So you’ve Googled “how to become a designer”. Perhaps you’ve always been passionate about art and imagination, or perhaps someone mentioned UI/UX or fashion design being the in-thing. Either way, you’re likely bombarded with counsel, rankings, and glitzy websites of every design institute in Delhi or Noida. But before you dive into completing application forms, this is what you actually need to know.
This blog is more than a simple “top colleges” post and informs you of what really counts when you’re picking design as a profession—and how the best designers in Noida and Delhi started out.
What Does It Really Mean to Be a Designer?
Being a designer is not just about making pretty things. It’s about solving problems through creativity, observation, empathy, and storytelling. Whether you’re designing clothes, spaces, logos, apps, or even packaging, your work will directly affect how people see, feel, and interact with the world.
Design is a mindset—and the good news? It can be learned.
Step-by-Step: How to Become a Designer After 12th
Here’s a simplified roadmap if you’re starting your journey now:
Explore the design fields: Learn the difference between graphic design, interior design, product design, UX design, and fashion.
Pick your direction: What excites you—tech, visual storytelling, building objects, spaces, or digital experiences?
Find the right college: Look for a design institute in Delhi, Noida, or anywhere that matches your learning style—not just the name.
Verify entrance tests: Institutes such as NID, NIFT, UCEED, and others provide entrance exams. Private colleges usually conduct their own tests.
Begin creating your portfolio: Draw, photograph, create moodboards, or note down your ideas. Colleges are interested in seeing your thought process.
Spill the beans with students or alumni: A 10-minute conversation can inform you more than 10 pages of a brochure.
Top Design Institutes in Delhi and Noida worth a shot
There are some prominent and new design colleges in and around NCR. Here are a few of them that are worth visiting:
- The Design Village (TDV), Noida
It is renowned for its interdisciplinary and socially responsible approach towards design. TDV has intensive UG and PG courses that expose students to hands-on learning in a studio-based environment. The studio culture facilitates learning through doing, experimenting, and collaborating.
- BRDS (Bhanwar Rathore Design Studio)
Primarily a coaching institute, BRDS also offers foundation courses in design thinking. It’s a good launchpad if you’re preparing for exams like NID, NIFT, or UCEED.
- NIFT Delhi
If fashion is your domain, NIFT is a top-tier public institute offering specialisations in apparel, textile, and fashion communication.
- Pearl Academy, Delhi
Well-known for its professional programs in communication design, interior, and fashion, Pearl combines practical learning with industry exposure.
- IIAD (Indian Institute of Art and Design)
Awards degrees in association with Kingston University, UK. There is a heavy emphasis on international design education with project-based pedagogy.
❌ Don’t Pick a College Only Because It’s “Famous”
Here’s the catch: just because an institute is famous doesn’t mean it’s best for you. Some colleges emphasize theory more, some emphasize practice. Some have great teachers, others provide better industry interaction.
Ask yourself:
- Does the course align with my interest—visuals, product, tech, or space?
- Will I have hands-on experience, not just lectures?
- Can I create a portfolio I’m proud of here?
- Are alumni working in careers I envision myself in?
- What Makes Designers in Noida and Delhi Stand Out?
Designers who succeed in this region have typically mastered a few essentials:
- A solid grounding in research and concept-formulation
- A distinctive personal voice in their work
- Practical experience via internships, exhibitions, and collaborations
- Regular upskilling in software such as Adobe Suite, Figma, Rhino, etc.
- A skill to narrate through design, not mere aesthetics
Noida, in particular, has experienced a surge in standalone design studios, user experience startups, and homegrown lifestyle and fashion brands. So studying here provides you with exposure and access.
Advice for Future Designers
Before making the jump, here are some realistic tips:
- Don’t follow trends: AI, UX, or green fashion can be “in” today, but select a field you truly love.
- Begin early with sketching and concept development: Don’t pause for perfection—only persist.
- Request feedback: Although it stings slightly, good critique will improve you.
- Curiosity: Read, visit exhibitions, and study people and systems around you.Don’t be afraid of starting small: Every designer starts with messy drafts and failed ideas.
Final Thoughts: Becoming a Designer Is a Journey, Not a Shortcut
If you’ve been asking how to become a designer, you’re already on the right track. It shows you’re ready to think, learn, and question. That’s what design is about.
Your design college won’t define you—your approach, attitude, and curiosity will. So take your time, research deeply, and choose the right design institute in Delhi or Noida that will push you, not just place you.
Because in the end, the best designers aren’t the ones who followed the rules. They’re the ones who questioned them.
