The top design colleges in India offer outstanding courses that align practical skills with a creative mind. This institution aims to equip students with all the necessary skills that would help them build successful careers in industries like fashion, graphic design, interior design, and others. The top design Institutes in India provide facilities like modern infrastructure, experienced teachers, innovative curriculum and strong industry connections at the UG and PG levels. Any 12th pass candidate based on merit or through an entrance test like NIFT Entrance Exam, UCEED, etc, can apply for design course admission. The list of the top design colleges in India includes NIFT Bangalore, NIFT Delhi, Amity University, Noida, IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Guwahati, IIT Hyderabad, etc.
Top Design Colleges in India – Highlights
There are around 2200+ top design colleges in India. Out of the total, 1200+ colleges are private, 300+ colleges are government, and 120+ colleges are public-private. The best design colleges in India offer a variety of career opportunities for young talent and play a vital role in shaping their futures through comprehensive programs. Here is the overview of the top design Institutes in India for candidates’ reference.
| Particulars | Details |
| Number of Best Design Colleges in India | 2200+ colleges |
| Annual Fees | Free Colleges: 21-22 collegesINR 1-2 lakh: 360-368+ collegesINR 2-3 lakh: 239-240+ collegesINR 3-5 lakh: 253-254+ collegesMore than INR 5 lakh: 300-301+ colleges |
| Top Specialisations | Textile Design, Fashion Design, Graphic Design, Apparel Design, etc. |
| Accepted Entrance Exams | CUET, CEED, NID Entrance Exam, UCEED, NIFT Entrance Exam, etc. |
Top Design Institutes in India- Eligibility
Candidates must fulfil all the eligibility requirements before applying for admission to UG and PG courses across various specialisations in top design colleges in India. The eligibility criteria in terms of qualification and other conditions are different for every design institute in India. The course-wise eligibility to secure admission to the best design colleges in India is as follows:
- Undergraduate Course: 12th pass in any stream (Art/Science/Commerce) from any recognised board.
- Post Graduate Course: Bachelor’s Degree from any recognised University. Preferences are usually given to a graduation degree in the Design course. Candidates with the required skill set and knowledge from any other stream can also apply.
Top Design Colleges in India- Admission Process 2025
Candidates can secure admission to the top design Institutes in India based on their 12th/graduation marks and/or prescribed entrance exam. Those who clear the entrance exam prescribed by their desired college will be considered eligible for the further admission process. Here is the list of entrance test scores accepted by the top design colleges in India:
- CUET: NTA conducts the Common University Entrance Test, or CUET, at the national level for students seeking admission to undergraduate courses provided by participating institutes.
- CEED: IIT Bombay conducts the Common Entrance Exam for Design (CEED) for admission to the M.Des programs.
- UCEED: IIT Bombay conducts the Undergraduate Common Entrance Exam for Design (UCEED) at the national level for admission to the BDes courses at IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Guwahati, IIT Hyderabad, IIT Roorkee, IIITDM Jabalpur, and IIT Indore.
- NIFT Entrance Exam: The National Institute of Fashion Technology conducts the NIFT entrance exam for students seeking admission to various UG and PG courses, including BDes, MDes, B.F.Tech, and MFM courses.
Top Government Design Colleges in India
Various top Government design colleges in India are known for their exceptional high-quality education and affordable fee structure. The admission to these colleges is both merit-based and entrance exam. Check the list of top government design institutes in India and their fee structure in the table below:
| Government Design Colleges | Total Tuition Fee (Approx) |
| NIFT Bangalore | INR 60,000- INR 11 lakh+ |
| NIFT Hyderabad | INR 6 lakh- INR 11 lakh+ |
| NIFT Delhi | INR 71,000- INR 11 lakh+ |
| NIFT Chennai | INR 6 lakh- INR 11 lakh+ |
| NIFT Mumbai | INR 2 lakh- INR 11 lakh+ |
Top Private Design Colleges in India
There is a wide range of top private design colleges in India offering admission to UG and PG programs across various disciplines. Typically, the average starting fees of top design colleges in India private range between INR 2 Lakh and INR 4 Lakh. Check the list of top private design institutes in India and their fee structure in the table below:
| Private Design Institutes | Total Tuition Fee (Approx) |
| Amity University Noida | INR 2 lakh- INR 10 lakh+ |
| Pearl Academy | INR 2 lakh- INR 28 lakh+ |
| JD Birla Institute | INR 2 lakh-INR 3 lakh+ |
| Parul University | INR 2 lakh-INR 10 lakh+ |
Top Design Institutes in India- Location Wise
There are more than 2200 top design institutes in India offering UG and PG courses. Candidates must compare the eligibility, fee, admission process, and other details of all the top design colleges in India and then apply accordingly. We have shared below the best design colleges in Mumbai, Delhi, and Bangalore for candidates’ reference.
Top Design Colleges in Mumbai
| College Name | Tuition Fees (Approx) |
| Amity University Mumbai | INR 1.50 lakh- INR 10 lakh+ |
| NMIMS School of Design, NMIMS | INR 17 Lakh- INR 18 lakh+ |
| Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj University | INR 80,000- INR 3 Lakh+ |
Top Design Colleges in Delhi
| College | Tuition Fees (Approx) |
| Amity University Noida | INR 2.5 lakh- INR 12 lakh+ |
| Pearl Academy | INR 1.2 lakh- INR 3 lakh+ |
| NIFT Delhi | INR 70,000- INR 12 lakh+ |
Top Design Colleges in Bangalore
| College | Tuition Fees (Approx) |
| NID Bengaluru | INR 9 lakh- INR 10 Lakh+ |
| Vogue Institute of Art and Design | INR 1.30 lakh- INR 5 lakh+ |
| NIFT Bangalore | INR 60,000- INR 12 lakh+ |
List of UCEED Colleges in India
IIT Bombay conducts UCEED entrance exam for admission to the BDes courses at IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Guwahati, IIT Hyderabad, IIT Indore, IIT Roorkee and IIITDM Jabalpur. Apart from this, there are also other institutes accepting UCEED scores for admission as shared below:
| FLAME University, Pune |
| MODY University of Science and Technology, Rajasthan |
| Institute of Design, Nirma University, Ahmedabad |
| World University of Design, Sonipat |
| ITM Skills University, Navi Mumbai |
| CMR University, Bengaluru |
| Alliance University, Bengaluru |
| CEPT University, Ahmedabad |
| MIT ID Indore – Avantika University |
| Navrachana University, Gujarat |
| GLS University, Gujarat |
| Department of Design, Shiv Nadar IoE, Delhi NCR |
| Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology Delhi |
| Somaiya School of Design, Somaiya Vidyavihar University, Mumbai |
| Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University, Katra |
| Dr Vishwanath Karad MIT World Peace University, Pune |
| O.P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat |
| Delhi Technological University, Delhi |
| Anant National University, Ahmedabad |
| Footwear Design & Development Institute (FDDI) |
| Manav Rachna International Institute of Research and Studies |
| University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Dehradun |
| U. P. Institute of Design, Noida |
| Srishti Manipal Institute of Art, Design and Technology, Bengaluru |
| BITS Design School |
| D Y Patil University School of Design, Pune |
| VIT School of Design (V-SIGN), Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore |
| RV University, Bengaluru |
| Lovely Professional University, Phagwara |
| Department of Design, Netaji Subhas University of Technology (NSUT), New Delhi |
| Dr D Y Patil School of Design, Pune |
| Tezpur University, Assam |
| Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Manipal |
| School of Creativity, Rishihood University |
| JK Lakshmipat University, Jaipur |
| Jain (Deemed-to-be-University), Bangalore |
UCEED Institute-Wise Fee Structure
| College Name | Tuition Fees (B.Des Course) (Approx) |
| IIT Bombay | INR 8 Lakh+ |
| IIT Delhi | INR 8 Lakh+ |
| IIT Guwahati | INR 8 Lakh+ |
| IIT Hyderabad | INR 8 Lakh+ |
| IIITDM Jabalpur | INR 5 Lakh+ |
List of CEED Colleges in India
The Common Entrance Exam for Design (CEED) is conducted for students seeking admission to Master of Design (MDes) courses at IISc Bangalore, IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Guwahati, IIT Hyderabad, IIT Jodhpur, IIT Kanpur, IIT Roorkee, IIITDM Jabalpur, IIITDM Kancheepuram and PhD courses at various IITs and design schools. Check the CEET institute-wise fee structure for admission below:
| College Name | Tuition Fees (MDes) (Approx) |
| IISc Bangalore | INR 18k+ |
| IIT Bombay | INR 2.5 Lakh+ |
| IIT Delhi | INR 3 Lakh+ |
| IIT Guwahati | INR 1.14 Lakh+ |
List of NIFT Colleges in India
Presently, there are 19 NIFT colleges in India offering admission to design courses like B.Des, M.F.Tech, M.Des, B.F.Tech, and M.F.M courses. They offer design programs with various specialisations, including Fashion Design (FD), Accessory Design (AD), Leather Design (LD), Textile Design (TD), Fashion Interior (FI), Apparel Production (AP), etc. The list of NIFT colleges in India is as follows:
- NIFT New Delhi
- NIFT Chennai
- NIFT Bengaluru
- NIFT Raebareli
- NIFT Gandhinagar
- NIFT Hyderabad
- NIFT Kolkata
- NIFT Mumbai
- NIFT Patna
- NIFT Kangra
- NIFT Bhubaneswar
- NIFT Jodhpur
- NIFT Bhopal
- NIFT Kannur
- NIFT Shillong
- NIFT Panchkula
- NIFT Daman
- NIFT Srinagar
- NIFT Varanasi
Top Design Colleges in India- Placement & Average Package
There are various top design colleges in India offering placement opportunities to students enrolled in UG and PG design courses. The average salary of graduates from top design institutes in India ranges between INR 6 LPA and INR 38 LPA+. Check the complete details of the best design colleges in India in terms of placement package below:
| College | Average Annual Package (Approx) |
| Amity University Mumbai | INR 6 LPA- INR 7 LPA |
| IIT Guwahati | INR 36 LPA-INR 37 LPA |
| IIT Hyderabad | INR 22 LPA- INR 23 LPA |
| IIITDM Jabalpur | INR 19 LPA-INR 20 LPA |
Top Design Colleges in India – FAQs
The top design institutes in India include NIFT Bangalore, NIFT Delhi, Amity University, Noida, IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Guwahati, IIT Hyderabad, etc.
Any 12th pass or graduate can apply for admission to top design institutes in India at the UG and PG levels. The admission is both merit and entrance-exam based.