Mumbai, 16 January 2025 | BITS Design School (BITSDES) will close the application window for 2025 admissions to its 4-year residential Bachelor of Design (Honours) programme on January 31, 2025. This intake will be for the second cohort of the programme. BITSDES was set up under the aegis of BITS Pilani – itself established in 1964 and one of the first universities in the private sector to be recognised by the Govt of India in 2020 as an “Institution of Eminence”.
BITSDES has an intake of 180 students for its B Des (Hons) programme which offers five pathways—Physical Product Design, Digital Product Design (UX/UI), Design Research and Insights, Experience Design, and Visual Design.
Admissions to the programme are based on a holistic assessment beginning with the scores of either NID DAT Prelims, UCEED, or the BITS Design Aptitude Test (BITSDAT). Students who plan to apply with the NID DAT Prelim or the UCEED score are also required to submit their BITSDES application by the Jan 31 deadline. They can do so using registration numbers or roll numbers for NID DAT Prelim / UCEED. The application portal will be re-opened between 5th and 8th April for them to upload their scores.
Students also have the option of taking the BITSDAT between March 31 and April 5, 2025. The BITSDAT is a 60-minute test with multiple choice questions on general aptitude and design concepts.
The list of shortlisted candidates based on test scores will be announced on April 14, 2025. Selected candidates will need to upload their portfolios, and online interviews will be scheduled between May 2 to May 12, 2025.
Nandita Abraham, Dean, BITS Design School, said, “BITS Design School is a place where people from around the world come together to harness the power of design and shape a more thoughtful and impactful future. Our students are learning in a transdisciplinary environment and have a strong inclination toward addressing real-world problems through design. We emphasize international exposure, hands-on experiences, and industry-relevant projects, equipping our students to adapt to evolving trends in the global design landscape.”
BITS Design School has collaborated with global institutions to enhance its academic offerings – with Aalto University in Finland for curriculum design and annual review, with Arizona State University for student and faculty exchange, joint research programmes and projects, and with RMIT University in Melbourne, to create opportunities for student/faculty exchange and immersion. The institute has as its advisors, renown professionals and academicians – Don Norman, Founding Director, Design Lab, University of California, San Diego (retired); Biju Dominic, Chief Evangelist, Fractal, and CEO, Final Mile; John Thackara, Sr. Fellow, Royal College of Arts; and Sandy Speicher, Professor, Stanford d. School, Ex-CEO, IDEO. Remarkably, the founding class has had an opportunity to meet and interact with each of the advisors on campus, as have the faculty during the curriculum and pedagogy review. With a strong focus on industry integration, the School has set up a mentorship programme with design professionals who interact with students in small groups to help them understand the design industry landscape and frame their career choices.