Designing or a career in design is one of the popular career choices that candidates can pursue after class 12th. If you are someone with creativity skills, then you consider choosing a design course at UG, PG and PhD levels.
A career in design after 12th offers numerous opportunities in fashion, graphic design, product design, interior design and architecture.
To become a designer one has to choose the field as per their choice and preference, some of the below courses that you can pursue to become a designer are:
- Graphic Designing Courses
- Fashion Designing Courses
- Interior Designing Courses
- Jewellery Designing Courses
- Architecture Courses
In today’s article we will discuss the top designing courses that you can pursue after 12. We will also discuss about career scope in designing, job prospects, entrance exams and admission process.
Designing Courses After 12th
Below is the list of popular designing career and corresponding courses that you can pursue after 12th:
Fashion Designing
Candidates can pursue degree or diploma courses in fashion designing which focus on sketching, fabric knowledge, understanding fashion trends etc.
Below are the list of Diploma, UG & PG courses you can pursue in fashion designing field:
| Career | Courses | Duration (years) |
| Fashion Designing | Diploma in Fashion Design | 1 |
| Diploma in Fashion Communication | 1 | |
| B.Design (Fashion Design) | 4 | |
| B.Sc. (Fashion Design) | 3 | |
| M.Design (Fashion Design) | 2 |
After course completion you can work as a fashion designer or textile designer or as a fashion stylist.
Graphic Designing
Candidates can pursue degree or diploma courses in graphic design, which focus on visual communication, typography, digital illustration, and branding.
These programs teach the use of design software and principles of visual aesthetics. Some of the top courses in graphic designing are listed below:
| Career | Courses | Duration (years) |
| Graphic Designing | Diploma in Graphic Design | 1 |
| Advanced Diploma in Graphic Design | 1 | |
| B.A (Graphic Design) | 3 | |
| B.Sc. (Graphic Designing) | 3 | |
| M.Des in Graphic Design | 2 |
The popular job profile in graphic designing are graphic designer, web designer or art director.
Interior Designing
Candidates can pursue degree or diploma courses in interior design, which cover space planning, color theory, furniture design, and CAD software.
These programs focus on creating functional and aesthetically pleasing indoor environments for homes, offices, and commercial real state projects.
| Career | Courses | Duration (years) |
| Interior Designing | Diploma in Interior Design | 1 |
| Diploma in Fashion Communication | 1 | |
| B.A (Interior Design) | 3 | |
| B.Des. (Interior Design) | 3 | |
| M.A (Interior Design) | 2 |
After completing the course, you can work as an interior designer, space planner or lighting designer.
Product Designing
Candidates can pursue degree or diploma courses in product design, which include 3D modelling, prototyping, user research, and design thinking.
Some of the courses that students can opt in product designing are given below:
| Career | Courses | Duration (years) |
| Product Designing | Diploma in Product Design | 1-2 |
| Diploma in Industrial Design | 1-2 | |
| B.Design (Industrial Design) | 3 | |
| B.A. (Industrial Design) | 3 | |
| M.Design (Industrial Design) | 2 |
After completing the course, you can work as a product designer, industrial designer, or UX/UI designer.
Animation and Multimedia
Candidates can pursue degree or diploma courses in animation and multimedia, focusing on animation techniques, visual effects, storyboarding, and digital media tools. These programs teach the skills needed to create engaging visual content.
| Career | Courses | Duration (years) |
| Animation & Multimedia | Diploma in Animation and Multimedia | 1-2 |
| Diploma in 3D Animation | 1-2 | |
| B.Sc (Animation and Multimedia) | 3 | |
| B.A. (Animation and Multimedia) | 3 | |
| Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Animation and Multimedia | 2 |
After completing the course, you can work as an animator, VFX artist, or multimedia designer.
Architecture
Candidates can pursue a Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch) degree, which covers architectural design, building construction, structural systems, and environmental design.
Candidates can pursue architecture program after 12th. Some of the Diploma, UG & PG courses in architecture are listed below:
| Career | Courses | Duration (years) |
| Architecture | Diploma in Architecture | 3 |
| Advanced Diploma in Architectural Design | 2 | |
| B.Arch | 5 | |
| M.Arch | 2 |
After completing the course, you can work as an architect, urban planner, or landscape architect.
Entrance Exams for Designing
In India, there are several entrance examinations conducted for admission to design courses after the 12th. The best entrance examinations for design courses are as follows:
NID known as National Institute of Design Entrance Exam is the most prestigious entrance examination for design courses in India. NID offers undergraduate courses in disciplines such as Industrial Design, Communication Design, Textile and Apparel Design and more.
Undergraduate Common Entrance Examination for Design (UCEED) is conducted by IIT Bombay and is a common entrance examination for admission to various design programs in IITs and other participating institutes.
CEED is conducted by IIT Bombay for admission to M.Des & PhD programs in various participating institutes.
The registration for CEED 2025 will begin in the first week of October 2024.
National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) conducts its entrance examination for admission to UG courses in Fashion Design, Textile Design, Accessory Design, Knitwear Design.
The registration for NIFT 2025 will begin in December 2024.
National Aptitude Test in Architecture (NATA) is conducted by the Council of Architecture (COA). The NATA exam is must entrance test for students looking for admission in B.Arch courses.
NATA exam is accepted by various colleges and universities across India for admission to B.Arch programs.
NATA evaluates the aptitude of candidates in the field of drawing, observation skills, aesthetic sensitivity, critical thinking, and architectural awareness.
Pearl Academy conducts its entrance examination for admission to undergraduate design courses in disciplines such as Fashion Design, Communication Design, Product Design, and Interior Design.
AIEED
AIEED is conducted by the ARCH Academy of Design for admission to undergraduate design courses in disciplines such as Fashion Design, Interior Design, Jewelry Design, and Graphic Design.
Design Courses: Eligibility & Admission
The admission in the top design colleges of Indian is done on the basis of entrance exam. Candidates qualifying the entrance exam have to appear in the counselling process for securing their seats & confirming the admission status.
Some universities in India, also offer admission on the basis of 12th merit or direct admission.
For admission to the top design colleges, candidates have to meet the eligibility criteria for the course that the candidate is applying for.
For UG Design Courses
- Candidates must pass class 12th or equivalent from any stream such as Arts, Commerce or Science.
- Candidates must meet the age & educational criteria for the entrance exam that they are applying for.
- Candidates must fulfil the university/college specific eligibility criteria set for admission to particular course/programme.
For PG Design Courses
- The applying candidates must be graduate from the design or any related stream.
- Candidates must meet the educational or age criteria set for admission to a particular PG course in a university/college.
Career Prospects & Salary
Candidates pursuing design courses after 12th have wide range of career opportunities in the field of fashion, designing, manufacturing, retail & Architecture.
After completing the course, candidates can work on the following job profile and salary range:
| Job Profile | Entry Level Salary | Mid Level Salary |
| Fashion Designer | ₹3 – ₹5 Lakhs per annum | ₹6 – ₹12 Lakhs per annum |
| Graphic Designer | ₹3 – ₹5 Lakhs per annum | ₹5 – ₹12 Lakhs per annum |
| Interior Designer | ₹2 – ₹5 Lakhs per annum | ₹6 – ₹11 Lakhs per annum |
| Product Designer | ₹4 – ₹7 Lakhs per annum | ₹8 – ₹15 Lakhs per annum |
| Animator | ₹2.5 – ₹5 Lakhs per annum | ₹6 – ₹14 Lakhs per annum |
| Architecture | ₹3 – ₹6 Lakhs per annum | ₹8 – ₹18 Lakhs per annum |
The salary range for various design job profiles mentioned above are approximate and can vary depending on the factors like location, employer, personal skill & knowledge and experience of the candidates.
Top Design Colleges in India
Here is the list of top designing colleges in India
- National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad
- National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), Delhi
- Symbiosis Institute of Design (SID), Pune
- Pearl Academy, Delhi
- Industrial Design Centre (IDC), IIT Bombay
- Indian School of Design and Innovation (ISDI), Mumbai
- Arch Academy of Design, Jaipur
- Amity School of Fashion Technology, Noida
- School of Fashion Technology (SOFT), Pune
- Vogue Institute of Art and Design, Bangalore
FAQ’s on Designing Courses
If you have any other queries regarding best design courses after 12th 2024-25, feel free to ask us in the comment box below!
Sir which course i should do in designing after 12th?
There are many courses available after 12th. Some of the popular courses are:
B.A (Graphic Design)
B.A (Interior Design)
B.Des. (Interior Design)
B.Design (Industrial Design)