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, LNCT University hard to get. The university accepts admission based on merit and entrance exams. The university accepts national entrance exams such as JEE Main, NEET, GMAT, NATA, and others. LNCT Bhoapl offers applications through online mode. Interested students must fill out the online application for the respective courses on the official website of LNCT University Bhopal.
Alliance University is considered as a Tier 2 university. It is a 1st private university in South India in Karnataka State by Act No. 34 and is recognised by the UGC. The university offers UG, PG, Diploma and PhD courses through 10+ constitutent colleges across various streams like Engineering, Management, Commerce, Law, Design, and others.
Poornima University represents an excellent choice for students interested in Management or Engineering courses with the university offering top-tier specialisations in emergent fields whether it be MBA in Leadership & Entrepreneurship, BTech CSE Cloud Technology & DevOps, etc.
The university also focuses on international volunteer and internship opportunities through organisations such as AIESEC, United Nations, etc.
Admission to all the programs offered at the University is entrance-based. Admission to Bachelor of Engineering program is based on KCET/ COMEDK UGET/ JEE Main exam, Bachelor of Architecture admission is based on NATA exam. The qualifying exams for admission to Master of Engineering is Karnataka PGCET/ GATE. Candidate must clear Karnataka PGCET exam for admission to Master of Computer of Application.
IIFD Chandigarh is not hard to get for dedicated students. Candidates who have missed the admissions must not worry. These candidates can apply again the next year. Candidates willing to get admission must take part in the IIFD Chandigarh admission process before the last date of application. Candidates must know their IIFD Chandigarh eligibility criteria and apply accordingly. Follow the IIFD Chandigarh application process mentioned below:
Step 1: Visit the official website of IIFD Chandigarh.
Step 2: Select the required course.
Step 3: Pay the application fee.
Step 4: Fill out and submit the application form with the required information.
Design Applications open. Apply Now
Commonly asked questions On Best Design Colleges in India - Courses, Fees, Admission 2026
Yes, candidates can take admission through JEE Mains for BTech course. Apart from JEE Main, candidates can also apply through SAT India score for any of the BTech specialisation. Bennett University also accepts NEET score for BTech Biotechnology and integrated programme.
Besides the entrance exam, candidates also need to fulfil the eligibility requirements. Aspirants need to complete Class 12 in relevant subjects with at least 50% aggregate or with a minimum score of 24 in IB Board to apply for BTech programme.
The Dayalbagh Educational Institute the highest package has not been released. However, the median package is available in the NIRF report. The highest median package for 2023 stood at INR 7.75 LPA and was offered to M.Tech students. Tabulated below are the median package trends from Dayalbagh Educational Institute placements 2021 to 2023:
| Course | Median Package (2021) | Median Package (2022) | Median Package (2023) |
|---|---|---|---|
| BTech | INR 4.40 LPA | INR 5.20 LPA | INR 6 LPA |
| MBA | INR 3.50 LPA | INR 3.60 LPA | INR 3.60 LPA |
| MTech | INR 5 LPA | INR 5 LPA | INR 7.75 LPA |
NOTE: The above salary data is fetched from the NIRF report 2024.
Apeejay Institute of Design also known as AID, was establishaed in 1991. The institute is approved by AICTE. The institute is located in Tugalaqabad. The institute was the first one to introduce a BDes degree course in 1998. The institute today offers courses in the stream of Fashion, Interior and Graphic Design, animation, and multimedia.AID has various International collaborations. AID has been awarded as Best Design Institute for Nurturing Innovation and Design Thinking by the Federation of World Academics, in 2021.
CCSU average package details is not visible on the official website for the latest year. As per the NIRF report for 2025, the following data can be checked related to CCS University Meerut placements 2024:
| Particulars | Statistics 2024 |
|---|---|
| UG (5 Years) Median package | INR 7.80 LPA |
| PG (2 Years) Median package | INR 7 LPA |
| UG (4 Years) Median package | INR 5.49 LPA |
| PG (2 Years) No. of students placed | 314 |
| UG (4 Years) No. of students placed | 205 |
| UG (5 Years) No. of students placed | 34 |
Somaiya School of Design, supported by Riidl has state-of-the-art infrastructure which is equipped with all the necessary amenities offered to the students. The institute includes classrooms, library, a digital fabrication laboratory, a SMAC lab, an XR riidl, a parallel skill lab, an auditorium, a conference hall, a cafeteria, and others.
Commonly asked questions On Best Design Colleges in India - Courses, Fees, Admission 2026
IIIT Bangalore has been ranked well by the NIRF under the 'Engineering' category. Through the years, the NIRF rankings for IIIT Bangalore indicate the institute's strong performance in crucial areas such as the Quality of Education, Conducting Impactful Research, the Expertise of Faculty members, and Overall Institutional Management.
It has been ranked on 69th position under Engineering category by NIRF Ranking 2025.
The INSD Kolkata average package offered during the 2023 placement drive stood at INR 5.40 LPA. The same is presented below:
Particulars | Placement Statistics (2023) |
|---|---|
Average package | INR 5.40 LPA |
Yes, the cutoff for Welingkar Mumbai has increased. In 2025, the last round cutoff for MBA admission at Welingkar Mumbai was 99.9. For the same course, the last round cutoff was 99.96 in 2024, while in 2023, the cutoff was concluded at 99.93.
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.
Annamalai University offers more than 500 courses through distance education, Annamalai University admissions are both merit-based and entrance-based. Offering courses at the UG, PG, PhD, and Diploma levels, Annamalai University offers courses at the total tuition fee ranging from INR 2.8 K to INR 29.4 Lakh. Students can check with the admission office if the university allows payment through both online and offline modes.
Commonly asked questions On Best Design Colleges in India - Courses, Fees, Admission 2026
ACAD Fees & Eligibility
| Course | Fees | Eligibility | |
|---|---|---|---|
| B.Des | 60,000 (1st Year Fees) | 10+2 | |
| B.F.A | 40,000 (1st Year Fees) | 10+2 | |
| Diploma | 40,000 (Total Fees) | 10+2 | |
| Certification | 40,000 (Total Fees) | 10+2 |
- Likes:
- Faculties Are Good And Sincere Admission Process Also Good,
- There Are Clubs On Saturday That I Like The Most. There Are Many Clubs, like Dance, Music, Karate, Drawing, Fashion Club, and many more.
- Dislikes:
- Architecture is not good and construction is also going on. So the college remains dusty all time.
The course fees of Gurugram University depends on course level, type, specialisation and other factors with the fee structure having many constitutents. Though generally one will find that the Gurugram University course fees ranges around INR 3,19,880 for some courses while others go down till INR 4,000 to INR 2.5 Lakhs for MA tuition fees if one takes into account fee concessions.
Veer Narmad South Gujarat University is located in Surat, Gujarat and is also known as VNSGU. It has been accredited by NAAC with B+ grade in 2022 and has also been recognised by the UGC. At present, there are 34 government, 190 self-financed colleges, and 150 postgraduate teaching centres affiliated with VNSGU.
Hey,
The top recruiters of the college are:
Infosys
Wipro
TCS
HCL
IBM
Cognizant
Dell
and many more.
IN DESIGN :
Samsung
Hindalco Industries
Marked Blu. etc.
Other companies are:
Naukri
L&T
Berger paints
These are well known companies that visits in the university. There are some other companies too who visit the campus.
To know if a Great Learning course is right for you, we suggest you to explore course previews, read testimonials from past students, and attend informational webinars to get a better understanding of what each course offers. Additionally, you can reach out to the admissions team for personalized guidance based on your career goals and interests.