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. |