Top Graphic Design Schools in India 2025: Fees, Eligibility, Admission, Seats

Top Graphic Design Schools in India 2025: Fees, Eligibility, Admission, Seats

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Tasbiya
Tasbiya Khan
Senior Executive
Updated on Oct 3, 2024 16:15 IST

In India, the demand for skilled graphic designers has skyrocketed in a rapidly evolving digital landscape, transforming graphic design schools into essential hubs of innovation and creativity. As industries increasingly rely on captivating visual communication to convey their messages and capture audiences, aspiring designers are crowding to these institutions, eager to refine skills and carve out successful careers in this bright field.

Graphic Design

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Table of content
  • Top Graphic Design Schools in India: Eligibility Criteria
  • Top Graphic Design Schools in India: Admission Process 2024
  • Top Graphic Design Schools in India
  • Top Govt. Graphic Design Schools in India
  • Top Private Graphic Design Schools in India
  • Private vs Government Graphic Design Schools in India
  • Entrance Exams for Admission to Graphic Design Schools in India: Fees and Admission
  • Top Graphic Design Schools in India: Seat Intake
  • Why pursue a Graphic Design course in India?
View More

Top Graphic Design Schools in India: Eligibility Criteria

Graphic Design programme is a professional degree with average duration of 4 years that helps students improve their technical and artistic talents. In order to get admission to the best Graphic Design colleges in India, you need to qualify certain eligibility criteria Only candidates who meet the qualifying requirements will be eligible to proceed to the admission stage in the best colleges for Graphic Design in India.

Q:   What is the eligibility criteria for NIFT 2026?
A:

Candidates applying for B. Des course need to have passed 10+2 exam from a recognised institute and should be less than 24 years as of August 1, 2026. Relaxation of 5 years in the upper age limit applies for candidates belonging to SC, ST and PwD categories.

Q:   How many candidates appear for NID DAT?
A:

There is no official notification on the number of applicants for NID DAT 2024.

However, as per unofficial sources, around 15,000 applicants appeared in the NID DAT 2024 (Prelims) exam. Note that only shortlisted candidates were eligible to appear in DAT Mains. The DAT Prelims was held on December 24, 2023.

If the National Institute of Design releases the exam statistics for the NID DAT exam, the details will be updated here. Note that the current session of the NIFT exam is conducted by the NTA. Now considering the NTA releases the exam stats, including the number of applicants registered, appeared, qualified - it is likely the details will also be released for the NIFT 2024 exam.

Q:   Can I get NIFT Delhi without an entrance exam?
A:

No, the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) only offers admission basis of candidates' performance in the NIFT entrance exam. Conducted by NIFT Delhi, the National Institute of Fashion Technology entrance exam is the only accepting exam for admission to NIFT Delhi for several UG, PG and UG Diploma courses. The final selection is based on Situation Test and Personal Interview. 

Course Level

Eligibility Criteria

Graphic Design UG

Aspirants who have cleared their Class 12 from any stream (Science/ Commerce/ Arts) can pursue a Graphic Design courses after 12th, at the graduation level.

Graphic Design PG

Aspirants should possess a bachelor’s degree in design

Graphic Design Certification Courses

There is no specific requirement for many Graphic Design certificate courses. However, candidates are recommended to pursue Graphic Design 

Must Explore: Who is a Graphic Designer?

Top Graphic Design Schools in India: Admission Process 2024

  1. Identify top graphic design colleges based on various details.

  2. Check eligibility criteria, including the completion of Class 12 with minimum percentage of 50%.

  3. Qualify entrance exams.

  4. Check the results on the college website or through official announcements.

  5. Attend counseling sessions for seats and choose your preferred course and college based on available options.

  6. Confirm your admission by paying the required fees and provide any other documents required by the college.

Read More: Graphic Design Syllabus

Read More: Graphic Design Career

Top Graphic Design Schools in India

Here are some of the best graphic design schools in India, highlighting their key features:

  1. National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), Delhi:

Explore more Design exams with upcoming dates

SEED 2026 Online registration ...

1 Aug '25 - 30 Nov '25

SAT Registration Deadline for ...

30 Nov '25

NID DAT 2026 Registration Date

11 Sep '25 - 1 Dec '25

IIAD 2026 - Application

1 Sep '25 - 7 Dec '25

AIEED 2026 Application START Date

1 Nov '25 - 19 Dec '25

SOFT CET 2026 Registrations

1 Nov '25 - 31 Dec '25

KALSEE 2026 Application Form S...

1 Jan '26

UCEED 2026 Issue of Admit Cards

2 Jan '26

NIFT 202...

22 Nov '25 - 6 Jan '26

Check live updates

GLS DAT 2026 Application Last Date

1 Sep '25 - 15 Jan '26

National Institute of Fashion Technology is an autonomous institute offering courses in fashion, technology, and management. Its head office is in New Delhi, India.

NIFT Delhi offers B.Des, B.FTech, M.Des and MFM courses in a wide range of specialisations. All the courses are offered across various streams, namely Arts ( Fine / Visual / Performing ), Design, Business & Management Studies, etc.

  1. Pearl Academy, Delhi:
Q:   Can I appear in Situation Test/PI if I don't qualify the NIFT written exams?
A:

The Situation Test/ Personal Interview (PI) are the 2nd stage of the NIFT 2026 entrance exam. Candidates were shortlisted for the Situation Test/ PI based on the NIFT 2026 written exam scores.

Note that if the candidate fails to qualify for the 2nd stage, he or she is not considered for admission to various design courses offered by the NIFTs.

The only exception is B.F.Tech program, where the merit list for admission will be prepared solely on the basis of GAT scores.

In the case of other courses, the merit list will be prepared by giving weightage to the written exams and Situation Test/ PI.

Pearl Academy Rajouri Garden is one of the top Fashion institutes in India. Pearl Academy of Fashion Delhi offers UG, PG, and other courses to students. These courses are provided across the Fashion DesignInterior Design, and various other streams. Pearl Academy Delhi provides BDes and MDes as flagship courses.

  1. Symbiosis Institute of Design, Pune:

Symbiosis Institute of Design Pune was established in 2006 as a constituent college of Symbiosis International Deemed University. SID Pune offers B.Des, and M.Des courses courses for many specialisations.. These courses are provided across Communication Design, Industrial Design, Fashion Design, and various other streams. 

  1. Indian Institute of Art and Design (IIAD), Delhi:

The Indian Institute of Art and Design offers UG and PG courses in Fashion Design, Communication Design, Fashion Communication, Interior Architecture and Design, and Fashion Business Management. IIAD Delhi offers BA, MA, BBA courses in many Design specialisations.

  1. National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad:

NID Ahmedabad is known by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Government of India as a Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation. The college offers UG, PG, and PhD courses to students in MDes and BDes courses. NID Ahmedabad Design College has a state-of-the-art infrastructure.

  1. MIT Institute of Design, Pune:

MIT Institute of Design (MITID) is a private college which is a part of MIT ADT University. It offers UG, PG, Diploma and PG Diploma courses for many specialisations. MIT Institute of Design offers UG, PG, and doctoral-level courses across multiple specialisations. BDes is the flagship course of MIT institute of Design. 

  1. World University of Design, Sonepat:

WUD is established by the Haryana Private Universities Act, 2006 with the right to confer degrees under Section 2(f) and 22(I) of the UGC Act. All degrees of WUD are UGC approved. WUD provides UG, PG, and diploma programmes in various courses include BDes, BBA, BArch, BA (Hons), BVA, BPA, MDes, MSc, MBA, MVA, and MPA.

  1. School of Design, UPES Dehradun:

UPES is ranked 46 under the 'University' category by NIRF 2024. UPES School of Design offers UG and PG courses to students. These courses are provided across the Design and various other streams. The School of Design, UPES offer various courses in Graphic Design include BDes and MDes.

Top Govt. Graphic Design Schools in India

The table below shows the government colleges for Graphic Design in India along with their tuition fees along with their eligibility/entrance exams:

Public/Govt. Colleges

Tuition Fee

Eligibility/Exams

NIFT Delhi Admission

INR 1 lakh

Pass in Class 12 or in graduation

NIFT Entrance Exam

NID Ahmedabad Admission

INR 12 lakh – INR 17 lakh

Pass in Class 12 or in graduation

NID Entrance Exam

CSJM Admission

INR 24,000

Pass in Class 12 or in graduation

Deen Dayal Upadhyaya University Admission

INR 5,000

Pass in Class 12 or in graduation

NIELIT Delhi Admission

Rs 5,000 – INR 7,000

Pass in Class 12 or in graduation

Read More: Graphic Design Admission

Top Private Graphic Design Schools in India

The table below shows the top private Graphic Design colleges in India along with their tuition fees along with their eligibility/entrance exams:

Private Colleges

Tuition Fee

Eligibility/Exams

Pearl Academy Delhi Admission

INR 3 lakh

Pass in Class 12 or in graduation

Pearl Academy Entrance Exam

SID Pune Admission

INR 19 lakh

Pass in Class 12 with 50% aggregate

SEED

Pearl Academy Mumbai Admission

INR 3 lakh

Pass in Class 12 or in graduation

Pearl Academy Entrance Exam

Pearl Academy Jaipur Admission

INR 3 lakh

Pass in Class 12 or in graduation

Pearl Academy Entrance Exam

World University of Design Admission

INR 2 lakh – INR 13 lakh

Pass in Class 12 or in graduation 

NIFT, NID Exams

Private vs Government Graphic Design Schools in India

Here's a table giving the key differences between private and government graphic design colleges in India:

Aspect

Private Graphic Design Colleges

Government Graphic Design Colleges

Affordability

Generally higher fees; varies by institution

Typically lower fees; subsidized by the government

Infrastructure

Often modern with updated facilities

Varies; some have good infrastructure, others may lack

Placement Opportunities

Tends to have strong industry connections

Good placement, but varies by institution

Admission Process

May have entrance tests or portfolio reviews

Usually requires entrance exams or specific criteria

Class Size

Often smaller, allowing for more personalized attention

Generally larger classes, which may affect attention

Extracurricular Activities

May offer more varied extracurricular

Varies, but often includes traditional arts and culture

Entrance Exams for Admission to Graphic Design Schools in India: Fees and Admission

Listed below are the top Graphic Design colleges in India along with their accepted various entrance exams and its total tuition fees:

Top Graphic Design Colleges

Entrance Exams

Tuition Fee

NIFT Delhi

NIFT Entrance Exam

BDes: INR 12 lakh

MDes: INR 6 lakh

MFM: INR 6 lakh

MFTech: INR 6 lakh

Pearl Academy, Delhi

Pearl Academy Entrance Exam

BDes: INR 3 lakh

MDes: INR 1.4 lakh

SID Pune

SEED

BDes: INR 19 lakh

MDes: INR 8 lakh

IIAD Delhi

IIAD DAT

BA: INR 22 lakh

MA: INR 10 lakh

NID Ahmedabad

NID Entrance Exam, Design Aptitude Test (DAT)

BDes: INR 17 lakh

MDes: INR 12 lakh

MIT Institute of Design Pune

MITID DAT

BDes: INR 17 lakh

MDes: INR 9 lakh

WUD

NIFT, NID, UCEED exams

BDes: INR 11 lakh – INR 14 lakh

MDes: INR 7 lakh

BVA: INR 4 lakh

School of Design UPES

NIFT, NID, UCEED exams

BDes: INR 22 lakh – INR 44 lakh

MDes: INR 13 lakh

Read More: Top Design Entrance Exams

Relevant Links for Graphic Design Courses:

Top Graphic Design Schools in India: Seat Intake

The table below shows the top Graphic Design colleges in India along with their seat intake:

Top Graphic Design Colleges in India

B.Des Seat Intake

M.Des Seat Intake

NIFT Delhi Courses

258 seats

43 seats

SID Pune Courses

207 seats

20 seats

NID Ahmedabad Courses

128 seats

126 seats

MIT Institute of Design Pune Courses

60 seats

-

WUD Courses

460 seats

210 seats

School of Design UPES Courses

960 seats

150 seats

Why pursue a Graphic Design course in India?

By now, we already know that Graphic Design is the new norm in India. And, getting admission into the best Graphic Design institute in India will help you get the access to best guidance from expert faculty and peers and hands-on experience to land a job that is well suited for you. Here are few of the top reasons to help you decide if you should choose Graphic Design as your next career move:

  1. By pursuing the Graphic design course from a good institute, you will get to know about colour theory, typography, design principles, and much more through a well-structured syllabus.
  2. By getting a full time degree in Graphic designing from a reputed institute, you can improve the chances of landing a good job in your desired field.
  3. You get access to many internship opportunities as good institutes always collaborate with other companies, which will help you get practical exposure in Graphic Designing domain.
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About the Author
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Tasbiya Khan
Senior Executive

Tasbiya Khan is a content writer with 3+ years of experience in content writing in education department. At Shiksha.com, her job is helping students nationa-wide choosing the right colleges and courses based on thei

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peol solutions

a year ago

Top graphic design schools in India for 2025 offer diverse programs with varying fees, eligibility criteria, and admission processes. Institutions like the National Institute of Design (NID), National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), and others provide comprehensive courses focusing on design

...Read more

Reply to peol solutions