Best Design Colleges Apart from NID & NIFT: Courses, Fees, Entrance Exams

Samiksha Rautela

Updated On: February 15, 2024 01:22 pm IST | NIFT Entrance Exam

NID and NIFT are the most sought-after colleges among design students. If design is your passion, we are here with a list of the best design colleges apart from NID and NIFT. Continue reading below to uncover the list!

Best Design Colleges Apart from NID & NIFT

Best design colleges apart from NID and NIFT: While it is true that NID and NIFT students are at the forefront of the design business, it is also an unfortunate fact that there are just five NIFT campuses and a handful of NID colleges. Although it is widely acknowledged that other renowned design schools from across the nation annually produce top-notch design specialists, students may fail to recognise these institutes. All we have to do is let go of our narrow focus and realise that design will always be in high demand. The skills of true designers cannot be hindered by getting admitted to any of the good design colleges besides NID and NIFT.

Are there any best design colleges apart from NID and NIFT? The answer is Yes! If students miss out on sitting for the NIFT entrance exam or NID DAT exam, they usually have two choices. Either they drop a year and try again or check out other top design colleges in India. The best course of action would be to pursue a design course at another reputable college and get ready for the cutthroat industry.

Given that they provide numerous options, private design colleges have made a significant contribution that merits special recognition. Thus, in this article, we will cover the best design colleges in India except NID and NIFT.

Why Should Students Look for Other Design Colleges Apart from NID & NIFT?

There are many reasons why a student should look for other popular design colleges in India apart from NID and NIFT. This is because the two prestigious universities will not be able to comfortably accommodate the expanding industry demand, especially since the majority of businesses from a wide range of industries rely significantly on designers to provide customers with distinctive experiences. To guarantee that there is never a shortage of talented designers in the market, the existence of additional reputable design schools is both necessary and justified. The fact that there are reputable institutions such as MIT, IIAD, Pearl, ISDI, Srishti, and IED is evidence of significant advancement in this area.

Considering that government-sponsored universities have not modified their admissions standards to align with industry demands, they are not producing a significant number of design graduates. These institutions have updated their admission requirements to selectively accept the top students in light of the rising number of applicants each year. Every year, over a lakh candidates apply for the 100 available places at NID. This makes it difficult for many deserving applicants to be admitted to this programme in design.

Also Read: Design Colleges Offering Admission Based on Class 12th Marks

Best Design Colleges in India Apart from NID & NIFT

Here is the list of best design colleges besides NID and NIFT for design admissions in India tabulated below:

Institute Name

Offered Course/s

Expected Entrance Exam Date

Footwear Design Development Institute (FDDI)

  • Masters in FTM/ RM, CAD/ CAM

  • Bachelors in DFT, LGAD, FD/ RM

June

JD Institute of Fashion Technology

  • Fashion Design

  • Interior Design

  • Fashion Communication

  • Fashion Business Management

April

MIT Institute of Design (MITID)

  • Product Design

  • Communication

  • Industry & Furniture

  • Design

  • Retail

April

Northern India Institute of Fashion Technology (NIIFT)

  • Master’s in FRM/GMT/ KDT/TD

June

Pearl Academy of Fashion (PAF)

  • MA In FD

  • PGD In Am/ FRM

  • BA In FDT/CD/FMPM/TDM

  • UGD In FRMM/ APP/FDT/ FD

Phase 1 (usually held in January)

School of Fashion Technology (SOFT)

  • Master’s in FDAT/APMM

  • Bachelor’s in FAD

June

Symbiosis Institute of Design (SEED exam)

  • Bachelor’s in Design in CD/PD/FC/FD

January

List of Popular Design Colleges Apart From NID and NIFT

The good colleges besides NID and NIFT for design admissions have an active placement cell which welcomes leading companies for placement. Also, these other design colleges offer limitless practical exposure along with training and individual attention to the students, making it different from the top colleges. 

List of Good Design Colleges Besides NID & NIFT

You can check out some of the good colleges besides NID and NIFT for design admissions in India and take your pick!

College Name

Courses Offered

Annual Course Fee (in INR)

Selection Process

Vogue Institute of Art and Design (VIAD)

53,000 to 3,65,000

Merit or Entrance Exam-based

Koshys Animation & Media School (KAMS)

  • BVA in Animation & Multimedia Design

  • Diploma In Graphic & Web Design

90,000 to 1,24,000

Merit or Entrance Exam-based

Symbiosis University of Applied Sciences (SUAS)

1,50,000

Merit-based & Personal Interview

Jain University (JU Bangalore)

  • BVoc in Game Design

  • BVoc in Interior Design

  • BDes in Lifestyle Product & Accessory Design

2,60,00 to 4,00,000

Jain Entrance Test- Design

KIIT University

  • Bachelor of Fashion Design

1,80,000

KIITEE

Unitedworld Institute of Design (UID)

  • BDes in Automobile & Transportation Design

  • BDes in Interaction Design

  • BDes in Interior & Furniture Design

4,00,000 to 4,50,000

UID DAT

Indian Institute of Art & Design (IIAD)

  • BA (Hons) Fashion Business Management

4,30,000 to 4,68,000

IIAD Entrance Exam

ARCH College of Design & Business

75,000 to 3,95,000

AIEED

Maeer's MIT Institute of Design (MITID)

60,000 to 7,64,000

Design Aptitude Test, Studio Test & Personal Interview

Istituto Marangoni (Marangoni Mumbai)

  • BA (Hons) in Fashion Design

  • BA (Hons) in Fashion Styling

  • PG Diploma in Fashion and Creative Surface Design

1.66,000 to 9,99,000

Merit-based or Personal Interview

International Institute of Fashion Design, Vashi (INIFD)

1.28,000 to 1,72,000

Merit or Entrance Exam-based

Sanskriti University

  • BAin Fashion Designing

50,000

Merit-based

Amity University

  • BDes (Fashion Design)

1,36,000 to 2,72,000 

Merit or Entrance Exam-based

UPES

  • BDes in Fashion Design

  • BDes in Animation & VFX

  • BDes in Game Design

  • BDes in User Experience & Interaction Design

4,00,000

UPES DAT

NIMS University

  • BDes in Textile Design

  • BDes in Fashion Design

  • MDes in Fashion Design

60,000 to 90,000

Institute-level Entrance Exam

Centre for Design Excellence (CODE)

  • BDes in Interior and Product Design

  • BDes in Graphic and Communication Design

  • MDes in UX

50,000 to 2,50,000

Design Aptitude Test

Lovely Professional University (LPU)

  • BSc Fashion Design

  • BSc Interior & Furniture Design

  • BDes Fashion Design

1,20,000 to 2,40,000

LPUNEST

International Institute of Fashion Design, West Delhi (INIFD)

1,60,000 to 1,95,000

Merit-based

International Institute of Fashion Design (INIFD)

  • BSc in Fashion Design

  • BSc in Interior Design

1,17,000 to 1,68,000

Merit or Entrance Exam-based

ROOTS Collegium

90,000 to 2,33,000

Institute-level Entrance Exam

LISAA School of Design (LISAA)

  • Bachelor in Fashion & Textile Design

  • Bachelor in Animation & Multimedia

1,90,000 to 2,50,000

Institute-level Entrance Exam

Ellen School of Art And Design (ESAD)

  • Diploma in Jewellery Design

  • BVoc in Fashion Design

  • BSc in Interior Design

40,000 to 1,16,000

Institute-level Entrance Exam & Personal Interview

Note: The fee mentioned in the table above is an estimate which may change from one year to another at the discretion of the respective authority.

Region-wise List of Best Design Colleges Apart from NID and NIFT

Distributed below are a few good design colleges in India besides NID and NIFT, based on the region of the college. Choose the preferred location and click on the links below to explore the list of good colleges besides NID and NIFT for design admission.

These were some of the good colleges apart from NID and NIFT for design admissions. Candidates willing to be admitted to any of these institutes may check out the list of Private Design Colleges in India Offering Scholarships. It would help them in making a well-informed decision. They may also visit the Self-Study Guide for Design Entrance Exams to prepare well and get admission to the desired college. 

Also Read: Design Colleges in India Offering Lateral Entry Admissions

Do you have more questions? Drop them in the QnA Zone and get them addressed by our experts! You can also dial 1800-572-9877 (toll-free) or fill out the Common Application Form to get personalized admission assistance from the admission counsellors.

Stay tuned to CollegeDekho for more information on Design Admissions!

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FAQs

Are there any good colleges besides NID and NIFT for Design Admissions?

Yes, there are plenty of great design colleges besides NID and NIFT for admissions. A few of them are Vogue Institute of Art and Design (VIAD), Unitedworld Institute of Design (UID), Indian Institute of Art & Design (IIAD), ARCH College of Design & Business, Centre for Design Excellence (CODE) and many others.

What are some good design colleges located in Maharashtra?

Some good design colleges in Maharashtra are Maeer's MIT Institute of Design (MITID), Istituto Marangoni (Marangoni Mumbai), International Institute of Fashion Design, Vashi (INIFD), International Institute of Fashion Design (INIFD) just to name a few.

Are there any popular design colleges besides NID & NIFT in Delhi?

Yes, popular design colleges in Delhi besides NID and NIFT are the International Institute of Fashion Design, West Delhi (INIFD), Indian Institute of Art & Design (IIAD), Jagannath Institute of Management Sciences etc.

How much is the fee for admission in good design colleges other than NID and NIFT?

Fees for reputable design colleges, excluding NID and NIFT, can vary widely based on factors such as the college, program, and the student's category. Generally, annual tuition fees range from INR 40,000 to INR 10,00,000. For instance, the Srishti School of Art, Design and Technology in Bangalore charges INR 1,20,000 to INR 3,00,000 per year. The IIT Institute of Design in Ahmedabad has fees ranging from INR 1,30,000 to INR 2,20,000 annually. Other examples include the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) with fees from INR 1,40,000 to INR 2,80,000, Pearl Academy of Fashion, Design and Business with fees from INR 1,80,000 to INR 4,50,000, and the Symbiosis Institute of Design in Pune with fees ranging from INR 1,80,000 to INR 2,50,000 per year.

Which entrance exams are conducted for admission to a good design college besides NID & NIFT?

Apart from NID and NIFT, various design colleges conduct entrance exams for admission. Some notable ones include the Common Entrance Examination for Design (CEED), Undergraduate Common Entrance Exam for Design (UCEED), MIT Institute of Design DAT, and National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) entrance exams. 

Do these colleges apart from NID and NIFT offer scholarships for design students, and what are the criteria?

Yes, most reputable design institutes in India provide scholarships to students seeking design degrees. These scholarships are typically given based on merit, financial need, or a combination of the two. Scholarship criteria vary by every college, but they often include variables such as academic excellence, extracurricular activity, and financial need. 

How are the faculty and infrastructure at these design colleges compared to NID and NIFT?

These design colleges' faculty and infrastructure are typically thought to be of excellent quality, equivalent to NID and NIFT. However, there may be some diversity in each college's specific strengths. Srishti School of Art, Design, and Technology, for example, is well-known for its emphasis on creativity and invention, whereas IIT Institute of Design is well-known for its rigorous academic programmes. Overall, these universities are excellent choices for those interested in pursuing a design profession.

What is the placement scenario for design graduates from colleges apart from NID and NIFT?

Other than NID and NIFT, the placement scenario for design graduates varies, affected by factors such as the institution's reputation, industry ties, and individual student portfolios. To learn more about the potential employment outcomes for design graduates, look into specific universities' placement histories, industry collaborations, and alumni success stories.

Are there specific portfolio requirements for admissions to top design colleges other than NID and NIFT?

Aside from NID and NIFT, popular design universities frequently have portfolio requirements for admission. Since these criteria may differ, it is important to review the guidelines provided by each college. Portfolios often highlight a candidate's artistic abilities, originality, and design initiatives, and they play an important role in the admissions screening process.

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