Design Colleges in Mumbai - Courses, Fees, Admissions 2026, Cutoff, Placements
In India, Design is offered by 187 colleges in Mumbai. Among the total number of colleges offering Design, division of colleges by ownership is private owned: 126, public / government owned: 10 and public private owned: 3.
Location wise
Design colleges in Mumbai are spread across the state. Tabulated below is the list of top cities housing the colleges:
| Location Details | Colleges |
|---|---|
| Maharashtra | 458 Colleges |
| Delhi/NCR | 319 Colleges |
| Punjab | 225 Colleges |
| Karnataka | 222 Colleges |
| Tamil Nadu | 221 Colleges |
| Mumbai (All) | 216 Colleges |
| Uttar Pradesh | 209 Colleges |
| Mumbai | 187 Colleges |
| Delhi | 174 Colleges |
| Bangalore | 167 Colleges |
| Pune | 141 Colleges |
| West Bengal | 139 Colleges |
| Gujarat | 122 Colleges |
| Kolkata | 113 Colleges |
| Madhya Pradesh | 108 Colleges |
| Rajasthan | 106 Colleges |
| All over India | 106 Colleges |
| Haryana | 105 Colleges |
| Telangana | 85 Colleges |
| Chennai | 79 Colleges |
Specializations
Design in Mumbai is offered in diversified specialisations such as Communication Design, Fashion Design, Interior Design etc. Refer to the table below highlighting the top specialisations offered along with the number of colleges:
| Specialization Details | Colleges |
|---|---|
| Communication Design | 94 Colleges |
| Fashion Design | 91 Colleges |
| Interior Design | 74 Colleges |
| Fashion Design | 53 Colleges |
| Graphic Design | 50 Colleges |
| Graphic / Web Design | 44 Colleges |
| UI / UX | 35 Colleges |
| Game Design | 31 Colleges |
| Web Design | 30 Colleges |
| Apparel Design | 25 Colleges |
| Textile Design | 24 Colleges |
| Industrial / Product Design | 23 Colleges |
| Jewellery Design | 20 Colleges |
| Game Design | 18 Colleges |
| 2D / 3D Animation | 15 Colleges |
| Visual Merchandising | 12 Colleges |
| Graphics Art | 10 Colleges |
| Lifestyle Accesory Design | 9 Colleges |
| CAD / CAM / CAE | 8 Colleges |
| Photoshop | 8 Colleges |
Entrance Exams
Aspirants need to qualify for various national, state, or university-level entrance exams to get admitted to Design colleges in Mumbai. The table below comprises the top entrance exams accepted in various Design colleges in Mumbai:
| Exam Details | Colleges |
|---|---|
| CBSE 12th | 103 Colleges |
| Maharashtra HSC | 95 Colleges |
| ISC | 91 Colleges |
| CBSE 10th | 18 Colleges |
| ICSE | 14 Colleges |
| Maharashtra SSC | 13 Colleges |
| MAH CET | 6 Colleges |
| Maharashtra State Board (MSBSHSE) | 6 Colleges |
| NID Entrance Exam | 5 Colleges |
| UCEED | 5 Colleges |
| NATA | 4 Colleges |
| XAT | 3 Colleges |
| CAT | 3 Colleges |
| NIFT Entrance Exam | 3 Colleges |
| CUET | 3 Colleges |
| PERA CET | 3 Colleges |
| MAT | 2 Colleges |
| NMAT | 2 Colleges |
| GATE | 2 Colleges |
| CMAT | 2 Colleges |
In India, Design is offered by 187 colleges in Mumbai. Among the total number of colleges offering Design, division of colleges by ownership is private owned: 126, public / government owned: 10 and public private owned: 3.
Location wise
Design colleges in Mumbai are spread across the state. Tabulated below is the list of top cities housing the colleges:
| Location Details | Colleges |
|---|---|
| Maharashtra | 458 Colleges |
| Delhi/NCR | 319 Colleges |
| Punjab | 225 Colleges |
| Karnataka | 222 Colleges |
| Tamil Nadu | 221 Colleges |
| Mumbai (All) | 216 Colleges |
| Uttar Pradesh | 209 Colleges |
| Mumbai | 187 Colleges |
| Delhi | 174 Colleges |
| Bangalore | 167 Colleges |
| Pune | 141 Colleges |
| West Bengal | 139 Colleges |
| Gujarat | 122 Colleges |
| Kolkata | 113 Colleges |
| Madhya Pradesh | 108 Colleges |
| Rajasthan | 106 Colleges |
| All over India | 106 Colleges |
| Haryana | 105 Colleges |
| Telangana | 85 Colleges |
| Chennai | 79 Colleges |
Specializations
Design in Mumbai is offered in diversified specialisations such as Communication Design, Fashion Design, Interior Design etc. Refer to the table below highlighting the top specialisations offered along with the number of colleges:
| Specialization Details | Colleges |
|---|---|
| Communication Design | 94 Colleges |
| Fashion Design | 91 Colleges |
| Interior Design | 74 Colleges |
| Fashion Design | 53 Colleges |
| Graphic Design | 50 Colleges |
| Graphic / Web Design | 44 Colleges |
| UI / UX | 35 Colleges |
| Game Design | 31 Colleges |
| Web Design | 30 Colleges |
| Apparel Design | 25 Colleges |
| Textile Design | 24 Colleges |
| Industrial / Product Design | 23 Colleges |
| Jewellery Design | 20 Colleges |
| Game Design | 18 Colleges |
| 2D / 3D Animation | 15 Colleges |
| Visual Merchandising | 12 Colleges |
| Graphics Art | 10 Colleges |
| Lifestyle Accesory Design | 9 Colleges |
| CAD / CAM / CAE | 8 Colleges |
| Photoshop | 8 Colleges |
Entrance Exams
Aspirants need to qualify for various national, state, or university-level entrance exams to get admitted to Design colleges in Mumbai. The table below comprises the top entrance exams accepted in various Design colleges in Mumbai:
| Exam Details | Colleges |
|---|---|
| CBSE 12th | 103 Colleges |
| Maharashtra HSC | 95 Colleges |
| ISC | 91 Colleges |
| CBSE 10th | 18 Colleges |
| ICSE | 14 Colleges |
| Maharashtra SSC | 13 Colleges |
| MAH CET | 6 Colleges |
| Maharashtra State Board (MSBSHSE) | 6 Colleges |
| NID Entrance Exam | 5 Colleges |
| UCEED | 5 Colleges |
| NATA | 4 Colleges |
| XAT | 3 Colleges |
| CAT | 3 Colleges |
| NIFT Entrance Exam | 3 Colleges |
| CUET | 3 Colleges |
| PERA CET | 3 Colleges |
| MAT | 2 Colleges |
| NMAT | 2 Colleges |
| GATE | 2 Colleges |
| CMAT | 2 Colleges |
Design Colleges in Mumbai - Courses, Fees, Admissions 2026, Cutoff, Placements
Commonly asked questions On Design Colleges in Mumbai - Courses, Fees, Admissions 2026, Cutoff, Placements
The table below shows the top government Interior Designing colleges in Maharashtra along with their tuition fees and accepted entrance exams:
Public/Government Colleges | Tuition Fee | Entrance Exams |
|---|---|---|
INR 46,000 – INR 2 lakh | Merit-based | |
INR 15,000 – INR 42,000 | Merit-based | |
Garware Institute of Career Education and Development Admission | INR 2 Lacs – INR 4 lakh | Merit-based |
INR 18,000 | Merit-based | |
INR 18,000 | Merit-based |
The NIFT exam is among the competitive and is also considered among the toughest. So, it is recommended that the candidate starts their exam preparation early. NIFT exam has various components like written exam and Situation Test /Personal Interview. Candidates seeking admission to the B. Des and M.Des courses need to prepare for both the CAT and GAT. The CAT is a drawing-based exam. Now unless the candidate is already well-versed, the exam will be very difficult. So, start early. The same goes for the GAT.
To give oneself a higher chance of securing a good rank in NID DAT, it is important to use good-quality books a reference material.
Here are some of the best books recommended by experts and previous rank holders to prepare for the NID DAT exam.
- NID (B. Des. ). Entrance Books and Test Series by AFAINDIA
- Basic Rendering by Robert W. Gill
- Design drawing by Francis D. K. Ching
- NIFT/NID/IIFT Entrance Exam Guide by RPH Editorial Board
Pearl Academy Mumbai is considered a top tier private institute for design, fashion, media & business recognised as leading creative arts college in India. It has excellent placement records with high profile recruiters like Disney & Accenture and the institute provides modern, well-equipped facilities.
Commonly asked questions On Design Colleges in Mumbai - Courses, Fees, Admissions 2026, Cutoff, Placements
The NID Entrance Exam is considered to be one of the toughest design entrance exam conducted in the country. In NID DAT, more weightage is given to subjective, drawing related questions. Thus, candidates need to be extremely creative and have a clear understanding of their concepts when appearing for the NID exam.
For preparing the final results for the B. Des program, the DAT Prelims will be allocated 40% weightage, while DAT Mains will be given 60%.
During the DAT Mains, which comprises a Studio Test, the candidate is tested hands-on and have to show their drawing abilities, creativity, innovativeness, and material-handling ability.
The eligibility criteria for the best Interior Design course in Maharashtra do vary from institute to institute. But the basic eligibility criteria that is followed by most Interior Design colleges in Maharashtra has been mentioned below:
- For Diploma Courses: Students must have completed their class 10 from a recognised board.
- For UG: Candidates must have completed their class 12 along with any interior designing entrance exams to be considered eligible for most of the colleges.
- For PG: Candidates must have graduated an interior designing course from a recognised board to be considered eligible for most Interior designing schools in Hyderabad.
Disclaimer: This information is sourced from official website and may vary.
Here are some technical skills you will need to be a good Interior Designer:
- Using 3D Interior Design modelling tools.
- Precision sketching to know how to communicate your Interior Design ideas.
- Computer-Aided-Design (CAD).
- Architectural detailing and building codes.
The table below shows the average placement package offered by top recruiters who participated in best colleges for Interior Designing in Maharashtra:
College Names | Average Placement Package | Top Recruiters |
|---|---|---|
INR 9 LPA | Post Card India, Design Horse, Light Forms, Starfish Growth partners, etc. | |
INR 6 LPA | HCL, Airtel, TCS, Infosys, Amazon, Deloitte, Wipro, Samsung, etc. | |
INR 2 LPA – INR 5 LPA | Accenture, Airtel, Amazon, Flipkart, HDFC Bank, etc. | |
INR 2 LPA | Kotak Mahindra Bank, Accenture, TCS, Capgemini, Infosys, etc. |
Arena Animation Mumbai offers VFX courses to students. The institute offers VFX Prime, VFX Film Making and VFX Compositing & Editing courses to students. The total fee for the VFX Prime course is between INR 2 lakh and INR 3 lakh. The fee varies depending on the course and the centre location. The fee indicated here are exclusive of various applicable taxes.
Commonly asked questions On Design Colleges in Mumbai - Courses, Fees, Admissions 2026, Cutoff, Placements
Design is basically a plan or a specification that is used to construct an object or an activity that leads to making a prototype, product, or even a process flow. In other words, design is anything that is used to ensure that an idea becomes more presentable and understandable to the consumers.
Design courses can be pursued in a number of specialisations. They expand the growth prospects of the candidate and enable them to increase their pay scale. These courses are offered at Undergraduate, Postgraduate and Doctorate levels. In addition to this, there are numerous Diploma courses and online certificates in India to train students in specific skills they need. Moreover, due to the evergrowing demand of this industry, multiple specialisations are offered across various colleges. Candidates can pursue short-term or long-term courses in this field and establish career in Designing. Read Design Specialisations.
The BDes course is an interesting combination of both creativity, aestheticism, and a technical skill set. Creativity surely takes the lead where you have to put your innovative aptitude, conceptual thinking, and storytelling skills to use and come up with creative designs, be it fashion, graphics, industrial, or product designs.
Alongside, you also learn about new tools and technologies like AutoCAD, Adobe Creative Suite, etc., to be able to bring those abstract ideas to life.
Hope this helps!!!
To put it simply, it depends. You have to have a strong portfolio, a genuine interest in your niche and some relevant internships and projects.
The field of design by nature is vast. Since creativity has no bounds, so do the opportunities. Once you get in the industry, even at the entry-level pay and role there's only going forward from that point on.
You have scope in fields like - Graphic Design, Interior Design, Fashion Design, Footwear Design and many more in both India and international set-ups.
Mumbai University admission to various courses is based on merit or entrance exam. Mumbai University admission process is conducted through an online application. Candidates can refer to the steps below to fill out the Mumbai University application form:
- Visit the official website of MU
- Fill MU pre-enrolment form
- Fill out the application form of MU affiliated colleges
- Wait for the release of MU merit lists which are published on the official websites of the affiliated colleges
Candidates must wait for the Mumbai University cutoff after submitting their application for admission. Those who make the university's merit list must report to the college for document verification and counselling.
Atlas School of Design and Innovation provides great placements to its students. The median package recorded during Atlas School of Design and Innovation placements 2024 was INR 6.47 LPA. See the table below to know more about the placement highlights recorded in 2024:
| Particulars | Placement Statistics (2024) |
|---|---|
| Total Students | 152 |
| Students Placed | 150 |
| Median Pacakage | INR 6.47 LPA |
NOTE: The data given above is taken from the NIRF report 2025.
Commonly asked questions On Design Colleges in Mumbai - Courses, Fees, Admissions 2026, Cutoff, Placements
K J Somaiya School of Engineering is a private school. It is recognised by UGC and the Government of Maharashtra have given the 'autonomous' status to KJSCE. NAAC has accredited it with Grade 'A'.
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.
SASMIRA's Institute of Textiles and Design provides three broad courses of study in Fashion Designing, Textile Designing, and Merchandising. These have undergraduate (BDes), diploma, and certificate programs. The three courses have relevance to industry, as well as creative progress in mind, designed for every level of student in accordance with the academic standing they hold.
Pannache institute of design has various fee structure with regard to various courses. It offers various courses for Diploma and gradute courses. The fee for Diploma in designing courses is around 1.5lakhs to 2lakhs per annum which is quite less than compared to other designing institutes in india. It is affordable than other institute in india. It is a good institute in desgining which offers various courses with affordable fees in the country. It also offers campus placements to their students from top recruiting companies. compared to other international institutes it's affordable to the students who want to pursue their studies in designing.
Commonly asked questions On Design Colleges in Mumbai - Courses, Fees, Admissions 2026, Cutoff, Placements
The St Xavier’s College Mumbai admission process depends on its affiliating University or the University of Mumbai. Interested students must apply through the university page and choose St Xavier’s College Mumbai as their preference. Though students can apply directly for Certificate or Diploma courses.
Yes, BITS Design School considers entrance exam scores for admission to BDes (Hons) course. The school accepts BITS-DAT, NID-DAT or UCEED scores for admission. Aspirants selected based on entrance exam scores are further required to pass the portfolio interview for admission.
WWI Mumbai offers different courses in the realm of Creative Arts and Filmmaking. Students can choose from different courses like BDes, BSc, MA, MBA, etc., that are offered by the 8 distinct faculties at Whistling Woods International. The courses are offered by the below mentioned departments:
- Filmmaking
- Actors' Studio
- Media Communication & Management
- Visual Communication Design
- Fashion & Costume Design
- Animation & Game Design
- Music
- Short Course Unit
Absolutely, NMIMS School of Design a good option for students intrested in design. Institute is affiliated to India's top most deemed University NMIMS Mumbai and quality of course and college life are best, institute has the highest 100% placement records with average 5 LPA packages. NMIMS has the best faculties for all courses and there are many good opportunity to get best outcome form course. University has international level research labs, projects and infrastructure, all the required facility to make degree worth while. If you consider these points in my opinion NMIMS SOD is best or you can search for more details for designs college in India on shiksha.com
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.