BFA Course, Eligibility, Admission Process, Salary and Career Prospects

Updated March 28, 2022

Do you know what the BFA course encompasses in its curriculum and inspires the individuals? It is an undergraduate course that boosts the knowledge and expertise in numerous fine arts disciplines like painting, sculpting, graphic designing, theatre, dance, music, etc., as per the student’s choice. The creativity, pleasure, happiness, etc., hidden under the arts truly inspire students.

Do you know why the solar system makes us wonder & appeal? It’s because of the creativity of god involved in the formation of the solar system. Everything from music to painting has concealed the aesthetic and true essence of arts. Besides, like other undergraduate courses, BFA courses also offer a platform to make a promising career in your interested area. 

What is BFA Full Form?

The BFA Full form is Bachelor of Fine Arts, and it is an undergraduate course that concerns Visual arts or performing arts. The visual arts deals with several important things which are visible in nature like printmaking, painting, sculpture, fashion design, graphic design, ceramics, film making, video, drawing, design, crafts, and architecture. While performing arts are those that could be performed in front of the audience like dance, music, theatres, drama, circus, and several others. These fine arts are now being performed professionally worldwide and make a generous and prosperous career field.

(Bachelor of Fine Arts) BFA Course Details- An Overview  

The Bachelor of Fine Arts is a 3-4 year undergraduate course that provides an in-depth understanding of various artistic disciplines. The program, being a diverse field, offers numerous specializations, including Dance, Music, Painting, Plastic Arts, Printmaking, animation, Drama & Theatre, Fashion Designing, etc. And, the aspiring candidates choose one discipline among them as per their interest and compatibility. On the basis of selecting discipline, the students do a complete study of the course and make a career in the domain. Actor, Musician, Content Writer, Fine Artist, Graphic Designer, amongst others, are some of the popular job profiles for students holding BFA degrees. A perfect example of making a career in such a field is A.R. Rahman, a well-recognized film composer, singer, and songwriter.

How did Students get inspiration for arts to take up and study? The most exciting thing about arts is: we are surrounded by several kinds of art forms at every corner of the world, whether listening to music or physically participating & interacting with a specific art form, for example, sculpting, poetry, sketching, painting, etc. One way or other, these aesthetic arts have existed since the pre-historic period and have been used for communicating and conveying messages to one another. The artistic and aesthetic elements take a new shape and size and are being used for several other purposes. So, it could be said that these fundamentals of creativity are irresistible from our life and, of course, will continue to progress along with human life.

Key Highlights of the Bachelor of Fine Arts Course

Advantages of Studying Bachelor of Fine Arts

The fine arts have been part of life without knowing it. It could be said that art & design has much influences on our everyday life, from getting dressed in the morning to designing our career and business lives. Thoughtfully, it has a far-reaching impact on our daily living, which changes and inspires the perspective of individuals. The following is the list of some significant advantages of fine arts.

(a) The students can get benefitted from the inspiration and insight that the arts & design provides.

(b) It enhances the learning ability of individuals either through visual or performing elements.

(c) It is an essential tool for good conversation with others. An interactive conversation will help you gain plentiful advantages.

(d) The fine arts create a rich vibe and unique ambiance in the surroundings, which help individuals to swing their mood into happiness.

(e) Studying Fine Arts will also help you secure promising and lucrative career opportunities.

When to Pursue the Bachelor of Fine Arts Course?

Bachelor of Fine Arts is a UG course for students having a keen interest in aesthetic things, and their minds can imagine beyond the horizons of ordinary individuals. It is a trending course in India and across the world. Besides, those who wish to pursue the BFA course should have such qualifications:

(a) The aspiring candidates must have a 12th certificate from a recognized institute.

(b) As far as concerned of stream, the BFA course allows all the students from any stream to take up and study.

(c) The students must have secured at least 50-60 aggregate marks in their higher secondary examination. 

What are Documents Require to Get Admission to BFA Course?

In India, there are several colleges that offer admission to study the Fine Arts Disciplines. But, to provide the program, colleges also request pertinent documents from the applicants. Therefore, it is imperative to know what documents are required to secure admission? The minimum document requirements could vary from institute to institute. To just give you a picture, I have mentioned the list of some essential documents required to get entry to the Bachelor of Fine Arts courses:

(I) Migration Certificate

(II) Proof of Disability (if any) (PwD Certificate)

(III) Schooling Leaving Certificate (CLC)

(III) Provisional Certificate

(IV) Proof of (D.O.B) Date of Birth

(V) School leaving certificate

(VI) Character certificate

(VII) Domicile Certificate/ Residential Proof or certificate

(VIII) Mark Sheet and Passing Certificate of Your Xth or XIIth examination

(IX) If required, the institute can ask for Scheduled Caste/ Scheduled Tribe/Other Backward Caste certificates to such category students

Top Entrance Exams for BFA Program

As I have mentioned earlier, several colleges offering admission to the program will demand a bunch of eligibility requirements from the candidates. Each institute prescribed different norms and procedures to provide access to the program. At some colleges, it will be easy to get admitted, while in others, it could be difficult to obtain entry. Apart from these, one of the essential requirements of certain universities to study fine arts is clearing the renowned entrance exams. The popular entrance exams for the Bachelor of Fine Arts program are enlisted below:

(a) DU Entrance Test

(b) BHU Entrance Test

(c) NID DAT (National Institute of Design, Design Aptitude Test)

(d) ITM NEST (ITM National Entrance and Scholarship Test)

(e) AUCET (Andhra University Common Entrance Test)

(f) UPSEE/UPTU (Uttar Pradesh Technical University Test)

(g) CUCET (Common University Entrance Test)

How to Apply for Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) Course?

Since Bachelor of Fine Arts is an undergraduate course, so it is studied right after completing the class XIIth education. The course has its advantage in terms of making career and development of the individuals. You know, arts are visible all around us, from painting to watching movies, and it is right to say that it plays a significant role in our daily life. Though, the popularity of the BFA course has been growing after individuals become aware of the potential. As far as concerning admission to the program, the course could be pursued in two ways; one is the direct-based entry, and the other one is entrance-based entry to the program.

Entrance Based Entry to Study Fine Arts

Entrance-based entry is one of the techniques to join the Bachelor of Fine Arts. It helps the aspirants to get admission into the famous colleges in order to enhance their personality and develop a better understanding. So, if you have decided to go through this way will only get admission after clearing the entrance exam, the institute specifies. Once you get admitted to the reputed colleges, you will get a lot of training and expertise. After that having the degree from such an institute will mend your ways to grab a promising career opportunity. It is so because such institutes will train you in compliance with all industry demands. Here is the general approach to get entry to the program:

(a) Must check the institute’s admission procedures meticulously. After that, they register themselves for admission.

(b) You will proceed with filling out the entrance exam application form, the institute specifies.

(c) The concerning authority will provide you the admit card to take the entrance exam after a few days of application filling. It would be best if you took it with you during the commencement of the examination.

(d) To grab a seat, it is a must for you to have obtained the minimum marks in the entrance test. So, you make sure to get excellent marks on the test.

(e) If you are able to cross the minimum set up marks prescribed by the institute, you may be called for a round of Personal Interviews and Group discussions.

(f) After all these, the institute will publish the shortlisted candidates for the Bachelor of Fine Arts course.

(g) Your last step will be to submit the requisite documents and Admission Fees.

Direct-Based Entry to Study Fine Arts

Admission to top universities is generally based on the entrance exam entry process. But, several other recognized institutes also allow students to join the program on the basis of the Higher Secondary Education mark sheet.

What are the Bachelor of Fine Arts Syllabus and Subjects?

The Bachelor of Fine Arts is one of the professional courses that deal with disciplines different from conventional ones. Under the course, students learn several essential skills which of course become beneficial for making a career in the domain, but also beneficial in the development of personality of the individuals. Talking about its benefit, students embrace a method of communication, learn the various medium of communication, ability to pick up cultural influence, historical value, a wide range of styles, make vibrant public places, and several others. The course is a perfect blend of theoretical and practical learning of the discipline, which gives the true sense of all beautiful things existing around us.

As far as concerned major subjects, Design & Communication Practice, Market Research, Cultural History of India, Printmaking, Basics of Computer Fundamentals, Clay Modelling & Sculpture, etc., are incorporated in the BFA Course. Moreover, the program also makes students get aware of the research, journals, and new findings in the area. Here, I have enlisted the subjects of the BFA courses that are being studied under the course:

Particulars of the Bachelor of Fine Arts Curriculum

What are the Specializations of the BFA Course?

The BFA is a diverse program offering various specializations to study. The students can choose any compatible domain that suits their interests. Some of the popular Bachelor of Fine Arts specializations include the following:

(I) Dance
(II) Music
(III) Painting
(IV) Plastic Arts
(V) Sculpture
(VI) Digital Arts
(VII) Calligraphy
(VIII) Applied Arts
(IX) Textile Design
(X) Cartooning
(XI) Illustration
(XII) Printmaking
(XIII) Photography
(XIV) Pottery & Ceramics
(XV) Drama & Theatre
(XVI) Graphic Designing

Fees Structure of the BFA Course

Several universities offer admission to study Bachelor of Fine Arts course. But, on certain conditions like intermediate with 50-60% marks, qualifying in the entrance exams, creative mind, and several others. In the same way, the different colleges can request a different amount of course fees from the candidates. They have prescribed different charges on the program on the basis of infrastructure and the faculty of education, the regulatory authority, as well as the geographical location of the institute. However, the average amount of course charge on the students could be around Rs.30k to 2lacs for the entire course.

Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA): Jobs and Career Prospects

Creative minds & arts have an immense value all over the world, and various sectors like Cinema, advertising, animation, publishing, art studios, educational institutes, etc., require students to have creative minds and charisma personalities in such areas. The field is growing with time, which leaves a significant impact on human life. The course, inclusive of both practical and theoretical knowledge, also emphasizes providing ethical and professional values to the participating students. Upon completion of the BFA program, the participants can explore numerous promising and challenging career opportunities. Here, I have made a listicle of some prominent job profiles for the graduates, which includes the following:

(a) Actor
(b) Musician
(c) Content Writer
(d) Painter
(e) Art Director
(f) Animator
(g) Fine Artist
(h) Photographer
(i) Multimedia Artist
(j) Graphic Designer
(k) Art Conservator

Employment Spaces after Pursuing BFA Course

The following is the list of some employment spaces for the bachelor of fine arts graduates:

(I) Websites
(II) Fashion Industry
(III) Media Houses
(IV) Theatres and Plays
(V) Film Industry
(VI) Music Industry
(VIII) Advertising Companies
(IX) Newspaper and Magazine Agencies
(X) Computer Graphics Industries
(XI) Educational Institutes
(XII) Photography

Salary of the Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) Graduates

There are numerous employment settings that students can explore to grab a promising career after completing the Bachelor of Fine Arts Course. Along with exciting and challenging career opportunities, the participants can also make generous annual salaries in the domain. However, the remuneration paid to the graduates will be different for different job roles. The average salary of the Bachelor of Fine Arts graduate is around 3-9lakh per annum.

Top Colleges for Bachelor of Fine Arts Course

University of Mumbai, Mumbai

Jamia Millia Islamia – JMI, New Delhi

Sir JJ Institute of Applied Art, Mumbai

Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad

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