Top Design Colleges in India 2026

Design is one of the popular and creative courses in India that is pursued by candidates at UG, PG, and PhD levels to become skillful designers. There are various specialisations offered by design colleges, such as interior design, fashion design, graphic design, web design, etc., in B.Des, M.Des, or advanced diploma courses. Designers are in huge demand due to the growth of the IT sector and design industry in the past few years. Top design colleges in India provide relevant knowledge and exposure to the students to design and develop aesthetic solutions and products to cater to the needs of the modern world. 

Top 10 Design Colleges in India 

Following is the list of the top 10 design colleges in India:

    Name of the College

B.Des Total Fees (INR)

National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), Delhi

11,00,000

National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), Bengaluru

6,50,000

National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), Chennai

9,00,000

Indian Institute of Art and Design (IIAD), Delhi

4,50,000

National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), Patna

3,00,000

National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), Gandhinagar

8,00,000

National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), Hyderabad

8,00,000

Pearl Academy, New Delhi

9,00,000

National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), Kolkata

7,00,000

Unitedworld Institute of Design (UID), Ahmedabad

18,00,000

Specialisation-wise Design Colleges in India 

Top design colleges in India offer design courses in various specialisations such as textile design, fashion design, interior design, product design, graphic design, etc. Students can choose from the multiple specialisations based on career opportunities and placement packages. Below mentioned are some of the top specialisations from design colleges in India:

Top Fashion Design Colleges in India 

Fashion Design is one of the most popular and lucrative specialisations among students due to the increasing technology and growth of the fashion industry. Students can work in top MNCs, retail industry, or independent design houses as fashion designers. Listed below are some of the top colleges for fashion designing in India:

  • National Institute of Fashion Technology, Delhi
  • National Institute of Fashion Technology, Bengaluru
  • Pearl Academy, Delhi
  • National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad

Top Graphic Design Colleges in India 

Graphic design is a visual form of communication that uses words, images, videos, animation to create brochures and displays. Graphic designers are high in demand to work in advertising agencies, design studios, and design firms. Below mentioned are some of the top graphic designing colleges in India:

  • Industrial Design Centre (IDC), IIT Bombay
  • National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad

Entrance Exams for Top Design Colleges in India

The leading design colleges in India accept various entrance exams for admissions to their undergraduate and postgraduate programs. Below is an overview of the most popular exams:

  1. CUET (Common University Entrance Test)
    Conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA), CUET is a national-level entrance exam introduced in 2022. It provides a unified platform for candidates seeking admission to undergraduate programs across top colleges and universities in India.

  2. UCEED (Undergraduate Common Entrance Examination for Design)
    Organized by IIT Bombay, UCEED is a national-level exam for admission to Bachelor of Design (BDes) programs at participating institutes. It assesses design aptitude and creativity.

  3. CEED (Common Entrance Exam for Design)
    Also conducted by IIT Bombay, CEED is a national-level exam for admission to Master of Design (M.Des) and Ph.D. programs at participating institutes. It evaluates a candidate's design thinking and analytical skills.

  4. NIFT Entrance Exam
    Held annually by the National Institute of Fashion Technology, this exam selects candidates for various UG and PG programs such as BDes, B.F.Tech, MDes, and MFM. It assesses creative and managerial abilities relevant to the fashion and design industry.

  5. NID Entrance Exam (Design Aptitude Test)
    Conducted by the National Institute of Design, this two-stage national-level exam evaluates candidates for Bachelor of Design (BDes) and Master of Design (MDes) courses.

    • DAT Prelims: Shortlists candidates for the next stage.
    • DAT Mains: A more comprehensive evaluation based on the Prelims scores.
  6. IIAD Entrance Exam (Indian Institute of Art and Design)
    This exam involves a written test followed by a studio simulation for UG candidates or a personal interview for PG candidates. It can be taken offline or remotely via a computer-based platform.

    Exam Schedule for 2025

    Exam Name Dates Exam Schedule
    CUET May '25 - Jun '25 CUET Schedule
    UCEED 19 Jan '25 UCEED Schedule
    CEED 19 Jan '25 CEED Schedule
    NIFT Entrance Exam Feb '25 NIFT Exam Schedule
    NID Entrance Exam 05 Jan '25 NID Exam Schedule
    IIAD Entrance Exam Jan '25 IIAD Exam Schedule

    These exams are crucial for aspiring design students, offering pathways to prestigious programs in India's top design institutes.

Best Entrance Exam Wise Designing Colleges in India 

Listed below are the top design colleges in India that accept the specified entrance exams for admission.

Exam Name No. of Colleges Accepting Exam Popular Colleges
CEED 34 colleges
NIFT Delhi, UPES, IDC-IIT Bombay, etc.
CUET 79 colleges
Amity University Noida, UPES, Amity University Mumbai, etc.
NID Entrance Exam 31 colleges
UPES, FLAME University, School of Design, MIT WPU, etc.
NIFT Entrance Exam 35 colleges
NIFT Delhi, NIFT Mumbai, NIFT Bangalore, etc.
UCEED 55 colleges
UPES. FLAME University, IDC-IIT Bombay, etc.

Best Designing Institutes in India Courses Fees Eligibility

College Names Courses Offered Tuition Fee/ Eligibility
Amity University Noida BDes in Fashion Design, Bachelor of Interior Design, Bachelor in User Experience Design, etc.
Fee: INR 2.88 lakh - INR 12.54 lakh
CUET, Merit-Based, etc.
MIT-ADT University MDes in User Experience Design, BDes in Product Design, BDes in Animation Design, etc.
Fee: INR 4.9 lakh - INR 12.65 lakh
MITID DAT
NID Ahmedabad BDes in Animation Film Design, BDes in Graphic Design, MDes in Film and Video Communication, etc.
Fee: INR 11.43 lakh - INR 15.72 lakh
Design Aptitude Test
NIFT Delhi MDes, BDes in Fashion Design, MFM, etc.
Fee: INR 70,800 - INR 12.34 lakh
NIFT Entrance Exam, CEED, etc.
NIFT Mumbai MDes, BDes in Fashion Communication, BFTech in Apparel Production, etc.
Fee: INR 1.64 lakh - INR 12.34 lakh
NIFT Entrance Exam, CEED, etc.

Top Fashion Design Colleges in India 

Fashion Design is one of the most popular and lucrative specialisations among students due to the increasing technology and growth of the fashion industry. Students can work in top MNCs, retail industry, or independent design houses as fashion designers. Listed below are some of the top colleges for fashion designing in India:

  • National Institute of Fashion Technology, Delhi
  • National Institute of Fashion Technology, Bengaluru
  • Pearl Academy, Delhi
  • National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad

    Fee Structure for Top Design Colleges in India 

    Design colleges in India offer undergraduate, post-graduate, diploma courses such as B.Des, M.Des, etc. The fee structure for these courses ranges from low to high, depending on the type of college and the amenities. Below listed is the fees in top private and public design colleges in India:

    B.Des Fees in Private Colleges

    Below mentioned is the B.Des fees in top private design colleges in India:

    College name Fees
    Amity University, Noida 7,56,000
    Avantika University, Ujjain 8,90,000
    International Institute of Fashion Design, Pune 2,50,000
    School of Design, MIT WPU 11,00,000

    Best Government Design Colleges in India

    The government Design colleges in India along with their total tuition fee and eligibility criteria/entrance exams:

    College name Total Tuition fee Eligibility/Exams
    NIFT Mumbai Admission INR 1.3 lakh – INR 11.74 lakh
    NIFT Entrance Exam and Merit-Based
    NIFT Delhi Admission INR 70,800 – INR 12.34 lakh
    NIFT Entrance Exam and Merit-Based
    NID Gandhinagar Admission INR 9.97 lakh
    NID Entrance Exam
    NID Bengaluru Admission INR 9.97 lakh DAT
    NID Ahmedabad Admission INR 10.68 lakh – INR 14.68 lakh DAT

    Best Semi-Government Top Design Institutes in India

    Listed below are the public-private top 10 Designing colleges in India along with their total tuition fee and entrance exams/eligibility criteria:

    College Name Total Tuition Fee Eligibility/Exams
    INIFD Vashi Admission INR 4.5 lakh Merit-Based
    Carmel College, Mala Admission INR 36,000 Merit-Based
    St. Aloysius College Admission INR 36,000 Merit-Based
    Arya Post Graduate College Admission INR 23,890 Merit-Based
    Hamidia Girls' Degree College INR 30,000 - INR 40,000 Merit-Based

    B.Des Fees in Public Colleges

    Listed below is the B.Des fees in the top public design colleges in India:

    Name of Public Colleges

    B.Des Fees Structure (Total Fees INR)

    National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), Kolkata

    7,00,000

    Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay

    9,23,000

    Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad

    8,00,000

    National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), Chennai

    9,00,000

    Best Design Colleges Placements 

    Graduates from top design colleges in India can secure excellent career and placement opportunities in leading companies and industries. These institutions provide a strong foundation in design principles, creative thinking, and industry-relevant skills, making their graduates highly sought after. According to PayScale, the average entry-level salary for designers in India ranges from ₹3 to ₹4 LPA. Below is a list of prominent recruiters associated with top design colleges, offering lucrative roles in various domains of design and creativity.

    Top Design Recruiters

    Listed below are some of the recruiters from the top design colleges in India:

    Name of the Colleges Top Recruiters
    Arch College of Design and Business, Jaipur
    Zara, Myntra, H&M, Lifestyle
    Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati
    Microsoft, Myntra, Flipkart, Nutanix
    Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad
    TCS, Snapdeal, Microsoft
    School of Design, MIT WPU, Pune
    IBM, Ford Motors, Fujitsu, Amazon
    Symbiosis Institute of Design, Pune
    Deloitte, Cognizant, Huawei, Microsoft, Mindtree, Whirlpool, BookMyShow
     

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NIFT Bangalore

Bangalore, Karnataka Public 3.6

NIFT Bangalore is one of best Design colleges in Bangalore, Karnataka. NIFT Bangalore offers M.Des, BDes in the stream of Design for a duration of 2 Years - 4 Years.

Courses Offered

5 Courses

Exam Accepted

NIFT

Tuition Fees Range

-/-

Accreditation

-/-

IMS Design and Innovation Academy

Noida, Uttar Pradesh Private 1

IMS Design and Innovation Academy is one of best Design colleges in Noida, Uttar Pradesh. IMS Design and Innovation Academy offers BDes Hons in the stream of Design for a duration of 4 Years.

Courses Offered

3 Courses

Exam Accepted

IMS DIA DEE

Tuition Fees Range

₹12 L-16 L

Accreditation

-/-

Amity University, Noida

Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh Private 4.4

Amity University, Noida is one of best Design colleges in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh. Amity University, Noida offers BDes in the stream of Design for a duration of 4 Years.

Courses Offered

9 Courses

Exam Accepted

Amity JEE , CAT

Tuition Fees Range

₹2.10 L-14.66 L

Accreditation

NAAC

International School of Design [INSD], Andheri is one of best Design colleges in Mumbai, Maharashtra. International School of Design [INSD], Andheri offers M.Des, BDes in the stream of Design for a duration of 2 Years - 4 Years. International School of Design [INSD], Andheri fees for Design courses range from ₹1 L to ₹2 L.

Courses Offered

5 Courses

Exam Accepted

-/-

Tuition Fees Range

₹1.35 L-1.51 L

Accreditation

-/-

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Atlas SkillTech University, Mumbai is one of best Design colleges in Mumbai, Maharashtra. Atlas SkillTech University, Mumbai offers BDes in the stream of Design for a duration of 4 Years.

Courses Offered

5 Courses

Exam Accepted

-/-

Tuition Fees Range

-/-

Accreditation

-/-

Le Mark School of Art

Mumbai, Maharashtra Private

Le Mark School of Art is one of best Design colleges in Mumbai, Maharashtra. Le Mark School of Art offers M.Des in the stream of Design for a duration of 2 Years.

Courses Offered

2 Courses

Exam Accepted

-/-

Tuition Fees Range

-/-

Accreditation

-/-

CODE SAGE University

Indore, Madhya Pradesh

CODE SAGE University is one of best Design colleges in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. CODE SAGE University offers BDes in the stream of Design for a duration of 4 Years.

Courses Offered

1 Courses

Exam Accepted

-/-

Tuition Fees Range

₹2 L

Accreditation

NAAC A+

Sharda University, Agra

Agra, Uttar Pradesh

Sharda University, Agra is one of best Design colleges in Agra, Uttar Pradesh. Sharda University, Agra offers BDes Hons in the stream of Design for a duration of 4 Years. Sharda University, Agra fees for Design courses range from ₹1 L to ₹2 L.

Courses Offered

10 Courses

Exam Accepted

-/-

Tuition Fees Range

₹49 K-1.92 L

Accreditation

-/-

SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Ramapuram is one of best Design colleges in Ramapuram, Kerala. SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Ramapuram offers BDes in the stream of Design for a duration of 4 Years.

Courses Offered

6 Courses

Exam Accepted

CAT , GATE

Tuition Fees Range

₹2 L-10 L

Accreditation

-/-

SRM University (SRM IST)

Chennai, Tamil Nadu Private 3.8

SRM University (SRM IST) is one of best Design colleges in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. SRM University (SRM IST) offers M.Des, BDes in the stream of Design for a duration of 2 Years - 4 Years. SRM University (SRM IST) fees for Design courses range from ₹3 L to ₹5 L.

Courses Offered

45 Courses

Exam Accepted

CAT , GATE

Tuition Fees Range

₹60 K-1.17 Cr

Accreditation

NAAC

# 66 NIRF

DTU

Delhi, Delhi NCR Public 4.0 # 66 NIRF

DTU is one of best Design colleges in , Delhi NCR. DTU offers BDes in the stream of Design for a duration of 4 Years.

Courses Offered

9 Courses

Exam Accepted

CAT , GATE

Tuition Fees Range

₹29 K-5.33 L

Accreditation

-/-

Amity University Noida

Noida, Uttar Pradesh Private 3.7

Amity University Noida is one of best Design colleges in Noida, Uttar Pradesh. Amity University Noida offers M.Des, BDes, BID, MID in the stream of Design for a duration of 2 Years - 4 Years. Amity University Noida fees for Design courses range from ₹3 L to ₹5 L.

Courses Offered

49 Courses

Exam Accepted

Amity JEE , CAT

Tuition Fees Range

₹1.96 L-20.95 L

Accreditation

NAAC-A

# 3 NIRF

IIT Bombay

Mumbai, Maharashtra Public 4.3 # 3 NIRF

IIT Bombay is one of best Design colleges in Mumbai, Maharashtra. IIT Bombay offers M.Des, BDes in the stream of Design for a duration of 2 Years - 4 Years. IIT Bombay fees for Design courses range from ₹2 L to ₹5 L.

Courses Offered

14 Courses

Exam Accepted

CEED , IIT JAM

Tuition Fees Range

₹20 K-36 L

Accreditation

-/-

# 94 NIRF

Gujarat University

Ahmedabad, Gujarat Public 3.5 # 94 NIRF

Gujarat University is one of best Design colleges in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Gujarat University offers M.Des, BDes in the stream of Design for a duration of 2 Years - 4 Years.

Courses Offered

37 Courses

Exam Accepted

CAT , CMAT

Tuition Fees Range

₹2 K-20.60 L

Accreditation

NAAC

Jain University

Bangalore, Karnataka Deemed-to-be-University 3.4

Jain University is one of best Design colleges in Bangalore, Karnataka. Jain University offers M.Des, BDes in the stream of Design for a duration of 2 Years - 4 Years.

Courses Offered

22 Courses

Exam Accepted

Jain Entrance Test

Tuition Fees Range

₹60 K-15.40 L

Accreditation

NAAC-A

IIT Delhi

Delhi, Delhi NCR Public 4.0

IIT Delhi is one of best Design colleges in , Delhi NCR. IIT Delhi offers M.Des in the stream of Design for a duration of 2 Years. IIT Delhi fees for Design courses range from ₹3 L to ₹5 L.

Courses Offered

8 Courses

Exam Accepted

CAT , JEE Advanced

Tuition Fees Range

₹30 K-13.14 L

Accreditation

-/-

# 5 NIRF

IIT Kanpur

Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh Public 4.4 # 5 NIRF

IIT Kanpur is one of best Design colleges in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. IIT Kanpur offers M.Des in the stream of Design for a duration of 2 Years.

Courses Offered

7 Courses

Exam Accepted

CAT , CEED

Tuition Fees Range

₹12 K-10 L

Accreditation

NIRF

# 8 NIRF

IIT Roorkee

Roorkee, Uttarakhand Public 4.1 # 8 NIRF

IIT Roorkee is one of best Design colleges in Roorkee, Uttarakhand. IIT Roorkee offers M.Des in the stream of Design for a duration of 2 Years.

Courses Offered

11 Courses

Exam Accepted

CAT , IIT JAM

Tuition Fees Range

₹12 K-8 L

Accreditation

-/-

KIIT University

Bhubaneswar, Odisha Private 4.0

KIIT University is one of best Design colleges in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. KIIT University offers M.Des, BDes in the stream of Design for a duration of 2 Years - 4 Years. KIIT University fees for Design courses range from ₹3 L to ₹5 L.

Courses Offered

27 Courses

Exam Accepted

CAT , KIITEE

Tuition Fees Range

₹2 L-83.25 L

Accreditation

NAAC , NBA
+1 NIRF

Sushant University

Gurgaon, Haryana Private 3.6

Sushant University is one of best Design colleges in Gurgaon, Haryana. Sushant University offers M.Des, BDes in the stream of Design for a duration of 2 Years - 4 Years.

Courses Offered

24 Courses

Exam Accepted

JEE Main

Tuition Fees Range

₹1.68 L-25.86 L

Accreditation

COA

Galgotias University

Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh Private 3.6

Galgotias University is one of best Design colleges in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh. Galgotias University offers BDes in the stream of Design for a duration of 4 Years.

Courses Offered

31 Courses

Exam Accepted

CAT , GEEE

Tuition Fees Range

₹32 K-8.75 L

Accreditation

COA

MSU Baroda

Vadodara, Gujarat Public 3.2

MSU Baroda is one of best Design colleges in Vadodara, Gujarat. MSU Baroda offers M.Des, BDes in the stream of Design for a duration of 2 Years - 4 Years.

Courses Offered

32 Courses

Exam Accepted

ACPC Gujarat , CMAT

Tuition Fees Range

₹13 K-5.49 L

Accreditation

NAAC-A

MATS University

Raipur, Chhattisgarh Private 2.9

MATS University is one of best Design colleges in Raipur, Chhattisgarh. MATS University offers M.Des in the stream of Design for a duration of 2 Years. MATS University fees for Design courses range from ₹1 L to ₹2 L.

Courses Offered

29 Courses

Exam Accepted

CAT , CLAT

Tuition Fees Range

₹13 K-9.38 L

Accreditation

NAAC A+

Shivaji University

Kolhapur, Maharashtra Public 3.2

Shivaji University is one of best Design colleges in Kolhapur, Maharashtra. Shivaji University offers BText in the stream of Design for a duration of 0.

Courses Offered

41 Courses

Exam Accepted

-/-

Tuition Fees Range

₹2 K-2.66 L

Accreditation

NAAC-A

JNAFAU - Jawaharlal Nehru Architecture And Fine Arts University is one of best Design colleges in Hyderabad, Telangana. JNAFAU - Jawaharlal Nehru Architecture And Fine Arts University offers BDes in the stream of Design for a duration of 4 Years.

Courses Offered

9 Courses

Exam Accepted

NATA , TS EAMCET

Tuition Fees Range

-/-

Accreditation

ICAR

Apeejay Stya University

Gurgaon, Haryana Private 3.3

Apeejay Stya University is one of best Design colleges in Gurgaon, Haryana. Apeejay Stya University offers BDes in the stream of Design for a duration of 4 Years.

Courses Offered

14 Courses

Exam Accepted

-/-

Tuition Fees Range

₹3.40 L-10.40 L

Accreditation

-/-

Amity University, Gwalior

Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh Private 4.4

Amity University, Gwalior is one of best Design colleges in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh. Amity University, Gwalior offers BDes, B.Des Interior Design, BID in the stream of Design for a duration of 3 Years - 4 Years. Amity University, Gwalior fees for Design courses range from ₹1 L to ₹5 L.

Courses Offered

25 Courses

Exam Accepted

CAT

Tuition Fees Range

₹30 K-6.44 L

Accreditation

NAAC-A , NIRF

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