Best Design Colleges in India - Courses, Fees, Admission 2026
2533 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
Yes, Amity University Raipur is a good college for the studentsand it is recognised by the UGC and approved by BCI and COA. The university has experinced and trained faculty members with years of experince.
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.
The National Institute of Fashion Andheri is a private Fashion Designing Institute and is one of the centres of the world’s largest network of Design Institute’s, National Institute of Fashion (NIF). The Institute was established in 2003 in Andheri West, Mumbai. Over the years, NIF Global Andheri students showcased their skills on global platforms such as Lakme Fashion Week, New York Fashion Week, London Fashion Week, Dubai Fashion Week, and others.
Commonly asked questions On Best Design Colleges in India - Courses, Fees, Admission 2026
Calicut University admissions are likely to open soon. Interested students can apply online. For the latest updates, students need to regularly check the university's website. The applications will be live at the official page of the respective counselling/ entrance exam body.
After JEE session 2 is completed, only those candidates who are aiming for IITs need to start preparing for JEE Advanced after clearing JEE Main. Those who are above the 98th percentile should start preparing for JEE Advanced as soon as possible. Those below this, between the 95th and 98th percentile, should focus on attempting more mock tests and previous year question papers so that they have a better chance of clearing JEE Advanced
MLSU admission process differs based on the course, candidate applying for. Admission to UG courses at MLSU is based on aggregate score obtained in the qualifying exam followed by the counselling. BTech and BArch admissions at MLSU are based on rank secured in the JEE Main and NATA entrance examinations, respectively. The final selection for BTech and BArch is done though REAP counselling.
Yes, candidates may get admission at Apparel Training and Design Centrewith 60% in Class 12. Merit and entrance-based admission for the courses is provided by the institute. As long as the candidate have the minimum eligibility criteria, the score will be considered for admission. Application can be submitted directly from the official website.
The Amity University Mohali fee structure for the available hostels is given below:
- For AC Rooms – INR 1.85 LPA
- For Non-AC Rooms – INR 1 LPA. (For Boys Only)
One-time Hostel Security Deposit of INR 15,000 which has to be paid along with the total Hostel fee.
The hostel fee is inclusive of the boarding & also the laundry charges. There are multi cuisine cafeterias that are available in the campus.
Commonly asked questions On Best Design Colleges in India - Courses, Fees, Admission 2026
The highest package in NID Gandhinagar is escalating from INR 36 LPA in 2021 to a good more profitable INR 46 LPA in 2022. This no longer only displays the flourishing call for graduates but also the self belief that top recruiters have in our expertise pool. Even the bottom bundle witnessed balance, losing marginally from INR 4.80 LPA to INR 4 LPA.
Speaking of recruiters, the transformation is evident inside the caliber of businesses in search of our graduates. Various companies, such as HCL Technologies, Borosil, and Cognizant remained imperative in 2021, they were joined through industry giants such as Microsoft, Tech Mahindra, and Infosys in 2022.
Overall, these facts paint a photo of sustained growth, more advantageous opportunities, and an increasing community of prestigious employers for graduating students of NID Gandhinagar.
The candidate may apply provisionally for any course but must produce self-attested copy of the mark sheets/ degrees before September 30, 2024. In case the candidate is not able to submit the required documents by the stipulated date, provisional admission is liable to be cancelled and shall have no claim to the fee paid as per the Pearl Academy Delhi South refund policy.
Alison's courses are accredited by CPD UK and comply with globally accepted Continuing Professional Development (CPD) standards. The course certificates qualify the learner’s CPD requirements for their organisations.
Design Applications open. Apply Now
Commonly asked questions On Best Design Colleges in India - Courses, Fees, Admission 2026
Yes, students can get admission at Jindal School of Design and Architecture without NATA. JSDA accepts scores from other national-level exams like JEE Main-II, UCEED, JCAT (Jindal Creative Aptitude Test), etc. Aspiring candidates must qualify the eligibility criteria set by the institute for the desired course.
Yes, Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh is a government university. NIRF recently ranked PEC in Chandigarh in the rank band of 101-150 under the Engineering category. Being a government university, the university places great focus on the research work and several other activities.
Kalyani University has some of the famous alumni. Arijit Singh, one of the renowned singer of the company is one of the most famous alumni of Kalyani University.
Faculty members provide creative mentorship, technical education and professional guidance. The institute ensures students receive quality education and industry-relevant training through experienced educators and design professionals who support academic development and professional career preparation in design industries globally and professionally. Faculty members actively guide students through creative projects, industry assignments and portfolio development. They provide professional insights and career mentorship.