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2 Years   |   India and France   |   RECE Work Permit on Graduation
The Design Village x L'Ecole de Design Nantes Atlantique, France

MASTERS OF DESIGN

A 2-year Masters in Design Strategy and Innovation, split between TDV Noida and L'Ecole de Design Nantes Atlantique. Your first semester builds the strategic foundations at TDV, with an Alliance Francaise course for the time you will spend in France. Then you move to LEDNA Nantes for two full semesters inside a studio with students from more than 40 nationalities, working on live projects with European companies across five live design themes. One in two graduates is employed on the day they finish. And for those who want to build a career in France, the RECE Post-Study Work Permit gives you two years to find work in Europe, the right to work part-time throughout, and a path to the Talent Passport once you land a qualifying role.

LEDNA Masters studio Nantes
YOUR FOUR SEMESTERS

How the Masters Works.

Start at TDV, move to Nantes for two full semesters of advanced studio work, and finish with a global internship. Before you graduate, LEDNA's team supports your RECE Work Permit application so you leave with a French government permit already in hand.

01
Semester 1

Foundation at TDV Noida

Design strategy foundations at TDV. Alliance Francaise language course before the France semesters begin. Get familiar with your cohort before you all head to Nantes together.

Noida, India
02
Semester 2

Core M.Des at LEDNA Nantes

Core Masters curriculum in Design Strategy and Innovation. Topic-related projects with industry partners. English-taught alongside students from more than 40 nationalities at LEDNA.

Nantes, France
03
Semester 3

Final Project and Dissertation

Your end-of-studies project, supervised by an appointed design consultant with industry collaborators. Jury presentation and defence. RECE application prepared before graduation.

Nantes, France
04
Semester 4

Global Internship

4 to 6 months working as a junior designer in France or internationally. You graduate with both diplomas and the RECE Work Permit application already submitted.

Global
~€700/mo
LEDNA-supported residences
~€1/meal
French government subsidised for enrolled students
~€8,500/yr
All-in. Well below other EU design cities.
CREDENTIALS

What You Graduate With.

Two degrees, one from each institution. Plus the right to work in France.

O.P. Jindal Global University
Master of Design (M.Des)
UGC-approved. The same Masters degree awarded to TDV's India-based M.Des graduates. Recognised across Indian design industry and academia.
L'Ecole de Design Nantes Atlantique
Diplome de designer, M.Des in Design Strategy and Innovation
A Masters-level diploma certified by the French Ministry of Higher Education. Bac+5 level. Member of the Conference des Grandes Ecoles. Qualifies graduates for the RECE Post-Study Work Permit.
RECE POST-STUDY WORK PERMIT

Two Years to Find Work in France

Graduates of the 2-year Masters programme are eligible to apply for the RECE (Recherche d'emploi ou creation d'entreprise), the French government Post-Study Work Permit. It gives 2 years to find work in France with the right to work part-time throughout. Once a qualifying role is secured, graduates convert to a Talent Passport for long-term residency. LEDNA's team supports the application process before graduation.

Master of Design (M.Des), O.P. Jindal Global University (UGC-approved)
Diplome de designer, M.Des in Design Strategy and Innovation, LEDNA
2 Years across 4 Semesters
English throughout
RECE Post-Study Work Permit, eligible on graduation
₹29.9 Lakh
HIGHLIGHTS

Why the Masters.

Advanced Design Strategy

The Masters shifts from studio skill-building to strategic design leadership: complex problem framing, innovation strategy, and collaboration with companies at an organisational level. On top of TDV's foundation, LEDNA's industry-facing curriculum takes that further than any India-only Masters can.

Industry Projects Every Semester

LEDNA's Masters curriculum is built around direct industry collaboration in Nantes. Projects in Semesters 2 and 3 run with real clients and are evaluated by professional juries. LEDNA's 1,000 corporate partners in France and Europe ensure that the briefs are live and the standards match what practice actually looks like.

1 in 2 Employed on Graduation Day

LEDNA's own survey of 2024 Masters graduates found one in two employed on the day of graduation. 78% of all alumni find employment within 12 months. 80% are satisfied with their jobs five years later. A direct result of a curriculum that plugs students into industry from Semester 1.

Work Permit in France on Graduation

Masters graduates are eligible for the RECE, 2 years to find work in France, with the right to work part-time throughout and a direct path to the Talent Passport. LEDNA prepares the application before graduation. Most Indian design programmes offer no route to Europe at all. This one ends with two.

Nantes Costs Less Than Any Alternative

CROUS university canteens serve meals at €1 per the French government's student support programme. Housing through LEDNA's networks runs approximately €700 per month. The full academic year in Nantes costs well under €8,500, a fraction of what students spend in London, Milan, or Amsterdam.

French Ministry Certified Diploma

The Diplome de designer is a Bac+5 level qualification regulated by the French Ministry of Higher Education. The same diploma LEDNA's French students receive, not a separate international variant. Awarded by a Conference des Grandes Ecoles member, alongside your UGC-approved M.Des from O.P. Jindal Global University.

PATHWAYS

Where This Takes You.

Design Strategist

Lead design thinking and innovation strategy inside organisations. LEDNA's industry-facing curriculum prepares graduates for this from the first semester, not as an afterthought.

Innovation Consultant

Bring design methods into consulting and innovation practice at management firms, design consultancies, and in-house innovation teams across India and Europe.

Creative Director

Lead creative teams in studios, agencies, or brand organisations. LEDNA Masters alumni in creative direction roles typically reach there ahead of the industry average, per CGE survey data.

ADMISSIONS PROCESS

How to Apply.

There is no separate LEDNA entrance exam. Once you are admitted to TDV, enrolment in the LEDNA partnership follows automatically. The process is straightforward.

  • A Bachelor of Design (Hons.) or equivalent design degree from any recognised institution
  • Online application with personal details, programme choice, transcripts, and identity documents
  • Design aptitude assessment, TDV's standard entrance test
  • Portfolio review and studio test at TDV Noida
  • Personal interview
  • Offer of admission and seat confirmation

No prior art or drawing background is required. English proficiency is assessed during the interview. The design aptitude test is designed for curious, analytical minds, not just art school graduates.

Apply Now Talk to Admissions
Student at L'Ecole de Design Nantes Atlantique
LIVING IN NANTES

More Affordable Than
Any Major EU City.

Nantes is a university city built for students, not tourists. The French government subsidises meals at university canteens across the country, and LEDNA has partnerships with Studapart and CROUS residence networks to keep housing costs manageable. Studying design in Europe does not have to mean paying London or Milan prices. The full academic year in Nantes costs well under what students spend in any other comparable European design city.

Nantes
~€850
Per month, all-in. CROUS meals from €1. Housing €700/month. Transport and personal included.
London
~€2,200
Per month estimate for international design students
Milan
~€1,500
Per month estimate for international design students
Amsterdam
~€1,600
Per month estimate for international design students
Paris
~€1,700
Per month estimate for international design students

Nantes figures based on CROUS pricing (€1/meal per French government student support policy) and LEDNA housing partnerships (approx. €700/month). Other city figures are indicative estimates from published student living cost surveys. Individual circumstances vary.

THE PARTNER

L'Ecole de Design Nantes
Atlantique (LEDNA)

Founded in 1988, L'Ecole de Design Nantes Atlantique is among the most internationally connected design schools in France. LEDNA is ranked 1st in France for postgraduate design and sits in the global top 200 to 240 in the QS World University Rankings. It holds the Bienvenue en France three-star label, awarded by Campus France for the quality of welcome and services for international students, and is a member of the Conference des Grandes Ecoles.

On top of everything TDV already brings to a student's education, LEDNA adds a worldwide alumni community of 4,500 designers, students from over 40 nationalities in one place, academic partnerships across more than 40 countries, and a live corporate network of 1,000 companies that bring real briefs into the Nantes studios every year.

LEDNA campus Nantes
QS Rankings
1st in France for postgraduate design. Top 200 globally.
Alumni Network
4,500 graduates across over 40 nationalities worldwide
Industry
1,000 corporate partners. Live briefs in every year in Nantes.
International
120 academic partners across 40+ countries
FAQS

Frequently Asked Questions

Masters of Design in Noida and Nantes.

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