Design Colleges Besides NIFT and NID: The National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) and National Institute of Design (NID) are the priorities for many design aspirants to pursue UG and PG design courses. Getting admission to NIFTs and NID campuses can be tough because of the limited seats, so candidates look for the next best institutions to pursue their design courses.
Besides NIFT and NID, there are numerous design colleges, such as MIT Design School, Indian School of Design & Innovation (ISDI), and JD Institute of Fashion Technology, that offer comprehensive design education with modern facilities. These colleges provide more options for aspirants aiming for a career in design, offering several design specializations.
Based on their design passion and career aspirations, candidates can opt for these design colleges besides NIFT and NID to pursue the course.
Design colleges besides NIFT and NID offer a wide range of design programs catering to the needs of the candidates, including product, fashion, interior, and communication design. The course fee ranges approximately from Rs 3-12 lakhs, depending on the college and course you choose. Design colleges besides NIFT and NID have extensive placement cells offering diverse career options across the design industry.
The following table gives a snapshot of the design colleges besides NIFT and NID, highlighting course fees, entrance exams, and locations of these colleges.
Design Colleges Besides NIFT and NID Overview | |||||
College Name | Location | Type | Design Specializations | Approximate Tuition Fee (INR) | Entrance Exams Accepted |
IIT Bombay (IDC School of Design) | Mumbai | Govt | Industrial Design, Communication Design | ₹6-12 lakh | IIT-JEE/IDC Entrance |
CEPT University | Ahmedabad | Govt | Interior Design, Product Design | ₹4-9 lakh | CEPT Aptitude Test |
Symbiosis Institute of Design | Pune | Private | Communication Design, Fashion Design | ₹5-10 lakh | SEED Entrance |
Unitedworld Institute of Design | Gandhinagar | Private | Fashion Design, Product & Interior Design | ₹4-8 lakh | UID Entrance |
Srishti Institute of Art, Design and Technology | Bangalore | Private | Visual Communication, Product Design | ₹3-7 lakh | UCEED/SAT/SMEAT |
MIT Institute of Design | Pune | Private | Fashion Design, Product Design | ₹5-12 lakh | MITID Entrance |
Indian School of Design & Innovation (ISDI) | Mumbai | Private | Fashion Business, Strategic Design | ₹6-12 lakh | ISDI Entrance |
JD Institute of Fashion Technology | Multiple cities | Private | Fashion, Interior, and Jewellery Design | ₹3-6 lakh | Merit-based/NIFT/Self Entrance |
The Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) are prominent choices for candidates to pursue design courses apart from NIFTs and NID. Design colleges besides NIFT and NID include various campuses of IITs such as IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Guwahati, IIT Hyderabad, IIT Roorkee, and IIITDM Jabalpur. Candidates need to appear for the UCEED entrance exam for admission to UG design courses at IITs. For PG design programs, the corresponding entrance exam is the Common Entrance Examination for Design (CEED).
BDes course fees at IITs are around Rs 1 lakh to ₹10 lakh per year, depending on the level and campus. Postgraduate courses like M.Des typically have lower fees, ranging from Rs 20,000 to Rs 1 lakh annually at various IITs.
Symbiosis Institute of Design is also one of the candidates’ choices to pursue design courses apart from NIFTs and NIDs. The BDes course fee ranges from Rs 18.7 lakhs for the entire duration, payable in installments. Candidates must have passed class 12th from a recognized board for admission to SIDs. The institute has excellent modern infrastructure, experienced faculty, and strong placement records.
JD Institute of Fashion Technology is a preferred choice for design aspirants as design colleges besides NIFT and NID. The college offers various design courses emphasizing fashion and interior design. The course fees range between Rs 1 lakh and Rs 6.3 lakhs, depending on the program and duration. Admission to UG courses at the institute is based on the General Aptitude Test (GAT), followed by a Situation Test and a personal interview.
MIT Institute of Design, situated in Pune, is another prominent choice for design aspirants. The institute offers the BDes course in product and fashion design. The course fee for the B.Des program is approximately INR 8-10 lakhs for the entire duration. Admission is based on candidates’ performance in the MITID Entrance. The institute provides modern facilities, experienced faculty, and strong industry connections to support a comprehensive design education.
Srishti Institute of Art, Design and Technology is a private design college providing undergraduate design courses across disciplines, namely, Visual Communication and Product Design. The UG course fee ranges from Rs 21 lakhs to Rs 30 lakhs, depending on the course specialization. For admission, candidates must have completed their class 12th with 50% aggregate marks.
Unitedworld Institute of Design offers the BDes course in Fashion Design, Product & Interior Design, with fees ranging from Rs 7 lakh to Rs 15 lakh. The institute conducts the UID Design Aptitude Test for admission to design courses. Candidates must have passed class 12th from a recognized board for enrollment in the design courses.
The World University of Design (WUD) in Sonipat is a private institution offering undergraduate, postgraduate, and PhD courses in full-time and part-time modes. Candidates must obtain valid scores in design entrance exams like NID DAT, NIFT, UCEED, or the university’s own aptitude test. World Institute of Design offers a range of courses across design, architecture, management, and arts. BDes course fees range between Rs 11 lakh and Rs 16 lakh for the full duration. WUD has extensive campus facilities, international collaborations, and scholarship opportunities, making it an attractive choice for aspiring designers.
The Footwear Design and Development Institute (FDDI) is a central government institution established in 1986, offering UG and PG design courses across multiple campuses. Admission to FDDI programs requires candidates to pass the FDDI AIST entrance exam. FDDI equips graduates with specialized skills that are highly valued in the design and footwear sectors.
Such design colleges offer UG courses across various disciplines, namely, Interior, Product, Textile, Communication, and Apparel Designs.
Yes, IIT design colleges, FDDI, and CEPT Ahmedabad are some government-affiliated colleges apart from NIFTs and NIDs.
Some popular private design colleges besides NIFT and NID include MIT Institute of Design, SID, UID, and Footwear Design and Development Institute.
Apart from NIFT and NID, candidates can also take admission based on UCEED, CEED, UID Design Aptitude Test (DAT), and SEED entrance exams.