Top 10 Online Interior Design Courses (2024)

Interior designer education requirements vary from state to state. If you want to earn a certification or brush up on your skills, one of these online interior design courses can help you achieve your goals.

Our list of online interior design classes includes courses that lead to certification and inexpensive classes that can help you better understand specific design aspects.

Is a Certificate in Interior Design Worth it?

If you’re considering a career in interior design or would like to sit for the NCIDQ, the largest interior design certification exam, earning a certification through an interior design course can be helpful.

But before signing up for a course, here’s what to consider:

• The type of certification. A certificate of completion from a place like Udemy is not on the same level as a certificate from an established online design course. A college-level certification program is the better option for an interior design career.
• The price. Online interior design courses range from $10 – $27,000. You can find moderately priced, quality courses in the $1,000 – $3,000 range. It only makes sense to pay more if you plan to pursue a degree from that particular school.
• School accreditation. Some states, like Arkansas, require interior designers to earn a degree from a CIDA-accredited school or its equivalent. While most states have much more lax laws, it’s good to check your state guidelines for school accreditation requirements.

The Best Online Interior Design Courses

Browse these online interior design courses to find the one best suited to your needs.

The Interior Design Institute

• Certification: Yes, Diploma
• Course Length: Self-paced (24 weeks – 12 months)
• Price: $999
• Website: The Interior Design Institute Course

The Interior Design Institute offers a self-paced course with 12 modules and 12 assignments. The average course completion time is 24 weeks, but students have up to 12 months to finish the coursework. There are no fixed start or end dates, so you can begin anytime.

The course has 12 sections covering topics such as lighting, colors, art history, space planning, interior finishes, and setting up a business. You can also purchase advanced modules if you want to dive deeper into a specific area. Each student is assigned a personal tutor and gains access to a special students-only Facebook group.

After completion, students receive a diploma and a free website to showcase their portfolio.

New York Institute of Art and Design

• Certification: Yes
• Course Length: Self-paced
• Price: $999
• Website: New York Institute of Art and Design Certification

The New York Institute of Art and Design Interior Design Course is certified by the Designer Society of America. Students who complete the course qualify to sit for the Residential Interior Design Qualification Certification (RIDQC.)

The interior design course from NYIAD includes six units and 13 hours of video instruction. The course teaches design concepts and business strategies, like working with clients. They also have a mentor program, pairing each student with a design mentor available via phone or email.

New York School of Interior Design

• Certification: Yes
• Course Length: 12 Months
• Price: $27,600
• Website: New York School of Interior Design Certification

The New York School of Interior Design offers its Basic Interior Design certification online or on-site. The course includes 24 credit hours, focusing on the foundation of interior design with lessons on drawing, design history, and design concepts. Credits received from the certification course are transferable to an AAS or BFA.

The online course includes pre-recorded lectures and assignments, so you can work when convenient. Since this course is expensive, it’s best for those considering a degree program at the New York School of Interior Design since the credits are transferable.

Berkeley College

• Certification: Yes
• Course Length: 2 semesters/30 weeks
• Price: $2,895
• Website: Berkeley College Interior Design Certificate

The Berkeley College interior design certificate is a two-semester online or on-site program, with two courses each semester. Students must complete the semester one course before moving on. The four courses in this certification program are Architectural Visualization, Sketching & Color Composition, CAD I, and Materials, Textiles, & Finishes.

All credits earned in the Interior Design Certification are transferable toward an AAS or BFA for eligible students.

British College of Interior Design

• Certification: Yes, Diploma
• Course Length: 12-24 weeks
• Price: €445
• Website: British College of Interior Design Certificate

The British College of Interior Design certification is a self-paced course you can complete in 12 or 24 weeks. The course contains twelve modules covering design concepts and business skills needed to be an interior designer. Each class comes with assignments.

Upon completion of the program, they’ll award you with a diploma. You can also apply for an I.D. pass which states you’ve completed an interior design program. The program costs €445 if you pay in full, but many payment options exist.

Parsons School of Design

• Certification: Yes
• Course Length: 18 months
• Price: $7,120
• Website: The New School Interior Architecture Design Certificate

The New School/Parsons School of Design offers an interior design certification program that contains eight courses. Covered courses include Basic Interior Space Planning, Basic Drafting, Color Theory, Drawing Interiors, Commercial Interior Design, Residential Interior Design, and two electives.

Courses are taught via video lectures, online collaboration through small classes, and industry expert interviews.

UpSkillist

• Certification: Yes
• Course Length: 16 weeks
• Price: $69.99/month
• Website: Upskillist Interior Design Courses

UpSkillist (formerly Shaw Academy) is an online learning platform offering courses across popular sectors. If you’re looking for an inexpensive interior design course, it’s a good option to try. You can get started with a free trial and then pay as little as $69.99 per month.

The Interior Design Course from UpSkillist contains four modules with 32 lessons. It takes 16 weeks, with a certificate upon completion.

MasterClass

• Certification: No
• Course Length: Variable
• Price: $180/year
• Website: MasterClass

MasterClass is an online course platform where “the world’s best” teach classes in their area of expertise. While there’s no certification from MasterClass, you can learn about interior design from top designers such as Kelly Wearstler and Corey Damen Jenkins.

With a MasterClass annual membership, you can take classes on any topic, and there is much to choose from.

Coursera

• Certification: Some Certificate Programs
• Course Length: Variable
• Price: Variable
• Website: Coursera Interior Design Courses

Coursera is an extensive course catalog featuring lessons from universities, industry experts, and businesses. Each course has a different cost, completion time, and instructor.

Some current popular interior design courses on this platform include Fundamentals of Color and Appearance by x-rite PANTONE, Making Architecture by IE Business School, and The Language of Design by the California Institute of Arts.

Whether you want to learn interior design basics or brush up on a particular skill, Coursera probably has something to suit you. They even have some free University programs that’ll earn you a certificate.

Udemy

• Certification: Some
• Course Length: Variable
• Price: Variable
• Website: Udemy Interior Design Courses

Udemy is a low-priced course catalog with many interior design options. While some of the courses are led by industry experts, the biggest con to the Udemy platform is that anyone can become an instructor.

Most Udemy courses offer a certificate of completion, although the certificate might hold little weight in a professional setting. Udemy is ideal for anyone looking for a cheap way to learn design basics or who wants to dive deep into a specific area of interior design.