NIFT Fee Hike: Steep Increase Over Past 5 Years

NIFT Fee Hike: Steep Increase Over Past 5 Years

SundararajanUpdated on 09 Sep 2025, 03:19 PM IST

National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), is one of the sought out design institutes in India. However, the past years have seen a steady increase in the NIFT fee structure. To understand the NIFT fee hike in depth, we have collated the same in this article.

This Story also Contains

  1. NIFT Fees - Semester-Wise (2021-22 to 2025-26)
  2. NIFT Course Fees - Total Year-Wise
  3. Importance of Knowing NIFT Fees
  4. NIFT Fees vs NID Fees vs IIT Design Fees
NIFT Fee Hike: Steep Increase Over Past 5 Years
NIFT Fee Hike over Past 5 Years

NIFT Fees - Semester-Wise (2021-22 to 2025-26)

The semester-wise NIFT fee breakup indicates how fees have evolved from 2021-22 to 2025-26. This splitting of the fees helps students know in which semesters the maximum increases happen and budget accordingly.

NIFT Fees for Non-NRI

Semester Wise

NIFT 2021-22

NIFT 2022-23

NIFT 2023-24

NIFT 2024-25

NIFT 2025-26

Semester 1

1,68,950

1,77,500

1,82,900

1,84,700

1,91,700

Semester 2

1,29,850

1,36,000

1,43,000

1,43,000

1,50,000

Semester 3

1,40,400

1,61,650

1,61,900

1,59,800

1,69,800

Semester 4

1,24,000

1,42,850

1,43,000

1,50,000

1,50,000

Semester 5

1,54,000

1,47,350

1,77,900

1,69,800

1,78,700

Semester 6

1,36,100

1,30,150

1,57,100

1,50,000

1,58,000

Semester 7

1,51,400

1,73,900

1,59,500

2,00,950

1,84,300

Semester 8

1,30,200

1,49,700

1,36,700

1,72,850

1,58,000

Total

11,34,900

12,19,100

12,62,000

13,31,100

13,40,500

Semester 1 and Semester 2 depict consistent but moderate growth, while Semester 7 has the highest spike, especially in 2024-25, while Semester 8 fluctuates, reaching its peak in 2024-25 before decreasing slightly the next year.

NIFT Semester-Wise Fees

1757411102705

Here's the semester-wise NIFT fee trend represented as a bar chart.

  • Each group of bars depicts a semester.

  • Various shades indicate the way the fees varied over the five academic years (2021-22 to 2025-26).

  • One can easily identify that Semester 7 registers the highest peak in comparison to the other semesters.

NIFT Course Fees - Total Year-Wise

The total NIFT course fees have been showing a consistent increase with each passing year, reaching Rs 13 lakh in 2024-25. The trend of increasing costs indicates the increasing expenditure on pursuing design education at NIFT campus in India.

Academic YearFees in Rs% Changes in Fee (⬆)

NIFT 2025-26

13,40,500

0.71%

NIFT 2024-25

13,31,100

5.48%

NIFT 2023-24

12,62,000

3.52%

NIFT 2022-23

12,19,100

7.42%

NIFT 2021-22

11,34,900

9.70%

NIFT admission fees have increased by 9.70%, rising from Rs 10,34,552 in 2020-21 to Rs 11,34,900 in 2021-22. In the last five years, overall NIFT course fees have risen by over Rs 2 lakh, with Semester 7 having the greatest fluctuation by exceeding the Rs 2 lakh mark in 2024-25; as of 2025-26, the aggregate fees for Non-NRI students are just about Rs 13.4 lakh, and while there have been minimal fluctuations, overall there is a trend of steady growth.

NIFT Year-Wise Fees

1757411102792

Here's a graphical representation of the NIFT fee hike trend from 2021-22 to 2025-26. The graph clearly depicts how the cumulative course fees have gone up year after year, breaching the Rs 13 lakh barrier in recent years.

Importance of Knowing NIFT Fees

  • Financial Planning: Awareness of the semester-wise fee structure enables students to prepare for annual expenditure.

  • Admission Preparation: Aspirants appearing for NIFT 2026 should be aware of the increasing expenses.

  • Comparisons: Students compare the fee structure of NIFT with other best design colleges such as NID and IITs.

NIFT Fees vs NID Fees vs IIT Design Fees

While selecting a design college, most aspirants compare NIFT, NID, and IIT Design (IDC, IIT Bombay). Here is a brief comparison of the fees:

College

Approx. Total Fees (BDes)

Highlights

NIFT (2025-26)

Rs 13.4 lakh

Fashion-focused, multiple campuses, strong placement in apparel & textile industry

NID (2025-26)

Rs 18.09 lakh

Specializes in industrial & communication design

IIT Design (IDC, IIT Bombay) (2025-26)

Rs 8.58 lakh

Technology-driven design education with IIT brand value

Out of the top three design colleges, IIT Design (IDC) is the most budget-friendly, while NID is the priciest with fees exceeding Rs 18 lakh. NIFT comes in the middle, making it a well-balanced option-particularly for fashion and textile design enthusiasts-whereas NID specializes in industrial and communication design, and IIT Bombay (IDC) has a special combination of technology and design thinking.

If you are aiming for NIFT admissions 2026, then plan to spend approximately Rs 13-14 lakh on the entire course. If you are weighing your options, then NID is a comparable expense, and IIT Design is marginally lower. The decision among these institutions needs to be based on your career, specialization, and preferred campus.

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Questions related to NIFT Entrance Exam

On Question asked by student community

Have a question related to NIFT Entrance Exam ?

Hello aspirant,

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has determined the official date for NIFT 2026 applicant registrations, which is expected to open in November 2025. Online applications will be accepted through January 2026.

For complete information, you can visit our site through following link:

https://design.careers360.com/exams/nift-entrance-exam

Thank you

Hello Neharika

These are the topics which are most important in the Current affairs section in respect to NIFT Entrance Exam:

1. National and International Awards and Honors
2. Government Schemes and Initiatives
3. Sports
4. Appointments and Newsmakers
5. Science and Technology
6. Indian and World Economy
7. International Relations
8. Fashion Industry Updates
9. Books and Authors
10. Art and Culture
11. Environmental and Social Issues

To know more about NIFT Entrance Exam: NIFT Entrance Exam by CAREERS360

Hope this answer helps! Thank You!!!


Hello,

According to the sources, the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) entrance exam for 2026 will be held in February 2026. Also, the registration period may open from November 2025.

I hope it will clear your query!!

Hello,
It’s completely understandable to feel disheartened after not getting a seat in the first and second rounds, especially when you’ve filled all the colleges and have your hopes set on a particular course like Fashion Communication . With an OBC rank of 1910 and CMR 7192, your chances can improve in the upcoming counselling rounds as more students withdraw or shift to other colleges.
So make sure to check the further rounds of counselling and don’t lose hope. Many students get seats in the 3rd, 4th, and mop-up rounds. You can also consider updating your preference list or keeping a wider range of courses and campuses open in case you're okay with related fields.
Keep checking the official NIFT website for updates on seat allotment and further counselling instructions.
Thank you

Dear Candidate ,
Yes , you are eligible for NIFT - UG 2026 . Based on your birthdate , you will be 19 years old as of August 1 , 2026 , which is well within the age limit .
NIFT requires applicants to be under 24 years of age on August 1 of the admission year , with a 5 year relaxation for SC/ST/PwD candidates .