Question 1

Is Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham a public or a private university?

Accepted Answer

It is private. Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham appears on the University Grants Commission's consolidated list of institutions declared as Deemed to be Universities, with an entry for Ettimadai Post, Coimbatore and a declaration date of 13 January 2003. Deemed-to-be-university status is a degree-awarding recognition conferred by the Government of India; it is not the same as being a state or central university.

Question 2

Who is actually eligible to apply as an international student?

Accepted Answer

Only foreign nationals, which Amrita defines as a candidate holding the passport or citizenship of a country other than India, or holding an OCI or PIO card together with a passport of another country. A Non-Resident Indian, or an Indian citizen whose qualifying examination was taken with an international board or a foreign university, is explicitly not treated as a foreign national and must use the separate NRI, OCI and PIO admission route instead.

Question 3

Is there an age limit for undergraduate applicants?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Amrita's international admission policy states that full-time undergraduate applicants must be within the age group of 17 to 23 years. No exception to that band is published on the policy or FAQ pages, so an applicant outside it should confirm their position with the Amrita Center for International Programs before paying anything.

Question 4

Which programmes are excluded from the standard international route?

Accepted Answer

Amrita's international admission policy names six exceptions: Medicine, Ayurveda, Nursing, Live-in-Labs, Internship and Observership. Those follow different admission arrangements, and Nursing qualifications additionally need equivalency from the Indian Nursing Council. This page therefore covers only non-exception engineering, computing and management degrees.

Question 5

What is the AIU equivalency certificate and when is it needed?

Accepted Answer

The Association of Indian Universities issues equivalency certificates recognising a foreign qualification as equivalent to the corresponding Indian qualification. Amrita requires one for Grade 12 where Grade 12 was completed at a school, institution or board outside India, and for the undergraduate transcript where the bachelor's degree was awarded outside India. The student obtains it online themselves, and failure to submit it can also cost an awarded Amrita scholarship.

Question 6

How much does it cost, and why is no tuition figure published?

Accepted Answer

Amrita does not publish an international tuition figure. Its policy states that the fee structure for a programme is strictly the one issued in the Provisional Offer Letter and that no other fee structure applies. One concrete charge is published: a security deposit of USD 500 for all foreign students except Nepalese nationals, and INR 10,000 for Nepalese nationals. Coimbatore campus logistics and meal arrangements rates for 2026-27 are published separately in Indian rupees.

Question 7

How are fees paid?

Accepted Answer

All fees are transferred to bank details supplied by the international office. Payments are made in US dollars, with the exception of Nepalese students, who may pay in Indian rupees. The first year's fees must be remitted before the student reaches campus, subsequent annual fees are paid in a single instalment at times the university specifies, and partial payments are not accepted. A copy of the transfer must be sent to the international office.

Question 8

How does the application and selection process work?

Accepted Answer

Applications must be routed through the AOAP portal for international admissions; requests sent by email, WhatsApp or any other means are still channelled back through that portal. Selection uses a 70:30 weighting, with 70 per cent from marks and 30 per cent from an interview conducted by a panel of three or four subject faculty who score subject knowledge, communication skills and general awareness out of ten each.

Question 9

Is an entrance exam or English test required?

Accepted Answer

For B.Tech admission in 2026 Amrita's programme pages state that entry is based on the Amrita Entrance Examination - Engineering 2026 or a JEE Main 2026 percentile score; the NRI, PIO and foreign-national admission guidance adds that candidates who studied Plus Two outside India are exempt from that entrance examination, while those studying Plus Two in India must sit it. Amrita's international FAQ states GRE and TOEFL scores are mandatory for PhD programmes.

Question 10

When is the intake and when do applications close?

Accepted Answer

The academic year opens in July on the Coimbatore calendar. On the Amrita online admissions portal for international applicants, the last date for admission to all UG and PG programmes for Academic Year 2026 was 15 August 2026, and the portal now records the 2026 UG and PG cycle as closed. Applicants should treat the next cycle as the 2027 academic year and confirm dates on the portal.

Question 11

What scholarships exist for international students?

Accepted Answer

Amrita publishes two merit awards for international applicants: the Amrita Chancellor's Scholarship, a 100 per cent tuition waiver for 80 per cent and above, and the Amrita Meritorious Scholarship, a 50 per cent waiver for 70 to 79 per cent. Both apply to UG, PG and PhD programmes but not to Pharmacy, Nursing or Allied Health Sciences. They are tuition waivers only, renewable annually, and require a CGPA of at least 7.0 each semester and 75 per cent attendance.

Question 12

What accommodation is available and what does it cost?

Accepted Answer

Staying in university-allocated accommodation is compulsory for undergraduate and postgraduate students; PhD students may live outside and then arrange their own daily living. Coimbatore's published 2026-27 international-campus logistics rates are INR 1,00,000 for a three-occupancy air-conditioned room with attached washroom, INR 1,20,000 for two-occupancy and INR 1,50,000 for single occupancy, plus INR 62,500 meal arrangements and a one-time INR 10,000 caution deposit.

Question 13

Can an international student work in India while studying?

Accepted Answer

No. The Bureau of Immigration states that students on an Indian student visa must not undertake employment or business activity in India. Amrita's own guidance says work regulations vary by nationality, notes that students of Nepalese origin may work in India without a visa, and directs all other nationalities to Indian immigration regulations. No part-time work should be assumed as part of the funding plan.

Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham: Programs & Courses

Programs at this university