Guide To Undergraduate Design Schools in India
Over the last decade, India has seen an uproarious growth in design education and the institutes providing it. This has included a mix of both private and government colleges opening with the sole aim of educating designers that can help improve the world around them, influence the problems in positive ways and build a culture along with a strong community of designers. If you’re looking to pursue design as a career, the following are wonderful colleges for under graduation:
National Institute of Design is internationally acclaimed as one of the finest educational and research institutions for Industrial, Communication, Textile and IT Integrated (Experiential) Design. It is an Institute of National Importance under the DIPP, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India. They offer a wide spectrum of design domains while encouraging transdisciplinary design projects. This was the first design college to open in India under the directions of Charles and Ray Eames’ India Design Report. They are prominently known for their Graphic Design, Product design, Animation Design and Textile Design courses.
College name: National Institute of Design (NID)
Courses offered: Bachelor of Design (B.Des) in Animation Film Design, Ceramic & Glass Design, Exhibition Design, Film and Video communication, Furniture and Interior Design, Product Design, Graphic Design & Textile design.
Budget (yearly) : 2,10,800 + overheads (for Indian Students, includes refundable deposit)
Process: Design Aptitude Test (held annually), followed by Studio Test and Interview + Portfolio review in final stage.
Private/ Govt College: Government
Qualification needed: 10+ 2 from any stream
Course Duration: 4 years
Location: Ahmedabad (Main Campus)
In the year 2006 the MIT Group decided to broaden its horizons in terms of education. They wanted explore academic areas that were new, challenging, and futuristic. Located by the banks of Mula-Mutha river, MITID boasts an ever-increasing range of courses for design aspirants. It is best known for its course in Transportation design as it was the first college to offer it as an undergraduate program. Other courses that are well-taught include Graphic Design, Retain and Exhibition Design and Animation Film Making.
College name: MIT Institute of Design (MITID)
Courses offered: Bachelor of Design (B.Des) in Product Design, Transportation Design, Interior Space and Furniture Design, Retail Design, Graphic Design, Animation Design, Film & Video Design, Fashion Design, Fashion communication, & Game Design.
Budget (yearly) : 3,92,000 + overheads (for Indian Students, includes refundable deposit)
Process: Design Aptitude Test (held annually), followed by Studio Test and Interview + Portfolio review in final stage.
Private/ Govt College: Private
Qualification needed: 10+ 2 from any stream
Course Duration: 4 years
Location: Loni Kalbhor, Pune (Main Campus) & Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh)
DJ Academy is young design college but they’ve already made quite a name for themselves. They rose to prominence because of the quality of students they’ve produced. They provide courses in undergraduate and postgraduate. In their undergraduate courses, they’re best known for their communication design curriculum and their wholesome teaching pedagogies. Their vision is to promote inclusive social development by way of empowering students with knowledge and skill sets that can be utilised in the modern environment.
College name: DJ Academy of Design (DJA)
Courses offered: Bachelor of Design (B.Des) in Industrial Design & Communication Design.
Budget (yearly) : 5,19,200 + overheads (for Indian Students, includes refundable deposit)
Process: Design Aptitude Test (held annually), followed by Studio Test and Interview + Portfolio review in final stage.
Private/ Govt College: Private
Qualification needed: 10+ 2 from any stream
Course Duration: 4 years
Location: Coimbatore (Main Campus)
The Institute cherishes the hope that its graduates will be the leaders of tomorrow. Their education is patterned with this in view. The Institute provides excellent environment facilitating and supporting the pursuit of excellence. From the year 2015 onwards , IDC began offering a four year, eight semester Bachelor of Design (B.Des) programme and a five year, ten semester dual degree B.Des + M.Des programme. However, the option of doing the dual degree, B .Des + M.Des is only available at the end of the 3rd year.
College name: IIT-IDC School of Design
Courses offered: Bachelor of Design (B.Des)
Budget (yearly) : 1,10,000 + overheads (for Indian Students, includes refundable deposit)
Process: Acceptable UCEED score (held annually), followed by Studio Test and Interview + Portfolio review in final stage.
Private/ Govt College: Government
Qualification needed: 10+ 2 from any stream + UCEED Score
Course Duration: 4 years
Location: Mumbai (Main Campus)
5. ISDI School of Design & Innovation, Parsons (ISDI Parsons)
ISDI's undergraduate design courses combine a world-class curriculum, state-of-the-art campus, industry-leading faculty and hands-on, project-based training to prepare students for a path-breaking career in design and innovation. They are best known for their courses in Fashion Management, Fashion Communication & Styling, Communication Design and Strategic Design & Management.
College name: ISDI School of Design & Innovation, Parsons (ISDI Parsons)
Courses offered: Diploma in Communication Design, Fashion Design, Fashion Communication & Styling, Interior Design, Product Design & Strategic Design & Management.
Budget (yearly) : 6,91,000 + overheads (for Indian Students, includes refundable deposit)
Process: Design Aptitude Test (held annually), followed by Interview + Portfolio review/ Complete a design project in final stage.
Private/ Govt College: Private
Qualification needed: 10+ 2 from any stream
Course Duration: 4 years
Location: Mumbai (Main Campus)
Raffles Education Corporation Limited ("Raffles Education Corp") expanded their boundaries and stepped into Mumbai in the year 2004 as Raffles Design International, Mumbai, growing ever since. Today, it is among the best design institutes in Mumbai, India and is conveniently located at a prime location, i.e. Marol, Andheri in Mumbai. They also provide a 6 month Diploma in all the Design disciplines mentioned below and are best known for their International Fashion Business, Digital Media, Fashion and Visual Communication Design courses.
College name: Raffles Design International (RDI)
Courses offered: Bachelor of Arts (HONS) in Fashion Design, Interior Design, Product Design, Digital Media Design, Visual Communication Design & International Fashion Business.
Budget (yearly) : 3,41,154 + overheads (for Indian Students, includes refundable deposit)
Process: Online submission of educational requirement + Interview.
Private/ Govt College: Private
Qualification needed: (10+ 2) from any stream + IELTS Score of 5.5 for Diploma and 6.0 for Advanced Diploma for English + Minimum Age of 16 years + Portfolio + Interview
Course Duration: 3 years
Location: Mumbai (Main Campus)
Srishti Institute of Art, Design and Technology is a non-residential institution founded in 1996 by the Ujwal Trust with the objective of providing art and design education in an environment of creativity to maximise the individual’s potential. Their programs offer opportunities to make creative impact at different levels of practice through capabilities developed in the areas of law, environment and policy, media art and sciences, education and development, and business and the humanities. They are best known for the versatility of the education system to adapt to individual needs.
College name: Srishti Institute of Art, Design and Technology
Courses offered: Diploma in Creative Coding, Creative Manufacturing, Digital Film Making, Digital Media Production, Graphic Arts & Design Practices, Interior Design & Build, User Interface & Interaction Engineering.
B.Des in Business Services and System Design, Creative and Applied Computation, Creative Education, Human Centered design, Industrial Arts & Design practices, Information Arts and Information Design Practices, Public Space Design, Visual Communication and Strategic Branding, Contemporary Art Practise, Film, Digital Media Arts, & Creative Writing.
Budget (yearly) : 3,50,00 + overheads (for Indian Students, includes refundable deposit)
Process: Shrishti Entrance and Aptitude Test (SEAT) followed by Round 2 after selection.
Private/ Govt College: Private
Qualification needed: 10+ 2 from any stream +
Course Duration: 3 years
Location: Bangalore, Karnataka (Main Campus)
Symbiosis Institute of Design offers a Bachelor of Design (B.Des.) undergraduate degree in the period of four years.The course structure includes a common Foundation Program, where all the students are given a grounding in the basic skills and an exposure to the various contextual and historic awareness that all the streams of design require. The students then choose their discipline of choice and will work for the remaining 3 years honing their skills that will allow them to be industry ready at the end of it. They are best known for their Communication design and Product Design Disciplines.
College name: Symbiosis Institute of Design (SID)
Courses offered: B.Des in Graphic Design, Animation Film Design, Video Film Design, User Experience Design, Product Design, Interior Space Design & Fashion Design.
Budget (yearly) : 4,20,000 + overheads (for Indian Students, includes refundable deposit)
Process: SEED (Symbiosis Entrance Exam for Design) conducted annually, followed by Studio Test and Personal Interaction.
Private/ Govt College: Private
Qualification needed: 10+ 2 from any stream
Course Duration: 4 years
Location: Pune, Maharashtra (Main Campus)
Some more resources for you to decide for a career in design for yourself:
Getting Started in Freelance Design with 👑Sidharth @ Headout
Sit-Down With King Sidharth: Design, User Experience, Freelancing, And Much More..
Lota: Mother of National Institute of Design | The India Report (Eames, 1958)
🔴 What Careers in Design and the Visual Arts Can You Pursue? By TheFutur
* not ranked in order of excellence
