Footwear Design: Admission 2025, Fees, Syllabus, Entrance Exam, Top Colleges, Career Scope

Footwear Design course provides education on designing footwear from the raw stage to the finished stage by using different processes. The courses with specialisations impart methodologies of manufacturing. From choosing the right material for footwear to giving it an eye-catching design, it includes everything. Successful footwear designers must be well-versed in fashion trends, materials, ergonomics, and technical elements of shoe manufacturing. 

Footwear design is a field of fashion and product design that focuses on the creation and development of footwear such as shoes, sandals, boots, and other sorts of footwear. Footwear designers are in charge of creating the overall look, style, and functioning of shoes, taking into account both aesthetic and practical factors. 

Yes, you can become a Shoe Designer without a formal degree, but it can be helpful to take courses to gain a better understanding of the fundamentals of design and marketing. Here are some other things you can do to become a Shoe Designer:

• Develop drawing skills
• Learn languages
• Gain industry experience
• Understand the manufacturing process

Footwear Design as a stream requires aspirants to have a creative flair along with an eye for detail. Important skills that candidates should possess for a successful career in the field include: 

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

You should pursue a Footwear Design course, if:

• You are passionate about fashion and footwear.
• Have a creative mind with an interest in design ideation.
• You're eager to explore the art and science of shoe design.
• You are a Fashion enthusiast looking to delve into style lines and elements for various shoes.
• You are aspiring to understand the considerations for women’s shoe design.
• You are keen on mastering the skills and techniques essential for successful footwear design.

There are various courses offered in Footwear Designing including, including short-term courses, diploma courses, undergraduate courses and postgraduate courses. Candidates seeking admission to UG and Diploma courses should have passed at least class 12th from a recognised institute. For PG diploma courses in Footwear Design, candidates should hold a bachelor's degree in any stream from a recognised college or university.

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

Candidates from any academic stream (Science, Commerce or Humanities) are eligible to apply for UCEED exam. However, for admission to IIT Guwahati it is mandatory for candidates to have passed Class 12 from Science stream with Physics Chemistry and Mathematics subjects. The candidate needs to carefully go through the eligibiity criteria before they apply. It is because the candidate will not be considered for admission to the B. Des programme even if they get a rank in UCEED 2025 if they don't meet the prescribed eligibility criteria. Also, any candidate who is found to be using incorrect information about their eliigibity stands to be disqualified if caught.

Since MAT is an entrance exam for post graduate level management courses, the minimum eligibility criteria for MAT exam is graduation. Candidate should have completed graduation in full-time or part-time mode in Arts, Commerce or Science from a recognised university. The eligibility criteria for MAT PBT, CBT and IBT are the same. Final year graduation students who will be giving their final exam or awaiting results are also eligible to appear in MAT. There is no minimum score requirement in MAT. Candidates need to have passing marks in graduation.

However, MBA colleges have the eligibility criteria of minimum 50 per cent in graduation (45 per cent for SC/ST/PWD), thus candidates who aspire to pursue MBA need to ensure that they score a minimum of 50 per cent in graduation. SC/ST/PwD candidates need to have a minimum of 45 per cent in their Bachelor's degree programme. There is no age bar or appearing in MAT. Fresh graduates as well as working professionals can apply for MAT.

The application form for UCEED 2025 will be available online at UCEED.iitb.ac.in. The application form will open around October 2024.

You can apply with regular and late fees.

To fill out the UCEED 2025 application form, the candidate will have to go to the portal and click on the registration button. IIT Bombay will also release the admission notification and launched the admission portal for the exam.

The UCEED 2025 application form is for admission to the B. Des programme offered by participating colleges.

The difficulty level of the CUET exam ranges from moderate to tough. Since the CUET UG exam is held for multiple subjects and slots, the difficulty level of the exam varies from subject to subject. Sometimes, the difficulty level may also vary for different slots. The difficulty level of exam is also relative and the same exam's level of difficulty may vary for different candidates. While for the well prepared candidates, the difficulty level will be low, for the underprepared students, the level of difficulty will be on the higher side. 

CAT is conducted by IIMS for admission to their college. CAT is accepted in all colleges of the country. MAT is accepted by Private management colleges across the country but few colleges accept CAT only. Both the exams are for the taking admission in management course.

Common Admission Test CAT is conducted by one of the Iims, while MAT (Management Aptitude Test) is approved by MHRD and conducted by the All India Management Association (AIMA). Considering its reputation, the CAT is the most prestigious common entrance exam for an MBA.

To appear in a CAT exam candidates need a Bachelor's degree from a recognised board with a minimum 50% aggregate or equivalent CGPA. The cut-off is 45% for SC, ST, and PWD or DA categories. For the MAT exam, there are no minimum percentage criteria and no minimum age limit.

Management Aptitude Test, popularly known as MAT is conducted by AIMA (All India Management Association). It is a National Level Entrance Test. As per MAT score, applicants need to score at least 95 percentile for admissions in top second-tier AICTE schools, whereas from CAT one needs to score at least 99 percentile for admissions in top Iims like Calcutta, Bangalore, and Ahmedabad.

The CAT is more difficult than MAT and its score is accepted by the top Iims and B schools across India. Comparatively, MAT is much easier, and around 600+ management universities in India accept the MAT result score.

Students can see the below table to learn the difference between Footwear and Fashion design courses:

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

Various books on footwear design can assist budding footwear designers and anybody else interested in the subject with significant ideas and information. Here are some books about footwear design that we recommend:

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

Candidates can pursue a certificate, diploma, and degree courses in this stream. Candidates can pursue these courses at all - UG, PG, and PhD levels. Given below are some of the popular Footwear Design courses:

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

A Bachelor of Design (B.Des.) degree from the Footwear Design and Development Institute (FDDI) can lead to a variety of professional prospects in the fashion and design industries, particularly the footwear and leather products industries. FDDI is a well-known institution that specialises in footwear and leather design, and its programmes are meant to give students a solid foundation in these fields.

FDDI B.Des students are well-prepared to seek professions in footwear design and development. They can work for established shoe firms or launch their own shoe lines. Many FDDI programmes include instruction in the design and manufacture of leather items such as bags, wallets, belts, and accessories. Graduates may find work in the leather goods industry.

Several institutions in India provide great footwear design programmes. If you want to work in footwear design, consider the following academies and institutions, which offer specialised programmes in this field:

• Footwear Design and Development Institute (FDDI): The FDDI is a world-class institute in India that specialises in footwear design & development. They provide undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in footwear design, leather products design, and fashion design with a footwear concentration. Check FDDI Placements
  National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT): The National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) has campuses all throughout India and offers a Bachelor of Design (B.Des.) programme in Fashion Design. Some NIFT campuses offer footwear design courses and specialisations. Check NIFT Placements
• National Institute of Design (NID): The NID is a famous design institute that offers a Graduate Diploma Programme in Design with a concentration on Product Design. While NID does not have a programme specifically for footwear design, the product design programme can include footwear as a design aspect. Check NID Placements.

Here are the top 5 FDDI campuses for Footwear Design courses in India:

Note: The information is sourced from the official/counselling body and may vary.

Start your journey by pursuing a related bachelor's degree, then gain core knowledge in fashion design and materials, perfecting sketching and CAD skills, and developing a thorough understanding of construction and pattern making.

Get hands-on experience through internships or entry-level roles, network in the industry, and build a solid portfolio of your greatest works.
Keep up with industry developments and think about specializing in areas such as athletic or sustainability footwear design.

The market volume is expected to amount to 2,287.0m pairs by 2029, with a volume growth of 1.3% expected in 2025. The average volume per person in the Footwear market is expected to be 1.54pairs in 2024. It is also noteworthy that by 2024, 98% of sales in the Footwear market in India will be attributable to Non-Luxury.

Choosing between the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) and the Footwear Design and Development Institute (FDDI) depends on your career goals and interests, as both institutions specialize in different areas of design and development.

NIFT

• Focus: Primarily focused on fashion design, textiles, and related fields.
• Programs: Offers undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programs in fashion design, fashion technology, and management.
• Reputation: NIFT is well-known for its comprehensive fashion education and is recognized globally.
• Career Opportunities: Graduates typically pursue careers in fashion design, merchandising, retail management, and fashion technology.

FDDI

• Focus: Specializes in footwear design, leather goods, and accessories.
• Programs: Offers programs in footwear design, leather technology, and retail management.
• Reputation: FDDI is recognized for its specialized training in footwear and leather products, catering to a niche market.
• Career Opportunities: Graduates often find roles in footwear design, manufacturing, retail, and quality control in the leather industry.

Conclusion

• Choose NIFT if you are interested in a broader range of fashion-related fields and want to explore various aspects of the fashion industry.
• Choose FDDI if you are specifically passionate about footwear and leather goods and want to pursue a career in that niche.

Ultimately, consider the programs offered, faculty expertise, campus facilities, industry connections, and your personal interests when making your decision.

Footwear engineering is a specialized field that focuses on the design, development, and production of footwear. It encompasses various disciplines, including materials science, biomechanics, ergonomics, and manufacturing processes.

Some key aspects of footwear engineering are Design and Aesthetics, Materials Selection, Comfort and Fit, Manufacturing Processes, Performance Testing, and Sustainability.