Best Design Colleges in India - Courses, Fees, Admission 2026
2544 Best Design Colleges in India - Courses, Fees, Admission 2026
Design colleges in India offer courses at UG, PG, Diploma, Doctorate, and Certificate level. Candidates interested Designing or creating products, can apply in these courses after completing Class 12 boards or by clearing entrance exams like NIFT exam, NID exam, UCEED, etc. Top design colleges in India are generally recognised as Institutions of National Importance or deemed universities, accredited by UGC or AICTE, ensuring high academic standards and recognised certifications.
There are about 2,400+ best Design colleges in India. Of these, 1,400 colleges are privately owned, 300+ are government colleges and semi-government owned 100+ colleges. The top 10 Design colleges in India include NIFT Delhi, Amity University University Noida, NIFT Bangalore, NIFT Mumbai, NIFT Chennai, NIFT Hyderabad, NIFT Gandhinagar, Pearl Academy Mumbai, and many others.
Design colleges in India offer courses at UG, PG, Diploma, Doctorate, and Certificate level. Candidates interested Designing or creating products, can apply in these courses after completing Class 12 boards or by clearing entrance exams like NIFT exam, NID exam, UCEED, etc. Top design colleges in India are generally recognised as Institutions of National Importance or deemed universities, accredited by UGC or AICTE, ensuring high academic standards and recognised certifications.
There are about 2,400+ best Design colleges in India. Of these, 1,400 colleges are privately owned, 300+ are government colleges and semi-government owned 100+ colleges. The top 10 Design colleges in India include NIFT Delhi, Amity University University Noida, NIFT Bangalore, NIFT Mumbai, NIFT Chennai, NIFT Hyderabad, NIFT Gandhinagar, Pearl Academy Mumbai, and many others.
- Important Highlights of the Best Design Colleges in India 2026
- Eligibility Criteria to get Admission to Indian Design Colleges 2026
- Entrance Exams Accepted in top Design Colleges in India 2026
- NIFT Exam Accepting Design Colleges in India
- Best Designing Institutes in India: Courses, Fees, Eligibility
- Best Private Design Colleges in India
- Best Government Design Colleges in India
- Best Semi Government Design Institutes in India
- Best Design Colleges in India Offering B Des Programme
- Location-Wise Best Design Colleges in India
- 10.1 Best Design Colleges in Delhi/NCR
- 10.2 Best Design Colleges in Mumbai
- 10.3 Best Design Institutes in Bangalore
- 10.4 Best Design Colleges in Pune
- Highest Salary Offered by Best Design Colleges in India
- Best Low-Cost Designing Colleges in India
- Top Specialisations for Best Designing Colleges in India
Important Highlights of the Best Design Colleges in India 2026
Top Design colleges in India offer diverse specialisations like Game Design, Jewellery Design, Graphic Design, etc. Admission are usually based on tests scores like UCEED, NIFT, NID exam. Given below are the key highlights of the best Design colleges in India with all important info. -
| Particulars |
Statistics |
|---|---|
| Total no. of Design colleges in India |
2,400+ colleges |
| Annual Fee range of the best Designing colleges in India |
< INR 1 lakh: 490+ INR 1-3 lakh: 460+ INR 3-5 lakh: 470+ INR 5-7 lakh: 180+ INR 7-10 lakh: 100+ INR 10-15 lakh: 100+ INR > 15 lakh: 70+ |
| Top Design Institutes in India |
|
| Top Designing Specialisations offered in Indian colleges |
|
| Accepted Entrance Exams |
Source: Official site and may vary.
Eligibility Criteria to get Admission to Indian Design Colleges 2026
Given below is the eligibility criteria to get admission to the best Design colleges in India -
- For UG admission, candidates must complete their Class 12 in any stream Science, Commerce, and Arts with an aggregate of 45-60% marks.
- For PG admission, candidates must have Bachelor’s degree in Design with 55-60% aggregate marks.
Source: Official site and may vary.
Entrance Exams Accepted in top Design Colleges in India 2026
Admission to these Designing colleges in India will be based on merit or through entrance exams. Listed below are the top entrance exams accepted in the bachelor of design colleges in India with schedule -
| Exam Name | Exam Schedule | Exam Cutoff Predictor |
|---|---|---|
| CUET | CUET Schedule | CUET Cutoff Predictor |
| UCEED | UCEED Schedule | UCEED Cutoff Predictor |
| NIFT Entrance Exam | NIFT Exam Schedule | NIFT Cutoff Predictor |
| NID Entrance Exam | NID Exam Schedule | NID Cutoff Predictor |
Source: Official site and may vary.
NIFT Exam Accepting Design Colleges in India
About 40+ best Design colleges accepting NIFT entrance exam in India. Some of them are mentioned below along with their tuition fees:
| Top Colleges | Tuition Fee |
|---|---|
| NIFT Delhi | INR 6 lakh - INR 12 lakh |
| NIFT Bangalore | INR 77,000 - INR 12 lakh |
| NIFT Mumbai | INR 6 lakh |
| NIFT Chennai | INR 9 lakh - INR 12 lakh |
| NIFT Hyderabad | INR 6 lakh - INR 12 lakh |
Source: Official site and may vary.
Best Designing Institutes in India: Courses, Fees, Eligibility
There are many top courses offered by the top Designing colleges in India like BDes in Fashion Designing, Interior Designing, Animation Film Designing, etc with tuition fees and eligibility -
Source: Official site and may vary.
Best Private Design Colleges in India
There are about 1400+ private design colleges in India. Private colleges are somewhat expensive than government colleges as it has better infrastructure, more specialisations, and better facilities. Given below are the top private colleges with tuition fees and eligibility criteria -
| Private Colleges |
Total Tuition Fee |
Eligibility/Exams |
|---|---|---|
| INR 2.88 lakh – INR 16.72 lakh |
CUET and Merit-Based |
|
| JD Birla Institute Admission | INR 1.57 lakh - INR 4.13 lakh | Merit-based |
| INR 25,000 - INR 13 lakh |
PU DAT |
|
| Amity University, Mumbai Admission | INR 1.89 lakh - INR 11.68 lakh | CUET and Merit-Based |
| UID Karnavati University Admission | INR 1.65 lakh - INR 40 lakh | UID Design Aptitude Test |
Source: Official site and may vary.
Best Government Design Colleges in India
Government colleges are affordable than private colleges as and it has well-established colleges with credible reputation, but with limited seats and tough competition for the seats. Given below are the top government colleges with tuition fees and eligibility criteria -
| Public/Govt. Colleges |
Total Tuition Fee |
Eligibility/Exams |
|---|---|---|
| NIFT Bangalore Admission | INR 74,340 - INR 12.96 lakh | NIFT Entrance Exam and Merit-Based |
| INR 94,400 – INR 12.96 lakh |
NIFT Entrance Exam and Merit-Based |
|
| INR 47,200 – INR 12.96 lakh |
NIFT Entrance Exam and Merit-Based |
|
| NIFT Chennai Admission | INR 5.86 lakh - INR 12.34 lakh | NIFT Entrance Exam and Merit-Based |
| NIFT Hyderabad Admission | INR 6.07 lakh - INR 12.96 lakh | NID Entrance Exam |
Source: Official site and may vary.
Best Semi Government Design Institutes in India
Top semi government and government-affiliated design colleges in India with strong placements, and lower fees than private colleges. These top-ranked, government-funded institutes focus on specialised, high-quality, and research-driven design curricula. Given below are the top semi government colleges with tuition fees -
| Semi-Govt. Colleges |
Total Tuition Fee |
|---|---|
| Carmel College, Mala Admission | INR 36,000 |
| St. Aloysius College Admission | INR 36,000 |
| Arya Post Graduate College Admission | INR 23,890 |
Source: Official site and may vary.
Best Design Colleges in India Offering B Des Programme
Top 10 BDes colleges in India offering BDes programs include top institutes like Amity University Noida, NIFT Delhi, Amity University Mumbai, NIFT Bangalore, etc. These colleges provide specialisation in fields like Fashion, Communication, Product, and User Experience (UX) Design. Check the table below for the top colleges with tuition fees -
| Top Colleges | Tuition Fee |
|---|---|
| Amity University Noida BDes | INR 7.92 lakh - INR 8.8 lakh |
| NIFT Delhi BDes | INR 12.34 lakh |
| Amity University Mumbai BDes | INR 4.88 lakh - INR 11.68 lakh |
| NIFT Bangalore BDes | INR 5.63 lakh - INR 12.34 lakh |
| NIFT Mumbai BDes | INR 5.63 lakh - INR 12.34 lakh |
| UID Karnavati University BDes | INR 24 lakh - INR 40 lakh |
Source: Official site and may vary.
Location-Wise Best Design Colleges in India
Design colleges are spread all over India in major cities. You can enrol in government or private Design colleges in India. Given below is the region-wise distribution of the top Design schools in India:
Best Design Colleges in Delhi/NCR
Candidates can see the table below for the top Design colleges in Delhi NCR with their tuition fees and eligibility -
| College Names | Tuition Fee | Eligibility/Exams |
|---|---|---|
| Amity School of Fashion Technology Courses | INR 2.88 lakh - INR 11.84 lakh | Merit-Based |
| Amity University Noida Courses | INR 2.9 lakh - INR 12.54 lakh | CUET and Merit-Based |
| DTU Courses | INR 2.88 lakh | UCEED, CEED |
| IIAD Entrance Exam Courses | INR 9.66 lakh - INR 21.08 lakh | IIAD Entrance Exam and Merit-Based |
| NIFT Delhi Courses | INR 70,800 - INR 12.34 lakh | NIFT Entrance Exam and Merit-Based |
| Pearl Academy Courses | INR 1.4 lakh - INR 3.2 lakh | Pearl Academy Entrance Exam, DAT |
| United World Institute of Design, GD Goenka University Courses | INR 24 lakh - INR 40 lakh | UID Design Aptitude Test |
Source: Official site and may vary.
Best Design Colleges in Mumbai
Candidates can see the table below for the top Design colleges in Mumbai with their tuition fees and eligibility -
| College Names | Tuition Fee | Eligibility/Exams |
|---|---|---|
| Amity University Mumbai | INR 1.68 lakh - INR 10.56 lakh | CUET and Merit-Based |
| Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj University | INR 80,000 - INR 3.8 lakh | Merit-Based |
| IDC-IIT Bombay | INR 70,000 - INR 11.56 lakh | UCEED, CEED |
| IIAD-IIT Bombay | INR 1 lakh - INR 11.56 lakh | UCEED, CEED |
| NIFT Mumbai | INR 1.3 lakh - INR 11.74 lakh | NIFT Entrance Exam and Merit-Based |
| NMIMS School of Design, NMIMS | INR 17.8 lakh | UCEED, NMIMS DAT and Merit-Based |
| Pearl Academy Mumbai | INR 2.2 lakh - INR 21.52 lakh | Pearl Academy Exam and Merit-Based |
Source: Official site and may vary.
Best Design Institutes in Bangalore
Candidates can see the table below for the top Design colleges in Bangalore with their tuition fees and eligibility -
| College Names | Tuition Fee | Eligibility/Exams |
|---|---|---|
| NID Bengaluru | INR 9.97 lakh | NID Entrance Exam |
| NIFT Bangalore | INR 60,000 - INR 12.34 lakh | NIFT Entrance Exam and Merit-Based |
| Srishti Manipal Insitute of Art, Design and Technology | INR 1,35 lakh - INR 5.61 lakh | UCEED, SAT India and SMEAT |
| Vogue Institute of Art and Design | INR 1.36 lakh - INR 6 lakh | Merit-Based |
| RV University | INR 6 lakh - INR 15 lakh | UCEED |
Source: Official site and may vary.
Best Design Colleges in Pune
Candidates can see the table below for the top Design colleges in Pune with their tuition fees and eligibility -
| College Names | Tuition Fee | Eligibility/Exams |
|---|---|---|
| MIT-ADT University | INR 4.9 lakh - INR 12.65 lakh | MITID DAT |
| SID Pune | INR 17.6 lakh | SEED and Merit-Based |
| MIT-WPU Pune | INR 8 lakh - IR 14 lakh | NIFT Entrance Exam and Merit-Based |
| School of Design, MIT WPU | INR 14 lakh | NIFT Entrance Exam and Merit-Based |
| International School of Design | INR 62,000 - INR 5.85 lakh | Merit-Based |
Source: Official site and may vary.
Highest Salary Offered by Best Design Colleges in India
Enrolling into the top Designing colleges in India can be worthwhile for you. To check the worth, candidates must check the ROI of each college by comparing tuition fees and eligibility criteria. Candidates can see some of the colleges in the table below -
| College Names |
Total Tuition Fee |
Annual Average Package |
|---|---|---|
| NIFT Kannur Placement | INR 6.16 lakh - INR12.96 lakh | INR 4.11 LPA - INR 6.1 LPA |
| Amity University Mumbai Placement | INR 1.89 lakh - INR 11.68 lakh | INR 6.2 LPA - INR 7.2 LPA |
| PSG College of Arts and Science Placement | INR 1.4 lakh - INR 2.7 lakh | INR 3.5 LPA - INR 4 LPA |
| Indian Institute of Fashion Technology Placement | INR 75,000 - INR 6.9 lakh | INR 2.1 LPA - INR 3.5 LPA |
| Bon Secours College For Women Placement | INR 43,000 - INR 44,000 | INR 2.76 LPA |
Source: Official site and may vary.
Best Low-Cost Designing Colleges in India
Not everyone can afford a college with high fees and expenses. Candidates can check the table below for the top affordable Designing colleges in India with tuition fees of less than INR 1 lakh -
| Affordable Design Colleges in India | Tuition Fee |
|---|---|
| NIFT Delhi Fees | INR 94,400 |
| NIFT Bangalore Fees | INR 74,340 - INR 97,350 |
| NIFT Mumbai Fees | INR 47,200 - INR 88,500 |
| NIFT Kolkata Fees | INR 18,800 - INR 75,150 |
| NIFT Patna Fees | INR 25,600 - INR 90,200 |
Source: Official site and may vary.
Top Specialisations for Best Designing Colleges in India
Fashion Design, Graphic Design and Apparel design are some of the top specialisations offered by the best Designing colleges in India. Candidates can check the table below for the top specialisations offered by top colleges -
Source: Official site and may vary.
Best Design Colleges in India - Courses, Fees, Admission 2026
Commonly asked questions On Best Design Colleges in India - Courses, Fees, Admission 2026
National Institute of Design Bangalore is a goverment institute that is part of a group of autonomous design institutes in India. The NID is a statutory institute under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India.
Yes! The criteria to get into Dev Bhoomi is that the candidate must have passed 10+2 examination or equivalent in any stream from a recognised educational board with a minimum aggregate score of 45% marks with Maths/Bio/ physics as a prime subject, so in that case 70% aggregate in boards is a good grade to get into the institution with a variety of course choices such as BBA/ MBA/ BCA/ MCA and so on. So here's nothing to get worried about. There are also Scholarships arranged for students above got 70% aggregate, so it's a good choice to get connected to the institution and get forward with course structure. Applicant may visit the campus site dbuu.ac.in for more details .
Courses at AND Academy are delivered online through live, interactive sessions, ensuring learners receive real-time guidance and support from experienced mentors. These live sessions focus on practical applications, with learners working on projects and portfolios under the supervision of seasoned design professionals. The interactive format promotes active engagement, allowing learners to ask questions, receive feedback, and collaborate with peers.
Diploma Courses (Part-time, Evening): Learners engage in 6 hours of live interactive sessions each week, accompanied by 6 hours of self-managed study. This format is designed to balance guided learning and independent practice.
PG Diploma Courses (Full-time, Monday-Friday): The full-time courses involve 16 hours of live interactive sessions weekly, supplemented by 16 hours of self-managed study. This schedule offers an immersive learning experience, ideal for those looking to fast-track their education.
Amity University, Bengaluru has a huge campus and provides modern facilities to students. Some of the facilities provided by the university are listed below:
- Well-stocked library
- Media and Entertainment Lab
- Seminar halls
- Indoor Sports Ground
- Medical facilities
Yes, TSSM College of Engineering Pune offers scholarships to students as financial assistance. The below-mentioned are the TSSM College of Engineering Pune scholarship details that are mentioned below:
| Title of Award/Scholarship | Eligibility Criteria | Ammount/Per Annum |
|---|---|---|
| Shree Shirdi Saibaba Sansthan | Employee of Shree Shirdi Saibaba Sansthan | Tuition Fees |
| Minority Scholarship | Muslim, Buddhist, Sikh, and Christian caste students can apply. | INR 25,000 per annum |
| Lila Poonawalla Foundation Scholarship | Family background and previous academic record | INR 40,000 |
| Dr. Prof. T. J. Sawant Sir | Topper | Tuition Fees |
| Government Scholarship | For the SC category income limit is up to INR 2 lakh. For other reserve categories, i.e., OBC, VJNT, SBC, the income limit is INR 1 lakh | 50% Tuition Fees |
| Government Freeship | N/A | 50% Tuition Fees |
| Minority Scholarship | Muslim, Buddhist, Sikh, and Christian caste students can apply. | INR 25,000 per annum |
Commonly asked questions On Best Design Colleges in India - Courses, Fees, Admission 2026
JD School of Design (Powered by JD Institute), Bangalore has around 10 departments offering various undergraduate, postgraduate, and Diploma programmes. Below are some of the names:
- Fashion
- Interior
- Jewellery Design
- Graphic and Product
- Fashion Photography
- Visual Merchandising
- Makeup Artistry
- Event Management
- Design
ITM (SLS) Baroda University provides good campus facilities to the students. Some of these facilities are mentioned below:
Sports and fitness facility
Hospital
Labs
ATM facility
Hostel
Canteen
Library
Apex University admissions are open. Candidates meeting eligibility can fill out the form online. Aspirants also need to pay application fees. Admission to most of the programmes at Apex University is entrance-based.
Design Applications open. Apply Now
Commonly asked questions On Best Design Colleges in India - Courses, Fees, Admission 2026
Bharathiar University is rated 4.2/5 for Value for Money. The Bharathiar University ROI is quite good. The university placements are good. Hence, Bharathiar University is worth the competition. For students looking out for admissions, the below-mentioned is the past year placement data that can help in taking the decision for admission:
| Particulars | Placement Statistics (2022) | Placement Statistics (2023) |
|---|---|---|
| Total students (UG-3 year) | 134 | 146 |
| Students placed (UG-3 year) | 71 | 68 |
| Median package (UG-3 year) | INR 2.80 LPA | INR 2.80 LPA |
| Total students (PG-2 year) | 1,195 | 1,196 |
| Students placed (PG-2 year) | 798 | 799 |
| Median package (PG-2 year) | INR 6.60 LPA | INR 6.70 LPA |
NOTE: The aforementioned details are fetched from the NIRF report 2024.
Mahatma Gandhi University Kerala accepts national entrance exams such as MGU CAT, KEAM, CPGET, etc. Mahatma Gandhi University admission process is conducted via online registrations. Candidates must have to qualify the eligibility criteria set by the university for the desired course.
No, Centurion University Bhubaneswar does not provide 100% scholarship to the students. The institute provide maximum of 15% scholarship in the yearly tution fees. The scholarships are merit based, so students need to have a valid score in the exams in order to avail the scholarship. The institute also provide special discount in the fees structure. Also, according to the intitute, CUEE (Centurion University entrance exam) is compulsory to avail any kind of scholarship. Also, special scholarships are offered to reseved catagory students. In order to avail scholarship in the next year, students need to have minimum 80% attendance and 8.0 CGPA in the semester exams.
Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith offers all the necessary campus facilities to its students. Some of the facilities include:
- Well-equipped classrooms
- Library
- Sports and medical facilities
- Labs
MS Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences is expensive fee structure as compared to other fee structures. The BTech course ranges between INR 7.2 Lacs - INR 21 lakh. The institute offers BTech specialisation in CSE, Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, Civil, Robotics, Aerospace and others.
Commonly asked questions On Best Design Colleges in India - Courses, Fees, Admission 2026
There are many best courses in JD Institute of fashion technology Hyderabad like fashion designing UG & PG course are available: one year Diploma course and B.Sc in fashion and apparel desingning,M.Sc. fashion and textile desinging, M.Sc in fashion desinging and management, and there is a interior designing for interiors, also there is a one year course, B.Sc in interior desinging and decoration and M.Sc interior desinging and there is a diploma courses: advanced diploma in fashion and interior also.
Indian Institute of Film and Animation, Bangalore is a private institution that gives good education in Multimedia fields like Animation and VFX. Below are the reasons to choose IIFA Multimedia:
- Good Placements: The college gives placements in companies like Technicolor, DQ Entertainment, Dash Animation Studio etc..
- Scholarship Options: Students can avail scholarships like Minority and epass scholarship.
- Opportunity to Study Abroad: The dual degree programmes like International Dual degree in Animation/International Dual Certificate Programme, and International Dual degree in Game Designing/International Dual Certificate Programme allow students to study abroad.
Yes, students can get admission in Auro University without entrance exam for some programmes. The university offers admissions on both merit and entrance basis. For admission to BBA, BDes, etc., admissions are possible without entrance test.
Alagappa University is a public university in Tamil Nadu and strives to provide quality higher education to students. The flagship courses at the university like BSc and MBA have separate fee structures which the students can check by visiting the official website. For instance, the BSc program fee totals to around INR 29,000 per year for the Computer Science stream.
For programs like MBA students would be required to pay around INR 46,200 for the General and Specialized streams. Students can also check from among the many scholarship and fee assistance schemes operated under Alagappa University.
Jaipur National University is a self-financed private university recognised by the University Grant Commission (UGC). India Today has ranked the University 191 for "BTech", 99 for "BCA" & 55 for "Law" courses. The admissions are based on both merit & entrance exams. During the recent placements, the highest package offered was INR 70 LPA to the school of Media Studies. For the School of Technology, the highest package was INR 27 LPA. Overall, it is a good university.