Best Design Colleges in India - Courses, Fees, Admission 2026
2553 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
Highest Nursing job is Senior Staff Nurse.
They manage junior staff nurses and Nursing students to make sure patients get best care.
These nurses are give nursing care to such patients.
Sadly, most programmes do not offer direct admission to UID Ahmedabad. A two-tier evaluation with the UID Design Aptitude Test (UID DAT), a Situation Test (ST), and portfolio review is part of their usual admissions procedure. This guarantees that they choose pupils who possess both theoretical understanding and real-world expertise.
There are a few exclusions, though:
Lateral Entry: You may be qualified for lateral entry into particular semesters if you have already completed a qualifying Diploma or degree in design.
Transfer Admission: Under specific circumstances, students enrolled in another design programme may be eligible to transfer to UID. For further details contact with administration.
There are many different courses offered in Apeejay institute of design.
- B.Des
- MA
- UG Diploma
- PG Diploma
are the different courses offered in the institute.
- B.Des is offered with 9 different streams including animation and multimedia, graphic design, interior design, etc.,
Sharda School of Design, Architecture & Planning application process is conducted in the online mode. Students must follow the Sharda School of Design, Architecture and Planning application process given below:
- Reach the official site.
- Appear for the entrance test SUAT.
- Pay the entrance test fee.
- Wait for the merit list.
Design Applications open. Apply Now
Design Applications open. Apply Now
Commonly asked questions On Best Design Colleges in India - Courses, Fees, Admission 2026
Yes, Parul University Vadodara is considered to be on a moderately expensive side for most courses. While the lowest fee for a degree course stands at INR 32,000 (for MLib.Sc), the highest fee is INR 30.4 lakh (for BAMS) indicating a big difference in the fee range. Being a private university, the fee for various courses can be a little high. But students can apply for scholarships/ financial assistance which could reduce the fee to an extent, making courses somewhat affordable. Further, students get global exposure, experience top-class infra & curriculum. The overall highest package was INR 60 LPA. Based on these parameters, the fees seems justifiable.
There are 92 faculty members available in the college. They provide quality education to students across the fields of Fashion, Design, and Media. Tabulated below are some of the faculty members at Pearl Academy:
Faculty Name | Designation |
|---|---|
Arun Kumar Bhardwaj | Associate Dean |
Tapan K Chakravarty | Consultant |
Bhagyashri Sharma | Department Leader |
Niketa Chakrabarti | Associate Professor |
Looking at the details above, one can say that the Pearl Academy New Delhi faculty is good.
One course cannot be categorically declared the "best course" in the Manav Rachna Faculty of Architecture and Design. Because every program is tailored to meet the unique interests and career aspirations of its students, what is deemed "top" is entirely dependent upon your personal preferences and goals.To assist you in choosing which curriculum would be the greatest fit for you, I can offer you the following insights:Do you have a strong desire to design areas and alter surroundings? If so, the M.Sc. or B.Sc. programs in interior design could be wise choices.Do you like coming up with new ideas and solving problems? The M.Sc. or B.Des. in Product Design might therefore be a suitable fit.Do the technical facets of building design and construction appeal to you? If so, the B.Arch degree could be your best bet.
Fashion Designer, Textile Designer, Accessory Designer, Interior Designer, Graphic Designer, Web Designer, Game Designer, and Furniture Designer are some of the job profiles available after studying design courses. Designer pay may vary depending on a number of factors, including cities or demand. Your degree's worth may differ between cities. There are more offices and enterprises in big cities, which increases your chances of finding work.
Graduates in design have a wide range of employment possibilities.
| Job Profiles | Average Salary (INR) |
|---|---|
Fashion Designer | INR 3.5 LPA |
Textile Designer | INR 4.2 LPA |
Graphic Designer | INR 3.0 LPA |
Interior Designer | INR 3.1 LPA |
UI/UX Designer | INR 5.5 LPA |
School of Design, MIT WPU Pune the highest package for 2025 is INR 20 LPA. The institute has decent placements and invites companies from different sectors to conduct the placement process at the Campus premises.
Commonly asked questions On Best Design Colleges in India - Courses, Fees, Admission 2026
The percentage of students placed is not disclosed on the official website of SID Pune. However, the students have revealed that a 100% placement rate is achieved in the recent placements. The table below mentions the Symbiosis Institute of Design placement rate for reference:
| Particulars | Placement Statistics |
|---|---|
| Placement rate | 100% |
NOTE: The above details are collated from Shiksha students' reviews.
Pearl Academy Bangalore offers PG and undergraduate programmes to students. These programmes are given across the Design, Management, and various other streams. At the PG (postgraduate) level, the college offers MDes, a 2-year MBA, and other programmes to students. Pearl Academy courses also include certificate & Diploma programmes. At the UG (undergraduate) level, the college offers BDes & other programmes to students.
NID Institute Ahmedabad courses are offered to students at the UG, PG, and PhD levels. The college mainly offers courses in the Design stream and covers areas, namely Industrial Design, Communication Design, Textile, etc. Some of the popular courses offered at NID Ahmedabad are BDes and MDes.
DIT is not a Tier 1 university. It is generally considered a Tier 2 private university. Tier 1 universities are IITs, IIITs, and others. The university is ranked at 83rd position under the Pharmacy category by the NIRF 2025. DIT university has also been ranked at the 21st position by the Week for the year 2025 for B.Arch.
All the CUCET-based scholarships awarded to CU students are valid for the first year only. To renew them for the further years, students should apply for renewal every year. The eligibility criteria for scholarship renewal is mentioned below:
- Performance: 7.5 CGPA at the end of each year
- College students must not indulge in any indiscipline activity
- Students should not have E, F or I in any of the subject in any year
For other merit-based scholarships offered by CU on the basis of JEE Main/ CAT/ MAT/ ATMA/ Class 12 & graduation scores, renewal of scholarship will only be possible if students maintain a minimum CGPA of 7.5 in the semester exams. However, for PharmaD course, it is mandatory that the students don't have any semester/year break in between.
Design Applications open. Apply Now
Commonly asked questions On Best Design Colleges in India - Courses, Fees, Admission 2026
FLAME University is mainly concerned with streams such as Business Administration, Science, Management, etc. The university offers BBA, BSc, and MBA programmes as the popular programmes. They are offered for a duration of 3 and 2 years, respectively.
Below are the details regarding seat intake for Degree-Specialisation courses such as BDes. BVA, BBA, BDes, MBA, MSc, MVA, etc at World University of Design:
Courses- Specialisations | Seat Intake |
|---|---|
BDes - UX & Digital Product Design | 40 |
BDes - Product Design | 40 |
BDes - Transportation Design | 40 |
BDes - Interior Architecture & Design | 40 |
BDes - Film & Video | 40 |
BDes - Graphic Communication Design | 40 |
BDes - Animation & Game Design | 40 |
BDes - Fashion Design | 60 |
BDes - Fashion Communication | 40 |
BDes - Textile Design | 40 |
BVA - Creative Painting | 40 |
BVA - Digital Drawing & Illustration | 40 |
BBA - Design Strategy & Management | 30 |
BArch - Architecture | 40 |
BA(Hons.) - Built Environment & Habitat Studies | 40 |
BPA - Dance / Music | 40 |
MDes/ MSc - International Fashion Business | 30 |
MDes/ MSc - User Experience & Interaction Design | 30 |
MDes/ MSc - Transportation Design | 30 |
MDes/ MSc - Industrial Design | 30 |
MDes/ MSc - Interior & Retail Design | 30 |
MDes/ MSc - Communication Design Majors: Visual Communication, Game Development) | 30 |
MDes/ MSc - Fashion Design | 30 |
MVA - Contemporary Art Practices | 30 |
MVA - Art Education | 30 |
MVA - Curatorial Practices in Art | 30 |
MBA - Design Strategy & Management | 30 |
MPA - Dance / Music | 30 |
COEP MAH CET Cutoff 2026 is yet to be released. 2025 cutoff was released for admission to M.B.A. in Business Analytics course and Master of Business Administration (MBA) programme. Refer to the table below to view the qualifying percentile for MAH CET Cutoff 2025.
| Course Name | Section Name | COEP Pune MAH CET Cutoff 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| MBA in Business Analytics | Overall | 99.73 |
| Master of Business Administration (MBA) | Overall | 99.73 |
1. Top companies that hire Art graduates are:
Top Companies for Arts Graduate | |
|---|---|
Microsoft Corporation | Robosoft Technologies |
AAPC | Lowe Lintas |
Cognizant | Saregama India Limited |
The highest package offered at Manipal School of Architecture and Planning (MSAP) in 2022 was INR 12 LPA. This was offered to a B.Des student by Amazon. MSAP claims that over 200 firms across India and abroad recruit UG and PG students every year, both on-campus and off-campus. Some of the notable recruiters include Flipkart, Myntra, Urban Ladder, Pepperfry, CnT Architects, RSP Design Consultants, Gensler, Hafeez Contractor, Morphogenesis, etc.