Top 20 Fashion Design Colleges in India 2025: Admissions, Courses, Fees, Placements
Fashion Designing courses teaches candidates that how to sketch, make patterns and stitch outfits. This course is the art of creating the unique design for clothes, accessories, home, etc. Read here for detailed information about top 20 fashion design colleges in India.
- How Top 20 Fashion Design Colleges in India are Selected
- Top 20 Fashion Designing Colleges in India: India Today 2024
- Why Pursue a Fashion Design Course?
- Top 20 Fashion Design Colleges in India: Eligibility Criteria 2025
- Top 20 Fashion Designing Colleges in India: Admission Process 2025
- Top 20 Fashion Designing Colleges in India: Exam 2025
- Top 10 Fashion Designing Colleges in India
How Top 20 Fashion Design Colleges in India are Selected
Selecting the top Fashion Designing colleges in India usually involves a thorough assessment and accreditation, quality of education, infrastructure, faculty, and industry exposure. Candidates can see the below key points -
- Recognition by government bodies such as the NIRF, UGC), or AICTE.
- Experienced and well-qualified faculty
- Partnerships with leading companies and brands
- Diverse Specialisations
- Modern facilities.
- Financial assistance for meritorious and underprivileged students.
Commonly asked questions
NIFT Hyderabad offers admission to candidates based on their scores in NIFT Entrance Exam. Aspirants need to appear for Creative Ability Test and General Ability Test for BDes and MFM courses. Candidates have to only appear for GAT for admission to BFTech. Selected candidates are called for Situation Test/ PI for final admission. Aspirants have to come for document verification and fee payment to confirm their seat.
To get admission in NIFT Delhi, students have to check the eligibility first. Eligible students can then apply online. The institute selects students through an entrance basis only. Students have to appear for the NIFTEE and clear the other selection rounds. This includes counselling and interview. Selected students have to pay the admission fees to complete the process.
Joining NIFT Kolkata without entrance exam doesn't seem like a possibility. As per the Institution's admission guidelines, candidates must appear for the The National Institute of Technology (NIFT) exam. The exam is conducted once every year and has TWO parts:
- Written Exams - It comprise the GAT and CAT. The GAT paper is mandatory for all programs, while only BDes and MDes candidates need to take the CAT.
- Situation Test/ Personal Interview - BDes candidates who get shortlisted have to appear in the Situation Test, whereas PG candidates need to appear in a Personal Interview. The only exception is BFTech program, where the admission merit list will be prepared solely based on GAT scores.
Top 20 Fashion Designing Colleges in India: India Today 2024
Candidates can see the table below for the top 20 Fashion Designing colleges in India with India Today ranking for the year 2024:
| College Name |
India Today 2024 |
|---|---|
| 1 |
|
| 2 |
|
| 3 |
|
| 4 |
|
| 5 |
|
| 6 |
|
| 7 |
|
| 8 |
|
| 9 |
|
| 10 |
|
| 11 |
|
| 12 |
|
| 13 |
|
| 14 |
|
| 15 |
|
| 16 |
|
| 17 |
|
| 18 |
|
| 19 |
|
| 20 |
Source: Official site and may vary.
Why Pursue a Fashion Design Course?
Check the content below for the reason of choosing Fashion Design course as their career option:
- Creativity
- Career Opportunities
- Global Industry
- Personal Expression
- Entrepreneurial Opportunities
Source: Official site and may vary.
Commonly asked questions
The table below depicts the NIFT Bangalore the highest package for reference:
| Particulars | Placement Statistics |
|---|---|
| the highest package | INR 12 LPA |
NOTE: The above salary details are fetched from the Shiksha students' review.
The NIFT Kolkata average package offered to the recently passed out students was INR 7 LPA. The highest and the lowest salaries have also been disclosed on Shiksha review page. The highest package offered was INR 12 LPA. The lowest package offered was INR 4 LPA.
Candidates will be able to check the cutoff for NIFT Delhi on the website of NIFT: nift.admissions.nic.in. The opening and closing rank of all the programmes is given on this page. This year, NIFT 2026 cutoff is expected to be on the lower side.
Top 20 Fashion Design Colleges in India: Eligibility Criteria 2025
Candidates can see the table below for the eligibility criteria for the top 20 Fashion Design colleges in India at various level -
| Course Level |
Eligibility Criteria |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate/UG Diploma |
|
| Postgraduate/PG Diploma/PGDM |
|
| After 10th Diploma/Certification |
|
| Doctorate |
|
Source: Official site and may vary.
Top 20 Fashion Designing Colleges in India: Admission Process 2025
Candidates can see below for the admission process of top Fashion Design colleges in India -
- Meet the eligibility criteria
- Check the official site
- Complete the application process
- Prepare for the entrance exam
- Wait for the result
- Take admission
Source: Official site and may vary.
Commonly asked questions
The National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) Gandhinagar total tuition fee for the BFTech course ranges between INR 6.1 lakh-INR 12.3 lakh. Apart from the total tuition fee, a one-time payment of INR 27,200 (refundable) will be also charged at the time of admission. For a detailed NIFT Gandhinagar BFTech fee structure, click here. This fee is taken from the official website/sanctioning body. It is still subject to changes and hence, is indicative.
NIFT Kolkata admission process 2026 is conducted online. Eligible students can follow the below-mentioned steps to get a seat at NIFT Kolkata:
- Go to the website of the institute and apply.
- Sit for the NIFT Entrance Exam which includes a Creative Aptitude Test and a General Ability Test. For MFM admission, students need to also appear for PI.
- Candidates with a score equal to or more than the cutoff marks become eligible for counselling.
- Go through document verification and pay the NIFT Kolkata admission fees to secure the spots.
The expected cutoff for NIFT 2026 for B.Des is:
| Category | Expected Cutoff for B.Des |
|---|---|
| Open | 30-80 |
| EWS | 26-29 |
| OBC | 26-29 |
| SC | 22 |
| ST | 19 |
Top 20 Fashion Designing Colleges in India: Exam 2025
Please refer to the table below for the exam schedule for admission to best colleges for Fashion Designing in India:
| Entrance Exams |
Exam Dates |
Entrance Exam Schedule |
|---|---|---|
| NIFT Entrance Exam |
Over for 2025 |
|
| CUET |
May 8 – June 1, 2025 |
|
| CUET-PG |
March 13 - April 1, 2025 |
|
| CEED |
Over for 2025 |
|
| UCEED |
Over for 2025 |
|
| CAT |
To Be Announced |
|
| MAT |
23 Mar ' 25 |
|
| GATE |
Over for '25 |
Source: Official site and may vary.
Explore more Design exams with upcoming dates
8 Sep '25 - 22 Apr '26
23 Apr '26
22 Apr '26 - 24 Apr '26
3 Dec '25 - 25 Apr '26
6 Jan '26 - 25 Apr '26
24 Apr '26 - 25 Apr '26
21 Apr '26 - 29 Apr '26
1 Dec '25 - 30 Apr '26
21 Apr '26 - 30 Apr '26
1 Jun '26 - 8 Jun '26
Top 10 Fashion Designing Colleges in India
Listed below are the top 20 Fashion Design colleges in India along with their courses offered, tuition fee, placement package, etc.:
- National Institute of Fashion Technology Delhi
NIFT Delhi is a government-owned institute that was established in 1986. NIFT Delhi ranks no. 1 under the Fashion Design category by Outlook 2024. NIFT Delhi offers around 30+ UG, PG and diploma Fashion Design courses with diverse specialisations. The tuition fee for these courses is INR 70,800 – INR 12.34 lakh. Admissions to these courses are majorly done based on NIFT entrance exam scores.
- National Institute of Fashion Technology Mumbai
NIFT Mumbai was established in 1995 and is ranked no. 2 by India Today 2024. NIFT Mumbai provides 20+ UG, PG and diploma Fashion Design courses with a tuition fee of INR 1.64 lakh – INR 12.34 lakh. Admission to NIFT Mumbai is through the NIFT Entrance Exam.
- National Institute of Fashion Technology Bangalore
NIFT Bangalore was established in the year 1997 and is renowned for its knowledge of Fashion Technology field. NIFT Bangalore is ranked no.3 by India Today for the year 2024. NIFT offers 20 Fashion Design courses with a tuition fee of INR 74,340 – INR 12.34 lakh. Students can pursue Fashion Designing courses on the basis of NIFT Exam scores.
- National Institute of Fashion Technology Hyderabad
NIFT Hyderabad offers 15+ UG, PG and CE Fashion Designing courses to their students. NIFT Hyderabad is ranked no.4 by India Today for the year 2024. Admissions to these courses are majorly done based on NIFT scores. The tuition fee for these courses is around INR 5.86 lakh – INR 12.34 lakh.
- National Institute of Fashion Technology Chennai
NIFT Chennai was established in 1995 and offers 20+ best UG, PG and Diploma Fashion Design courses with a tuition fee of INR 5.86 lakh – INR 12.34 lakh. NIFT College Chennai is ranked 2nd by The Week 2024 for Fashion Design. The National Institute of Fashion Technology Chennai has collaborated with the Ability Foundation, India. Admission to NIFT Chennai is through the NIFT Entrance Exam.
- National Institute of Fashion Technology Gandhinagar
NIFT Gandhinagar was established in the year 1986. NIFT Gandhinagar offers undergraduate and postgraduate Fashion Design courses with a tuition fee of INR 5.86 lakh – INR 12.34 lakh. Students can pursue Fashion Designing courses on the basis of NIFT Exam scores.
- National Institute of Fashion Technology Kolkata
NIFT Kolkata was established in 1995 and is ranked no.7 by India Today 2024 under the Fashion Design category. NIFT Kolkata offers 20+ UG, PG, CE and outreach Fashion Design programs with a tuition fee of INR 5.45 lakh – INR 12.34 lakh. Admissions to these courses are majorly done based on NIFT entrance exam scores.
- National Institute of Fashion Technology Patna
NIFT Patna offer was established in the year 2008. The institute has been ranked no.8 for Fashion Design by India Today 2024. NIFT Patna offers 9 UG, PG, CE and diploma Fashion Design courses with a tuition fee of INR 90,200 – INR 12.34 lakh. Admission to NIFT Patna is through the NIFT Entrance Exam.
- Pearl Academy
Pearl Academy was established in the year 1933 and offer 15+ UG, PG, distance and Diploma Fashion Design courses. Pearl Academy offers tuition fee of INR 1.75 lakh – INR 29.94 lakh for their Fashion Designing courses. Admission to Pearl Academy is through the Pearl Academy Entrance Exam.
- National Institute Fashion Technology Jodhpur
NIFT Jodhpur was originally established in 2010. Jodhpur NIFT offers 10+ undergraduate, postgraduate and Continuing Education (CE) Fashion Designing programmes to their students. The tuition fee offered for these courses INR 5.03 lakh – INR 12.34 lakh. Students can pursue Fashion Designing courses on the basis of NIFT Entrance Exam scores.
Check out the Links Below:
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- All About The Career As A Fashion Designer
- All you need to know about Career in Fashion Designing
- How to become a Fashion Designer?
- Fashion Designing Courses Abroad
- Launch Your Fashion Future: Guide to Fashion Design Courses Abroad After 12th
Aneena is passionate about helping students find the right college for the right course. She spends hours analysing college data to simplify the admission process for students. From B.Tech colleges in India to Law,
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