Higher National Diploma in Fashion and Lifestyle Design at Institute of Apparel Management

Institute of Apparel Management offers Higher National Diploma in Fashion and Lifestyle Design as a 3-year diploma degree. The total fee on record is ₹5.1 lakh, which works out to about ₹1.7 lakh a year.

Expect to spend most of your time on design thinking, drawing, materials and digital tools, built around a portfolio of studio projects.

Institute of Apparel Management is a private institute, founded in 2007. This page brings together what is on record for this course at Institute of Apparel Management — fees, seats, eligibility, the admission route and placements — so you can judge it before you apply.

Most UGD programmes follow a similar pattern: the first year builds the foundations, the middle years go deep into the subject, and the final year is given over to electives, a major project and usually an internship.

Here that means design thinking, drawing, materials and digital tools, built around a portfolio of studio projects. Typical first jobs: designer roles in product, fashion, communication or UX.

The exact syllabus is set by the college or its affiliating university and changes from year to year, so ask Institute of Apparel Management for the current semester-wise plan.

The fee figures on record for this course are below. Fees are for the whole course unless marked otherwise.

Colleges revise fees most years, and hostel, transport and exam charges are often billed separately. Confirm the current figure with Institute of Apparel Management before you pay anything.

To get into Higher National Diploma in Fashion and Lifestyle Design, you usually need Class 12 in any stream.

Admission to this kind of course is usually through UCEED, NID DAT and NIFT. Reserved-category candidates generally get a relaxation in the minimum marks. Check Institute of Apparel Management's prospectus for the exact cut-off this year.

In most years, admission follows these steps:

1. Check that you meet the eligibility above and register for the entrance exam in time.
2. Take UCEED, NID DAT and NIFT and keep your scorecard.
3. Apply to Institute of Apparel Management or through the enquiry form on this page, and take part in counselling if a state or central body runs it.
4. Once you are offered a seat, verify your documents (marksheets, ID, category certificate if any) and pay the admission fee to confirm it.

Institute of Apparel Management runs 3 UGD specialisations in all. If this one is not quite right, compare it with:

• Higher National Diploma in Fashion Communication
• Higher National Diploma in Fashion Production Management

Ask yourself — and the college — these questions first:

• Are you genuinely interested in design thinking? You will spend 3 years on it.
• Can you manage ₹5.1 lakh over the course, plus hostel and living costs? Ask about scholarships and education loans.
• What do recent graduates of this course actually go on to do?
• How does Institute of Apparel Management compare with other colleges offering UGD?