Graphic Design Courses after 10th - Admission Process, Job Options, Salary

National Institute of Fashion Technology Entrance Exam 2026 ( NIFT Entrance Exam )

shadow

NIFT Round 3: Willingness Submission and Admission Fee

15 Jul '26 - 17 Jul '26

Sayeba
Sayeba Naushad
Assistant Manager
Updated on Jul 16, 2026 11:28 IST
Graphic design courses after 10th. Candidates seeking to make a career in graphic design may take up a graphic design course after 10th. An early start may give them a better chance to succeed and become a better graphic designer. Application form for NIFT 2025 will open in December 2024.

Candidates seeking to make a career in Graphic design may take up a Graphic design course after 10th. An early start may give them a better chance to succeed and become a better Graphic designer.

Graphic Design Courses After 10th

Graphic design is a popular academic course for candidates after completing their Class 10 exam. Other popular academic options include fashion design, interior design and textile design. Degree courses are not available after 10th grade for Graphic design. So you will have to opt for a diploma in Graphic design or some certificate courses. Admission is merit based and there is no entrance exam involved. So you need not bother preparing for entrance exams like NIFT, NID DAT, or UCEED 

During ggraphic design course, candidates will be using a variety of software, such as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and CorelDRAW, to make professional designs. A Graphic design course may also include practical projects and assignments to allow students to apply their skills in real world scenarios.

Want to make a portfolio for Design Entrance Exam?
Check out expert tips to create a powerful design portfolio for top design institute admissions
Download Complete Guide PDF
Table of contents
  • Graphic Design Courses After Class 10th
  • Graphic design courses after Class 10th - Admission Process
  • How to apply to a Graphic design course after Class 10th?
  • Graphic design course after Class 10th - Eligibility Criteria
  • Graphic Designing Online Courses
  • Graphic Design Courses after 10th - Curriculum
  • Career Options after completing Graphic Design Course after 10th
  • Average Salary of a Graphic Designer in India 2026
  • Software for Graphic Designers After Class 10th
View More

Graphic Design Courses After Class 10th

 A few course options for candidates opting for a Graphic design course after 10th are here.

Graphic Design Course

Course Duration

Course Fees (INR)

Certificate Program in Graphic Design

3 to 6 months

42k to 45k

Professional Course in Graphic Design

10 months

1.8 lakhs

Certificate in Graphic Design

6 months

78k

Certificate Course in Graphic Design

6 months

60k to 65k

Diploma in Graphic Design

-

-

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:   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

Graphic design courses after Class 10th - Admission Process

Admission to a Graphic design course after 10th, which may be a diploma or a certificate course, will more or less be based on merit of candidate in class 10 exam. In many cases, admission may be offered on a first come, first served basis. This means if seats get filled up, candidate may not get admission even if they are higher ranked.

Diploma or certificate courses have a limited number of applicants, and seat intake is also not an issue. In case candidate changes their mind and decides to do a Graphic design course after 10+2 they will have to appear in entrance exams like NIFT, NID DAT, UCEED, etc., for admission.

Staying updated about the latest educational events is just a click away
Enter Mobile Number

How to apply to a Graphic design course after Class 10th?

Application form for a Graphic design course after 10 will open at institute offering course. 

  • To apply for program, you need to visit admission portal and fill application form.
  • When applying, make sure that you submit all necessary documents and fill in information correctly.
  • If you enter incorrect data your application may get rejected.
  • Application process for Graphic design course will be conducted online. 
Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
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 M.Des?
A: 

The expected cutoff for NIFT M.Des is given below:

CategoryExpected Cutoff M.Des
Open26-70
EWS22
OBC22
SC16
ST16-18
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:   How many students appeared for NTA 2026 NIFT Stage 1?
A: 

Shift

NIFTEE Stage 1 2026 Exam

Registered (expected)

Appeared (expected)

Shift 1

General Ability Test (GAT)

18000+

17000+

Shift 2

Creative Ability Test (CAT)

16000+

15000+

Total

 

34000+

32000+

Explore colleges based on NIFT Entrance Exam

Delhi
₹12.96 L
Bangalore
₹12.96 L
Navi Mumbai
₹9.32 L
Chennai
₹9.02 L

Want better recommendations?

There is a 90% more chance of getting best college recommendations by sharing preferences.
Hyderabad
₹6.07 L
Kolkata
₹9.16 L
Gandhinagar
₹6.07 L
Patna
₹90.20 K
Bhubaneswar
₹12.96 L
Shillong
₹8.58 L
Confused about which college or exam to opt for?assitentRcpRhsImage
  • Chat with our counselor
  • Get your personalised list of colleges & exams matching your preferences
View allCollections

Graphic design course after Class 10th - Eligibility Criteria

The eligibility criteria for Graphic design course will be determined by the academic institute offering the course.

Here we bring the basic criteria to pursue the Graphic design course after 10th.

Name of the program

Eligibility Criteria

Certificate course

Certificate courses typically have very lax eligibility conditions.

  • Admission is based on merit of class 10 exam. 
  • Seats are most available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Diploma course

Unlike certificate courses, diploma courses are considered more professional and so are valued highly.

  • Admission is merit-based
  • Entrance exams may or may not be conducted.

Graphic Designing Online Courses 

Candidates can see the table below for online Graphic Design course options in India.

Graphic Design Courses Online

Course Provider & Duration

Tuition Fee (Approx.)

Logo Design Mastery In Adobe Illustrator

Udemy (6 hours)

INR 12,160

The Complete Web Developer in : Zero to Mastery

Udemy (34 hours)

INR 12,800

Certificate in Advanced Graphic Design Programming (Online)

The Upthrust, Indore (3 months)

INR 18,000

Certificate Course in Graphic Design

Sri Aurobindo Centre For Arts And Communication (6 months)

INR 58,000

Diploma in Motion Graphics

AND Academy (25 weeks)

INR 1 Lakh

BSc in Media, Graphics and Animation

Frameboxx Animation and Visual Effects, Mumbai (42 months)

INR 4 Lakh

Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
Q:   What is the fee structure for regular admission through NIFT 2026?
A: 

The fee structure for the design courses offered by the NIFTs is published in the information brochure. The NIFT fee structure includes components like tuition fees, library fees, exam fees, mediclaim, etc. Additional, the fee may also be divided into refundable and non-refundable types.

We can have a look at 2025 fee structure and understand the NIFT fee structure (Regular): 

Academic Fee Semester Wise For Non-NRI Category (In INR) 

 

2023-24

2024-25

2025-26

2026-27

 

Semester 1

Semester 2

Semester 3

Semester 4

Semester 5

Semester 6

Semester 7

Semester 8

Tuition Fee (Non-Refundable)

143000

143000

150000

150000

158000

158000

166000

166000

Library Fee (Non-Refundable Per Year Payment)

9500

0

10000

0

10500

0

11000

0

Mediclaim & Student Development Fee (Non-Refundable Per Year Payment)

4700

0

4900

0

5100

0

5400

0

Exam Fee (Per Year)

4700

0

4900

0

5100

0

5400

0

Total

161900

143000

169800

150000

178700

158000

187800

166000

One Time Payments

Security Deposit (Refundable)

12000

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Alumni Association Membership Fee (Non-Refundable)

0

0

0

0

0

0

5900

0

Registration Fee (One Time)

9300

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Total

21300

0

0

0

0

0

5600

0

Total

183200

143000

169800

150000

178700

158000

193700

166000

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.
Q:   Will NIFT 2026 exam analysis also include the expected cut-off?
A: 

Yes, the NIFT 2025 exam will also include the expected cut-off for the exam. Note that the expected cut-off is shared by candidates who have appeared in the entrance exam. In addition, the leading NIFT 2025 coaching institutes will also release the expected cut-off, which would be updated here. The cut-off would depend on a host of factors like the number of applicants, difficulty level of the paper, etc. The candidate by consulting the cut-off would get a rough idea about ones admission process.

Note that as per the student feedback so far, the NIFT question papers for both CAT and GAT were easy to moderate. So, expect the cut-off to stay high

Q:   What is the reservation process for the NIFT entrance exam?
A: 

The National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFTs) will follow the following reservation criteria:

Category

Reservation (%)

SC

15

ST

7.5

OBC-NCL

27

GEN-EWS

10

PwD

5

The candidate has to select their category of admission at the time of filling out the application form and attach supporting documents. The admission officials will verify all relevant documents at the time of counseling. 

Graphic Design Courses after 10th - Curriculum

 Graphic design syllabus may include the following or similar topics.

  • Fundamentals of Design Drawing
  • Concept of Graphic Illustrator
  • Graphic Design
  • Image Editing  
  • Concept of Web Designing
  • Web Page Designing
  • Interactive Design
  • Video editing
  • Page Layout

During the Graphic design course, the candidate will be using software like Adobe Photoshop, Adobe InDesign, Coreldraw, and Adobe PremierOther popular software includes Adobe Illustrator and After Effects.

Career Options after completing Graphic Design Course after 10th

Students, after completing a certificate or diploma course in Graphic design after 10th, have many career options in front of them. Some of the popular career options after completing a Graphic design course are mentioned below.

  • Graphic Designer
  • Illustrator
  • Web/Interactive
  • Design
  • Artist
  • UI Designer
  • DTP Operator
  • Layout Artist
  • Digital Storyboard
  • 2D Animator
  • Designer for Interactive E-learning
  • Advertising Art Director
  • Packaging Designer
Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
Q:   When will NIFT cutoff be released?
A: 

The National Instituite of Fashion Technology will release the NIFT 2026 at the time of seat allotment and counseling.

The cut-offs will be available institute and category-wise for all the program at nift.admissions.nic.in.

The cut-offs will be prepared by considering factors like the seat intake, the merit rank of candidates, admission category, etc. Note that if the seat intake is increase the cut-off would likely go down and vice versa.

The cut-offs are available for the following titles:

  • Opening and Closing Rank Details for NIFT UG Counselling 2026
  • Opening and Closing Rank Details for NIFT UG (Lateral Entry) Counselling 2026
  • Opening and Closing Rank Details for NIFT PG Counselling 2026

To download the cut-offs, visit: https://nift.admissions.nic.in/or-cr/

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

There are 20 participating institutes of NIFT that offer the B. Des and B.F.Tech programmes. 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).

For B.F.Tech, cutoff is released for Apparel Production.

Q:   What are NIFT Score accepting colleges other than participating colleges?
A: 

There are 20 NIFTs that will accept NIFT 2026 Scores for admission purposes. These institutes are known as participating colleges.

However, in addition to the participating colleges, there are other private colleges that will also consider NIFT 2026 scores for admission to their UG and PG design courses. The candidates are urged to go through the list of result-sharing institutes.

Q:   What is the seat intake for the B.Des programme through NIFT?
A: 

The B. Des programme has an intake capacity of 2,884 seats for All-India candidates.

In addition, there are 300 state-domicile.

Admission to the B. Des programme at NIFTs will be based on performance of the candidate in GAT CAT and Situation Test. Candidates are shortlisted for the Situation Test based on their performance in the written exams. The B. Des programme offers specialisation in Fashion Design (FD), Leather Design (LD), Accessory Design (AD), Textile Design (TD), Knitwear Design (KD), and Fashion Communication (FC). The candidate will be able to select their programme of study at the time of counseling and seat allotment.

Average Salary of a Graphic Designer in India 2026 

Check out the average salary of a graphic designer based on experience. Candidates with more experience will have higher salary.

Experience Level

Years

Average Annual Salary (INR)

Entry Level

0 - 2 years

2.5 LPA - 3.5 LPA

Mid-Level

2 - 5 years

4 LPA - 6.5 LPA

Senior Level

5 + Years

7 LPA - 12 LPA

Art Director/ Creative Lead

5 + Years

12 LPA - 25 LPA

Explore more Design exams with upcoming dates

KALSEE 2026 Application Form E...

19 Jul '26

Pearl Academy Application Form 2026

8 Sep '25 - 31 Jul '26

ADEPT Application Open

1 Nov '25 - 31 Jul '26

WWI Application 2026

1 Dec '25 - 31 Jul '26

NMIMS DAT 2026 Online registrations

3 Dec '25 - 31 Jul '26

PU DAT Application 2026: Last date

7 Jan '26 - 31 Jul '26

UCEED 2026 Score Card

10 Mar '26 - 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 Graphic Designers After Class 10th

Check out some of the software that is useful for graphic designers.

Software for Graphic Designers 
Canva Adobe Express CorelDRAW Graphics Suite
CorelDRAW Go Figma Adobe Illustrator
Adobe InDesign Affinity Designer Adobe Photoshop

Also Read: 

Videos you may like
About the Author
author-image
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

Read Full Bio
Download Important Dates for Design Exams

News & Updates

Latest NewsPopular News

Explore Other Exams

16 Jun '26 -

18 Jun '26

NID B.Des Provisional Offer Le...

9 Jun '26 -

11 Jun '26

NID B.Des Seat Allotment Round...

10 Mar '26 -

31 Jul '26

UCEED 2026 Score Card

17 Jan '27

UCEED 2027 Exam DATE

Jul '26

UID General Category Window Ad...

Nov '25

UID DAT 2026 Application: UID ...

Sep '25

Pearl Academy Application Form...

23 Jun '26

Pearl Academy Personal Intervi...

15 Jun '26

AIEED 2026 Batch Starts

6 Apr '26 -

18 Apr '26

AIEED Examination (Situation T...

27 Jan '26

ISDI Challenge 2026: Result

15 Dec '25

ISDI Challenge 2026: Last date...

The list of exams are recommended based on what other exams do the students in your area show interest in
qna

Student Forum

chatAnything you would want to ask experts?
Write here...

Answered 2 months ago

NIFT 2026 Final Result for UG and PG programmes was released on June 03, 2026

S

Sayeba Naushad

Contributor-Level 10