Graphic Design Courses after 10th - Admission Process, Job Options, Salary

National Institute of Fashion Technology Entrance Exam 2025 ( NIFT Entrance Exam )

DeskCalelnderExam On - 9 Feb '25

Manashjyoti
Manashjyoti Hazarika
Manager Content
Updated on Jul 10, 2024 17:37 IST

Candidates seeking to make a career in graphic design may take up a graphic design course after 10th. An early start may give them a better chance to succeed and become a better graphic designer.

Graphic design is one of the popular academic courses for candidates after completing their class 10 exam. Other popular academic options for the candidate include fashion design, interior design, and textile design. Note that degree courses are not available after 10th for graphic design. So, you will have to opt for a diploma in graphic design or some certificate courses.

Admission is typically merit based and there is no entrance exam involved. So, you need not bother preparing for entrance exams like NIFT 2025, NID DAT 2025, or UCEED 2025

During the graphic design course, the candidate will be using a variety of software, including Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and CorelDraw to create professional designs. 

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The graphic design course may also include practical projects and assignments with the intent to give students an opportunity to apply their skills in real-world scenarios.

When selecting a graphic design course, the candidate needs to ensure that it is not only the correct fit, follows an updated curriculum, but that the institute conducts practical classes and has internship opportunities. 

Q:   What is the NIFT closing rank for admission to NIFT Panchkula?

A:
The cut-off for NIFT Panchkula is released category and programme-wise. So, candidates seeking admission to a particular programme need to consult the cut-off in their reserved or open category. For the year 2022, the opening CMR of Dom. OBC category for the Fashion communication was 6023; the closing CMR was 6414. The opening CMR for admission to the Fashion Design course was 5182, while the closing CMR was 5298. Meanwhile, for the M.Des programme, both the opening and closing CMR for the Dom. OBC category was 528. Note that CMR stands for common merit rank.

Q:   What are NIFT Score accepting colleges other than participating colleges?

A:

Note that there are 18 NIFTs that will accept NIFT 2025 scores for admission purposes. These institutes are known as participating colleges.

However, in addition to the participating colleges, there are other private colleges that will also consider NIFT 2025 scores for admission to their UG and PG design courses.

One major difference is these institutes will not participate in the counseling process conducted by the National Institute of Fashion Technology. Further, these institutes may also accept scores of other popular entrance exams like NID, UCEED, etc.

Here is a list of NIFT score-accepting colleges.

  • CMR University, Bangalore

  • World University of Design, Sonipat

  • Vishwakarma University, Pune

  • ISDI School of Design and Innovation, Mumbai

  • Alliance University, Bangalore

  • LPU University 

  • Somaiya School of Design, Mumbai

  • Riidl Academy, Mumbai

Q:   What are the various NIFT rank lists released by the National Institute of Fashion Technology?

A:
The National Institute of Fashion Technology will release category wise merit lists. These includes the Common Merit Rank (CMR), GEN EWS Rank List, OBC NCL Rank List, SC Rank List, ST Rank List, CMR PwD List, OBC NCL PwD Rank List, SC PwD Rank List, and ST PwD Rank list. The general category candidate will not be considered for admission under reserved category seats. However, candidates belonging to reserved categories will also be considered for admission under the CMR category. Note that the candidate had to select their category at the time of filling out the NIFT 2023 application form.

Here we discuss graphic design courses after 10th in great detail. So, keep reading!

Graphic design courses after 10th

While graphic design is a very popular design course, academic options after completing 10th are limited to diploma and certificate courses.

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Note that the candidate needs to have passed a minimum 10+2 exam to be eligible for a degree course, say B.Des.

Here we bring a few course options for candidates opting for a graphic design course after 10th.

Graphic Design Course

Course Duration

Course Fees (INR)

Certificate Program in Graphic Design

3 to 6 months

42k to 45k

Professional Course in Graphic Design

10 months

1.8 lakhs

Certificate in Graphic Design

6 months

78k

Certificate Course in Graphic Design

6 months

60k to 65k

Diploma in Graphic Design

-

-

The candidate can pursue the Diploma in Graphic Design course from institutes like IIFD Chandigarh.

Graphic design courses after 10th - Admission Process

Admission to a graphic design course after 10th, which may typically be a diploma or a certificate course, will more or less be based on merit of the candidate in the matriculation (or class X) exam.

Q:   What is the fee structure for regular admission through NIFT 2025?

A:

The fee structure for the design courses offered by the NIFTs is published in the information brochure. The NIFT fee structure includes components like tuition fees, library fees, exam fees, mediclaim, etc. Additional, the fee may also be divided into refundable and non-refundable types.

NIFT fee structure (Regular)

Academic Fee Semester Wise For Non-NRI Category (In INR) 

 

2023-24

2024-25

2025-26

2026-27

 

Semester 1

Semester 2

Semester 3

Semester 4

Semester 5

Semester 6

Semester 7

Semester 8

Tuition Fee (Non-Refundable)

143000

143000

150000

150000

158000

158000

166000

166000

Library Fee (Non-Refundable Per Year Payment)

9500

0

10000

0

10500

0

11000

0

Mediclaim & Student Development Fee (Non-Refundable Per Year Payment)

4700

0

4900

0

5100

0

5400

0

Exam Fee (Per Year)

4700

0

4900

0

5100

0

5400

0

Total

161900

143000

169800

150000

178700

158000

187800

166000

One Time Payments

Security Deposit (Refundable)

12000

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Alumni Association Membership Fee (Non-Refundable)

0

0

0

0

0

0

5900

0

Registration Fee (One Time)

9300

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Total

21300

0

0

0

0

0

5600

0

Total

183200

143000

169800

150000

178700

158000

193700

166000

Q:   What is the reservation process for the NIFT entrance exam?

A:

The National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFTs) will follow the following reservation criteria:

Category

Reservation (%)

SC

15

ST

7.5

OBC-NCL

27

GEN-EWS

10

PwD

5

The candidate has to select their category of admission at the time of filling out the application form and attach supporting documents. The admission officials will verify all relevant documents at the time of counseling.

Note that if the candidate fails in the verification process, he or she will be considered for admission under the open category. 

Q:   How many NIFTs participate in the NIFT entrance exam?

A:

A total of 18 National Institutes of Fashion Technologies will participate in the NIFT 2024 admission process. The participating institutes offer B. Des, M.Des B.FTech M.FTech and MFM courses. Admission to these courses offered by these institutes will be based on NIFT 2023 scores. The participating institutes of NIFT 2024 offer a combined intake of 5,215 seats. Of these, 4324 are All-India, 424 are state domicile, and 467 seats are reserved for NRI candidates.

Q:   What are the B.Des programs offered through NIFT 2025 exam?

A:

The NIFTs currently offers the following specializations at the B.Des level - Fashion Design,  

Leather Design, Accessory Design, Textile Design, Knitwear Design, and Fashion Communication.

Admission to the above courses will be on the basis of NIFT 2025 scores. Currently, there are 18 participating institutes that offer a combined intake of 5,289 seats (including domestic and NRI/Foreign national seats). Note that NRI/Foreign national don’t need to appear in the NIFT entrance exam.

The program-wise total seat intake for the B.Des programme is given below:

Program

Seat Intake

Fashion Design

742

Leather Design

172

Accessory Design

654

Textile Design

743

Knitwear Design

346

Fashion Communication

742

Total

3,399



Q:   How many seats are sanctioned for the Masters programme through NIFT?

A:
The Masters programs at NIFT (M. Des, M. F. Tech, and MFM) has a combined intake capacity of 1034 seats. The General Ability Test (GAT) is common for all courses, while candidates seeking admission to the M. Des programme also need to appear in the Creative Ability Test (CAT). The final merit list for admission to the M. Des programme will be prepared by giving weightage to the CAT, GAT and Interview. Meanwhile, the merit list for the M. F. Tech and M. F. M programs will be prepared by considering the performance of the candidate in the GAT and Interview. The candidate can select their programme of study at the time of filling out the NIFT application form. Note that the allotment of seats will be as per the merit rank of the candidate.

Further, in many cases admission may be offered on a first-come, first-served basis. This means, if seats get filled up, the candidate may not get admission even if they are higher ranked.

But thankfully, diploma or certificate courses typically have a limited number of applicants and seat intake is also not an issue.

In case the candidate changes their mind and instead decides to do a graphic design course after 10+2, they will have to appear in entrance exams like NIFT, NID DAT, UCEED, etc. for admission purposes.

How to apply to a graphic design course after 10th

The application form for a graphic design course after 10 will open on the institute offering the course. So, to apply for the program, you need to visit the admission portal and fill out the application form.

When applying, make sure that you submit all the necessary documents and fill in the information correctly. If you enter incorrect data, your application may get rejected.

Also, not that the application process to the graphic design course will be conducted online. In a few rare cases, offline applications may also be accepted. 

Graphic design course after 10th - Eligibility Criteria

The eligibility criteria for the graphic design course will be determined by the academic institute offering the course.

Here we bring the basic criteria to pursue the graphic design course after 10th.

Name of the program

Eligibility Criteria

Certificate course

Certificate courses typically have very lax eligibility conditions.


  • Admission is based on merit of class 10 exam. 
  • Seats are most available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Diploma course

Unlike certificate courses, diploma courses are considered more professional and so are valued highly.


  • Admission is merit-based
  • Entrance exams may or may-noted be conducted.

Note that non-exam admission is the prevalent norm.

Why do a Graphic Design Course after 10th?

There are multiple reasons why you may want to become a graphic designer after 10.

  1. Give wings to your creative urges - At the ripe age of 16-17, your mind is ready to go on a creative voyage. A graphic design course could be the perfect foil to unleash your creative geniuses.
  2. Graphic design offers flexible working hours and style - You need only a laptop and internet to do your graphic design work, meaning you can work from almost anywhere. As a fresher, this flexibility can do wonders to achieving your career goals.
  3. You get to learn how to use the latest software - Being a graphic designer, your work will revolve around software like Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Indesign, Coreldraw, Adobe Premier, etc. This will not only help you learn all the finer points about the software, but make you more appealing to job creators.
  4. Unlimited career options - Graphic designers are in great demand across various sectors, including advertising, web design, and marketing. Starting early will give the student a head start in the job hunt.
  5. Do a degree course to boost job options - The student may later on do a B.Des or related course to make their academic resume stand out. An add-on degree to the curriculum vitae can open more job opportunities for the student.
  6. Improve one’s design aptitude - A diploma or certificate course in graphic design can help the candidate hone their design aptitude. In other cases, the candidate can learn the ABC’s of design aptitude, which is the cornerstone to becoming a good designer.

Graphic design courses after 10th - Curriculum

The graphic design course after 10th may include the following or similar topics.

  • Fundamental Of Design Drawing
  • Concept Of Graphic Illustrator
  • Graphic Design
  • Image Editing
  • Concept Of Web Designing
  • Web Page Designing
  • Interactive Design
  • Video editing
  • Page Layout

During the graphic design course, the candidate will be using software like Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Indesign, Coreldraw, and Adobe Premier.

Other popular software include Adobe Illustrator and After Effect.

Career Options after completing graphic design course after 10th

The student after completing his or her certificate or diploma course in graphic design after 10th has a plethora of career options in front of them. Some of the popular career options after completing a graphic design course are mentioned below.

  • Graphic Designer
  • Illustrator
  • Web/Interactive
  • Design
  • Artist
  • UI Designer
  • DTP Operator
  • Layout Artist
  • Digital Storyboard
  • 2D Animator
  • Designer for Interactive E-learning
  • Advertising Art Direct
  • Packaging Designer
About the Author
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Manashjyoti Hazarika
Manager Content

Creating student-centric content for the higher education sector is my forte. Be it news, well-researched articles, or simple write-ups that update you on an exam date or help you fill out a form, I serve it in the ... Read Full Bio

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