Best Design Schools in World: Top Universities, Colleges
Education abroad creates a dynamic environment for design aspirants as they can have a cross-cultural exposure to build a global perspective necessary for design. Aspiring design students always look for the best design colleges in the world to pursue their dream career. Candidates should know more about the top design schools in the world before taking admission like their ranking, fees, courses offered and more. In this article, we have discussed about the best design schools in the world based on QS ranking. Read further to know more about the top design colleges in world.
Latest: Top design entrance exams in India
Also See: Top B.Des colleges in India
Top 10 Best Design Schools in the World
List of best design schools in the world | Country | QS Ranking of top design schools in the world |
United States of America | 4 | |
United Kingdom | 9 | |
United States of America | 12 | |
Australia | 19 | |
Australia | 19 | |
United Kingdom | 22 | |
China | 25 | |
United States of America | 29 | |
Australia | 34 | |
United States of America | 38 |
Best Design Schools in World
Global education in design can open up many new opportunities for the students. The Global Design schools offer high quality of education combined with innovative technology which can help in personal and professional development of a student. Here are some of the top design schools in the world that provide enhanced career opportunities to the design aspirants.
Harvard University, Cambridge
One of the top design colleges in world is Harvard University Cambridge. It is a private research university founded in 1636 in Cambridge, United States. This prestigious university offers more than 170 courses across various disciplines. The University has 13 schools and institutes including the Harvard Medical School, the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences, the Harvard Law School, and the Harvard Business School. In the Design field, Harvard University offers M.Des i.e. Master of Design which is an post-graduate course of 2 years. It is a full-time course.
Course Offered: M.Des
Duration: 2 years
University College London, London
A renowned public research university located in London, England, University College London is considered as one of the best design colleges in the world. It was founded in 1826 with 28 Nobel laureates. Students enrol in thousands from all over the world. The University College London offers various PG and Ph.D programs under design discipline, such as M.Phil Environmental Design and Engineering, Ph.D Environmental Design and Engineering, M.Sc Building and Urban Design in Development, M.Sc Bio-Integrated Design, and more.
Course | Duration | Fees |
M.Phil Environmental Design and Engineering | 3 years | Rs. 27.75 L/yr |
Ph.D Environmental Design and Engineering | 3 years | |
M.Phil Architectural Design | 3 years | Rs. 27.75 L/yr |
Ph.D Architectural Design | 3 years | Rs. 27.75 L/yr |
M.Sc Building and Urban Design in Development | 1 year | Rs. 30.72 L/yr |
ME Engineering and Architectural Design | 4 years | Rs. 30.72 L/yr |
M.Sc Urban Design and City Planning | 1 year | Rs. 34.00 L/yr |
M.Sc Bio-Integrated Design | 2 years | Rs. 34.00 L/yr |
M.Arch Fire Safe Design | 1 year | Rs. 34.00 L/yr |
M.Arch Urban Design | 1 year | Rs. 37.07 L/yr |
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
University of Pennsylvania also known as Penn, is a private research university established in 1740. It is another one best design colleges in the world. To get into the University of Pennsylvania, candidates must have a GPA requirement of 3.9 GPA or above or a percentile of 75 or above. The university offers one course in design. BA Design is a full time UG course for a duration of 4 years.
Course Offered: BA Design
Duration: 4 years
University of Sydney, Sydney
University of Sydney is one of the oldest Universities located in Sydney. It was established in 1850. It is a public research university. It is one of the top design colleges in world. University of Sydney offers 3 courses in the Design field: M.Sc Architectural Science – Illumination Design, B.Des Interaction Design, and B.Des. Hons, for the duration of 18 months, 3 years, and 1 year respectively.
Course | Duration | Fees |
B.Des Interaction Design | 3 years | Rs. 25.44 lakhs per year |
B.Des. Hons | 1 year | Rs. 25.44 lakhs per year |
M.Sc Architectural Science – Illumination Design | 18 months | Rs.23.80 lakhs per year |
The University of New South Wales
The University of New South Wales in Sydney ranks as the fifth-best design universities in the world. It is also known as UNSW Sydney which is a public research university in Australia. The University of New South Wales which is the best university for design in the world offers two courses in design BA honest design and MA design the details about which is given below.
Course | Duration | Fees |
BA Hons Design | 1 Year | Rs. 20.34 lakhs per year |
MA Design | 2 Years | Rs. 20.48 lakhs per year |
The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh was established in 1583 in Edinburgh. It is a public research university. The University of Edinburgh is among one of the best university for design in the world. It offers various courses in numerous fields of study. The university is known for its academic excellence. It has only one course in design i.e. M.Sc Design Informatics. It is a full-time course for the duration of 1 year. The fee for this course is Rs. 40.78 lakhs for one year.
Course Offered: M.Sc Design Informatics
Duration: 1 year
Fee: Rs. 40.78 lakhs for one year
Also Check:
Tsinghua University, Beijing
Another best design universities in the world is Tsinghua University. It was established in 1911. It is spread over 1137 acres of land. It provides students with more than 49 UG, PG, and PhD courses. Tsinghua University, Beijing offers MA in Design which is a full-time course for the duration of 2 years. The fee structure for this course is between Rs. 3.23 and Rs.5.19 lakhs per year.
Course Offered: MA in Design
Duration: 2 years
University of California, Los Angeles
University of California was established in 1919 in Los Angeles, USA. It is a highly prestigious design institute in the world. University of California, Los Angeles offers BA Design course for the duration of 4 years. It is a full-time course and fee structure is Rs. 39.00 lakhs per year.
Course Offered: BA Design
Duration: 4 years
Australian National University, Australia
Australian National University is among the best design colleges in the world. It is a government owned university founded in 1944 in Australia. The university is known for nurturing brilliant students around the world. Australian National University offers two design courses: B.Des and B.Des Hons where first one is of 3 years and the latter is of 1 year course. The fee structure for both the course is Rs. 22.45 lakhs per year.
Course | Duration |
B.Des | 3 years |
B.Des Hons | 1 year |
New York University, New York
NYU or New York University is a university located in New York. It was founded in the year 1831 and has grown from a group of students of 158 to more than 50,000 students. It is one of the best design universities in the world. The university offers two design courses: BS Integrated Design and Media and MS Integrated Design and Media of 4 years and 2 years respectively. Both are full-time courses.
Course | Duration |
BS Integrated Design and Media | 4 years |
MS Integrated Design and Media | 2 years |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The United States of America, Australia, Italy, Denmark, Sydney and Sweden are some of the popular countries to study design.
The best country to study graphic design would be the UK and USA due to their high concentration of art studios.
There are many degrees available in design, however, some best degrees are Media Design, Product Design, Textile Design, Visual Design, Graphic Design, and UX/UI Design.
After completing 12th, start preparing for the entrance exam which is necessary to get admission in any design school.
The list of best design institutes in the world have been provided in the article above for the aspirants willing to pursue their career in design sector.
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List of B.Des colleges
Browse Design Colleges by State
Questions related to B.Des
you can apply for both B.F.Tech and B.Des entrance exams at NIFT on a single application form, meaning you can submit your application for both courses simultaneously; however, you will need to choose your preferred course during the seat allocation process as you can only be allotted one seat based on your entrance exam performance across both programs.
Both courses will require you to take the NIFT entrance exam, which includes both the Creative Ability Test (CAT) and General Ability Test (GAT).
once you submit your NIFT application, you generally cannot change the course you selected; however, during the application window, you might be able to modify your choices within a limited timeframe before final submission, but you cannot change your course after the application is finalized and payment is made.
NIFT 2025 might provide a limited window to correct information on your application, but this is usually only for minor details, not course selection.
Hi,
B.Des or bachelor of design is an undergraduate degree programme. B.Des course duration is four years, offered by many colleges and universities across India.
There are many best government and private colleges for bachelor of design in Pune. some of the best government colleges are given below
- Department of Technology, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune
- COEP Pune
- Film and Television Institute of India Pune
- Savitribai Phule Pune University Pune
For more government design college in Pune , you can check here.
Hope this information will help you
Hello Nandita,
If you're looking to pursue a Bachelor of Design (B.Des) in Fashion Communication or a design program without an entrance exam and at an affordable private college, here are some options that offer such programs:
1. Unitedworld Institute of Design (UID), Ahmedabad
-
Program Offered:
B.Des in Fashion Design and other design disciplines.
-
Admission:
You can apply directly, and sometimes an interview or portfolio review may be needed.
- Reputation: Known for quality design education.
-
Affordability:
Moderately priced compared to other top design institutes.
2. Pearl Academy
-
Program Offered:
B.Des in Fashion Communication, Fashion Design, and other design courses.
-
Admission:
Pearl Academy has its own entrance test, but it’s generally considered easier compared to NIFT.
-
Reputation:
It’s one of the reputed design colleges with good industry connections.
-
Affordability:
Offers scholarships and various fee structures.
3. Amity School of Fashion Technology, Noida
-
Program Offered:
B.Des in Fashion Design and other fashion-related programs.
- Admission: Direct admission or based on an interview/portfolio.
- Reputation: A well-known private institution with decent placements.
-
Affordability:
Generally more affordable than top-tier design schools.
4. Lovely Professional University (LPU), Punjab
-
Program Offered:
B.Des in Fashion Design.
-
Admission:
LPU has its own entrance exam (LPUNEST), but you can get direct admission based on your 12th grade marks.
-
Reputation:
Known for offering a wide range of programs with modern infrastructure.
-
Affordability:
Offers scholarships to make the course more affordable.
5. JD Institute of Fashion Technology
- Program Offered: B.Des in Fashion Communication, Fashion Design.
- Admission: Offers direct admission without any entrance exam.
- Reputation: Well-established design institute with decent industry links.
-
Affordability:
Comparatively affordable.
Conclusion:
These colleges offer direct or easier admission routes without the pressure of national-level entrance exams like NIFT. You should also check their scholarship opportunities, which can make your education more affordable. Choose a college that aligns with your interests, budget, and long-term career goals in design.
I hope this answer helps you. If you have more queries then feel free to share your questions with us we will be happy to assist you.
Thank you and wishing you all the best for your bright future.
Hello aspirant,
Here below I am providing you with the name of some of the colleges:
- National Institute of Design, Andhra Pradesh
- National Institute of Design, Haryana
- National Institute of Design, Madhya Pradesh
- National Institute of Design, Assam
For more information, you can visit the following link:
https://design.careers360.com/articles/list-of-nids-in-india
Thank you
Hi,
The admission process for a B.Design (Bachelor of Design) program typically involves the following steps, which can vary slightly depending on the institute:
1. Entrance Exam: Many institutes conduct an entrance exam specifically for admission to their B.Design program. Some popular entrance exams for B.Design include:
- NID Entrance Exam (National Institute of Design)
- UCEED (Undergraduate Common Entrance Exam for Design)
- CEED (Common Entrance Exam for Design)
- NIFT Entrance Exam (National Institute of Fashion Technology)
2. Application Form: Candidates need to fill out the application form for the entrance exam conducted by the respective institute or organization. The application forms are usually available online on the official website of the conducting body.
3. Admit Card: After successfully submitting the application form and paying the required fees, candidates receive their admit cards for the entrance exam. This admit card is necessary for appearing in the exam.
4. Entrance Exam: Candidates appear for the entrance exam on the scheduled date and time. The exam typically tests the candidate's aptitude, creativity, design skills, visual perception, and analytical ability.
5. Result Declaration: After the exam, institutes declare the results based on the performance of candidates. The results may include scores or ranks, depending on the exam.
6. Counselling and Seat Allocation: Qualified candidates are called for counselling, where they may have to participate in a portfolio review, studio test, and/or personal interview. Based on the overall performance in the entrance exam and counselling rounds, seats are allocated to candidates.
7. Final Admission: Candidates who successfully clear all rounds of counselling and meet the eligibility criteria are offered admission into the B.Design program.
Hope it helps !
Explore Career Options (By Industry)
Video Game Designer
Career as a video game designer is filled with excitement as well as responsibilities. A video game designer is someone who is involved in the process of creating a game from day one. He or she is responsible for fulfilling duties like designing the character of the game, the several levels involved, plot, art and similar other elements. Individuals who opt for a career as a video game designer may also write the codes for the game using different programming languages.
Depending on the video game designer job description and experience they may also have to lead a team and do the early testing of the game in order to suggest changes and find loopholes.
Animator
An animation career is one of the most interesting career options in the creative field. The primary job of careers in animation is to create multiple images, known as frames, that results in an illusion of movement called animation when displayed in a quick sequence. Students should pursue Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Visual Arts to opt for an animator career path. Individuals who opt for a career as an animator typically specialize in one of the media and may further concentrate on a specific area, such as characters, scenery, or background design. Animators typically use computer software to do such work.
Fashion Designer
Fashion designers are creative professionals who transform ideas into stylish and wearable clothing and accessories. Using a combination of artistic flair and technical skills, they sketch designs, choose fabrics, and oversee the production process. Fashion designers stay aligned with trends, adapting their creations to suit the evolving tastes of the audience.
Fashion designers make trendy designer clothes, stay updated with the trends, using various modern elements into their designs. They are always coming up with new ideas and turning their creative visions into clothes people can wear. Their creations allow people to express themselves through what they wear, showing their unique style and identity.
Interior Designer
Interior designers create various spaces, from indoor to outdoor, they provide a pleasing home environment, as well as, make the environment beautiful. It is the job of interior designers who study the art of transforming a space into what the client wishes for. Interior designers work with a wide variety of clients, starting from small house owners to big corporations.
As part of the interior design career, individuals should also be aware of certain inspection regulations. Interior designing is to enhance the interior of a building to achieve an aesthetically pleasing environment. This is a part of both science and arts to make a certain place healthier and more peaceful for the people.
Product Designer
Individuals who opt for a career as product designers are responsible for designing the components and overall product concerning its shape, size, and material used in manufacturing. They are responsible for the aesthetic appearance of the product. A product designer uses his or her creative skills to give a product its final outlook and ensures the functionality of the design.
Students can opt for various product design degrees such as B.Des and M.Des to become product designers. Industrial product designer prepares 3D models of designs for approval and discusses them with clients and other colleagues. Individuals who opt for a career as a product designer estimate the total cost involved in designing.
Graphic Designer
A graphic designer career designs products, displays, posters, hoardings, logos, and marketing materials. Graphic designers can get employment in publications, advertising and marketing firms, and much more. A graphic is a form of vision that can be associated with art, imagination, or expression. A graphic designer creates eye-catching images by combining layout, colour theory, and graphics.
A graphic designer combines technical skills with artistic vision to provide visual content. He or she develops layouts for books, brochures, advertisements, and websites using design tools. A graphic designer closely collaborates with teams or clients to comprehend project specifications and brand standards.
Industrial Designer
The concepts for manufactured products such as cars, home appliances, electronics and toys are developed by industrial designers. They combine art, business and technology to produce daily goods that people need. Individuals who opt for a career as Industrial Designers operate in a number of industries. Ironically, manufacturers employ only 29 per cent of industrial designers directly. Students can pursue Visual Communication to become Industrial Designer.
Visual Merchandiser
A visual merchandiser is a professional who makes it look astonishing by utilising his or her designing skills. Visual merchandising contributes to awareness and brand loyalty among consumers. An individual, in visual merchandising career outlook, plays a crucial role in fetching the attention of customers and bringing them to the store.