Top 20 Fashion Designing Colleges in India 2026: Fees & Exams

Searching for the top 20 fashion designing colleges in India for 2026? This guide lists the 20 institutes that students and the industry rate most highly, from the government-run NIFT and NID campuses to well-known private design schools. For each one you get the city, type of institute, main courses, entrance exam and an approximate fee range.

Top 20 fashion designing colleges in India at a glance

Government institutes: NIFT and NID

The National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) was set up in 1986 under the Ministry of Textiles. The NIFT Act of 2006 made it a statutory institute with its own degree-granting powers. In 2026 NIFT has 20 campuses, the newest being Nava Raipur. All campuses use one entrance exam and one common fee structure, but the older metro campuses are usually the first choice of top scorers.

1. NIFT New Delhi

The Hauz Khas campus is NIFT's flagship and its oldest campus. It sits close to India's export houses, designers and fashion weeks, which helps with internships, juries and projects.

• Established: 1986 (NIFT); statutory under the NIFT Act, 2006
• Popular courses: B.Des in Fashion Design, Textile Design, Accessory Design, Knitwear Design, Leather Design, Fashion Communication; B.FTech; M.Des, MFM
• Admission via: NIFT entrance exam (GAT + CAT) and Situation Test for B.Des
• Approx. fees: about ₹14 lakh tuition for the four-year B.Des (Careers360, 2026), plus hostel
• Website: nift.ac.in

2. NID Ahmedabad

The National Institute of Design was founded in 1961 and became an Institute of National Importance under the NID Act, 2014. It is best known for industrial and communication design, but its Faculty of Textile, Apparel, Lifestyle and Accessory Design makes it a strong choice for students who want a design-first approach to fabrics and clothing.

• Established: 1961; Institute of National Importance (NID Act, 2014)
• Popular courses: B.Des Textile Design (Ahmedabad); M.Des Apparel Design at the Gandhinagar PG campus; B.Des Textile and Apparel Design at the newer NIDs (Kurukshetra, Bhopal, Jorhat, Vijayawada)
• Admission via: NID DAT (Prelims + Mains)
• Approx. fees: about ₹15–18 lakh for the full B.Des (aggregator estimate; check the NID admissions notice)
• Website: nid.edu

3–8. NIFT Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Gandhinagar

These six campuses opened in the mid-1990s, soon after Delhi. They have mature faculty, regular placement drives and strong local industry links. Mumbai is close to retail, media and film costume work. Bengaluru and Chennai sit near big apparel export and garment-making centres. Kolkata has links with eastern handloom and leather. Hyderabad and Gandhinagar are close to textile and craft clusters.

• Type: Statutory campuses of NIFT (same degree as Delhi)
• Popular courses: B.Des Fashion Design (offered at most of these campuses), plus Textile, Accessory, Knitwear and Fashion Communication; B.FTech at selected campuses
• Admission via: NIFT entrance exam; campus is chosen at counselling based on your Common Merit Rank
• Approx. fees: broadly the same as NIFT Delhi (about ₹14 lakh tuition for four years)

Leading private fashion design colleges

Private design schools charge more, but many offer modern studios, international exchanges and flexible electives. Compare their fees carefully, because totals can differ by several lakh rupees.

9. Pearl Academy

Pearl Academy, started in 1993, is one of India's best-known private fashion schools. It runs campuses in West Delhi, South Delhi (Noida), Mumbai, Jaipur and Bengaluru.

• Popular courses: B.Des Fashion Design, Fashion Styling, Fashion Communication; M.Des; MBA in Fashion and Lifestyle Business
• Admission via: Pearl Academy entrance (general proficiency and design aptitude tests), interview and portfolio review
• Approx. fees: about ₹30–32 lakh for the four-year B.Des (2026 listings)

10. Symbiosis Institute of Design (SID), Pune

SID is part of Symbiosis International (Deemed University). It has a large B.Des intake split across a few disciplines, including fashion design and fashion communication.

• Popular courses: B.Des Fashion Design, Fashion Communication, Communication Design, Industrial Design
• Admission via: SEED (Symbiosis Entrance Exam for Design) plus interview
• Approx. fees: about ₹5 lakh a year (around ₹19 lakh for four years)

11. MIT Institute of Design (MITID), Pune

MITID is a constituent of MIT ADT University near Pune. Its fashion programme covers garment construction, styling and merchandising, with industry projects in the later years.

• Popular courses: B.Des Fashion Design, Textile Design, Communication and Product Design
• Admission via: MITID DAT, studio test and interview
• Approx. fees: about ₹18–22 lakh for four years (sources differ)

12. Unitedworld Institute of Design (UID), Karnavati University

UID began in about 2012 and is now part of Karnavati University in Gandhinagar. It offers several fashion-related B.Des (Hons) tracks and a global programme option.

• Popular courses: B.Des (Hons) Fashion Design, Fashion Design and Styling, Fashion Communication; M.Des Fashion Design
• Admission via: UID DAT, followed by a situation test and portfolio review
• Approx. fees: about ₹22–25 lakh for four years

13. Indian Institute of Art & Design (IIAD), New Delhi

IIAD opened in 2015 in South Delhi. It teaches its programmes in academic association with Kingston University, London, which awards the degree for its UK-linked courses.

• Popular courses: BA (Hons) Fashion Design, Fashion Business Management, Communication Design, Interior Architecture
• Admission via: iDAT (IIAD Design Aptitude Test) and interview
• Approx. fees: about ₹5.5–6 lakh a year

14. World University of Design (WUD), Sonipat

WUD is a state private university set up in 2018 in Haryana's Rajiv Gandhi Education City. It focuses only on design, art and creative fields.

• Popular courses: B.Des Fashion Design, Fashion Communication, Textile Design
• Admission via: WUD's own design aptitude test with portfolio and interview; scores of national design exams are also considered
• Approx. fees: about ₹15 lakh for four years

15. Amity School of Fashion Technology (ASFT), Noida

ASFT is the fashion school of Amity University Uttar Pradesh. It has a big campus, many specialisations and an option to spend part of the course abroad.

• Popular courses: B.Des Fashion Design, Fashion Communication, Textile Design, Fashion Technology
• Admission via: application review, creative test and personal interview (Class 12 with about 50%)
• Approx. fees: roughly ₹9 lakh and above for four years; figures vary widely by programme

Affordable and specialised options

These institutes are worth a look if you want a lower fee, a university degree in textiles and apparel, or a women-only campus.

16. Lady Irwin College, University of Delhi

Founded in 1932, this women's college teaches textiles and clothing within its Home Science programme. Its Department of Fabric and Apparel Science runs the M.Sc and Ph.D. in Fabric and Apparel Science.

• Popular courses: B.Sc (Hons) Home Science (with Fabric and Apparel Science papers); M.Sc Fabric and Apparel Science
• Admission via: CUET UG for undergraduate courses and CUET PG for the M.Sc
• Approx. fees: low, as a public DU college; check the DU fee notice each year

17. Banasthali Vidyapith, Rajasthan

Banasthali is a residential deemed university for women. Its B.Des has a Fashion and Lifestyle Design track, and the campus is known for discipline, safety and low living costs.

• Popular courses: B.Des Fashion and Lifestyle Design, Communication Design, Industrial Design
• Admission via: Banasthali Aptitude Test and Class 12 merit (minimum about 50%)
• Approx. fees: about ₹5.6–9 lakh for four years, depending on what is included

18. School of Fashion Technology (SOFT), Pune

SOFT was started in 1998 by the Maharshi Karve Stree Shikshan Samstha (MKSSS), with early support from NIFT. Its B.Des is awarded by SNDT Women's University, Mumbai.

• Popular courses: B.Des Fashion Design, Fashion Communication, Textile Design, Jewellery Design
• Admission via: SOFT CET, studio test and interview
• Approx. fees: check the official website

19. JD Institute of Fashion Technology

JD Institute was founded in 1988 and has a large centre in Bengaluru, along with branches in other cities. It offers both degree and diploma routes, which suits students who want a shorter, skills-focused course.

• Popular courses: B.Sc / BVA in Fashion and Apparel Design (university-affiliated); diplomas and PG diplomas in fashion design
• Admission via: mainly Class 12 merit, with an institute test at some centres
• Approx. fees: vary by course and city; check the official website

20. Army Institute of Fashion & Design (AIFD), Bengaluru

AIFD is an Army welfare institute in Bengaluru. Admission generally gives priority to the wards of Army personnel, so it suits defence families looking for a structured programme. Its B.Sc is awarded through a state university in Bengaluru.

• Popular courses: B.Sc Fashion and Apparel Design (about 60 seats); B.Sc Interior Design and Decoration
• Admission via: institute-level process (written test or merit and interview, depending on the year)
• Approx. fees: check the official notification each year

How admission to fashion design colleges works

There is no single national exam for fashion design. Most students apply to two or three exams in the same year. Here are the main ones:

• NIFT entrance exam: For all NIFT campuses. The 2026 exam was held on 8 February 2026, conducted by the National Testing Agency. B.Des candidates take the General Ability Test (GAT) and the Creative Ability Test (CAT), then a Situation Test (a hands-on model-making task). Reported weightage is roughly GAT 30%, CAT 50% and Situation Test 20%.
• NID DAT: For all NIDs. The Prelims test drawing and design thinking; the Mains include studio tasks and an interview.
• UCEED: Run by IIT Bombay for B.Des at IITs such as Bombay, Delhi, Guwahati, Hyderabad and Roorkee, and at IIITDM Jabalpur. It is a general design exam and these IIT programmes do not offer a fashion design degree, so take UCEED only if you are also open to product, interaction or communication design.
• SEED: Symbiosis Entrance Exam for Design, for Symbiosis Institute of Design.
• Pearl Academy entrance: Pearl's own aptitude tests, interview and portfolio review.
• AIEED: Conducted by ARCH College of Design & Business, Jaipur, for its own B.Des programmes, including fashion design. It is not a national exam accepted by other colleges.
• Other institute tests: MITID DAT, UID DAT, IIAD's iDAT, WUD DAT, SOFT CET and the Banasthali Aptitude Test. Lady Irwin College uses CUET.

A typical admission path looks like this:

1. Pass Class 12 in any stream (most design schools accept Arts, Commerce and Science).
2. Register for your chosen exams between October and January; most design tests are held from January to April.
3. Prepare for written aptitude (English, maths basics, reasoning, general awareness) and for drawing and creative tasks.
4. Clear the second stage: situation test, studio test, portfolio review or interview.
5. Take part in counselling or accept the offer, choose your campus and specialisation, and pay the fee.

How to choose the right fashion design college

• Specialisation: Fashion design, textiles, accessories, knitwear, styling and fashion communication are different careers. Pick the college that teaches your preferred track.
• Total cost: Add tuition, hostel, materials, laptop and design software. Private B.Des fees range from about ₹9 lakh to over ₹30 lakh.
• Degree type: Check whether you get a statutory degree (NIFT, NID), a UGC-recognised university degree or a diploma. This matters for higher studies and jobs abroad.
• Industry exposure: Ask about internships, live projects, graduation shows and alumni working in brands you admire.
• Placements: Ask for the real list of recruiters and roles, not just the highest package.

Careers after fashion designing

Fashion graduates work far beyond the ramp. Common roles include fashion designer, textile designer, stylist, fashion merchandiser, buyer, visual merchandiser, costume designer for film and OTT, product developer at export houses, trend forecaster and fashion journalist. Many graduates later start their own labels. Starting salaries depend heavily on the institute, the role and the city, so treat any package figure as a rough guide.

Scholarships and funding for fashion design students

Design education is costly, but help is available. Government institutes and many private universities offer need-based fee concessions or merit scholarships. Students from SC, ST, OBC, minority and economically weaker families can apply for central and state schemes through the National Scholarship Portal (NSP).

You can also try the AISEE scholarship exam, which helps students reduce the cost of higher studies. To compare more options, see our guide to scholarships after 12th in India.

Frequently asked questions

Which is the best fashion designing college in India?

NIFT New Delhi is widely regarded as the best fashion designing college in India, thanks to its statutory status, long history and strong industry links. NID Ahmedabad is the top choice for textile and apparel design. Among private institutes, Pearl Academy, Symbiosis Institute of Design and MIT Institute of Design are popular.

Does NIRF rank fashion design colleges?

No. NIRF has no design or fashion category, so no fashion college has an official NIRF design rank. Some parent universities appear in other NIRF categories, but that rank does not measure their fashion programme.

Which entrance exam is needed for fashion designing?

The NIFT entrance exam is the most important one, as it covers all 20 NIFT campuses. NID DAT is used for the NIDs. Private schools hold their own tests, such as SEED, the Pearl Academy entrance, MITID DAT, UID DAT and iDAT.

Is UCEED useful for fashion design?

Not really. UCEED is for B.Des at IITs and IIITDM Jabalpur, and those programmes focus on product, interaction and communication design rather than fashion. A few private universities accept UCEED scores, so check each college's list.

Can a Commerce or Arts student study fashion design?

Yes. NIFT B.Des, NID B.Des and most private B.Des programmes accept Class 12 from any stream. Only some technology courses, such as NIFT's B.FTech, need Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics.

What is the fee for fashion designing in India?

For a four-year B.Des, NIFT tuition is about ₹14 lakh, while private schools range from about ₹9 lakh to over ₹30 lakh. Hostel and material costs are extra. Public university options such as Lady Irwin College cost much less.

Conclusion: picking from the top fashion designing colleges in India

The top 20 fashion designing colleges in India range from government-run NIFT and NID campuses to private schools with global links. Since there is no NIRF design ranking, judge each college on its status, specialisations, real fee and industry exposure. Your next step: shortlist five colleges, note their 2027 entrance dates, and begin a regular drawing practice now. Keep track of key dates on our scholarship exam calendar as well.