Karnataka – especially Bengaluru – is becoming a major hub for design education in India, thanks to its creative industries, startup ecosystem, and design-led tech culture. Students can pursue design routes like bachelor’s (B.Des/B.V.A), master’s (M.Des), diplomas in product design, interior design, animation, UX/UI, fashion design, etc. Admissions often involve entrance tests + portfolios. Design colleges in Karnataka are increasingly popular because of strong industry linkages and creative career paths.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Common UG Degrees | B.Des (Bachelor of Design), B.V.A (Bachelor of Visual Arts), BSc in Interior Design, Fashion Design |
| PG Degrees | M.Des (Master of Design), MA in Design/Animation, PG Diploma in UX/UI / Product Design |
| Specialisations | Product Design, Interaction / UI-UX Design, Interior & Spatial Design, Fashion & Textile Design, Animation & Game Design, Communication & Graphic Design |
| Eligibility | 10+2 (any stream) for UG; Graduation for PG. |
| Entrance Exams / Portfolio | National: UCEED (for IITs), NID DAT, NIFT Entrance Exam. State/Institute: sometimes portfolio plus interview. |
| Career Paths | Designer roles in product & industrial design, UX/UI, interiors, fashion/textiles, animation & games, brand & communication design, design research & strategy. |
| Rank | College | Type | Approx Annual Fee (₹) | Highest Package / Noted Salary* | Main Courses | City |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | National Institute of Fashion Technology – NIFT Bengaluru | Government | 1,90,000 (1st year) | ~₹19 LPA (for B.Des) | Fashion Design, Textile Design, Accessory Design | Bengaluru |
| 2 | Army Institute of Fashion and Design | Private | ~₹2,58,931 (1st year) | ~₹8.63 LPA | Fashion & Apparel Design | Bengaluru |
| 3 | JD Institute of Fashion Technology – Bangalore | Private | ~₹6,30,000 (total) | – | B.Des Fashion, //etc | Bengaluru |
| 4 | Srishti Manipal Institute of Art, Design & Technology | Private | [varies] | – | B.Des Visual Communication, Product Design, UX | Bengaluru |
| 5 | LISAA School of Design Bengaluru | Private | [varies] | – | Interior Design, Graphic Design, Game & Animation | Bengaluru |
| 6 | Pearl Academy Bengaluru | Private | [varies] | – | Fashion Design, Product Design, Graphic Design | Bengaluru |
| 7 | Vogue Institute of Art & Design | Private | ~₹2,99,500 (1st year) | ~₹7.5 LPA | Fashion Design, Interior Design | Bengaluru |
| 8 | Acharya School of Design (ASD) | Private | – | – | Graphic & Communication Design, Animation & Game Art, Product Design | Bengaluru |
| 9 | ICAT Design & Media College | Private | – | – | Fashion & Apparel Design, B.Sc Interior Design & Decoration | Bengaluru |
| 10 | The Oxford College of Science – Design Faculty | Private | ~₹1,80,000 (total) | – | B.Des Design | Bengaluru |
| Rank | College | Approx Annual Fee (₹) | Highest Package / Noted Salary* | Main Courses | City |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NIFT Bengaluru | ~1,90,000 (1st year) | ~19 LPA | Fashion/Textile Design | Bengaluru |
| 2 | Army Institute of Fashion and Design | ~2,58,931 (1st year) | ~8.63 LPA | Fashion & Apparel Design | Bengaluru |
| 3 | JD Institute – Bangalore | ~6,30,000 (total) | – | Fashion Design | Bengaluru |
| 4 | Srishti Manipal Institute of Art … | – | – | Visual Communication, UX, Product | Bengaluru |
| 5 | LISAA School of Design Bengaluru | – | – | Interior Design, Graphic, Animation | Bengaluru |
| 6 | Pearl Academy Bengaluru | – | – | Fashion & Product Design | Bengaluru |
| 7 | Vogue Institute of Art & Design | ~2,99,500 (1st year) | ~7.5 LPA | Fashion & Interior Design | Bengaluru |
| 8 | Acharya School of Design (ASD) | – | – | Product, Animation, Game Art | Bengaluru |
| 9 | ICAT Design & Media College | – | – | Fashion & Interior Design | Bengaluru |
| 10 | The Oxford College of Science – Design Faculty | ~1,80,000 (total) | – | B.Des Design | Bengaluru |
| Rank | College | Approx Annual Fee (₹) | Main Courses | City |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NIFT Bengaluru (central) | ~1,90,000 (1st year) | Fashion/Textile Design | Bengaluru |
| 2 | Bengaluru North University, PG Centre (Design) | – | Interior Design & Build | Kolar |
| 3 | Bangalore University – Design Dept. | ~₹33,550-39,600 | B.Des / Fashion Design | Bengaluru |
| 4 | Government Women’s Polytechnic College – Design Dept. | ~₹12,810 | Diploma Design | Bengaluru |
| 5 | [Other state govt design institutes] – example: Bengaluru City University – Design | – | B.Des / Fashion Design | Bengaluru |
| Topic | Highlight |
|---|---|
| State Strength | Bengaluru hosts 150+ design colleges (private + public) offering diverse specialisations. |
| Popular Exams | UCEED, NID-DAT, NIFT Entrance Exam; many colleges also require portfolio & interview. |
| Fee Range (Private) | From ~₹2 Lakh/year to ₹5-15 Lakh/year depending on specialisation and institute. |
| Starting Salary (Design) | Graduates from top design colleges may earn ~₹6-15 LPA (varies by branch). |
| Sector Growth | Demand rising for UX designers, product designers, interiors, game & 3D design in Karnataka’s tech/creative ecosystem. |
| Admission Portfolio | Most top institutes emphasise portfolio work (sketches, projects) along with design aptitude tests. |
| Government Participation | Several government universities and polytechnics offer design/diploma courses at lower fees; competition rising. |
Bangalore, Karnataka
Bangalore, Karnataka
Bangalore, Karnataka
Bangalore, Karnataka
Bangalore, Karnataka
Bangalore, Karnataka
Bangalore, Karnataka
Bangalore, Karnataka
Bangalore, Karnataka
Bangalore, Karnataka
Bangalore, Karnataka
Bangalore, Karnataka
Bangalore, Karnataka
Bangalore, Karnataka
Manipal, Karnataka
Bangalore, Karnataka
Hubli, Karnataka
Manipal, Karnataka
Bangalore, Karnataka
Bangalore, Karnataka
Bangalore, Karnataka
Bangalore, Karnataka
Bangalore, Karnataka
Mangalore, Karnataka
Mangalore, Karnataka
Page 1 of 5 • Colleges