M.Sc. Data Science at Madras School of Economics: Eligibility & Requirements

Use the correct Indian, NRI or foreign self-financing route; nationality alone does not waive academic or documentation conditions.

• Entrance-test route: an undergraduate degree in social sciences, commerce/management, sciences, engineering, mathematics or statistics; final-year candidates in AY 2026 could also apply.
• Indian-route undergraduate marks: 55% General, 50% eligible OBC-NCL or 45% eligible SC/ST/PwD. Foreign applicants require equivalent qualifications; these concessions are not automatic.
• Be under 25 on 1 July 2026.
• Entrance-test route: mathematics at 10+2 or equivalent, or undergraduate mathematical-economics coursework.
• Alternatively, valid GATE CS, DA, MA, ST or PH scores can be used for up to 50% of seats without the MSE entrance test; GATE is not compulsory for every route.
• Foreign self-financing applicants need an equivalent qualifying examination. Obtain AIU equivalence if the university or board is not on the AIU list.
• When the foreign-route English-test rule applies: IELTS 6.5 overall and 6 in each section, or TOEFL iBT 95 overall and at least 20 in writing; scores must be no more than two years old.
• Open to: Indian applicants meeting the 2026 programme qualification and age rules
• Open to: NRI applicants through the separately labelled 2026 application route
• Open to: Foreign nationals meeting equivalent qualification rules through self-financing admission
• The academic, mathematics and age rules below concern the 2026 admission cycle, not an announced future intake.
• Foreign self-financing applicants require an equivalent qualifying examination and the same minimum academic qualifications. Indian reserved-category concessions are not automatically extended to foreign applicants.
• For foreign qualifications, MSE checks correspondence against the AIU list; an unlisted university or board requires an AIU equivalence certificate.
• Foreign applicants submit attested English translations of transcripts. Overseas records also require the stated authorised-government-agency attestation and Indian Embassy or Consulate certification.
• The dedicated NRI/foreign form does not make every applicant eligible. Foreign-national entrance-test exemption is not automatically extended to Indian-passport NRI applicants.
• Foreign applicants must document English proficiency. Where English is not the first language or the medium during secondary and tertiary education, the ordinance requires a qualifying English test no more than two years old.

The 2026 brochure and live admissions page establish the current route. Foreign equivalence/documents are taken from the programme-specific ordinance effective 2025–26, referenced generically by the 2026 brochure; old dates, seat counts, fees and contact details are not reused.