World’s Best Automotive Design Schools/Colleges | compiled by Mantra academy
Passion for design and creativity are the benchmarks in becoming a transportation designer, that includes designing a car or bike or any mobility product. The first step is to get trained at a leading design school that aligns with your learning goals and prepares you for the future with required skill sets.
Design schools come in various forms, like variations in tuition fee, scholarships, degrees awarded, connect with the automotive industry and internships provided, course duration, industry-sponsored projects, student exchange programs and much more.
Here is the list of design schools/colleges (listed alphabetically) that we at Mantra academy recommend our candidates for enrolment to advance a career in automotive design. The list is based on the institute’s legacy, connect with the automotive industry, winning design competitions and internship offers.
Art Center College of Design
Location: Pasadena, CA
Founded: 1930
Art Center is a global leader in Art and Design education. Renowned for both its ties to industry and social impact initiatives, the College is the first design school to receive the United Nations’ Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) status.
Faculties at Art Center are industry veterans and entrepreneurs. Students work on projects that are futuristic, realistic and cater to the needs of the global society.
Programs offered: Undergraduate and Postgraduate programs
Click here to know about the admission process at Art Center College of Design.
College for Creative Studies
Location: Detroit, USA
Founded: 1906
College for Creative Studies (CCS) is one of the world’s leading automotive design schools located in Detroit, Michigan, US. It has a very impressive college campus within the most populous and largest city of the US with well-equipped, distinguished space and top-notch facilities for each department of studies.
The original design studios of General Motors are now used as a teaching facility. Students work on industry-sponsored projects for companies such as GM, Nissan, Toyota, etc. Students from CCS also secure internships at top firms around the world.
Programs offered: Undergraduate and Postgraduate programs
Click here to know about the admission process at CCS.
Coventry University
Location: Coventry, UK
Founded: 1946
School of art and design at Coventry University is known for producing highly employable graduates, whose contribution to the automotive industry is tremendous. Students receive support from the faculty who are practitioners and researchers in their respective fields.
Throughout the course, projects will be set with an international focus, enhancing the global experience and broadening mindset. There are timetabled international study trips and opportunities like the Global Leaders Programme (GLP) which gives students that chance to network with influential leaders and captains of industry. Students may have opportunities to take part in online international learning (OIL) projects working collaboratively with students from other design institutions across the world.
Programs offered: Undergraduate and Postgraduate programs
Click here to know about the admission process at Coventry University.
IAAD
Location: Torino
Founded: 1978
IAAD department of “Car Body Architecture” is the first in Italy that opened in Turin in 1978. We know Turin is the epicentre of automotive design and one of the centres of excellence in the international automotive industry.
The aim of the course is to train designers with the importance of knowing the referring market and the society that embodies it. IAAD has good connect with the automotive industry to provide a competitive edge to its students. IAAD has partnerships with Renault, Yamaha, Ducati, Volkswagen, Piaggio, Honda, Mercedes and many more automobile manufacturers. This helps their students to work with leading design experts.
Programs offered: Undergraduate and Graduate programs
Click here to know about the admission process at IAAD.
ISD Rubika
Location: France
Founded: 1973
ISD Rubika is known for its design methodology that goes beyond aesthetics and/or functionality, into a multidisciplinary approach for all projects. Student projects from ISD have won Ferrari’s Top Design School Challenge (2015), IF Concept Design awards (2014).
A wide variety of creative professions is offered at the end of the Cycle Expert Option Automobile & Transport of the ISD Rubika are exterior design of vehicles, Interior design of the interior, design under the hood (automobile), Advance design, User Interface (UI), etc.
Programs offered: Undergraduate and Graduate programs
Click here to know about the admission process at ISD Rubika.
Pforzheim University
Location: Germany
Founded: 1877
Pforzheim is the oldest art and design school. It offers one of the leading automotive programs worldwide. More than 130 years of education in design. The campus is close to well-known automotive headquarters like Bosch, Porsche, and surrounded by leading companies. Transportation degree course at Pforzheim is internationally recognized for its excellence. Its quality is reflected by its enviable reputation. The comprehensive and diverse course focuses on innovative and visionary design projects framed by industrial collaborations with automobile manufacturers throughout the world.
Programs offered: Undergraduate and Graduate programs
Click here to know about the admission process at Pforzheim.
Royal College of Art
Location: London, UK
Founded: 1837
Royal College of Art (RCA) is an entirely postgraduate art and design university in the world. Specializing in teaching and research, RCA offers degrees in MA, MPhil and PhD across various disciplines like fine arts, applied art, design, communications and humanities. At the college’s heart is a firm belief in project-based education, face-to-face teaching and learning and professional orientation. RCA Vehicle Design graduates are in leadership positions with major automotive and transport organizations across the world.
Programs offered: Post Graduate – MA Intelligent Mobility
Click here to know about the admission process at RCA
Strate School of Design
Location: France
Founded: 1993
Strate is a reputed design school. The school claims that there is not a single car company without Strate alumni. Students at Strate are well-trained by experienced designers through master classes and internships in reputed automotive firms.
Programs offered: Master in Design in Transportation
Click here to know about the admission process at Strate School of Design.
Umea Institute of Design
Location: Umea, Sweden
Founded: 1989
Umea University is the fifth oldest within Sweden’s present borders. The Institute is known for its high academic standards. Education at Umea means students to have an open mind on conceptual and realistic design solutions. Most student projects at Umea are to build realistic vehicle concepts for the future. Securing industry internships for Umea students is straightforward because most projects are sponsored by reputed European auto industry.
Programs offered: MFA in Transportation Design
Click here to know about the admission process at Umea Institute of Design.
Mantra academy trains its candidates in tools essential to build an automotive design portfolio. The program ‘Automotive Design & Research’ equips a candidate to understand the car design process, learn and implement creative thinking, perspective sketching, 2D rendering, 3D surface modelling, generate photorealistic renderings and visual presentation. Click here for details.
