR 7.5 LPA – INR 9.25 LPA

Disclaimer: This information is sourced from the official website and may vary.

A Bachelor of Fine Arts degree will often require an area of specially such as acting, musical theater, ceramics, computer animation, creative writing, dance, dramatic writing, drawing, fibre, film production, visual effects, animation, graphic design, illustration, industrial design, visual arts, technical arts, interior design, metalworking, music, new media, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, stage management, or television production.

You may pursue a Masters course in any of the above field.

AAFT is a private academy; however, it is approved by the UGC. The academy also has multiple associations with international universities such as New York University, USA, Oxford Business College, United Kingdom and Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia. Established in 1990, the Asian Academy of Film and Television (AAFT), is a Media and Communication academy located in Delhi/ NCR. It is located in Film City Noida and is known for offering various undergraduate, postgraduate, Diploma and short-term courses in the fields of Cinema, Mass Communication, Animation, Fashion and Photography.

Listed below are the top Fine Arts, Visual Arts, or Performing Arts colleges in India that offer free courses to students:

• UNIPUNE - Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU)
• edX
• Coursera
• Skillshare
• Alison

Arts (Fine/Visual/Performing) deals with the study of a wide variety of art forms covered under three main headers:

Different Forms of Arts	Description of Different Forms of Arts
Fine Arts	Fine Arts is a form of art developed primarily for its aesthetic value and beauty. This form of art mainly includes the study of drawing, sculpture, painting, literature, pottery, printmaking, ceramics, and murals.
Visual Arts	Visual Arts is another form of creative art whose products are to be appreciated by sight. The forms of visual arts are highly similar to that of fine arts (sometimes exactly the same) and mainly include film-making, painting, and sculpture.
Performing Arts	Performing Arts is a form of creative activity in which artists use their physical ability such as body, face and presence to perform in front of an audience. Different forms of performing arts include music, drama, singing, dance, and stand-up comedy.

The primary degrees available under the fine arts umbrella are:

1. Painting
2. Sculpture
3. Animation
4. Photography
5. Printmaking
6. Dance
7. Film and television
8. Musical theater
9. Theater

Surbhi,

Design is a field that is age old and has been evolving every year like science. The world has changed a lot and a lot of new & wonderful careers in design have come up. Sometimes student Artists are too much enamoured by Fine Arts preventing them to look objectively at Design. Again like science it pays to be at the cutting edge. For e.g. science students do better if they go for CS or IT since that are areas where development is taking place rapidly.

Similarly in Design the cutting edge areas are UID/ UXD, 3D Printing, Immersive Technology, Augmented Reality, 3D Projection etc, besides of course Game Design & Animation. Of course at the top of the pile lies Concept Designing (usually reserved for writers and visionaries) - these people are required by Event Companies, Animation Studios, VFX Studios, & of course Game Studios. At this stage, you may want to understand the creative world & the careers it offers. Interiors, textile as well as Web Design rely on the same skills - your layout skills & color sense. Journalism also is at this level and relies on your language skills & knowledge of history and current affairs. A little higher perches Graphic Design, Fashion Design, jewellery design, Acting, & Fine Arts which rely on one of your artistic skills - sketching & imagination. At a similar level perches VFX as well as Motion Graphics which rely on one of your artistic skills - Cinematographic skills & imagination. Then come careers like Animation, Film Making, Game Design which rely on multiple talents like your authority over sketching, acting, direction, voice, sound, writing, storytelling & problem solving skills etc. Any extra skill can be used in this. So it turns out to be one of the most challenging as well as satisfying careers. Sure not recommended for the weak hearted. Do remember that digital design careers (e.g. web design, graphics, UI design, animation, vfx, multimedia) give better profits since they can be delivered anywhere in the world & hence may earn in dollars - resulting in better rewards for designers. 

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The Amity University Gurugram campus can be said to be quite spacious with students having 110 acres with plenty of space for students as well as amenities including:

• 20 interdisciplinary research centers
• 200+ hi-tech labs
• Central Library
• 20-acre sports complex (Tennis Court,  Cricket Field,  Football Ground,  Basketball court, etc.)

Some colleges have stricter eligibility criteria for completing the BFA before admission to the MFA. But others do accept students with different bachelor's degrees, like BA, but you need to make sure you build an impressive portfolio to compensate for the lack of a relevant UG degree.

Read more

MFA

One should have pure passion and basic skills in the chosen domain among Painting, Sculpture, Printmaking, Drawing & Illustration, Ceramic Art & Pottery, etc.

Read more 

MFA

For any course to be better than the other, you need to consider the curriculum you will get to study during the time course of the degree. In Fine Arts you will study intellectual or emotional expression through painting, sculpture, performing or writing. The visual arts are broader. Visual Arts covers the facets of fine arts, but also applied arts, digital media, and commercial design. Fine art is more for expression, and Visual is more for commercial gain.

Read more

Fine Arts vs Visual Arts

In India and abroad MFA degree holders usually work in domains like design, performing arts, writing, Painting, Sculpture, Graphic Design, Photography, Film, Ceramics, Creative Writing, and Acting. You can also go for careers in art, academia, and creative industries. The scope of this degree depends on your visibility and creativity. So make sure you make an impressive portfolio.

Read more

MFA Careers

Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences provides the flagship Bachelor of Science (BSc) program, which provides a solid Scientific foundation to students. The course is available in various specializations, and is geared towards the Agricultural fields. The SHUATS BSc programme is available in various relevant specializations like Nursing, Agriculture, Biotechnology, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Community Science, among others.

Some of the top recruiters for Amity University Kolkata placements are listed below:

SAM Global University is approved by UGC (University Grants Commission) and Madhya Pradesh Niji Vishwavidhyalaya (Sthapana Avam Sanchalan) Adhiniyam 2007. Some of the constituent colleges under this university are approved by PCI (Pharmacy Council of India), AICTE (All India Council for Technical Education), Madhya Pradesh Private University Regulatory Commission, NCTE, CCIM, INC, AIPC, and Madhya Pradesh Government. 

The college offers mored than ten courses at the UG and PG level. The mode of study for various programme is full-time. The courses are offered in various specialisations. Some of the specialisations are mentioned in the points below:

• Accounting & Commerce
• Animation
• Design
• Engineering
• Hospitality & Travel
• IT & Software
• Animation
• Hospitality & Travel
• Science

Yes, MIT-WPU, Pune offers various scholarships to its meritorious students. The scholarships are awarded on a First Come First Serve basis. At MIT-WPU, the scholarships are available under the following categories:

• Dr. Vishwanath Karad Merit Scholarship
• MIT-WPU Merit Scholarships
• Scholarships to Elite Sportspersons
• Scholarships awarded to the wards of MIT-WPU/ MAEER's staff members and alumni

To avail of the scholarships, students have to meet the following eligibility requirements:

• Students must have got minimum 8.5 CGPA across all semesters
• The minimum attendance should be 80% 
• Students must maintain good conduct, behaviour, and discipline as per the Code of Conduct of the university

No, CUET is not a compulsory exam required for getting admission in SAGE University Bhopal. The university accepts CUET scores, admission is primarily through the SAGE Entrance Exam (SEE) or merit in qualifying exams.

Situated 20 km from the Yamuna Expressway in Uttar Pradesh, Mangalayatan University was founded in 2006 and has graduated over 7000+ students. Nearly 3500+ students from India and abroad are currently studying on campus. Mangalayatan University vision is to give students from all kinds of background, a quality educational experience leading to legitimately rewarding career opportunities. 

Mangalayatan University, Aligarh offers UG, PG, Doctoral and PG Diploma courses to students across streams such as Engineering, Science, Management, Law, Humanities, Biomedical Education and Research, Legal Studies, and Pharmacy. 

Apex University is a member of Association of Commonwealth (ACU) and Association of Indian Universities (AIU). BTech & MBA are the flagship courses. Top recruiters during the placements include Cisco, Infosys, Tech Mahindra, TCS, Cognizant, Accenture, etc. It offers academic / merit scholarships to students pursuing Diploma / UG / PG programmes. The scholarships are based on performance in Class XII /Diploma/Graduation (or equivalent). Overall, it is a good institute in terms of infrastructure, faculty, range of courses, etc. 

With a 70% MAT, you can attempt to gain admission to Shoolini University. The MBA programme at Shoolini University admits students based on their performance on the GMAT, CAT, or MAT, or on their state admission exam. Faculty interaction comes next. The candidates' results on the pertinent admission exams are considered during the selection process. The 60–80 percentile CAT score is required for admission to MBA schools. Various circumstances may cause this qualifying cutoff to vary from year to year. The All India Management Association (AIMA) administers the Management Aptitude Test (MAT), a national entrance test, to candidates seeking admission to over 800 B-schools in India for PGDM and MBA programmes. The exam is administered in four phases, over several sessions, in February, May, and September.

The duration of courses offered by the college ranges from three months to three years. Candidates can check out Zee Institute of Creative Art fees structure for its courses along with eligibility criteria mentioned below. 

Zee Institute of Creative Art Courses, Fees & Eligibility Criteria 

Yes, SGRRU has collaborated with various companies and organisations. The below-mentioned are Shri Guru Ram Rai University collaborations:

Shri Guru Ram Rai University Collaborations
Shri Guru Mandal Ashram Samiti	ECHO India	AFTER
Ramanujan College	COTEC Healthcare Pvt	-

Amity Lucknow is a private university accredited by the BCI, CoA, National Council of Teachers Education, and DEC. Some of the top USPs of Amity University Lucknow are as follows:

• Amity LKO has been ranked 11th and 13th by The Week 2025 in the Design and Law categories, respectively. 
• The the highest and average package offered during the Amity University Lucknow placements were INR 45 LPA and INR 8 LPA.
• Amity Lucknow campus is approved by UGC, PCI, AICTE and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, USA.

Therefore, we can conclude that Amity Lucknow is a good university.

Median salary of UG Diploma course is INR 180,000 as per the reports/data available.

Yes, CGC University Mohali offers on-campus hostel facilities to its students. The insitute has a capacity to accomodate a total of 4,800 students. Provision for seperate hostel buildings for male and female students are made. The students have choice for the room format and AC/Non-AC room type. The rooms are offered in 2 seater, 3 seater, 4 seater and 5 seater room format. The hostel rooms are furnished with basic amenities like a bed, an almira, a study desk and a personal locker. To ensure safety CCTV cameras and gaurds are on duty 24*7. Medical facility is also provided by a medical room operational 24*7 and in case of emergencies the nearest hospitals are contacted.  

Candidates cannot get direct admission to the UIFM.  Unitedworld Institute of Films & Media (UIFM) admissions are based on performance in both Karnavati University Film & Media Admission Test (KUFMAT) followed by a Personal Interview (PI). Also, candidates must fulfil the eligibility criteria.

Students seeking admission to Vivekanand Global University (VGU) can apply through online as well as offline modes. Candidates who have passed HSC can apply for the UG and Diploma courses, whereas a Bachelor's degree is required for PG courses.

Admission to VGU is through the common exam VGUCET, and also accepting scores of CUET, JEE Mains, for Science and Engineering, CAT/MAT/XAT for MBA/PGDM, UCEED for Designing, etc.

IIFT offers an elite MFM programme featuring Paris Fashion Week internships, a 100% placement network, and a Limca Record-breaking runway platform (Fashionite). Students receive one-on-one industry mentorship from veteran faculty, leading to dominant academic success with 9 out of 10 university gold medals.

School of Design, MIT WPU Pune the highest package for 2025 is INR 20 LPA. The institute has decent placements and invites companies from different sectors to conduct the placement process at the Campus premises.