# Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai

> Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai is a private business school in Tamil Nadu, with a residential campus at Manamai on the East Coast Road in Chengalpattu district. It offers a one-year PGPM, awarding a Post Graduate Certificate in Management, and a two-year PGDM. Both are AICTE-approved, and the institution holds AACSB Business accreditation.

- Canonical page: https://www.studentstraffic.com/university/great-lakes-institute-of-management-chennai
- Last reviewed: 2026-10-27
- Publisher: Students Traffic (https://www.studentstraffic.com/)

## Key facts

- Location: Chennai (Manamai, Chengalpattu district), [India](https://www.studentstraffic.com/countries/india)
- Type: Private
- Established: 2004
- Official website: https://www.greatlakes.edu.in/chennai
- Published programmes on Students Traffic: 2

## Recognition and approvals

- AICTE - Approved institution, Permanent ID 1-17358363 (Private-Self Financing); Extension of Approval 2026-27
- AACSB Business accreditation
- Verify: [AICTE - Approved institutes dashboard](https://facilities.aicte-india.org/dashboard/pages/angulardashboard.php#!/approved)
- Verify: [AACSB accredited institution: Great Lakes Chennai](https://www.aacsb.edu/accredited/g/great-lakes-institute-of-management-chennai)

## Programmes

| Programme | Course | Duration | Medium | Fees |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Post Graduate Program in Management (PGPM; award: Post Graduate Certificate in Management)](https://www.studentstraffic.com/great-lakes-chennai-pgpm) | PG Certificate Management | 1 year |  | ₹23,50,000 full course |
| [Post Graduate Diploma in Management (PGDM)](https://www.studentstraffic.com/great-lakes-chennai-pgdm) | PG Diploma Business Management | 2 years |  | ₹22,50,000 full course |

## Why students choose it

- AACSB's own directory lists Great Lakes Chennai with Business accreditation, and AICTE's 2026-27 approval covers the PGDM and the PGCM.
- The PGPM is a one-year route for applicants with at least 24 months of work experience; the PGDM suits fresh graduates and those with under 36 months.
- Fee pages itemise tuition, programme fee, accommodation, deposit and alumni subscription for the whole course.

## Things to consider

- The PGPM awards a Post Graduate Certificate in Management, not an MBA degree, and the PGDM is a diploma; neither is described by Great Lakes as an MBA.
- AICTE's 2026-27 approval marks international-student approval as No for both courses (NRI approval Yes), although the programme FAQs describe non-Indian applicants, so confirm eligibility before applying.
- Applications must be made by the applicant; Great Lakes does not authorise intermediaries to initiate them.

## Best fit for

- Graduates with at least 24 months of full-time work experience weighing a one-year residential certificate programme.
- Fresh graduates or applicants with under 36 months of experience who want a two-year residential PGDM.
- Applicants who can submit CAT, XAT, GMAT or, for the PGPM, NMAT scores within the stated validity windows.

## Campus and city

The residential campus is at Manamai on the East Coast Road in Chengalpattu district. It is separate from the Chennai city office and from Great Lakes Gurgaon. Both the PGPM and the PGDM are full-time residential programmes, so students live on campus for the whole course.

The institution's residential campus is at Manamai on the East Coast Road in Chengalpattu district, Tamil Nadu (PIN 603102). Great Lakes lists a separate Chennai city office, and Great Lakes Gurgaon is a different institution. Use the Manamai address when planning residence and travel.

AICTE makes an internship mandatory for every admitted student under its 2026-27 approval conditions. Great Lakes does not publish a guaranteed placement or internship outcome for the PGPM or PGDM, so treat practical exposure as an internship requirement rather than a promise of a specific employer, role or salary. Ask the admissions team how internships are arranged for each programme before accepting an offer.


## Hostel, food and safety

PGPM and PGDM are residential, and hostel accommodation is mandatory. The 2027-28 PGPM fee schedule includes a single air-conditioned room at INR 3,96,000; a twin-sharing room with a part refund is allotted if no single room is free. The 2026-28 PGDM schedule includes a twin AC room at INR 6,32,000 for the whole course. Vegetarian meals are included; non-vegetarian meals cost extra.

Vegetarian meals are included in the PGPM and PGDM accommodation charges and non-vegetarian meals are charged extra. Great Lakes publishes no allergy or medical-diet provision, so raise specific dietary needs with the admissions team before accepting an offer.

Great Lakes Chennai publishes an anti-ragging committee and a policy against sexual harassment in its mandatory disclosure. These are reporting mechanisms, not guarantees about incident prevention or response times.

Students can raise a service request through the CAMU learning platform's grievance helpdesk by choosing a problem category. PGPM applicants can ask the admissions team for a prior appointment before visiting the campus.


## Frequently asked questions

### Is this the Chennai or Gurgaon institution?

This profile concerns Great Lakes Chennai, whose residential campus is at Manamai in Chengalpattu district, Tamil Nadu. Great Lakes Gurgaon is a separate institution with its own approvals.

### Is Great Lakes Institute of Management Chennai AICTE approved?

Yes. AICTE's 2026-27 Extension of Approval, permanent ID 1-17358363, lists it as a private self-financing institution with a PGCM intake of 180 and a PGDM intake of 240. Both programme FAQs also state AICTE approval.

### Does the PGPM award an MBA?

No. The PGPM FAQ says the awarded credential is a Post Graduate Certificate in Management (PGCM), as per AICTE norms. A comparison with a one-year MBA does not change the award title.

### Is the PGDM equivalent to an MBA?

Great Lakes states the PGDM is AICTE approved but its FAQ makes no MBA-equivalence claim. If equivalence matters for further study or employment, ask the recipient institution or employer and check with the Association of Indian Universities.

### Who is the PGPM intended for?

The 2027-28 admission criteria require at least 24 months of full-time post-graduation work experience by 30 April 2027, a recognised bachelor's degree and at least 50% in Class 10, Class 12 and the degree. Internships and part-time work do not count.

### Can fresh graduates apply for the PGDM?

Yes. The 2027-29 PGDM route covers fresh graduates and applicants with fewer than 36 months of full-time work experience by 30 May 2027, with a recognised bachelor's degree and at least 50% in Class 10, Class 12 and the degree. Final-year students may apply with proof of graduation by 30 June.

### Which entrance tests are accepted?

The PGDM accepts CAT, XAT or GMAT scores, and the PGPM accepts CAT, XAT, GMAT or NMAT, each within cycle-specific validity windows. Check the admissions page for the exact test years before applying.

### Can international applicants apply?

Both programme FAQs say foreign and Indian applicants are evaluated on the same basis, with TOEFL or IELTS required only for non-Indian applicants whose undergraduate instruction was not primarily in English. AICTE's 2026-27 letter, however, shows international-student approval as No for both courses, so confirm eligibility with Great Lakes before applying.

### How much does the PGPM cost?

The 2027-28 PGPM schedule for Indian students totals INR 23,50,000 for the one-year course, including tuition, programme fee, accommodation, a refundable INR 10,000 deposit and an INR 5,000 alumni subscription. A separate USD schedule totals USD 41,450 for international students.

### Are PGDM fees annual?

No. The reviewed PGDM schedule is a single INR 22,50,000 total for the whole 2026-28 programme, including accommodation, deposit and alumni subscription. It is not an annual figure and not a confirmed 2027-29 tariff.

### Can StudentsTraffic submit the application for me?

Great Lakes states it does not authorise third parties to initiate applications on an applicant's behalf. Counselling can help compare fit, but you must complete the official application yourself.

### What does AACSB accreditation confirm?

AACSB's own directory lists Great Lakes Institute of Management Chennai with Business accreditation. It is an institution-level listing and does not state a separate accreditation for any individual programme.


## Sources

- [AICTE - Extension of Approval 2026-27 (Great Lakes Chennai)](https://www.greatlakes.edu.in/chennai/assets/greatlakes/pdf/EOA_Report_2026-2027.pdf) (checked 2026-10-27)
- [AICTE - Approved institutes dashboard](https://facilities.aicte-india.org/dashboard/pages/angulardashboard.php#!/approved) (checked 2026-10-27)
- [AACSB - Accredited institutions directory](https://www.aacsb.edu/accredited/g/great-lakes-institute-of-management-chennai) (checked 2026-10-27)
- [Great Lakes Chennai - Contact](https://www.greatlakes.edu.in/chennai/contact) (checked 2026-10-27)
- [Great Lakes Chennai - PGPM FAQ](https://www.greatlakes.edu.in/chennai/pgpm/faq) (checked 2026-10-27)
- [Great Lakes Chennai - PGPM admissions](https://www.greatlakes.edu.in/chennai/pgpm/admissions) (checked 2026-10-27)
- [Great Lakes Chennai - PGPM fees](https://www.greatlakes.edu.in/chennai/pgpm/fees) (checked 2026-10-27)
- [Great Lakes Chennai - PGDM FAQ](https://www.greatlakes.edu.in/chennai/pgdm/faqs) (checked 2026-10-27)
- [Great Lakes Chennai - PGDM admissions](https://www.greatlakes.edu.in/chennai/pgdm/admissions) (checked 2026-10-27)
- [Great Lakes Chennai - PGDM fees](https://www.greatlakes.edu.in/chennai/pgdm/fees) (checked 2026-10-27)
- [Great Lakes Chennai - Mandatory disclosure](https://www.greatlakes.edu.in/chennai/about-us/mandatory-disclosure) (checked 2026-10-27)
- [Great Lakes Chennai - Grievance redressal](https://www.greatlakes.edu.in/chennai/about-us/grievance-redressal-system) (checked 2026-10-27)

## Free counselling

Students Traffic offers free admission counselling for this university and its programmes.

- Contact: https://www.studentstraffic.com/contact
- WhatsApp: https://wa.me/919176162888
- Phone: +91 91761 62888
- Email: hello@studentstraffic.com