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
RV University is famous for the placements and infrastructure. RV University Bangalore has collaborated with various national & international organisations like the University of Latvia, Seattle University, Kanagawa University, etc. to provide students with a world-class education. The university is also famous for the popular programmes such as BTech and BSc.
Fergusson College is an autonomous college that is recognised by the University Grant Commission (UGC) and gives good education to the students. Below given are the reasons to choose the college:
- Good Ranking: The college is ranked 57 under the 'Colleges' category by the NIRF 2025.
- Placement Opportunities: The college gives placement opportunities in companies like Wipro, Cipla, Deloitte and BPCL.
- Scholarship Options: The college also gives scholarships to the students to help them financially like Savitribai Phule Merit Scholarship, Eklavya Scholarship etc..
Srishti Manipal Institute of Art, Design and Technology, MAHE tuition fee costs around INR 2.1 L - INR 17.3 L. This fee is exclusive of other components such as examination fee, application fee, hostel fee, security deposit, etc. This fee is taken from the official website. It is subject to change.
Mumbai University provides hostel facilities for both, boys and girls. MU has 5 girls' hostels, 2 boys' hostels, and 1 hostel for international students. The MU campus is equipped with CCTV cameras to offer a safe and secure surrounding. The hostels are equipped with basic facilities such as mess, water purifiers, electricity, etc. Rental and paying guest facilities are also available nearby the campus.
Panache Academy, is a private academy for Air Hostess, Hospitality, and Travel & Tourism. Located in Ahmedabad, the academy is recognised by the UGC and certified by ISO 9001-2008 & the CIAC as well as by Knowledge Consortium of Gujarat (KCG).The institute is affiliated with Gujarat University. There are more branches of Panache Academy, which are located in Goa, Vadodara and Indore.
The institute offers undergraduate, postgraduate, diploma, and certification programmes and the courses include Diploma in Airlines/ Hospitality/ Tourism, BBA-Airlines/Tourism/Hospitality Management, Certificate in Cabin Crew Training, Certificate in Airport Management& Airport Ground Staff, Certificate in Hotel Management, Finishing Course in English/ Personality Development / Groomimg, and MBA- Airlines / Tourism / Hospitality Management.
| Particulars | Statistics |
|---|---|
Recognised by | UGC |
No. of courses | 8 |
No. of the students placed | 3,000+ |
Affiliating University | Gujrat University, Dr.Baba Saheb Ambedkar University, etc. |
Top Recruiters | Emirates, Qatar Airways, Indigo, Spicejet, Vistara, Go Air, Taj Hotel, etc. |
Students enrolled | 8,500+ |
Certified Teachers | 46 |
The Colleges have a good placement record of around 100% placement. Some of the major recruiting companies are: British Airways | Cox and Kings | Emirates | Etihad | Flamingo | hilton | IndiGo Airlines | Jet Airways | Kuoni Travels | Lufthansa | marriott hotels | oberoi | Qatar Airways | Radisson | Sheraton Hotels | Singapore Airlines | Spicejet | Taj Group of Hotels | Thomas Cook | Vistara
Commonly asked questions On Best Design Colleges in India - Courses, Fees, Admission 2026
No, it is not hard to get admission at Gujarat University. The university offer undergraduate (UG), postgraduate (PG), diploma, certificate and PhD courses to students in streams such as Arts, Commerce, Science, Education, Law and Medicine & Health Sciences. Admission is based on merit and entrance exams. The university accepts national entrance exams such as CAT, MAT, and others. Aspiring candidates must qualify the eligibility criteria set by the university for the desired course.
Refer to the below-video for more information:
Students paying the DYPIU Pune admission fee will have to pay additional costs as well such as transportation charges, charges for notes and books, and others. Some additional charges are taken at the time of admission while others are taken after the admission process is over. Students must pay all the charges timely to avoid late fee charges.
The mess food at SNDT Women's University is overally good and top-notch in terms of quality and quantity.
Different varieties of food are served for breakfast, lunch, snacks, and dinner throughout the week. The food will not be served in rooms, and residents are not allowed to take food to their rooms.
K J Somaiya School of Engineering application window is open. The step-by-step application process:
- Visit the official page.
- Click on Apply Now.
- Fill out the details and generate login details.
- Login to fill out the application form and upload the documents.
- Pay the application fee.
Students of International School of Design at Pune can gain admission to courses at the UG, PG, Certificate and Diploma levels. While these courses are offered in a range of specialisations such as Design and related disciplines. Interested students can check the base courses and number of specialisations at INSD Pune:
- UG: BSc (7+ specialisation), BDes (10+ specialisations), BVoc (6+ specialisations)
- PG: MBA (5+ specialisations), MDes (7+ specialisation), MSc (6+ specialisation), MVoc (6+ specialisation), PGDM.
- 29+ Diploma courses
- 16+ Certificate courses
Commonly asked questions On Best Design Colleges in India - Courses, Fees, Admission 2026
IIT Hyderabad is a government college that is approved by organizations like AICTE and UGC. Below given are the reasons to choose IIT Hyderabad:
- Good Ranking: The college is ranked 6th by NIRF 2025 under the Innovation category, 7th under the Engineering category, and 12th under the Overall category.
- Placement Opportunities: The college has a placement cell and gives placement opportunities in companies like Microsoft, Apple, Jaguar etc. The students have also got packages upto 2.5 CPA.
- Scholarship Options: The college also gives scholarships under merit-cum-means and ST/SC scholarships categories.
Yes, the Sandip University degree is valid. The University holds UGC approval which makes it prestigious enough to own a degree from. Apart from being a member of AIU, Sandip University also owns a solid grip on global exposure via various collaborations with companies and organizations present nationally and internationally such as Giggle Galaxy Pvt Ltd, (ImaginXP) Pune, University of Putra, Malaysia, and many more.
For a better holistic approach, the University makes sure to provide it all through various programs and beneficial schemes at the student’s disposal. The Sandip Group of Institutions grades an ‘A’ as per the NAAC with the highest scoring of 3.11.
No, there are no direct admissions in NMIMS School of Design. For admission in institute of NMIMS School of Design you need valid score and merit in NMIMS-DAT above 80 percentile and 60% aggregate in HSC are required to get selected. After passing studio test and interview round student get selected in NMIMS-SOD and also candidate have to performed well because college have very limited seats available for courses around 30 seats and college fees is around 17.8 lakh. Candidate can check admission, eligibility criteria and upcoming updates of course on shiksha.com or college official website (design.nmims.edu).
Commonly asked questions On Best Design Colleges in India - Courses, Fees, Admission 2026
MAHE Manipal has an Anti-Ragging Cell. Hence, the freshers will never meet with this problem while studying in this college. The college premises has strict laws against the student found guilty of any act such as abusing, assaulting, threatening, teasing and embarrassment to new students, among others.
Netaji Subhas University of Technology admissions are likely to open soon. Interested students can apply online. The process starts with eligibility check. Students can keep checking NSUT site for the latest info.
Yes, the college provides hostel facilities for the students who live far from their homes. Terna College of Engineering ensures that every student feels comfortable when they live away from homes. The hostel has well-furnished rooms with proper space for air to flow. The water is given to the students for 24 hours. The hostel has also has a large number of rooms entertainment of the students. The other facilities include a canteen and a guest room to make students feel supported during their stay at Terna College of Engineering.
The eligibility criteria for CEPT University differs as per the course selected by the candidates. The course-wise admission eligibility criteria has been provided in the table below.
| CEPT University Course Name | Admission Process |
|---|---|
| Bachelor of Interior Design | NATA & Qualifying exam scores |
| Bachelor of Urban Design | CEPT Entrance Exam |
| Bachelor of Construction Technology | CEPT Entrance Exam & Qualifying exam scores |
| Bachelor of Design | UCEED scores |
| Bachelor of Architecture | NATA & Qualifying exam scores |
| MArch in Architectural Design | Qualifying exam scores, Aptitude test Portfolio and Personal interview |
| MArch/ MA in Conservation and Regeneration | Qualifying exam scores, Portfolio and Personal interview |
| MArch/ MA in Architectural History and Theory | Qualifying exam scores, Portfolio and Personal interview |
| Master of Landscape Architecture | CEPT Entrance Exam, Portfolio and Personal interview |
| Master of Urban Planning | CEPT Entrance Exam |
| Master of Urban Transport Systems | CEPT Entrance Exam |
| Master of Urban Infrastructure | CEPT Entrance Exam |
| Master of Urban Housing | CEPT Entrance Exam |
| Master of Urban Design | Portfolio and Personal interview |
| Master of Urban Management | CEPT Entrance Exam and Personal interview |
| Master of Technology in Construction Engineering & Management | CEPT Entrance Exam |
| Master of Technology in Structural Engineering Design | CEPT Entrance Exam |
| Master of Technology in Geomatics | CEPT Entrance Exam |
| Master of Technology in Building Energy Performance | CEPT Entrance Exam |