Designing Courses After 12th: Fees, Eligibility, Admission Process, Career Options & Salary

Designing Courses After 12th: Fees, Eligibility, Admission Process, Career Options & Salary

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Sayeba Naushad
Assistant Manager
Updated on Jun 17, 2026 17:35 IST
Designing courses after 12th. If you intend to do a design course after 12th, you must know the best colleges, admission process, career options, etc. Here we bring you all the information on a platter. The candidate can get admission to a design course after 10+2 based on their scores in entrance exams like NIFT, NID DAT, UCEED, etc.

If you intend to do a design course after class 12th, you must know the design programmes, specializations, best colleges, admission process, career options, etc. Here we bring you all the information on a platter. So, read on!

Designing Courses After 12th

Design as an academic program has gained momentum in recent years. Just take a look at the top institutions, like the IITs, which have introduced design courses. This indicates that design is no longer a fringe course but is on track to become a mainstream course. If you are also interested, then the best time, of course, is after Class 12th to pursue a design course.  

And speaking of design courses after 12th, B.Des is the most popular. But there are also other undergraduate courses like B.F.Tech that the candidate can consider. Admission to design courses offered by institutes like the NIFTs and NIDs is done through entrance exams like NIFT and NID DAT. Meanwhile, admission to the B.Des course offered by the IITs and a few other participating colleges is done based on UCEED. Here, we discuss in detail everything you need to know about designing courses after Class XII.

Table of contents
  • Eligibility Criteria for Design Courses After 12th
  • Design Entrance Exams for Admission to Design Courses after 12th
  • Designing Courses After 12th - Career Options & Salary
  • Important points related to the B.Des Course
  • Top Colleges to Study a Design Course after 10+2
  • Design Exam IIRF Ranking
  • Design Diploma After 10+2
  • Career Opportunities After completing Design Course After 10+2
  • Software for Design Courses
View More

Eligibility Criteria for Design Courses After 12th 

The eligibility criteria may differ from institute to institute. So, we intend to give the candidate only a general idea about the minimum requirements. Also, at the 10+2 level, B.Des and B.F.Tech is the most popular UG course. So, we discuss the eligibility criteria for these courses.

Program

Eligibility Criteria for admission to design courses after 12th

B.Des

10+2 exam from any recognized institute.

Age limit - There is also an age limit, which can differ for different colleges.

B.F.Tech

10+2 exam from any recognized institute.

Age limit - There is also an age limit, which can differ for different colleges.

Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
Q:   How can I check the NIFT Delhi B.Des cutoff 2026?
A: 

Candidates will be able to check the cutoff for NIFT Delhi on the website of NIFT: nift.admissions.nic.in. The opening and closing rank of all the programmes is given on this page. This year, NIFT 2026 cutoff is expected to be on the lower side.

Q:   What is NIFT cutoff?
A: 
NIFT cutoff for a participating NIFT is the last rank for which admission is offered in for a particular programme and category. This means, if a candidate fails to score a rank equal to or higher than the cutoff rank, they don't get admission. Typically, a higher ranked institute will invite: More applications Higher ranked candidates This in turn pushes up the cutoff in higher ranked (or popular) institutes. Likewise, a lower-ranked institute will receive comparatively fewer number of applications, and mostly from lower-ranked candidates. This means, cut-off in these institutes are lower making it much easier to get admission.
Q:   What is the expected cutoff for NIFT 2026 for B.Des?
A: 

The expected cutoff for NIFT 2026 for B.Des is:

CategoryExpected Cutoff for B.Des
Open30-80
EWS26-29
OBC26-29
SC22
ST19
Q:   Which academic stream should I have studied in Class 12 to be eligible for UCEED 2026 exam?
A: 

Candidates from any academic stream are eligible to apply for UCEED exam. However, for admission to IIT Guwahati it is mandatory for candidates to have passed Class 12 from Science stream. The candidate needs to carefully go through the eligibility criteria before they apply. It is because the candidate will not be considered for admission to the B. Des programme even if they get a rank in UCEED 2026 if they don't meet the prescribed eligibility criteria. Also, any candidate who is found to be using incorrect information about their eligibility stands to be disqualified if caught.

Design Entrance Exams for Admission to Design Courses after 12th

If the candidate is seeking admission to a B.Des or B.F.Tech program at any of the top institutes, say the NIFTs, then they will have to appear in an entrance exam. Some of the popular entrance exams for B.Des admission include NIFT, NID DAT, UCEED, and SEED.

NIFT exam includes the written exams - NIFT CAT and NIFT GAT - followed by a NIFT Situation Test. The final merit list will be prepared by giving weightage to GAT, CAT, and the Situation Test. Meanwhile, the NID DAT exam includes DAT Prelims and DAT Mains. The DAT Mains will comprise a NIFT Studio Test.

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Designing Courses After 12th - Career Options & Salary

Candidates who have completed a design course after 12th can take a multitude of job roles like fashion designer, interior designer, or graphic designer, Vastu consultant, or fashion columnist. And, depending on the job role, experience, academic merit, and skill set, the student will be compensated differently.

The various job roles and salaries after designing courses after 12th are given below.

Job Roles

Average Salary (per annum) in INR

Industrial Designer

4.3 LPA

Interior Designer

5 LPA

Fashion Designer

5 to 8 LPA

Fashion Stylist

5 to 7 LPA

Jewellery Design

4 LPA

Makeup Artist

5 to 6 LPA

Textile

5 LPA

Animator

4.6 to 10 LPA

UI/UX Designer

5 to 10 LPA

Interior Designer

4.1 LPA

According to various reports, fashion design is rapidly emerging as one of the top career choices for candidates after completing their 10+2 education.  This is directly related to the emergence of new job opportunities across various sectors.

Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
Q:   What is the Cut off for NIFT Mumbai for B.Des (Textile Design) 2025?
A: 

The Cut off for NIFT Mumbai 2025 for B.Des in Textile Design will be out soon. In the meanwhile, we can have a look at the Cutoff 2024 to get a rough idea.

The following table presents the Cutoff for Round 1 under All India Quota for NIFT Mumbai 2024:

Category
Opening Rank
Closing Rank
OBC7222044
Gen-EWS5812653
Open301570
Open (PwD)56545654
SC35224385
ST50765499
Q:   I am from Biology background, in which IITs can I apply for B.Des programme?
A: 

If you have biology as a subject in 10+2, then you can apply for B.Des programme at IIITDM Jabalpur, IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Hyderabad and IIT Indore.

To apply at IIITDM, you need to have Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics/Biology subjects in 10+2.

Q:   Is the NIFT cut-off higher for top institutes such as NIFT Delhi?
A: 
NIFT Delhi is frequently ranked among the top design colleges in the country. So, the admission cut-off for the institute is pretty high, especially when compared to the lower ranked colleges. This is because being a higher ranked college, NIFT Delhi receives a higher number of applicants. Another factor is more number of higher ranked candidates want to get admission in the institute, which also pushes up the cut-off. On the other hand, lower ranked colleges are not a priority for the top ranked candidates; meaning a higher number of lower ranked candidates applies to these institutes. This keeps the cut-off low in these institutes.
Q:   What are the various B. Des courses for which NIFT cut-off would be released?
A: 
There are 18 participating institutes of NIFT that offer the B. Des programme. Currently, the B. Des programme offers specializations in the following programs: Fashion Design (FD) Leather Design (LD) Accessory Design (AD) Textile Design (TD) Knitwear Design (KD) Fashion Communication (FC) Note that the National Institute of Fashion Technology will release the NIFT 2023 cut-off for each of these programs. To get admission, it is mandatory for candidates to meet the cut-off criteria in their respective categories.

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Important points related to the B.Des Course

If you are planning to go for a design course after 10+2, you must definitely consider the B.Des course. Here are a few points you need to know about the course.

  • The B.Des is the go-to course for candidates planning to pursue a course in fashion design.
  • The B.Des course is offered by almost all the top design institutes, including the NIFTs, NIDs, IIT Delhi, IIT Guwahati, Symbiosis Institute of Design, etc.
  • Since B.Des is a degree course, typically of 4-year duration, it is more comprehensive and deals with the subject matter in greater detail. 
  • Along with theoretical aspects, the B.Des course will also have practical sessions to drive home the key concepts related to the program.
  • Research and critical thinking are key to the program.
  • During the course, the student will learn about global fashion trends and their relationship with ecology, environment, ethics, technology, aesthetics, and much more.

Also Read:

Top Colleges to Study a Design Course after 10+2

The NIDs and NIFTs are often the first choice of candidates to pursue a design course after 10+2. Here are some of the top design colleges in India 

Name of the College

Design courses offered after 10+2

NIFT Bengaluru

B.Des, B.F.Tech

NIFT Bhopal

B.Des, B.F.Tech

NIFT Chennai

B.Des, B.F.Tech

NIFT New Delhi 

B.Des, B.F.Tech

NIFT Gandhinagar

B.Des, B.F.Tech

NIFT Kolkata

B.Des, B.F.Tech

NIFT Mumbai

B.Des, B.F.Tech

NID Ahmedabad 

B.Des

NID Assam

B.Des

NID Andhra Pradesh

B.Des

IIT Bombay

B.Des

IIT Guwahati

B.Des

IIT Delhi

B.Des

Symbiosis Institute of Design

B.Des

Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
Q:   How can I check NIFT cutoff?
A: 

Candidates can check NIFT cutoff 2026 online on the official website of the National Institute of Fashion Technology. NIFT cutoff is released as a PDF file containing the opening and closing ranks. The cut-off would be category-specific. So, the candidate needs to check the cut-off for the category they belong to. Also, note that candidates from reserved categories will be considered for admission under general category as well. However, candidates belonging to open category will not be considered for admission under reserved categories.

Q:   What are the various Masters courses for which NIFT cut-off would be released?
A: 

NIFT master's programme is offered in Master of Design (M. Des. ), Master of Fashion Management (M. F. M) and Master of Fashion Technology (M. F. Tech. ). 

The cut-off would be released separately for all these courses. This means, if the candidate meets the cut-off criteria for M. Des but fails to meet the cut-off for M. F. Tech, in that case the candidate will only be eligible for admission to the M. Des programme. So, the candidate needs to check out the cut-off or closing ranks for the programme they are seeking admission to. The cut-off would be determined by considering factors like total applicants, seat intake, merit ranks of the applicants, and also admission category.

Q:   What are the details mentioned on NIFT cut-off list?
A: 

List of cut off NIFT 2026 would contain the ranks of candidates ranging from opening to closing ranks for every participating institute. Some of the many categories for which the cut-off would be announced include General, SC, ST, OBC-NCl, Domicile, and PwD categories. Candidates must refer to the cut-off list as per their categories for the programmes they wish to pursue.

Rank from which admission gets provided is known as the opening rank. On the other hand, the minimum rank from which admission is given is called the closing rank. Admission is offered only to those candidates whose rank is the same as or above the closing rank.

Design Exam IIRF Ranking 

Check out the IIRF Ranking.

AIR Name of Institutes State State Rank
1 NID Ahmedabad - National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad Gujarat 1
2 NID Madhya Pradesh - National Institute of Design, Bhopal Madhya Pradesh 1
3 IIT Bombay - Indian Institute of Technology, IDC School of Design, Mumbai Maharashtra 1
4 IIT Delhi - Indian Institute of Technology, Department of Design, Delhi Delhi 1
5 NID Andhra Pradesh - National Institute of Design, Guntur Andhra Pradesh 1
6 NID Haryana - National Institute of Design, Kurukshetra Haryana 1
7 IIT Kanpur - Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur Uttar Pradesh 1
8 IIT Roorkee - Indian Institute of Technology, Department of Design, Roorkee Uttarakhand 1
9 IIT Guwahati - Indian Institute of Technology, Department of Design, Guwahati Assam 1
10 NID Assam - National Institute of Design, Jorhat Assam 2

Design Diploma After 10+2

We need to treat the diploma courses in design a bit differently. This is because diploma courses tend to be of shorter duration and may offer admission directly based on 10th class scores. 10+2 is typically not required for Diploma admission unless the candidate is pursuing, say, an advanced Diploma. This means you may not need to appear in any entrance exams.

Name of the course

Admission Process

Where to study

Fees (approx.)

Diploma, Advanced  in Fashion Design

Merit of Class 10

IIFD Chandigarh

1 LPA onward

Diploma in Interior Design

Merit of Class 10

IIFD Chandigarh

1 LPA onward

Diploma in Textile Design

Merit of Class 10

IIFD Chandigarh

1 LPA onward

Diploma in Graphic Design

Merit of Class 10

IIFD Chandigarh

1 LPA onward

Diploma in:

  • Jewellery Desing 
  • Fashion Business Management
  • Fashion Design

Duration: 1 year.

Direct admission based on merit of qualifying exam.

Eligibility: 10+2 from a recognized institute

JD Institute of Fashion Technology

-

Diploma in Jewellery Design

Duration: 1 year

Direct admission based on merit of 10+2 exam.

Eligibility: 12th Pass

JD Institute of Fashion Technology

-

Diploma in Jewellery Manufacturing and Production

Duration: 1 year

Direct admission based on merit of 10+2 exam.

Eligibility: 12th Pass

JD Institute of Fashion Technology

-

Diploma in CAD

Duration: 6 months

Direct admission based on merit of 10+2 exam.

Eligibility: 12th Pass

JD Institute of Fashion Technology

-

Career Opportunities After completing Design Course After 10+2

The student, after completing their degree or diploma course in design, has a plethora of career opportunities in front of them. Most design schools also conduct placement sessions, wherein employers visit the campus and hire students directly.

Job roles after completing a design course after 12th

  • Fashion Designers 
  • Entrepreneurs 
  • Fashion Merchandisers 
  • Design Curator 
  • Quality Control Managers 
  • Academician 
  • Sampling Coordinator Fashion Designer
  • Apparel Production 
  • Fashion Business Analyst 
  • Retail Industry
  • Design Curator Quality 
  • Control Managers Academician 
  • Apparel Production 
  • Fashion Business Analyst 
  • Fashion Columnist
  • Vastu Consultant
  • Retail Showroom Designer
  • Landscape Designer
  • Exhibition Designer
  • Lighting Designer

Explore more Design exams with upcoming dates

NIFT Round 3: Correction in Ap...

11 Jul '26

KALSEE 2026 Exam Dates

12 Jul '26

UCEED Seat Allotment Round V

9 Jul '26 - 13 Jul '26

Pearl Academy Application Form 2026

8 Sep '25 - 31 Jul '26

NIIFT 2026 Application form

25 Mar '26 - 14 Aug '26

SAT India Exam (August) Attempt

22 Aug '26

UID DAT 2026 Application: UID ...

1 Nov '25 - 31 Jul '26

Software for Design Courses

Some of the common software and tools for Designers are given below. Check them.

Designers Software and Tools
Graphic Designer Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe InDesign, CorelDRAW, Canva
 UI/UX & Digital Product Designer Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, Flowstep, Uizard 
 Fashion Design Adobe Illustrator, Style 3D, CLO 3D, TUKAcad, Gerber AccuMark
Interior and Spatial Design Auto CAD, SketchUP, Autodesk Revit, 3ds Max / Blender
Makeup Artist and Designers Perfect365 PRO, Face Chart – Makeup Guru

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About the Author
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Sayeba Naushad
Assistant Manager

Sayeba Naushad is a commerce postgraduate from Banaras Hindu University. She has over five years of experience in content writing and editing. She has a nose for current events in design field. At Shiksha.com, she s

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