NID, the National Institutes of Design: all seven campuses, courses, seats, fees and the DAT (2027-28)
Facts checked 30/10/2026
The National Institute of Design is the name most Indian families know in design. It is not one college. There are seven NIDs, all run by the Government of India, and one exam, the DAT, gets you into all of them.
For 2027-28 there is a big change. NID Ahmedabad, with its campuses in Gandhinagar and Bengaluru, no longer takes Class 12 students into a 4-year B.Des. In its place is a 5.5-year Integrated M.Des. that ends in a master's degree. NID Madhya Pradesh and NID Haryana have moved the same way. Many websites and coaching notes still describe the old B.Des., so read the dates on anything you rely on.
One exam, seven institutes
The seven NIDs
| NID | Where | Since | After Class 12 (2027-28) | After a degree (M.Des.) | Hostel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NID Ahmedabad | Paldi, Ahmedabad | 1961 | 5.5-year Integrated M.Des., 8 subjects | 8 subjects | Yes (₹15,000 a semester) |
| NID Gandhinagar | Gandhinagar (campus of NID Ahmedabad) | — | 5.5-year Integrated M.Des., 3 subjects | 8 subjects | Yes (₹17,500 a semester) |
| NID Bengaluru | Bengaluru (campus of NID Ahmedabad) | — | 5.5-year Integrated M.Des., 4 subjects | 6 subjects | No hostel |
| NID Madhya Pradesh | Bhopal | 2019 | 5.5-year Integrated M.Des., 7 subjects | 3 subjects | If available (₹30,000 a semester) |
| NID Haryana | Kurukshetra | 2016 | 5.5-year Integrated M.Des., 6 subjects | 2 subjects | Yes (₹21,600 a semester in 2026-27) |
| NID Andhra Pradesh | Amaravati (Guntur district) | 2015 | 4-year B.Des. (3 streams); 2027-28 details not yet posted | — | Yes (₹25,000 a semester in 2026-27) |
| NID Assam | Jorhat | 2019 | 4-year B.Des. (3 streams), 75 seats | — | Yes (₹65,260 a year) |
All seven are Institutes of National Importance under the NID Act, run by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry. All teaching is in English.
Three ways in
Three ways into an NID
- After Class 12, any stream
- NID Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Bengaluru, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana
- 11 semesters, ends in a master's
- You choose your subject when you apply
- After Class 12, any stream
- NID Assam; NID Andhra Pradesh (check its 2027-28 notice)
- Industrial, Communication, or Textile & Apparel Design
- Same DAT Prelims
- After any bachelor's degree
- NID Ahmedabad's 3 campuses, NID MP, NID Haryana
- Up to 3 subjects in one form at NID Ahmedabad
- Born on or after 1 July 1995 (General)
You cannot apply for both the Class 12 route and the M.Des. in the same year: both Prelims papers are held at the same time.
Integrated M.Des. at NID Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar and Bengaluru
15 subjects in five streams, 9 seats each (135 in all, plus one seat per subject for foreign nationals). You pick your subject when you apply.
| Stream | Subject | Campus | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Industrial Design | Ceramic & Glass Design | Ahmedabad | 9 |
| Industrial Design | Product Design | Ahmedabad | 9 |
| Industrial Design | Transportation & Automobile Design | Gandhinagar | 9 |
| Communication Design | Animation Film Design | Ahmedabad | 9 |
| Communication Design | Film & Video Communication | Ahmedabad | 9 |
| Communication Design | Graphic Design | Ahmedabad | 9 |
| Spatial Experience Design | Exhibition Design | Ahmedabad | 9 |
| Spatial Experience Design | Furniture & Interior Design | Ahmedabad | 9 |
| Spatial Experience Design | Design for Retail Experience | Bengaluru | 9 |
| Textile and Apparel Design | Textile Design | Ahmedabad | 9 |
| Textile and Apparel Design | Apparel Design | Gandhinagar | 9 |
| Textile and Apparel Design | Lifestyle Accessory Design | Gandhinagar | 9 |
| Digital Design Futures | Digital Game Design | Bengaluru | 9 |
| Digital Design Futures | Interaction Design | Bengaluru | 9 |
| Digital Design Futures | Information Design | Bengaluru | 9 |
Nine seats is small. For a 9-seat subject, the split is 4 open, 1 EWS, 2 OBC-NCL, 1 SC and 1 ST. Five per cent of all seats are for candidates with disabilities.
Integrated M.Des. at NID Madhya Pradesh and NID Haryana
| NID | Subject | Seats |
|---|---|---|
| Madhya Pradesh (Bhopal) | Graphic Design | 9 |
| Madhya Pradesh | Design for Moving Images (film and animation) | 9 |
| Madhya Pradesh | Interaction Design | 9 |
| Madhya Pradesh | Product Design | 13 |
| Madhya Pradesh | Transportation & Automobile Design | 13 |
| Madhya Pradesh | Textile Design | 13 |
| Madhya Pradesh | Apparel Design | 13 |
| Haryana (Kurukshetra) | Product Design & Innovation | 13 |
| Haryana | Furniture & Interior Design | 13 |
| Haryana | Strategic Communication Design | 13 |
| Haryana | Digital Experience & Interaction Design | 13 |
| Haryana | Textile Innovation & Material Design | 13 |
| Haryana | Fashion, Apparel & Lifestyle Design | 13 |
NID Assam takes 75 students a year into its 4-year B.Des. (Industrial, Communication, and Textile & Apparel Design). NID Andhra Pradesh offers the same three B.Des. streams, after a one-year foundation; its 2027-28 seats were not yet posted when we checked. NID Haryana keeps 12 extra seats for foreign nationals (2 per subject).
M.Des. after a degree
At NID Ahmedabad's three campuses there are 22 subjects, 19 seats each except Ceramic & Glass and Toy & Game (12 each). You can apply for up to three subjects in one form, in set combinations.
| Campus | M.Des. subjects |
|---|---|
| Ahmedabad | Animation Film Design, Film & Video Communication, Graphic Design, Photography Design, Exhibition Design, Furniture & Interior Design, Ceramic & Glass Design (12), Product Design |
| Gandhinagar | Apparel Design, Lifestyle Accessory Design, Textile Design, Toy & Game Design (12), Transportation & Automobile Design, Design Trends and Futures, Design Education, Strategic Design Management |
| Bengaluru | Interaction Design, Information Design, Digital Game Design, New Media Design, Design for Retail Experience, Universal Design |
| Madhya Pradesh | Experience Design, Design for Care, Textile Design (12 seats each) |
| Haryana | Digital Design Futures, Creative Leadership (13 seats each; application fee ₹2,000, girls ₹1,500, SC/ST ₹1,000) |
The M.Des. in Design Education is for people who already hold a master's in design, or a B.Des. plus any master's. NID's website still shows an older M.Des. list; the table above follows the 2027-28 handbook. NID MP and NID Haryana run their own M.Des. Mains and need a separate application for each.
NID Ahmedabad also runs a Ph.D. in Design (since 2017), full-time or part-time, for design educators and professionals.
What it costs
| Programme | Tuition a year | For the whole course (tuition) | Hostel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Integrated M.Des., NID Ahmedabad / Gandhinagar / Bengaluru | ₹4,83,000 (₹2,41,500 a semester) | about ₹26.6 lakh over 11 semesters | ₹15,000 a semester Ahmedabad; ₹17,500 Gandhinagar; none in Bengaluru |
| M.Des., NID Ahmedabad / Gandhinagar / Bengaluru | ₹5,61,000 (₹2,80,500 a semester) | about ₹14 lakh over 5 semesters | Gandhinagar for all; Ahmedabad for girls in semester 1 only; none in Bengaluru |
| Integrated M.Des., NID Madhya Pradesh | ₹3,33,862 (₹1,66,931 a semester) | about ₹18.4 lakh | ₹30,000 a semester, if a room is free |
| M.Des., NID Madhya Pradesh | ₹3,88,000 (₹1,94,000 a semester) | ₹9.7 lakh | ₹30,000 a semester, if a room is free |
| B.Des., NID Assam (first year) | ₹2,80,960 | not published beyond year 1 | ₹65,260 a year (nine months) |
| B.Des., NID Andhra Pradesh (2026 entry, last year) | ₹2,77,000 (₹1,38,500 a semester) | about ₹11.1 lakh over 8 semesters | ₹25,000 a semester |
| B.Des., NID Haryana (2026 entry, last year) | ₹3,14,000 (₹1,57,000 a semester) | ₹12.6 lakh over 8 semesters | ₹21,600 a semester; mess ₹24,525 a semester |
On top of tuition: a ₹10,000 refundable deposit, small yearly charges (₹1,400 at NID Ahmedabad; about ₹10,200 at NID MP for insurance, library and activities), and mess charges, which every NID announces at the start of each year. NID Haryana and NID Andhra Pradesh had not posted 2027-28 fees when we checked, so their rows show what students who joined in 2026 pay. Expect 2027-28 to be similar or a little higher.
Fees at the Government NIDs are high for a public institute. Check the fee sheet for the year your child joins, and ask about fee waivers and scholarships at the counselling stage.
Who can apply
After Class 12: passed, or appearing in 2026-27, Class 12 in any stream (Science, Commerce, Arts) from any recognised board, including CBSE, ICSE, IB, state boards, NIOS (five subjects), Cambridge A Levels and a 3-year AICTE diploma after Class 10. You must pass in the first attempt, with no compartment, and submit your marksheet by 15 July 2027.
For the M.Des.: a bachelor's degree in any subject. Final-year students can apply if they finish by 28 June 2027 and submit results by 31 July 2027.
| Born on or after | Integrated M.Des. / B.Des. | M.Des. | M.Des. Design Education |
|---|---|---|---|
| General and EWS | 1 July 2006 | 1 July 1995 | 1 July 1992 |
| OBC-NCL, SC, ST | 1 July 2003 | 1 July 1992 | 1 July 1989 |
| Candidates with disabilities | 1 July 2001 | 1 July 1990 | 1 July 1987 |
How the DAT works
Four steps to an NID seat
- By 30 NovApply onlineOnly on admissions.nid.edu. One form and fee for the Class 12 route covers all NIDs.
- 20 DecDAT PrelimsPen-and-paper design aptitude test in English, in 17 cities. Common to all NIDs.
- 2027DAT MainsAbout 2.5 shortlisted candidates per seat. Studio test plus an in-person test (an interview for the M.Des.). The Prelims score does not carry forward.
- After MainsApply for a seatA second online form is compulsory for seat allotment, then counselling, fees and document checks.
Results, merit lists and final weightages are announced only on admissions.nid.edu.
Prelims cities: Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Chandigarh, Chennai, Dehradun, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Jorhat, Kochi, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Nagpur, New Delhi and Patna. You can change your city only in the edit window.
Application fee (Indian nationals): ₹3,000 for General, EWS and OBC-NCL; ₹2,000 for girls (except SC, ST and PwD); ₹1,500 for SC and ST; ₹500 for candidates with disabilities and third gender. For the M.Des. at NID Ahmedabad the fee is per subject. It is not refundable.
Key dates
NID dates to keep
- NOV30Last date to apply, 11:59 pm
- DEC1Edit window opens 4 pm (to 3 December): fix details, change test city
- DEC10Prelims admit card, from 4 pm
- DEC20DAT Prelims (Sunday)
- FEB16One-time window to fix the category certificate (to 28 February)
- MAR16Prelims result, 4 pm; re-totalling request till 17 March
The Mains, results and counselling dates will be announced later on admissions.nid.edu.
Mistakes families make
Six NID slip-ups
- Applying on a look-alike site. Only nid.edu and admissions.nid.edu are real.
- Planning for a 4-year B.Des. at NID Ahmedabad. From 2027-28 it is the 5.5-year Integrated M.Des.
- Missing the scorecard. Prelims and Mains scorecards stay online for only 20 days.
- Skipping the second form after the Mains. Without it there is no seat allotment at any NID.
- Counting on a hostel in Bengaluru. That campus has none.
- Trusting coaching that claims NID approval. NID has authorised no coaching class.
How to choose
- Pick the subject before the campus. You apply for a subject, and each subject lives on one campus.
- The Integrated M.Des. is a long commitment. It is 5.5 years and about ₹27 lakh in tuition at NID Ahmedabad. NID MP is cheaper for the same route; NID Assam's 4-year B.Des. is shorter still.
- List more than one NID. The Prelims is common; a strong score opens more doors if you are open to Bhopal, Kurukshetra or Jorhat.
- Build a portfolio habit now. The Mains studio and in-person tests reward observation, drawing, making and clear thinking more than memorised facts.
- Have a plan B for 20 December. Other design exams (UCEED for the IITs, and NIFT) have their own forms and dates.
What we could not confirm
- NID Haryana and NID Andhra Pradesh fees for 2027-28: not yet published; we show last year's fees as a guide.
- NID Andhra Pradesh and NID Assam: whether 2027-28 entry is the B.Des. or the Integrated M.Des. The portal groups them under both; check their own sites before you apply.
- Mess charges at every NID, announced each year.
Each NID's page on EasyApply lists its subjects, seats, fees and sources, with the date we checked them.
Sources: NID admissions portal 2027-28 (the only official place to apply) · NID Admissions Handbook 2027-28, 5.5-year Integrated M.Des / B.Des · NID Admissions Handbook 2027-28, M.Des. · NID Ahmedabad fee structure 2027-28, Integrated M.Des · NID Ahmedabad fee structure 2027-28, M.Des. · NID Madhya Pradesh fee structure 2027-28, Integrated M.Des · NID Madhya Pradesh fee structure 2027-30, M.Des. · NID Assam fee structure 2027-28 · NID Ahmedabad, campuses · NID Ahmedabad, Ph.D. · NID Andhra Pradesh, admissions · NID Andhra Pradesh, B.Des. fees batch 2026-30 · NID Andhra Pradesh, hostels · NID Assam · NID Haryana, admissions 2027-28 · NID Haryana, Integrated M.Des. seats 2027-28 · NID Haryana, M.Des. 2027-28 · NID Haryana, B.Des. fees 2026-27 · NID Madhya Pradesh, admissions