CEPT University: Faculty of Design

CEPT University in Ahmedabad traces its origins to 1962, when it was founded as the School of Architecture. Over six decades it has grown into a university with faculties covering architecture, design, planning, technology, and management. The Faculty of Design, while younger than the architecture programmes, benefits from the institution's deep rootedness in Ahmedabad's design and built-environment culture.

The B.Des programme covers interaction design, communication design, industrial design, and furniture and interior design. The teaching approach draws on CEPT's broader interdisciplinary environment: design students regularly interact with architecture and planning students, and projects frequently engage with the city itself. Ahmedabad, a UNESCO World Heritage City, provides an exceptional urban laboratory for design education.

CEPT's Material Library and Workshop Studios are widely regarded as excellent facilities for material exploration and hands-on making. The proximity to NID Ahmedabad also means students benefit from a city that takes design seriously at a cultural level, with events, exhibitions, and professional communities that extend well beyond campus.

Graduates have gone into interaction design, brand communication, product development, and spatial design. Some have pursued M.Des at CEPT itself or at institutions abroad. The alumni network is well connected within the Ahmedabad and Mumbai design industries.

Admission to B.Des is through CEPT's own entrance test, not UCEED. This is an important distinction: students who do not appear for UCEED can still apply to CEPT. B.Arch admission uses NATA scores. Apply directly at cept.ac.in; check the university website for current application timelines and test formats.

CEPT University's faculty structure reflects the institution's commitment to maintaining breadth and depth across design disciplines. Faculty members maintain active professional practices alongside their academic roles, bringing current industry perspectives into studio teaching. The institution also benefits from faculty cross-pollination with the Faculty of Architecture and the Faculty of Planning and Public Policy, giving design students exposure to thinking about space, systems, and public life beyond the product or screen.

Ahmedabad provides an exceptional context for design education. The old city core, a UNESCO World Heritage area, is a living laboratory in urban design, historic preservation, and craft traditions. CEPT students regularly work in the city as part of studio projects, engaging with residents, craftspeople, and local businesses. The proximity to NID Ahmedabad also means the city has a concentrated design community with events, exhibitions, and professional networks that extend well beyond any single institution.

CEPT graduates work across interaction design, communication design, product design, spatial design, and user experience roles in India and internationally. Many have gone on to M.Des programmes at NID, IITs, or leading international schools. Some have joined architecture and planning firms where their interdisciplinary background is valued.

The CEPT alumni network is strongly embedded in the Ahmedabad and Mumbai design communities, with many alumni running studios or holding leadership positions at design and architecture firms. Apply directly through cept.ac.in for B.Des or B.Arch.