Top Design Entrance Exams 2026: Important Dates, Notifications & Key Updates

Top Design Entrance Exams 2026: Due to the recent traction in sectors like fashion design, interior design, product design, animation and gaming, the design sector is gaining popularity. Along with it, the entrance exams of such courses are also gaining in popularity.

The top colleges in the design industry include the National Institute of Design (NID) and the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), among various other colleges. The candidates are required to visit the official websites of the different colleges to get a better idea of the examination dates along with their admit card details.

List Of Top Design Entrance Exams In India

Top design entrance exam 2026 includes NIFT Entrance Examination, UCEED, CEED, NID Entrance Exams, along with seed and UID in Ahmedabad. These exams are kept to test the candidates' Spatial Ability, Analytical and Logical Reasoning, Observation and Design Sensitivity, Environmental, Social Awareness, Language and Creativity, along with problem identification skills. Most of the design entrance exams take place in months of January and February. The dates of these top design entrance exams are provided below:

Top Design Entrance Exams 2026 In India

Along with NIFT and UCEED, there are other top design entrance exams in India. Courses in bachelor's include Bachelor of Design (B.Des), Bachelor of Fashion Technology(BFTech), as undergraduate courses. For masters, there are Master of Design, Master of Fashion Technology and Master of Fashion Management as postgraduate courses.

NIFT Entrance Exam - The NIFT Entrance Exam is conducted either in January or in February. This exam provides admission in courses like Bachelor of Design (B.Des), Bachelor of Fashion Technology(BFTech), Master of Fashion Technology(MFTech) and Master of Fashion Management.

UCEED Entrance Exam - IIT Bombay conducts this examination for its admission in courses like the Bachelor of Design. Three hours are allocated for the UCEED Entrance Exam, which is conducted in January.

CEED Entrance Exam - CEED Entrance Examination is conducted in January every year by IIT Bombay. The paper is divided into two parts. In Part A, simple objectives are there, and Part B includes subjective and drawing-based questions.

NID Entrance Exam - A candidate needs to give the NID Entrance Examination, and this exam consists of both objective-type questions and a subjective-type drawing examination. The duration of the examination has been kept at 3 hours by the conducting body.

Pearl Academy Entrance Exam: The Pearl Academy Entrance Exam is conducted in January and April. The General Proficiency Test as well as the Design Aptitude Test are required to be given to qualify for this examination.

AIEED: AIEED is conducted by Arch College of Design and Business to offer admission to aspirants in design courses. AIEED exam comprises a Creative Aptitude Test as well as a General Aptitude Test.

FDDI AIST: Footwear Design and Development Institute conducts FDDI AIST to shortlist aspirants for admission in undergraduate and postgraduate design programs offered by it. THE FDDI AIST exam consists of four sections in the entrance test and is usually conducted in May every year.

Tips To Crack Top Design Entrance Exams 2026

According to the toppers of design entrance exams, specific tips have been concluded by them to help a candidate navigate through these entrance tests. To crack the top design entrance exam 2026, the suggestions given here are as follows:

• Build strong design and sketching skills.
• Understand the exam pattern well.
• Enhance observation skills.
• Prepare a good portfolio for the entrance exam.
• Practice PYQs.

Top Design Entrance Exams 2026 FAQs

Ques. What is the exam pattern for major design entrance exams like NID, NIFT, UCEED, and CEED?Ans. Most design exams have two parts. The first part is objective, with MCQs and MSQs. The second part is subjective, focusing on drawing and creativity. Some exams have studio tests and interviews.

Ques. Which subjects are covered in the design entrance exams?Ans. Main subjects include visual and spatial ability, observation, logical reasoning, general knowledge, and creative drawing. Design awareness or problem-solving is also included in these entrance exams.

Ques. Are there both objective and subjective questions in the exam?Ans. Yes, design exams test both. The objective part checks aptitude; the subjective part tests creative and design skills. Both of them combine to form a comprehensive test to check the combined skills.

Ques. What is the eligibility criteria for appearing in design entrance exams?Ans. Eligibility usually requires passing Class 12 for undergraduate admissions. For postgraduates, a bachelor's degree is needed. Additional requirements may apply for specific age groups or streams.

Ques. How important are drawing and sketching skills for the entrance test?Ans. Drawing skills are very important. Subjective sections require sketching, design representation, and creative concept illustration. These two sections help to score maximum marks in the entrance test.

Ques. Is general knowledge and current affairs a part of the syllabus?Ans. Yes, general awareness, current events, and design-related GK are tested. Questions from history are asked in this section; other than that, culture-related questions are also asked as part of G.K.

Ques. What is the difference between MCQs and MSQs? How often is it asked in these exams?

Ans. MSQs are common. MSQs can have more than one correct answer; MCQs have only one. Here, MSQ stands for multiple select questions, where a candidate has to select more than one option. But in MCQ, a candidate has to select only one correct answer.

Ques. What design specialisations are available through these entrance exams?

Ans. Specialisations available via these entrance exams include product design, fashion design, communication design, animation, and interaction design. Certain other specialisations are available, but only for master's courses.

Ques. What are the recommended resources and preparation tips for cracking design entrance exams?Ans. Useful resources are sketching books, mock tests, previous papers, and online courses. Practice and review design basics and current affairs.