What is Interior Design?: Course Fees, Admission 2026, Top Colleges, Career Paths, Skills & Salary 2026

This is a subjective question, and the answer to this would differ from one person to another, based on individual future plans, interests, and dedication to the field. Generally, the Interior Design courses are the perfect fit for creative souls who enjoy planning and designing and have great taste. From the entire interior planning to furniture selection, interior designers are the go-to people for the clients so that they can enjoy a beautiful and comfortable living space.

You can look forward to excellent earning opportunities after completing Interior Designer courses with decent salary packages. Short-term skill-based certificate and Diploma courses in Interior Designing can be worthwhile for students planning to start their professional journey early, are low on budget, and look at it more as a hobby or side income.

On the other hand, if you're planning to start a healthy career journey in this field, it is better to go for full-fledged degree courses that focus both on theory classes and practical learning, along with skill development and connection building.

The Interior Designing field has seen massive growth in the past few years with growing interest in the home and workspace interiors and aesthetics, largely because of social media influence and global exposure. You can find some top Interior Designing companies in India (or firms) for jobs after course completion given here:

• The KariGhars, Bangalore
• Morphogenesis, Bangalore
• Carafina, Bangalore
• Studio Lotus, Delhi
• Talati and Partners, Mumbai
• The Orange Lane, Mumbai
• The Charcoal Project, Mumbai & Hyderabad

India has so many popular Interior Designers like Sunita Kohli, Gauri Khan, Lipika Sud,  Ashiesh Shah, and Shabnam Gupta. It is very difficult to say any one of them as 'best', as all of them are famous because of their unique work.

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A candidate who has cleared their Class 12 from any stream (Science/Commerce/Arts), can pursue a Interior Designing course at the graduation level. Most popular colleges allow candidates to participate in their admission process only if they have completed their schooling from a recognised board. Most colleges prefer candidates who have studied Mathematics and Physics as a full-time course or as an additional subject in class 12. For merit-based admissions, students must secure more than 80% in the qualifying exam.

The time involved in the Interior Designing admission process differs on the basis of the design institute or college where you're planning to pursue the course. In general, it can easily take at least 2 to 4 months because each college follows their own guidelines for admission to Interior Design courses often including entrance exams, college application forms, results, merit lists, interviews, and portfolio submissions.

You can go to the official websites of your preferred Interior Design colleges to have better clarity of their admission and selection criteria.

Yes, you can surely apply for a Master's in Interior Design if you don't even have a B.Des in Interior Design.

Many colleges accept students from different fields as long as they have a relevant bachelor's degree like Architecture, Fine Arts, Design, Civil Engineering, or any 10+2+3 degree.

So yes, it is totally possible you don't need a B.Des specifically to apply.

Good Luck!

You should start your exam preparation for Interior Design courses after 12th as early as possible, at least 3 to 6 months before the exam is tentatively scheduled to take place. The time for Interior Designing exam preparation differs on the basis of the specific exam you're planning to appear for also as exams like NID and NIFT are quite difficult and see very tough competition for seats every year, with every design aspirant dreaming of grabbing a seat there.

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The main entrance exams for Interior Design course admission such as NIFT Entrance, NID Entrance, Common Entrance Examination for Design, FDDI All India Selection Test (FDDI AIST), Symbiosis Entrance Exam for Design (SEED), etc.., are conducted on center-based mode.

However, UCEED test is a computer-based entrance you can opt for.

The four-year Bachelor of Science in Interior Design degree emphasises the approaches and ideas for comprehending human behaviour and creating livable places that meet client needs. To design the interior spaces, candidates for this course comprehend the inner and exterior layout of any facility.

Subjects like Lighting Design, Sustainable Design, Space Planning and Layout, Materials and Finishes, etc. are covered in this course. Candidates who are interested in an interior design job can take this course. Candidates who have a strong sense of vision and are creative must definitely enrol in this programme. They must be skilled at creating plans and have the ability to oversee both the client's budget and the enterprise itself.

Candidates should enrol in this programme and use interior design as a means of showcasing their original innovations and ability to adapt to changing circumstances. Students with a bachelor's degree can pursue postgraduate degrees such as Master of Design (MDes), MA, or MSc in Interior Design. Check Popular Colleges for BSc Interior Design.

Many students are often confused about whether to take a BSc Interior Design course or BDes in Interior Design. Both these courses are almost similar and therefore create confusion. Hence the following table enumerates the key differences between them.

Note: The information is taken from external sites and may vary.

BSc Interior Design is a 3-year undergraduate course in which students learn to design comfortable spaces and anticipate people's needs. The basic eligibility of the course is a pass in 10+2 and the approximate tuition fee varies from 3 Lac INR. to 15 lacs INR. The course teaches the student with a wide array of structural requirements, health and safety issues and building codes as well.

The course on completion offers many opportunities to the students where they can earn15,000 INR to 20,000 initially, which increases with experience and students get to work as Interior Designers, Landscape Designers, Furniture Designers or 3D artists.

Bachelor of Arts in Design (B.A. Design) is also an undergraduate degree course in the field of Design, where the key aspects of innovation and creativity are involded. Students who have an edge over imagination and a good taste in designing may opt for this course. The students who have successfully completed their schooling are eligible for the Bachelor of Design course. It has a duration of3 or 4 years and the tuition fee is around 3, 30,000 INR per annum.

The main subjects that are included in the syllabus of BDes Interior Design are given below for your reference -

• Design Principles
• Design History
• Environmental Studies
• Technical Drawing
• Design Studio
• Project Management
• CAD Software

Note - This info. has been taken from external site and may differ.

The syllabus varies on the basis of the college offering the course but some general, important BSc Interior Design subjects taught in the classroom are given here for your reference

• Design Principles
• Space Planning
• Lighting Design
• Furniture Design
• History of Interior Design
• Drawing and Visualization.
• CAD Software
• 3D Modeling

No, NIFT does not provide any course or training program related to Interior Designing. But having said that, there are other exams that you can prepare for to pursue Interior Designing course.

Courses and Entrance Exams

Diploma Courses 

• Advance Diploma in Fashion, Interior & Textile Design 
• Advanced Diploma in Interior Design 
• Certificate in Interior Decoration Design
• Diploma in Architectural Assistantship
• Designer Coordinator- Interior Design
• Graduate Diploma Programme in Design
• Graduate Diploma in Interior Space and Equipment Design
• Graduate Diploma in Retail and Exhibition Design
• One Year Diploma in Interior Designing Diploma course in Interior Design
• Professional Diploma in Furniture & Interior Design

Eligibility Criteria

Candidates who wish to pursue a Diploma in interior designing or a certificate course in interior designing should have passed class 12. 

There are about 300+ Interior Designing colleges that offer UG Diploma in India.

Below mentioned are some of the best UG Diploma offering Interior Designing colleges:

Disclaimer: This information is sourced from official website

JD Interior Design colleges in Delhi NCR can also be very much affordable. Listed below are some of the colleges having tuition fees of less than INR 1 Lacs -

Disclaimer: This info. has been taken from the official site and may vary.

Joining the top Interior Designing colleges in India can be very much affordable as most of the colleges have tuition fees that is less than INR 1 lakh. Listed below are some colleges along with their tuition fees -

Source: Official site and may vary.

Here are some technical skills you will need to be a good Interior Designer:

• Using 3D Interior Design modelling tools.
• Precision sketching to know how to communicate your Interior Design ideas.
• Computer-Aided-Design (CAD).
• Architectural detailing and building codes.

Diverse job opportunities exist in front of Interior Design professionals. They may either choose to work under supervised setup (Design studios and Interior design firms) or work independently. When it comes to Government sector jobs, PWDs, Municipal Corporations and Town Planning Departments are known to hire interior design professionals.

They may also become part of Government schemes related to housing and relocation of people. Starting salary depends on a number of different factors. Prominent factors are- profile of the employer, employee skills, aptitude and grades attained by the employee. In the beginning, interior designers may earn INR 3 -4 LPA. The salary package will eventually rise after gaining work experience. If one decides to remain self employed, salary figure will be quite different.

Of course, you can work with a Big Interior Design firm or with a famous Interior Designer once you complete an Interior Designing course. These firms also seek skilled professionals for job roles. You can make a portfolio, get relevant experience or skills in the field, and apply for a full-time job or an internship.

Both are the standardised tests required to test English proficiency of a candidate for applying abroad. IELTS is used for educational, immigration and occupational purposes, and is accepted by over 9,000 institutions across 130 countries worldwide majorly in UK, New Zealand and Australia. TOEFL also has worldwide acceptance now. TOEFL exam, questions are almost multiple choice, whereas, IELTS requires you to respond to a range of different question types such as short answer, gap-filling and short essay tasks. The IELTS is significantly shorter than the TOEFL exam, taking approximately 2 hours and 40 minutes versus four hours to complete the test. You may visit the respective websites to take the mock tests and understand the difference and which exam you want to take.

There are various kinds of scholarships available for every kind of student, majorly categorised as:

Merit-based: Based on a student’s academic record or extracurricular activities such as achievements in sports and service to the community. Student specific: Students who qualify based on factors such as gender, race, religion, family and medical history can apply to such scholarships. 

Destination specific: Several public authorities, governments or universities grant bursaries and funds to students from a particular country. For instance, scholarships offered by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of New Zealand or the Chevening fellowship granted by the UK Government for international students from Commonwealth countries.

Subject specific: Certain universities and institutions award grants to students who plan to pursue a specific field of study. Need-based: Targeted towards students facing financial constraint, these scholarships are offered on the basis of your parents financial background. Authorities may ask you for documents such as family income, tax statements, employment proofs, etc.

Athletic scholarships: Provided to top-notch sportsmen, these scholarships require you to contribute with rigorous training and representing your university at events whilst balancing your education. We know it can be a little confusing which scholarship to go for with so many options available, and that's why our counsellors work with you to discover and apply for the best scholarships for you. Different countries have different scholarships.

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The differences between the IELTS Academic and the IELTS General are as follows: 1. Use: The IELTS Academic Test is for students who want to apply for higher education or professional work abroad. The IELTS General Training test is for those who want to migrate to other countries for other purposes, such as work. 2. Test mode: The IELTS General Test is conducted in computer mode only. The IELTS Academic can be taken offline as well as online. 3. Test format: The reading and writing sections in both are different. For example, IELTS Academic has a writing section consisting of graphs and an essay task. The IELTS General Training has a letter and essay task in writing. You can learn in detail about both tests in this Shiksha article: https://studyabroad.shiksha.com/ielts-academic-vs-ielts-general-articlepage-1397.

Interior spaces play a huge role in shaping psychological behaviour. Good aesthetical symmetry induces emotional well-being. At the same time, functionality within the four walls matters. In cramped urban environments, it is harder to have a blend of both. A well-planned yet creative interior design achieves this much-needed balance.
Interior design is the art of designing spaces that have a mixture of both aesthetic appeal and technical skills. It is the field of creating spaces that appeal to our senses while being practically useful. It refers to innovative and technical solutions for creating a purposeful environment within a house, room or any four-walled space. It can include the choice and placement of paintings, rugs, murals, furniture, wall colour, lighting, sculptures, organic or natural forms, and so on. 

There are three main areas of interest in Interior Design: House Decoration, Residential Design and Commercial Design. Studies offer knowledge and relevant information on elements and principles of design, architectural design and survey, interior planning, or graphic techniques for interior design. Interior Design helps students develop creative abilities and excellent interpersonal skills. Interior design professionals are generally organised people with a great attention to detail.

The Interior Designer course fee structure of every college differs depending on the course level, college rating, placement record, curriculum structure, etc. However, the average course fee ranges from INR 800 to INR 53.63 Lakh.

Both the Interior Designing course eligibility and fees varies depending on the course level and the college. There are more than 800 Interior Design colleges in India offering programs at different levels. Though, the average course fee ranges from INR 800 to INR 53.63 Lakh, the chances of colleges making changes to their fee structure are still there.

Similarly, the eligibility criteria for each course level differs, such as:

Note: The information is sourced from external sites and may vary.

Joining Interior Designing colleges in India can be worthwhile for you. For that, you need to check its ROI. Listed below are some colleges along with their tuition fees and average placement package:

Source: Official site and may vary.

Interior designing courses after 12th are available as certificates, diplomas in interior design, and undergraduate courses. These programs focus on the basics and fundamentals of designing that help interior designers. Students who do not want to undertake a full-time degree or diploma in interior design can pursue short-term online certificate courses in interior design. Websites like Udemy, Coursera, edX, etc offer courses in interior design that help students in acquiring essential skills. 

Certificate courses in Interior Design, Diploma in Interior Designing, and BA in Interior Design are some of the top Interior Designing courses after the 12th. Upon completion of the undergraduate course, students can opt for postgraduate courses that help students specialize in the field of interior design. IIFT, Mumbai University, Pearl Academy, etc are some of the top colleges offering interior design courses. 

Joining the top Interior Design colleges in Mumbai can be worthwhile for you. For that, you need to check its ROI. Listed below are some colleges along with their tuition fees and average placement package:

Interior Designing is a lot more than just decorating rooms. It is a blend of Art and Science that makes a place aesthetically pleasing yet functional. It includes space planning, material selection, lighting design, and more. 
BSc in Interior Design will teach you the Scientific principles along with creativity to work according to your client's need and preference in the real world.