The Bachelor in Fashion Design course sheds light on the different cultures and values that surround the world of fashion, its sustainable and worldwide development, and at the same time it traces the ever-changing and recurring trends in the world of fashion.
This course is specifically for those students who have a knack for trends and fashion and are willing to learn about the functioning of the fashion industry.
Bachelor of Fashion Design or BFD is an undergraduate degree course in Fashion Designing. The duration of the course is either three or four years, it is subjective for each of the institutes.
In order to pass the eligibility criteria and to apply to this course, the candidates must have Graduated Class 12 with an aggregate of at least 50% marks from a recognized board. Admission to this course will be done either on the basis of the candidate’s performance in the entrance exam or on the basis of the candidate’s performance in the qualifying examination.
BFD- Eligibility Criteria
The eligibility criteria for the admission into Bachelor of Fashion Design course would differ from one institute to another. The general eligibility criteria for the top colleges are as follows:
- Graduated Class 12 or equivalent with an aggregate of at least 50% marks from a recognized board.
- Those Candidates who have completed a Diploma in a related fashion specialization are also eligible to apply through direct-admission in colleges.
BFD – Admission process
Most of the top Indian institutes that offer Bachelor of Fashion Design degree courses conduct admissions through Entrance Examination. At the same time, other Indian institutes prefer to admit students on the basis of their Merit evaluation or even direct admission.
The tuition fees for Bachelor of Fashion Design courses varies as per colleges and institutes. The average fee in India for pursuing this course ranges amidst INR 5,20,000 and INR 6,80,000.
This course would permit the students to work in the glamorous world of the fashion industry, providing the average salary package of INR 2-9 lakh
The top five colleges in India that offer Bachelor of Fashion Design program, as per India Today’s 2020 rankings list, are provided in the table given below:
Top five colleges in India that offer Bachelor of Fashion Design programme
| India Today Ranking 2020 | City | Average Annual Fees | Average Annual Placement Package | Admission Process | College Name |
| 1 | New Delhi | INR 2,70,000 | INR 4,54,000 | Entrance-Based | NIFT Delhi |
| 2 | Navi Mumbai | INR 2,70,000 | INR 4,30,000 | Entrance-Based | NIFT Mumbai |
| 3 | Bangalore | INR 2,58,000 | INR 3,50,000 | Entrance-Based | NIFT Bangalore |
| 14 | Pune | INR 4,20,000 | INR 5,00,000 | Entrance Exam | Symbiosis Institute of Design |
| 96 | Vadodara | INR 2,00,000 | INR 3,20,000 | Merit-Based | Parul University |
On completion of thus BFD course, students are eligible to opt for a wide range of jobs including Costume Designer, Stylist, Trend Forecaster, Fashion Designer, Product Developer among numerous others
After completing this program, all candidates can opt for numerous courses such as Master of Fashion Design, Master of Design and many Diploma courses.
Entrance based admissions
Almost all the colleges and universities offer admission to Bachelor of Fashion Design on the basis of entrance exams like NIFT, AIEED, CEED etc.
The procedure for entrance-based admission is step by step and is mentioned below:
- It is mandatory for the students to register on the official website.
- They need to fill the application form with correct details.
- After their examination, a cutoff list will be released on the website. Seats will then be allotted to candidates based on their scores during their entrance exam.
- Some colleges also conduct personal interviews as well as group discussions for admission to this course.
- If the candidates meet the mentioned eligibility criteria, a student would then be offered admission to the course.
BFD Entrance Exams
Admission to the Bachelor of Fashion Design program will be done based on the candidate’s performance in the entrance test.
Some of the popular entrance exams are briefly explained in the table below:
| CEED | The Common Entrance Exam for Design or CEED is conducted for students who want to take admission in some of the top fashion institutes in India. |
| NIFT Entrance Exam | The National Institute of Fashion Technology conducts the NIFT Entrance Exam. After qualifying this exam, aspiring students can take admission to any NIFT campus across India, according to ranks. |
| AIEED | ARCH Academy of Design conducts All India Entrance Examination for Design or AIEED. The examination is designed to test the candidate’s creativity, analytical ability, and fashion sensitivity. By qualifying AIEED, the candidates can take admission in ARCH Academy of Design. |
| DAT | Design Aptitude Test or DAT is conducted at some of the top private fashion institutes, including GD Goenka University and National Institute of Design. Candidates can take admissions in respective institutes after qualifying DAT of that particular institute. |
| IIAD Entrance Examination | The Indian Institute of Art & Design (IIAD) conducts the IIAD Entrance Examination for admission to Bachelor of Fashion Design. Once qualified, the candidates can take admission in IIAD. |
Merit-based admission
The step-by-step procedure for merit-based admission to Bachelor of Fashion Design course in Indian Colleges/ Universities is given below:
- Online Registration- Candidates need to register themselves online by filling the necessary details.
- Application Form – Once you have successfully registered, fill the application form correctly with all the details required in the form.
- Application Fee – Pay the requisite amount of application fee and then submit the form.
After successfully egistering with the application, the college authorities will decide and publish the merit list of selected students.
| Name of Exam | Exam Date | Application Period | Exam Mode |
| CEED 2021 | 17 January 2021 | 9 September 2020 to 10 November 2020 | Online |
| NIFT 2021 | Written test: 14 February 2021 Situation test/ Group discussion/ Interview: April-May 2021 | 14 December 2020 – 24 January 2021 | Offline |
| NID DAT 2021 | Prelims: Last week of December 2020 Mains: Last week of April 2021 | 1st week of October 2020 – 1st week of November 2020 | Offline |
| AIEED SAT 2020 | 6/9 Jan 2021 | 21 Nov – 31 Dec 2020 | Online/Offline |
| IIAD 2021 | 30 January 2021 | 23 January 2021 | Online/Offline |
How to get admission in a Good Bachelor of Fashion Design College?
- Taking into consideration that most of the premier institutions in India grant admissions to students through entrance examinations like CEED, NIFT Entrance Exams, DAT, etc., it is very crucial that the aspiring candidates give extra care and concentration while preparing for these exams.
- For the best results, it is advised that the candidates take up professional guidance through coaching and following proper academic materials.
- By making a list of the top colleges and their respective admission tests will help the candidates to prepare for the entrance exams efficiently.
- For direct admissions which are merit based, the colleges considers the marks of the final board exams of the candidates. Hence the candidate must have a high aggregate score at the +2 level or final board exams.
BFD – Highlights Anchor
| Full-Form | Bachelor of Fashion Design / Bachelor of Fashion Designing |
| Examination type | Semester System |
| Admission Process | Entrance Exam or Merit-based direct admission |
| Average Annual Salary | INR 2,00,000 to INR 9,30,000 |
| Job Positions | Fashion Designer, Costume Designer, Fashion Consultant, Fashion Stylist, Personal Stylist, Trend Forecaster. |
| Course Level | Graduation |
| Duration | 3 – 4 years |
| Eligibility | Passed 10+2 level from a recognized Indian education board with a minimum aggregate score of 50% |
| Course Fee | INR 5,20,000 to INR 6,80,000 |
| Top Recruiting Companies | Pantaloons, Max Fashion, Reliance Fashion, Shoppers Stop, Lifestyle, Raymonds, Benetton, Levi’s, Fab India etc. |
How to prepare for the entrance exams of BFD?
Most of the popular colleges in India that offer Bachelor of Fashion Design require entrance exam results as a requisite for admissions of aspiring candidates. So it is of utmost significance that the candidate prepares for the entrance exam appropriately and succeeds.
- Candidates must have a clear view and aim of the entrance exams he or she wants to appear. It will help them to study more accurately focusing on the particular exam types, patterns, and syllabus.
- These entrance exams test the Qualitative and Quantitative Thinking Approaches, Analytical Reasoning, Logical Reasoning, Creativity, Sensitivity and Knowledge and Conceptions regarding various aspects of the Candidates fashion.
- Making a list of target colleges will prepare all the candidates for the particular entrance examinations and what to expect from that examination. It will also provide them with a good idea of the cutoffs and possibilities of admissions based on targeted ranks.
- The candidate must have an accurate knowledge of the entrance exam syllabus and concepts that the particular exam demands.
- The candidate must focus on both theoretical as well as communicative aspects of the entrance tests. It will prepare them to face the communicative round of exams and their success.
BFD – Future Scope
There are a huge number of career options available for the students on completion of Bachelor of Fashion Design degree course. The future scope for these students is increasing with the subsequent increase in the Fashion industry.
Some of the top career choices available to Fashion Design graduates are as follows:
- The students can also take advantage of the massive job demands in the fashion industry. They can find employment in top retail companies as well as fashion brands and labels. The top recruiters in this field include Pantaloons, Shoppers Stop, Lifestyle, Max Fashions, Reliance, design labels like Sabyasachi, Ritu Kumar, among others.
- Master of Fashion Design: It is the post-graduate degree course that can be pursued only after completing a bachelor’s degree course in fashion designing. It is suitable for those students who want to complete higher studies in the field.
- After completing a Bachelor of Fashion Design course, students can take up internship programs with top brands and design houses. This will provide them with the necessary exposure to the fashion market.
- Graduates can opt for higher studies also. They can pursue Master’s degrees in Fashion Design, diploma courses in Textile Design, Fashion Technology and Fashion Communication
- Diploma courses: Students who want to study specialized aspects of fashion can pursue diploma courses in Textile Designing, Jewellery Designing, Apparel Designing.
