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. 

 

Amity University Noida is a good choice for students as it has been accredited grade A+ by NAAC. Good placements are offered here with the highest package being INR 75 LPA during 2025. 

 

Aspirants must pass Class 12 with at least 50% aggregate to apply for UG courses. Candidates need to complete graduation with at least 50% or 55% aggregate for most of the PG programmes. The minimum aggregate required for MBA is 60% in Graduation, Class 10 and Class 12.

As per the MIT-WPU, Pune course admission process, the university conducts MIT-WPU, Pune CET for admission to the UG and PG courses particularly. Apart from this, MIT-WPU, Pune admission is also done based on valid scores of national-level entrance exams such as JEE Main, MHT CET, PERA CET, CAT, MAT, XAT, CMAT, GMAT and NEET-UG, among others for admission to BTech, MBA and BPharm courses. The common selection criteria for MIT-WPU, Pune admission comprise a Personal Interview (PI) round that evaluates the capabilities of the applicants. 

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.

SOL, Presidency University Admissions 2026 are open for all programmes. The institute offers courses at the UG and PG levels. The courses include  BA LLB (Hons), BBA LLB (Hons) and BCom LLB (Hons) courses and LLM programmes in the Law stream. Applications are accepted srictly in the online mode.

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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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

Yes, Amity School of Media and Drama accept CBSE 12th score. The basic eligibility criteria is 10+2 passed. For UG candidates scoring above 80%, a direct admission will be provided for them, Irrespective of the boards they belong to (CBSE/ISC/State-Boards).Students from any of the aboveboard can easily gain admission to the college.

Yes, admissions are open at AAFT University of Media And Arts. AFT Global Entrance Exam (AAFT GEE) is a requirement for students applying to AAFT. Depending on the applicant's chosen subject, the exam consists of an aptitude test and a personal interview (through offline or online modes). Online submissions for AAFT programme applications are accepted.

Biyani Girls College admissions can be secured through merit based eligibility criteria. Candidates must secure a minimum aggregate of 48% in Class 12 for UG level admissions. Whereas, for PG level admissions, candidates must secure a minimum aggregate of 50% in graduation. Candidates must meet the eligibility criteria to secure the final admission to the College.

For admission to the MBA course organized by Gurukula Kangri Vishwavidyalaya (GKV), the following documents are generally necessary:-

MBA Admission Required Documents:
Application Form: Duly filled out the application form for seeking admission.
Entrance Exam Scorecard: Valid scorecard of CAT, MAT, CMAT, GRE, or CUET-PG
Mark Sheets: Marks sheets of all qualifications held previous to it viz. 10th, 12th, and graduation.
Degree Certificate: Provisional or original degree certificate of graduation.
Id Proof: Govt. issued ID- Aadhar card/passport/voter ID etc.).
Passport-size Photographs: Recent photographs as required in the application form.
Caste Certificate: If applicable, a valid caste certificate for SC/ST/OBC candidates.
Migration Certificate: Mandatory for candidates from other universities.
Character Certificate: Issued by the institution last attended.

Bahra University admissions are open now. Students can apply online for Bahra University admissions 2026 by submitting the form and documents. Students can check official site to kno wmore.

IISU offers placement support to its students. Notable organizations that visit the institute for recruitment include Galbatross Technologies Llp, Airwil Infra Ltd, Zobele India Pvt Ltd, Baywatch Resort Goa, Leica Microsystems, Dynamatic Technologies Ltd, Synergy Global Technologies Inc, Eicher, Seitz India Pvt Ltd, Uaeindia Business Council, Basell Automation Systems Pvtltd, Daya Industry, Grid Inddia Power Cable Pvt Ltd, Dishu Sarees Ambala, Banco Const Pvt Ltd, Hughes & Hughes Chem Ltd New Delhi, System Level Solutions, Induvidal, Infolink Technologies, Jssiet Rajpura, Excelling 3Dp Pvt Ltd.

Amity Lucknow campus courses are offered in streams like Engineering, Management, Computer Applications etc.  University provides many courses to students at UG, PG & PhD levels. At UG level university offers courses like BSc,  LLB, BCom,  BA, BBA for duration of 3 years.

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.

Admission to Maya Somaiya School of Music and Performing Arts is conducted based on merit. Therefore, candidates must secure minimum aggregate ranging from 40% to 45% in Class 12. The Institute further shortlists candidates to qualify for the next round of trial, where candidates will have to perform. Candidates can apply for the same through the official website or seek assistance through the campus administration.

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. 

Dev Bhoomi Uttarakhand University is one of the best university in Dehradun. The university is approved by the UGC, PCI, INC, BCI, UAU, UBTER NCAHP and CoA. The university is know for its BTech and MBA courses. The university has well-trained and expert faculty members with years of experince. 

The University has 10 Constituent colleges, 18 Affiliated colleges, 25 B.Ed. colleges, 02 Engineering colleges, 02 Law colleges and 01 Medical College spread in Dhanbad and Bokaro districts of Jharkhand, with its headquarter at Dhanbad. The University offers Undergraduate and Postgraduate courses with 21 Postgraduate Departments, which includes the Department of Management, Education, Mass Communication, Alt & Culture, Law, Foreign Languages, Life Science, Computer Science, and Environmental Science & disaster Management. As per AISHE Survey 2017-18, there are 51603 students (Boys: 24018, Girls: 27585) enrolled in 10 Constituent colleges of the University.

The MIT School of Film & Television- MIT ADT University is an excellent choice for students who wish to build a career in the fields of Film, Theatre, Showmanship, etc. The institute has had many students who have won accolades for their student films made during their time at the institute.

Further one will find no better institute for hands-on learning in filmmaking or acting than MIT SFT within the State of Pune with top of the line infrastructure, equipment and tools at the access of students.

The SAGE University Indore is a good choice for BTech with the university being approved by the AICTE with specialisations such as:

• CSE, ECE, Mechanical, Civil, Applied Science, etc.

Further the university also offers specialisations through Industry collaborations such as BTech CSE with Intelligent Systems Powered By NVIDIA, BTech CSE AI & DS Powered By Microsoft & Google, etc. showing the university's emphasis on industry preparedness with placements having an average package of INR 10 LPA.

Mansarovar Global University offers UG courses across various streams such as Science, Engineering, Pharmacy, Arts, and others. The general eligibility criteria required by the university for admission to the UG course at Mansoravar Global University Bhopal is candidates must qualify their Class 12 from relevant stream with a minimum of 50%. After qualifying the eligibility criteria, candidates are required to qualify for the merit list released by the university based on the applicants' last qualifying scores. 

BTech and BSc are the top programmes at RV University. The following are the RV University Mysore Road Rv Vidyaniketan Mailasandra Bengaluru Karnataka popular programme BTech and BSc USP:

• International exchange programmes & collaborations

• Option to choose electives from School of Liberal Arts & Sciences & School of Design

• Career options like Software Engineer, Full Stack Developer, Product Engineer, Data Scientist, Data Analysts, etc.

• A unique research & action ecosystem • Experiential Learning — Internships

   

   

Yes, NIU acknowledges merit of its students by offering generous scholarships in the form of fee waivers. These scholarships are only applicable to the tuition fees for first year. NIU has a tie-up with Punjab National Bank (PNB) for providing educational loans to its economically weaker students. For availing scholarships, candidates need to fill NSAT application form by paying an application fee of Rs 500+ GST, through debit card/ credit card/ net banking.

Fashion Designer, Textile Designer, Accessory Designer, Interior Designer, Graphic Designer, Web Designer, Game Designer, and Furniture Designer are some of the job profiles available after studying design courses. Designer pay may vary depending on a number of factors, including cities or demand. Your degree's worth may differ between cities. There are more offices and enterprises in big cities, which increases your chances of finding work.

Graduates in design have a wide range of employment possibilities.

Job Profiles	Average Salary (INR)
Fashion Designer	INR 3.5 LPA
Textile Designer	INR 4.2 LPA
Graphic Designer	INR 3.0 LPA
Interior Designer	INR 3.1 LPA
UI/UX Designer	INR 5.5 LPA

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.)

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