Top 10 Interior Design Schools in the World
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If you love decorating rooms and organising furniture and are interested in exploring more about spatial arrangements, colours and textiles then you might consider pursuing an education in Interior Design. Check out in detail about some of the best universities for interior designing abroad if you plan your education abroad.
Planning to study abroad and pursue Interior Design? Understand the Interior Design is not merely decorating a space but it also includes ergonomics, spatial concepts, computer-aided drawing, psychology and many more. In addition, an interior designer is also required to have good interpersonal and communication skills and must be a people person. After all, you have to understand your client’s needs and what they expect. From doctors to celebrities, you will be handling a diverse background of clients. Therefore, gaining a quality education is an important factor which will keep you ahead of trends and technology. Here are some of the best-known interior design colleges in the world for Interior design courses. Read through them to decide which is the best interior designing institute in the world and details regarding it.
Check: List of colleges offering Interior Designing courses in Canada
What is Interior Design?
A multifarious field, interior design is the art of improving the aesthetics of a building by working on its colour combination, lighting, decoration, patterns, and design, and creating functional spaces in order to make it visually appealing. An interior designer discusses the requirements of his/her client and works accordingly.
Who is an Interior Designer?
An interior designer is a person who holds expertise in interior design. He/she works closely with contractors and architects in order to create a blueprint for the client's needs and executing the plan in accordance with the client's needs and objectives.
Top 10 Interior Design Schools in the World
Check out in detail about some of the best interior design schools in the world for studying abroad:
Pratt Institute, New York
Located in New York, the interior design capital of the United States, Pratt Institute is a private university offering programs in Architecture, Design and Liberal Arts. The undergraduate (B.F.A.) and graduate (M.F.A.) degrees in Interior Design are offered by Pratt’s School of Design. Pratt’s Interior Design programs at all levels have been ranked among the top 5 in the United States and the top 10 in the world for several years by various professional surveys such as DesignIntelligence, Domus, QS World University Rankings and more. The Interior Design programs are architecturally oriented programs where students can learn all aspects of interior design – space, light source, materials, textures, colours, proportion, environment responsibility, human environment, culture and more. Stimulating studios and design projects with the industry are part of the programs. The application process to Pratt is online, interested students must check the school website for the overall admission requirement before applying to the institute which is among the best colleges for interior design.
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Highlights
- The institute has 5,137 graduate and undergraduate students enrolled on 48 courses.
- In 2023, 99% of the batch got employed or opted to study further within 12 months of passing out.
- 90% of the students stated that their job was related to their field of study.
- Graduates were employed in organisations such as Carhartt, DreamWorks, HBO, Perkins Eastman, Dior, IBM, Penguin Random House, Peacock, Hasbro, etc.
Savannah College of Art and Design
Founded in 1978, the Savannah College of Art and Design or SCAD is a private art school located in Savannah, Atlanta, and Hong Kong. Recgnised as one of the best design schools in the world, it also provides study-abroad opportunities in Lacoste, France, and online programs. SCAD offers BFA, MA and MFA degrees in Interior Design, designed to impart critical thinking, collaborative teamwork, communication, and ethics and additionally teach aspiring designers to create designs keeping environmental, social and global design practice in their minds. You can choose multiple majors suiting your needs – Furniture Design, Urban Design, and Themed entertainment design to name a few. The application process for enrollment into SCAD is online, interested students must check the school website, select the enrollment type and apply accordingly.
Highlights
- Over 15,000 students from 50 states and over 100 nations are studying at the university
- The college has over 1,800 staff members and faculty.
- SCAD’s UG and PG interior design courses have obtained more number 1 ranks than any other institute and have featured among the top lot in DesignIntelligence’s ‘Best Architecture and Design Schools’ for the 7th time since 2008.
- The faculty-to-ratiot ration stands at 1:20.
- In Spring 2020, 99% ofpass-outs pass outs obtained a job, opted for higher education or were into both within 10 months of passing out.
- Employers include Adidas, Adobe, Conde Nast, Google, Hallmark, L’Oreal, Microsoft, Netflix, Ogilvy, The Home Depot, Starbucks, Amazon, etc.
Check: Popular Vocational courses in Canada
Rhode Island School of Design
Rhode Island School of Design or RISD is one of the first Art and Design schools in the United States and among the consistently top-ranking schools in the world. The school located in Providence, Rhode Island offers full-time bachelor's and master's degrees in over 21 majors. Established in 1877, it is a private institute which offers programmes in Interior Design including BFA and MA/MDes in Interior Architecture, BFA and MFA in Furniture Design. Programs are known to be rigorous and include hands-on learning and studio-based learning. The school also offers a number of short-term and certificate programs for candidates of all ages. RISD’s executive education is one of its kind offering customized programs or workshops for experienced professionals. Many alumni of RISD have gone on to become celebrity designers in their own fields. Admissions into RISD can be very selective, interested students must go through the application requirements and prepare a well-rounded application package.
Highlights
- At present (2022-2023), a total of 2,621 students are enrolled here.
- A total of 2109 students are pursuing undergraduate studies (2022-2023) and 512 students are in graduate courses.
- The student-to-faculty ratio is 9:1.
Parsons School of Design, The New School
Incepted in 1896, Parson’s School of Design is a private college with scholars, practitioners and world-famous artists among its faculty. It has been recognized as the best-ranking design school in the US and is featured among the top three design institutes internationally. It has an international population of 46%. Also, 64% of its students are from out of New York State and 28% are from in-state. Student-to-faculty ratio at the college is 10:1 and it has 160 full-time and 1,200 part-time faculty taking care of its undergraduate and graduate lot.
Highlights
- In QS, 2022, the college obtained the top rank in the nation for its art and design school.
- According to PayScale, the college obtained the first spot as a top art and design school for alumni salary in the country, in 2020.
- In 2020-2021, 82% of the students obtained institutional financial help.
- The college has 5,700 students pursuing various undergraduate and graduate courses.
New York School of Interior Design, New York
New York School of Interior Design is a private, not-for-profit college for interior design studies which was founded in 1916. The school’s top-ranking and unique interior design programs include BFA in Interior Design, MFA in Interior Design, MPS in Healthcare Interior Design, MPS in Lighting Design, and MPS in Sustainable Interior Environments. The school also offers a Basic Interior Design Certificate Program and an Associate in Applied Science in Interior Design course for those without any prior background in this field. The school has a record job placement rate of 98% UG and 100% graduate students having employment or pursuing further studies six months after graduation during 2016-2017. It is a truly international school with students from over 55 countries. Interested applicants can check the school website for the online application procedure.
Highlights
- The average age of the students studying at the institute is 30.6 years.
- The student-to-faculty ratio stands at 12:1.
- The institute has total faculty members of 102.
- 16% of the students at the institute are from overseas, representing 31 nations.
- The average class size stands at 12.
Check: Can students apply for studying abroad on their own?
Visual College of Art & Design, Vancouver
Visual College of Art & Design (VCAD) Visual College of Art & Design, Vancouver also known as the Vancouver College of Art & Design is a career college in Canada offering industry-oriented diploma programs leading to successful career outcomes. The college offer programs ranging from Architecture, Game Development to Interior Design. Interior Design aspirants can choose from VCAD’s normal Interior Design diploma program or Interior Design with a Co-op option. The Co-op diploma program allows students to work in a real-world environment and enhance their skills and knowledge. The college recommends aspiring candidates get in touch with one of their admission representatives to understand the admission and program details in-depth. You can also discuss your career goals and aspirations with the admission representative who can help you choose the right program.
Cornell University
Set up in 1895, Cornell University is a private institute and has 16 colleges and schools affiliated with it. In the year 2021, it had a total staff of 7,656 and a total of 1,729 faculty members. In the year 2022, the university had a total of 15,735 undergraduate students, 7,256 graduate students, and 2,907 professionals. 10% of the undergraduate and 53% of the graduate students were from overseas. The institute awarded the world’s 1st degree in journalism and the country’s 1st degree in veterinary medicine.
Highlights
- It was the first university in the U.S. which offered a major in American Studies.
- It has 50 Nobel prize recipients as faculty members as well as alumni.
- The university offers M.A. in Design, the duration of which is two years.
- Design Concentrations offered include Design for Interaction, Emerging Technology for Design, Design Health, and Sustainable Design Studies.
Drexel University
Set up in Philadelphia, in 1891, Drexel University is comprehensive a global R1-level research institute which is known for its online degree courses. It is recognized among the top 100 institutes in the country and its cooperative education programme is well renowned around the world. The institute obtained a spot among the top 60 private universities in the U.S. as per U.S. News & World Reports. It has also been recognized as one of the top 40 Comprehensive Research Universities in the States by the Department of Education in 2022. Also, after one year of graduation, the average full-time annual salary of a graduate has been recorded as $64,774.
Highlights
- The university has a total student population of 22,344.
- A total of 13,977 students are pursuing undergraduate studies, whereas, 8,367 are into graduate and professional courses.
- A total of 4,029 students are pursuing their education online.
- The university offers more than 200-degree courses.
Check: What are Academic Transcripts and How to get it?
Dublin Institute of Design, Dublin
Founded in 1993, Ireland’s Dublin Institute of Design (DID) is another top-ranking design school in Europe and the world. The institute offers cutting-edge programs in Graphic Design, Fashion Design, Interior & CAD Design, and UX Design & Front-End Development courses. Ireland's oldest independent design institute, the school offers a number of interior designing courses from Higher National Diploma to BA. In addition, short courses in Interior Design skills and CAD are also offered which can range from 6 to 10 weeks. DID is also the longest-established private higher education college for specialized design in the Republic of Ireland.
The Interior Design School, London
The Interior Design School in London which specializes solely in imparting interior design education and practice is among the world’s best-known interior design schools. The school offers a series of programs ranging from a Professional Diploma in Interior Design, and a Diploma in Residential Design to part-time evening courses, each course designed for individuals with diverse requirements and backgrounds. The school not only offer courses which can qualify you to be an Interior Designer but is also designed for individuals who wish to gain specific knowledge and further develop their personal spaces. Programmes are taught by practising designers and specialists. Students can fill up the online application form on the Institute website to apply for a specific course.
In addition to the top ten schools listed above, other prestigious schools for Interior Design around the world include:
- Interior Designers Institute, California
- Chelsea College of Arts, University of the Arts London
- Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong
- Académie Grandes Terres, Paris
- Crèapole Ecole de Creation Management, France
- Parsons School for Design, USA
- University of Technology, Sydney, Australia
- Billy Blue College of Design, Australia
Top 10 Interior Design Schools in the World FAQs
Q. Which are the best interior design colleges in world?
A. Interior Design, the art of improving the aesthetics of a building by working on its color combination, lighting, decoration, patterns, and design, and creating functional spaces in order to make it visually appealing is still a niche course. However, there are several students around the globe to desire to pursue it. For the benefit of our readers, we have listed below some of the top interior design universities in the world:
- Savannah College of Art and Design
- New York School of Interior Design
- Pratt Institute
- Rhode Island School of Design
- Cornell University
- Parsons School of Design | The New School
- Drexel University
- Fashion Institute of Technology
- University of Cincinnati
- Florence Design Academy
- Syracuse University
- University of Florida
- Auburn University
- London College of Fashion
- Royal College of Art
- Thomas Jefferson University
- Dublin Design Institute
- Stanford University
- Purdue University
- Virginia Tech
- Academy of Art University
- Arizona State University
- University of Minnesota
- Domus Academy
Q. Which is the best country to study interior design?
A. Some of the countries which offer the best interior design courses are UK, USA, Canada, Australia, and more. Once you graduate from a top university based in one of these countries, multiple career paths will open up for you.
Q. What are the roles of an interior designer?
A. Some of the best jobs that you can grab once you graduate with a degree in Interior Design are that of an Interior Design Director, Senior Interior Designer, Interior Decorator, and more. The key roles that you will be expected to perform are:
- Meet directly with clients
- Outline client design objectives
- Sketching various design plans
- Understand client goals and requirements
- Oversees the installation of design elements
- Plan the budget and timeline
- Determine budgets that match project requirements
- Production Designer
- Follow the best industry practices
- Interior Designer
- Architect
- Client interaction
- Industrial designer
- Comply with building codes and regulations
- Create designs
- Establish project timelines
- Estimate costs and materials
- Institutional spaces
- Kitchen designer
- Project management
- Provide exemplary customer service
- Pursue and bid on new projects
- Supervise work progress
Q. Which countries offer the highest paying jobs in interior design?
A. We have listed below the top countries offering highest paying jobs in interior design, along with the average salary (with INR conversion):
| Country | Average Salary | Salary In INR |
|---|---|---|
| Russia | USD 85,000 | INR 71 L |
| Switzerland | USD 74,982 | INR 62.7 L |
| Norway | USD 71,258 | INR 59.6 L |
| Saudi Arabia | USD 70,200 | INR 58.7 L |
| United States | USD 65,637 | INR 54.9 L |
Conversion Rate: 1 USD = INR 83.70
Q. Should I pursue my Bachelors in Design degree from India or abroad?
A. Whether you wish to pursue an interior design in India or abroad is totally up to your preferences and budget. International universities often offer better learning as well as job opportunities in such niche fields. Also, in today's extremely competitive job market, having a degree in Interior Design from a top/reputated college abroad will elevate your portfolio a lot and will help you stand out among the other candidates. However, it can burn a hole in your pocket. To balance it out, it is often advised that you should pursue a bachelor's degree in India and then go for higher studies abroad.
Q: Â How can I get admission in the University of Manchester?
The application process at the University of Manchester may vary depending on the course and level of study. However, here is the application process for UG and PG courses:
The Undergraduate Application Process:
Step 1: You can apply through the UCAS common application portal.
Step 2: Go to the website and select the course you are interested in.
Step 3: Ensure you meet the Entry requirements (Academic qualifications, English proficiency, etc.
Step 4: Once you decide on the course, submit documents such as SOP, Transcripts and personal statements.
Check out: tips to improve your SOP.
Step 5: You can track the application's progress through your given credentials by UCAS.
Step 6: Once the applicant submits the application to UCAS, it forwards to the University, and the admission teams carefully analyse the application document.
Step 7: The university will send you an offer letter once selected. Hence keep checking your UCAS portal for your application status.
The Postgraduate application process:
Step 1: Select the postgraduate course you are interested in from the University of Manchester.\
Step 2: Ensure you meet the entry requirements for the chosen program, as they vary depending on the course.
Step 3: Complete the online application by providing your personal information.
Step 4: Upload the required documents, such as Academic transcripts and proof of English language proficiency ( TOEFL/ IELTS). experience in your fields and references (depending on the course). You also may require Two LORs depending on the course.
To make your admission better, check out the following: How Admission Officers Evaluate your application.
Step 5: If your application is successful, you will receive an offer from the University of Manchester.
Q: Â Is university of West of Scotland good for international students?
The University of the West of Scotland has five modern and diverse campuses in United Kingdom. The University has welcomed more than 3,000 international students which are representing 1/3 of the globe. They also have 130 European partners who are actively in global study and exchange options through the Commonwealth universities programmes. The University also offers study abroad opportunities for UWS who are eligible for the same and also have more than 20 transnational education partners worldwide which helps them deliver UWS Bachelors and Masters Degrees around the world.
Q: Â What is University of Wales, Trinity Saint famous for?
University of Wales, Trinity Saint (UWTSD) was founded in 2010, is a public institution for higher education and research at multiple locations. It was set up under the 1828 royal charter of Lampeter, the institution was the result of the merger between Trinity University College and the University of Wales. The institution merged with the Swansea Metropolitan University in 2013.
- Top Ranked University: The UWTSD is not ranked by any major ranking body, however as per the university ranking given on the official website of the university, it is ranked among:
- #1st in Wales and UK Top 5 Film Production and Photography
- #1st in Wales and UK Top 5 Fashion and Textiles
- #1st in Wales and UK Top 20 Graphic Design
- #1st in Wales and UK Top 5 Education
- #1st in Wales and UK Top 20 Sports Science
- #1st in Wales and UK Top 20 Mechanical Engineering
- #1st in Wales for Fine Arts
- Variety of Courses: UWTSD offers more than 300 programs at various levels including undergraduate, postgraduate degrees as well as multiple online courses.
- Highly distinguished and learned faculties: the faculty at UWTSD is highly learned and distinguished which enables students to be the best in their field of study.
- High Placements: According to Graduate Outcome data 2019-2020 quoted by the UWTSD, more than 95% of its graduates were found to be employed within 15 Months of graduation. The average salary of a graduate is not explicitly released by UWTSD, however, as per some unofficial sources the average salary of the graduates of UWTSD is approximately INR 30-35L. with the highest salary being reported as high as INR 66.5L for jobs in Financial Services.
Q: Â What rank is Wolverhampton University in UK?
The University of Wolverhampton is one of the best universities in the United Kingdom. The university is consistently ranked among the best universities nationally and globally. For nearly 200 years, the University of Wolverhampton has been consistently providing a quality of education to students and producing highly skilled graduates. The national rankings of the University of Wolverhampton are given below:
| Ranking Body | Ranking |
|---|---|
| The Guardian University Guide 2024 | #101 |
| The Complete University Guide 2024 | #117 |
Q: Â Does the University of Essex require IELTS?
International students whose native language is not English must meet the University of Essex English language requirements to get admission. The university accepts IELTS scores as proof of English language proficiency. Mentioned below are the IELTS scores required for UG and PG admission at the university:
English Language Test | Score |
|---|---|
IELTS | Overall score of 5.5 to 8.0 with minimum of 5.5 to 7.5 in each section |
The university also accepts the score of other English language tests such as TOEFL and PTE for admission to undergraduate and graduate programs:
English Language Test | Score |
TOEFL iBT | Overall score of 72 to 114 |
PTE | Overall score of 59 to 84 with minimum of 59 to 80 in each section |
Also read: Required IELTS Score for UK Universities
Q: Â How to prepare for UK 10th board exam 2025?
Those who are preparing for the UK Class 10 exam 2025 are recommended to follow the tips below.
- Know the exam pattern
- Make a proper time table as per the syllabus
- Solve previous year question papers
- Make short notes of important formulas and theorems
- Revise regularly
- Figure out weaker areas and learn them well
With proper planning and hard work, students can easily clear the UK 10th board exam.
Q: Â How good is the University of Chester (UK)?
University of Chester is surely a good option for international students mainly beacuse of a diverse range of excellent academic programs.Below are some reasons why University of Chester is good:
Academics: The University of Chester offers over 200 undergraduate, postgraduate, and research degree programs to international students. The University of Chester University offers undergraduate major and minor courses. Students can also pursue master’s or doctoral programs at the University of Chester University.
Location of the university - The University of is in a location where arts & culture, technology industry and entertainment industry providing endless internship. International Students have access to beaches, outdoor activities, live music/performances and attractions which makes their make campus life more enjoyable. The location gives University of Chester students an additional mark to study at University of Chester.
Ranking: Many global ranking sources like THE (Times Higher Education), etc., have ranked University of Chester among the top universities in the world since 2021. These bodies consistently rank it among the top universities in UK.
Fees: : The cost of attending University of Chester for Indian students can vary depending on several factors. Tuition fees for international students at University of Chester are typically higher than for Uk citizens. However, it is important that the tuition fee can change over time, and it is recommended to visit the official website to recheck the fees and accommodation. Indian students should also consider other costs such as housing, health insurance, meals and transportation attending University of Chester.
Q: Â How to download UK Board 12th date sheet 2024?
Following are the steps to download the UK 12th date sheet 2024.
- Open the Uttarakhand Board's official website at ubse.uk.gov.in
- Click on 'Examination Scheme' available on the homepage
- A new window will appear on the screen containing a link of the UK Board 12th date sheet 2024
- Click the link and download the Uttarakhand 12th date sheet 2024
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