Visual Arts Courses: in India, Fees, Colleges, Online, After 12th, Jobs and Salary 2026

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Ishika Ray

Updated 3+ months ago

Visual Art is that form of art that is appealing to sight and is appreciated by sight such as Painting, Design, Crafts, Photography, Film Making, Sculpture, and Architecture.

Visual Arts is not a well known form of Education in India and its awareness and value is growing Year by Year. A Person having Interest in Photography, Painting, etc. have ample of opportunities in this Sector.

Visual Arts Education helps Students understand basics like Drawing, reading and Writing which are crucial Fundamentals of day to day life. It also helps in communicating with others

Visual Arts provides pleasure and creative Imagination and also helps to bring important issues to the public View. Visual Arts helps in self-exploration, self-expression for an individual.

Check Arts Courses

Duration of the above-mentioned courses vary from level to level from Certifications to Masters and Doctorate the duration can vary from a few months (as in certificate courses) to 4 years (in bachelor courses). Many online websites provide the above-mentioned courses free of cost and are of shorter duration with lifetime access. Most students pursue Photography, Drawing, Video and film Making Courses.

Visual Arts Courses: Highlights

Since these courses can be pursued in certifications, UG and PG Level they increase the Employability chances of students and also helps scale new career choices.

Popular Courses
  • Certificate: A plethora of topics ranging from Photography to Visual Communication Design.
  • Diploma & PG Diploma: These include Sketching and Painting.
  • UG: BVA, BFA
  • PG: MFA
  • Doctorate: PhD in Visual Arts.
Duration
  • Certificate: 3 months to 1 year
  • Diploma & PG Diploma: 1-2 years
  • UG: 3-4 years
  • PG: 2 years
  • Doctorate: 2 years
Eligibility
  • Certificate: Pass in Class X or XII from a recognized board
  • Diploma: Pass in Class XII from a recognized board
  • PG Diploma: Graduation from a recognized university with specialisation in any Visual Art as a subject.
  • UG: Pass in 10+2 from a recognized board
  • PG: Pass in UG from a recognized University with Arts as a subject
  • Doctorate: Pass in PG program with Visual Art as major subject
Average Fees
  • Certificate: INR 10,000-50,000
  • Diploma & PG Diploma: INR 5,000-30,000
  • UG: INR 1,00,000-3,00,000
  • PG: INR 1,00,000-5,00,000
  • Doctorate: INR 10,000-2,75,000
Online Courses Available
Types of Online Courses edx, Coursera, Udemy, etc. (Includes Paid and Unpaid courses)
Top Job Prospects
  • After completing the desired course, one can go on to become Advertising art director, Art therapist, Commercial art gallery manager, Community arts worker.
Average Salary
  • Certificate: INR 2-3 lakh
  • Diploma: INR 2-4 lakh
  • UG: INR 3-6 lakh
  • PG: INR 4-8 lakh
  • Doctorate: INR 9-12 lakh

As we have got a brief idea of Visual Art courses by now let's dive a bit deep into this boundless ocean of the course.

Certificate Visual Arts Courses

Certificate Visual Arts Courses

Many Institutes provide online as well offline courses and a candidate can opt for the said in his desirous way. As online courses take lesser time than offline courses the demand for the same is increasing day by day i.e. more and more students are joining the online courses

Those students who want to spend their vacations after 10th and 12th figuring out a plan ahead for the future can opt for such courses. Also earning such small certificates can help them to improve their Profile.

Online Visual Arts Course Certificates

A Lot of platforms provide online education for the shorter duration of these courses. We have curated some of the courses below for better decision making.

Certificate Provider Duration Fees (INR)
Drawing Udemy 26.5 Hours 370
Discover how to draw and Paint Udemy, Coursera 62 -100 hours 350-1200
Fashion as Design Udemy, Coursera 10-20 hours Free

These are just a few of the many courses available online. Other programs might include Visual art healing, VFX design, 3D Modelling, etc.

Offline Visual Arts Course Certificates

Apart from online courses there are many courses available in offline mode. For these students will have to visit physically depending on the Time provided by the institution. We have enlisted some of the top courses below.

Certificate Provider Duration Fees
Certificate in Animation SRI SRI University, Konsult 5 months INR 8,000
Certificate in Painting Sampratishta School of fine Arts, NIFA 1 month INR 5,000-7,000
Certificate in Graphic design SRI SRI University, Pearl academy 3 months INR 5,000-10,000

How are Admissions in Certificate Programs of Visual Arts Courses Done?

Admissions for these Certificates does not have any prerequisites i.e. there are no entrance tests.

  • One can simply apply for online courses through the Providers website.
  • For offline Courses A candidate may have to visit the course provider.

Colleges for Offline Visual Arts Certificate Courses

College Name Location Fees Duration
SRI SRI University Cuttack INR 5000 3 months
NIFA Gurgaon INR 10000 1-3 Months
Diploma and PG Diploma Visual Arts Courses

Diploma and PG Diploma Visual Arts Courses

Some Institutes offer Diploma Courses (3 years) as well as Post Graduate Diploma Courses (2 years). The Diploma Courses can be pursued after you have completed 12th or 10th class while Post Graduate Diploma can be done after one has completed Graduation.

These courses give you a wide briefing about the course which can help you decide the field for your graduation. These courses can be preferred by those who want to enter the Job Sector soon or those who do not want to dive deep and give 3 to 4 years for those courses.

Top Diploma Visual Arts Courses

Some of the popular diploma courses which can be pursued in Visual Arts are given below.

Diploma Name Colleges Offering Average Fees Mode
Diploma in Sketching and Illustration Konsult Art, Sam Pratishta INR 15,000-30,000 online
Diploma in Graphic Design Pacific University, Himanshu Art School, Aligarh Muslim University, National Institute of Computer Arts INR 20,000-1 lakh Offline
Diploma in Animation NIDT Institute for Animation and Visual FX, University of Mumbai, Kakatiya University INR 4,000-12,000 Offline

Diploma courses can be pursued in multiple fields according to your need like in Scripture Making, Clay modelling, etc.

Top PG Diploma Visual Arts Courses

PG Diploma courses are pursued after one has completed his or her graduation. 

Some of the top PG Diploma Computer Courses in India are given below. In addition to that, some online courses from foreign universities are also mentioned.

PG Diploma Name Colleges Offering Average Fees Mode
Post Graduate Diploma in Fine Arts Bangalore University INR 20,000 -1 lakh Offline
Post Graduate Diploma in Mass Journalism Indian Institute of Mass Communication INR 47000 -160000 Offline
PG Diploma in Film Television and Studies Institute of mass communication film & television studies INR 80000 -120000 Offline

How are Admission in Diploma and PG Diploma Visual Arts Courses Done?

Admission for diploma courses are solely done on the basis of merit. The merit score cut-off list is released by the concerned college after all the applicants have filled their applications.

  • For the Diploma courses, merit of Class XII score is considered, while Graduation score is considered for PG Diploma.
  • In the case of a few online diploma courses, as mentioned in the table above, the selection process is almost the same.

Top Colleges for Diploma and PG Diploma Visual Arts Courses

Given below are the colleges in India which offer computer courses as both diploma and PG diplomas.

Colleges for Diploma Visual Arts Courses

College Name Location Fees
Apeejay Institute of Design New Delhi INR 1,32,000
Vogue Institute of Art and Design Bangalore INR 2,28,000
International Institute of Fine Arts Modinagar INR 1,30,000

Colleges for PG Diploma Visual Arts Courses

College Name Location Fees
Apeejay Institute of Design New Delhi INR 1,22,000
Pearl Academy Mumbai INR 4,12,000
Vogue Institute of Art and Design Bangalore INR 2,28,000
Bachelor Visual Arts Courses

Bachelor Visual Arts Courses

A bachelor’s degree in visual arts enables a candidate to get a deep knowledge of the course enabling them for good employable benefits. A Bachelor’s degree can qualify degree holders for careers in visual graphics, VFX and animation, Graphic design, Sculpture making, Film making, photography, etc.

This course can range from a duration of 3 to 4 years. Also, A person can opt for some specialisations. These courses can cost you from 3 to 4 lakhs.

Admission in these courses are done by entrance exams conducted at National, State and university Level and on the merit basis too. A person should have scored a minimum 55% in 12th to be eligible for this course. These are classroom programs and are most sought after courses. In this course one gets ample of Branches to choose from.

Top UG Visual Arts Courses

Courses Colleges Duration Fees Median Salary
Bachelor of Visual Arts NID, Stella Maris College 4 Years INR 7.21 LPA INR 15 LPA
Bachelor of Fine Arts Amity, AMU, Jamia Islamia 4-5 Years INR 70,000 INR 10 LPA
Bachelor of Design NID, NIFT 4 Years INR 7.21 - 11 LPA INR 4-15 LPA

How are Admissions in Bachelor Visual Arts Courses Done?

Admission to this course is done on the basis of score obtained in various entrance exams. These entrance exams are taken at national, state or university level. Also, Students are selected on merit basis and They can also avail scholarships based on their scores.

Bachelor Visual Arts Course Entrance Exams

Entrance Exam Conducting Body
BHU UET Banaras Hindu University
JNAFAU Jawaharlal Nehru Architecture and Fine Arts University 
DU Entrance exam Delhi University
UPSEE Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Technical University

Colleges for Bachelor Visual Arts Courses

Colleges  Location Fees Salary
NID Ahmedabad INR 7.21L INR 15 LPA
Amity University Gurgaon INR 70K INR 10 LPA
Faculty of Fine Arts M. S. University  Vadodara INR 138440 INR 4 LPA
Master Visual Arts Courses

Master Visual Arts Courses

Earning a master’s degree helps individuals gain the advanced training and leadership skills necessary to conduct research and supervise technological teams. Master’s programs typically require 2-3 years.

Top Master’s Visual Art Courses

Master of Visual Art

It is a Postgraduate course in Visual Art. It is generally for 2 years as part of an MVA course candidates are taught subjects such as dance, theatre, painting, sculpture making, photography, architecture and the likes. In an MVA course aspirants are educated to develop a better understanding of visual arts and culture.

Eligibility Criteria

Candidates are eligible to apply for an MVA course if they have cleared their graduation degree with passing marks from a recognised university/ institute. Usually candidates who possess a bachelor’s degree in the specialisation they opt for in their MVA course are preferred for admission.

Candidates who opt to pursue an MVA course should be creative. Some other skills that an MVA aspirant should possess are listed below:

  • Good Drawing Skills
  • Creativity
  • Knowledge of colours
  • Knowledge of Materials

Some of the good colleges offering MVA are

  • Maharaja Sayajirao university of Baroda
  • Utkal university of culture
  • Amity university

Master of Design

A Master of Design degree is the gateway to specialise and research as it an advanced degree to conquer the Fashion and Design Industry. The scope of Master of Design degree is huge as it opens opportunities in various streams such as Industrial Engineering and Design, Product Research Analyst, Communication Design, Product Design and Engineering, Visual Design, Animation and Automotive Designing.

Eligibility: A candidate should Possess a Valid 4 Year degree.

Skills Required:

  • Observational Skills
  • Communicative Skills
  • Project Planning and Management

Colleges

  • NID Ahmedabad
  • National Institute of Fashion Technology
  • UPES School of design

How are Admissions in Masters Visual Arts Courses Done?

Admission to these courses are done on the basis of Entrance tests conducted at National Level, State level and College Levels. A candidate is required to have Obtained a Graduation degree from a recognized Institute or University and Should have obtained a minimum 50% in the degree course. Some Colleges accept Applications based on Profile and Score.

Masters Visual Arts Courses Entrance Exams

Entrance Exam Conducted By
BHU PET BHU
Kurukshetra University Entrance Exam Kurukshetra University
AMU Entrance Exam AMU

Colleges for Masters Visual Arts Courses

Colleges  Location Fees (INR) Salary (INR)
NID Ahmedabad INR 7.21L INR 15 LPA
Amity University Gurgaon INR 70K INR 10LPA
Faculty of Fine Arts M. S. University  Vadodara INR 138440 INR 4LPA
PhD Visual Arts Courses

PhD Visual Arts Courses

A Doctor of Philosophy is the highest university degree that is conferred after a course of study by universities and to those who want to do some research work in a particular field.

This course is opted by those who want to dive deep in a particular area of their study, who want to research oriented works.

Top PhD Visual Arts Courses

PhD in Visual Arts

Research is a systematic investigation into the phenomenon that results into the development of significant insights. The work of the thesis is an original and significant contribution to the advancement of world knowledge.

Eligibility: A candidate should Possess a Master's Degree from a University recognized.

Skills Required

  • Good understanding of Design
  • Good understanding of material and its uses
  • Good Communication

Colleges

  • IIT Kanpur
  • Indira Gandhi National Open University
  • Lovely Professional University

How are Admissions in PhD Visual Arts Courses Done?

Most of the colleges offer admission to PhD Fine Arts courses on the basis of Entrance Exams. After the entrance exam, the candidates are generally called for a personal interview where they are asked about their research ideas and art skills.

PhD Visual Arts Course Entrance Exams

Entrance Exam Conducted By
UGC NET NTA
AMUEEE Aligarh Muslim University
Lovely Professional University Entrance Test Lovely Professional University

Colleges for PhD Visual Arts Courses

NIRF Ranking Colleges  Location
12 Jadavpur University Kolkata
44 Panjab University Chandigarh
- IGNOU New Delhi
What are the Top Job Options After Visual Arts Courses?

What are the Top Job Options After Visual Arts Courses?

Candidates desirous of becoming an artist have Plethora of Job opportunities for them in sectors such as animation, Fashion, Television, etc but the type of job one can secure after obtaining a degree/ diploma/ certificate in Arts varies as per the chosen specialisation. Check out the different job profiles available for fine/ visual/ performing artists below:

Art Director

An art director is responsible for the overall visual style in a magazine, newspaper, movie or television production. The director creates the overall design and directs other staff who develop artwork.

Average Salary: INR 8 LPA

Skills Required

  • Strong aesthetic sense
  • technical knowledge of design software
  • ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines
  • leadership skills to head the art/design team.

Visual Designer

Job responsibilities of a visual designer include creating branding projects from the start, developing campaigns, providing quality art direction, and leading a team of designers.

Average Salary: INR  7 LPA

Skills Required

  • Understanding of Design Software.
  • Good leadership skills.
  • Good understanding of Designing Softwares.

Painter

Using the creative ability along with drawing, sketching and colouring skills, a painter creates different artworks in the form of paintings. A painter can create different types of paintings such as water colour painting, oil painting, ink wash painting, acrylic painting, and glass painting and can exhibit or sell his/ her work at art galleries.    

Average Salary: INR 2 to 4 LPA  

Skills Required

  • Ability to complete projects on-time and on-budget.
  • Excellent communication and team-building skills.

Graphic Designer

A graphic designer is a professional who creates visual concepts by hand or by using software on a computer. A graphic designer develops complete layout and production design for advertisements, magazines, brochures, etc.

Average Salary: INR 4LPA

Skills Required:

  • Exceptional creativity and innovation.
  • Excellent time management and organisational skills.
  • Accuracy and attention to detail.

Cartoonist

A cartoonist is a professional who draws cartoons for different print publications (such as newspapers and magazines) as well as television and films where they prepare model drawings and sketches of characters. A cartoonist sometimes also draws special effects for animation projects.

Average Salary: INR 3 to 5 LPA

Skills Required:

  • Computer skills
  • Natural ability in drawing and design
  • Ability to tell a story
What Skills are Required in Visual Arts Courses?

What Skills are Required in Visual Arts Courses?

There are many courses to opt for and of varied durations but Pursuing those require few skills though they are not of that highly technological requirements but a student of such technical skills will always be preferred. We have curated basic skills required for this course along with syllabus and providers. Have a look below:

Painting

Paint might be literally superficial, but a good paint job or a bad one makes a huge difference in the look, and feel of a building, office space, or home.

Skill Required

  • Ability to draw from life
  • Ability to imagine from a different perspective
  • Attention to detail
  • Knowledge of art materials and their skilful use

Top Painting Courses

Courses Offered By Platform Duration Fees
Post war Painting Cory D’ Augustine Coursera 27 Hours Free  
Ultimate digital painting course Jaysen batchelor Udemy 27 hours INR 360
European Painting Uc3M Edx 7 weeks INR 7276

AutoCAD

It is computer aided design and drafting Software Application used for designing and drafting various drawings with the required dimensions. In AutoCAD one can see the product made without actually making it along with certain parameters like dimensions, materials used, etc.

Skills Required

  • A good understanding of AutoCAD operation
  • Ability to imagine

Top AutoCAD Courses

Courses Offered By Platform Duration Fees
A complete AutoCAD course Jaiprakash Pandey Udemy, website 18.5 hours INR 555  
AutoCAD for designing and drafting Autodesk Coursera 17 hours Free
AutoCAD Project 2D and 3D Awais jamil YouTube, Udemy 13 hours INR 475
Comparison between BVA and BA in Visual Arts

Comparison between BVA and BA in Visual Arts

Parameters Bachelors of Visual Arts (BVA) BA Visual Arts
Overview It involves learning in the areas of art history, life drawing, sculpture, animation, performance, painting, drawing, photography, printmaking, and film. It involves studies in the areas of Drawing, Sculpting, Painting, Literature, Music, Dance, Architecture, and theatre.
Duration 4 years 3 years
Eligibility 10+2 10+2
Course fees INR 50,000 - 6,00,000 INR 30,000 - 3,00,000
Salary Package INR 4,00,000 - 20,00,000 per annum INR 3,00,000 - 8,00,000 per annum
Job Options Costume Designer, Visual Designer, Art Director, etc. Visual Designer, Animator, Graphic Designer, Aerial Photographer, Cartoonist, Museum Artist, Film-maker, etc.
Visual Arts Courses: FAQs

Visual Arts Courses: FAQs

Ques. What do Visual arts Classes do?

Ans. Visual art classes provide you with practical experience in painting, photography, Drawing, etc. the major will enhance your understanding of art both within the history of culture and as an individual human achievement.

Ques. What is it like to attend School of Visual Arts?

Ans. After attending the art school you will be completely immersed in practical and theoretical modules related to the art forms It can help in thinking outside the box.

Ques. What are the career opportunities for fine (visual) arts graduates?

Ans. After completing the Visual Arts course one can go on to become a cartoonist, photographer, Video editor, film making and many more options to choose from.

Ques. What is the full form of BVA and BFA?

Ans. BVA stands for Bachelor of Visual Arts whereas BFA stands for Bachelor of Fine Arts.

Ques. What can be done after BVA?

Ans. After completing BVA one can choose to do Higher education that is a Master’s course or can go for a Job in Desired field.

Ques. How much time does it take to learn AutoCAD?

Ans. AutoCAD can be divided into two parts 2D and 3D and depending on your adaptability one can complete his course. The average duration of course is 6 months.

Ques. How much time does it take to complete a post-graduation in visual arts?

Ans. Post-Graduation can be done in two forms. One is a Post graduate diploma in visual arts and the other is master of visual arts. Both are of 2 years duration and can be completed in that allotted time. However, there may be some online courses that can help them do it in less time.

Ques. Can I learn courses in visual arts at home?

Ans. Yes one can learn the courses in visual arts at home there are many websites and institutes that provide online education in visual arts. One can do short term certificates and diplomas in visual arts.

Ques. How much will it cost me to learn any course in visual arts?

Ans. The cost varies on the course chosen. A candidate can opt for certificate, diploma, bachelor, master as well as Ph D courses all having different expenses. Certificate courses can cost INR 5000 to INR 15000, Diplomas can cost up to INR 1 Lakh, Degrees can cost anywhere between INR 1L to 3L, Post-graduation can cost up to 5Lakhs.

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