# Symbiosis International (Deemed University)

> Symbiosis International (Deemed University) is a private multidisciplinary university in Pune, Maharashtra, established under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956. Its Pune institutes teach management, law, liberal arts, media and design in English to students from more than 85 countries, with admissions for every international category run centrally by the Symbiosis Centre for International Education.

- Canonical page: https://www.studentstraffic.com/university/symbiosis-international-university
- Last reviewed: 2026-07-12
- Publisher: Students Traffic (https://www.studentstraffic.com/)

## Key facts

- Location: Pune, [India](https://www.studentstraffic.com/countries/india)
- Type: Private
- Established: 1971
- Official website: https://www.siu.edu.in/
- Published programmes on Students Traffic: 5

## Recognition and approvals

- UGC Deemed-to-be University under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956
- NAAC - Accredited A++, CGPA 3.56, Cycle 3 (declared December 2022)
- UGC Category-I University
- Bar Council of India - Approved Centre of Legal Education, Symbiosis Law School Pune (approval to 2026-27)
- NBA - Master of Business Administration accredited at Symbiosis Institute of Business Management Pune (Management Post Graduate register, to 30 June 2027)
- AACSB Accredited - Symbiosis Centre for Management and Human Resource Development
- NIRF 2025 - 24th in the University category (Ministry of Education)
- NIRF 2025 - Symbiosis Law School, Pune 7th in Law; SIBM Pune 11th in Management
- Verify: [University Grants Commission - recognised university listings](https://www.ugc.gov.in/)
- Verify: [SIU Public Self Disclosure - Section 3 status, NAAC A++ and UGC Category-I](https://www.siu.edu.in/uploads/pdf/SIU_Public_Self_Disclosure.pdf)
- Verify: [SIU accreditation, recognition and rankings](https://www.siu.edu.in/about-us/why-us/accreditation-and-recognition)
- Verify: [AACSB accredited school listing - SCMHRD, Symbiosis International University](https://www.aacsb.edu/accredited/s/symbiosis-international-university-symbiosis-centre-for-management-and-human-resource-development)
- Verify: [National Institutional Ranking Framework (Ministry of Education)](https://www.nirfindia.org/Home)
- Verify: [NAAC accreditation status register](https://naac.gov.in/index.php/en/2-uncategorised/32-accreditation-status)
- Verify: [Bar Council of India - recognised universities and colleges](https://www.barcouncilofindia.org/info/recognised-universities-colleges)
- Verify: [NBA accreditation programme register](https://www.nbaind.org/accreditationprogram)

## Programmes

| Programme | Course | Duration | Medium | Tuition per year |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Bachelor of Design (B.Des), Symbiosis Institute of Design, Pune](https://www.studentstraffic.com/siu-sid-pune-bdes) | B.Des | 4 years | English | $1,300–$8,920 (indicative; 2025-2026) |
| [Bachelor of Arts - Mass Communication, Symbiosis Centre for Media and Communication, Pune](https://www.studentstraffic.com/siu-scmc-pune-ba-mass-communication) | Bachelor's Media | 3 years | English | $1,300–$6,775 (indicative; 2025-2026) |
| [Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws (Honours), B.A. LL.B., Symbiosis Law School, Pune](https://www.studentstraffic.com/siu-sls-pune-ba-llb-hons) | LLB | 5 years | English | $1,300 (2026-2027) |
| [Bachelor of Arts / Bachelor of Science Liberal Arts (Honours), Symbiosis School for Liberal Arts, Pune](https://www.studentstraffic.com/siu-ssla-pune-liberal-arts-hons) | Liberal Arts | 4 years | English | $1,300 (2026-2027) |
| [Master of Business Administration (MBA), Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, Pune](https://www.studentstraffic.com/siu-sibm-pune-mba) | MBA | 2 years | English | $2,600 (2026-2027) |

## Why students choose it

- One central channel handles everything: SCIE processes applications for every constituent institute, so a single application can reach management, law, liberal arts, media or design programmes.
- Foreign National, OCI and PIO applicants are exempted from SIU's SET, SITEEE and SNAP entrance tests; shortlisting weighs transcripts at 90 per cent, the statement of purpose at 5 per cent and two recommendations at 5 per cent.
- The Golden Jubilee Scholarship for Foreign Nationals covers academic fees at USD 1,300 a year for undergraduate programmes, USD 2,600 for MBA programmes and USD 1,950 for other postgraduate programmes.

## Things to consider

- NRI, OCI and PIO applicants pay far more than Foreign Nationals: the 2026-27 SIBM Pune MBA academic fee is USD 23,200 a year for NRI and OCI against USD 2,600 for Foreign Nationals.
- An Indian student visa does not permit employment or business activity, so no part-time earnings can be built into a funding plan.
- IELTS Academic at 6.0 or the Symbiosis IELA test at band 4 is compulsory for Foreign National, OCI and PIO applicants, and the IELA sitting costs a further USD 50.

## Best fit for

- Foreign nationals who want an English-taught business, law, liberal arts, media or design degree in India at a published, scholarship-backed academic fee.
- Applicants who would rather be assessed on transcripts, a statement of purpose and letters of recommendation than sit an Indian entrance examination.
- Students who want a residential campus with a dedicated international office handling orientation, accommodation and FRRO registration.

## Campus and city

SIU runs six Pune campuses - Senapati Bapat Road, Lavale, Hinjewadi, Viman Nagar, Model Colony and Kirkee - alongside sites in Bengaluru, Noida, Nashik, Hyderabad, Nagpur and Dubai. SIBM Pune sits on the Lavale hilltop campus at Gram Lavale, Tal Mulshi, PIN 412115; Symbiosis Law School, Pune is at Rohan Mithila, Viman Nagar. The wider Symbiosis family hosts more than 40,000 Indian and international students drawn from over 85 countries. Nine faculties cover Law, Management, Computer Studies, Medical and Health Sciences, Media and Communication, Humanities and Social Sciences, Engineering, Design and Education, and a Symbiosis Centre for Health Care operates on campus.

Pune is a university and technology city in western Maharashtra, roughly 150 km inland from Mumbai, and SIU's campuses are spread across it rather than concentrated on one site. The registered university address is Gram Lavale, Tal Mulshi, Pune 412115, on a hill campus outside the city; SCIE's admissions office is in central Pune at Symbiosis Vishwabhavan, Senapati Bapat Road, Pune 411004, and other institutes sit at Viman Nagar in the east, Model Colony and Kirkee to the north, and Hinjewadi to the west beside the city's main IT corridor. That spread matters practically: which campus a programme belongs to determines where an admitted student reports, where hostel places are allocated, and how long the daily commute runs. Foreigners' registration for Pune is administered through the Police Commissioner's Office, and SCIE publishes its rules and document lists for students who need to register or extend a visa.

Applied work is built into the programmes rather than bolted on. At Symbiosis School for Liberal Arts, students complete a two-month community outreach project with a written report and presentation, an internship in the declared major assessed by project report and viva, and either a dissertation or a research project plus a mandatory seminar paper written to publishable standard, supported by core courses in research methods. Symbiosis Institute of Design admits on portfolio and streams students into Communication Design, Industrial Design, Fashion Design or Fashion Communication. Symbiosis Law School, Pune builds its B.A. LL.B. (Honours) curriculum to Bar Council of India regulations, with practical legal training and a research component. The SIBM Pune MBA offers specialisations in Marketing, Human Resource, Finance, Operations and Supply Chain Management, and Data Analytics. Across the university, the Global Immersion Programme lets students take a semester abroad at a partner university, using a floating credit semester that removes the need to map course content exactly, with mutual credit recognition and, in some cases, tuition waivers; summer and winter schools of two to four weeks and overseas internships run alongside it. SIU also receives incoming exchange and free-moving students for one or two semesters, with credits transferable back to the home university.


## Hostel, food and safety

Students admitted to a residential programme must live in the campus hostel, and most institutes also offer hostel places on non-residential programmes. SCIE states that accommodation is not guaranteed: it is allocated against vacancies, and the institute Director or Principal decides. Undergraduate hostels run at Viman Nagar, Vishwabhavan, Lavale Hill Base, Lavale Hill Top, Model Colony, Noida, Hyderabad and Nagpur; postgraduate hostels add Hinjewadi, Bengaluru and Nashik. For Foreign Nationals SIU publishes hostel charges of USD 650 per year plus a USD 250 deposit. Hostel, mess and uniform fees fall outside the annual academic fee and are settled at the institute after the joining letter is submitted.

SIU publishes an annual meal plan for Foreign National students at USD 560 per year, charged separately from the academic fee and paid to the institute at joining alongside hostel and uniform charges. Catering is run by the individual institute rather than centrally, so menus and dietary arrangements are set campus by campus. SCIE runs cultural food programming through the year, including an international food festival during International Students' Day and an Iftar dinner for the student community.

Anti-ragging undertakings signed by both student and parent are compulsory at reporting, and SIU runs an anti-ragging cell alongside a Student Grievance Redressal Committee and an Ombudsperson. Every international student takes a medical examination at the Symbiosis Centre for Health Care on campus. SCIE publishes the Pune Police Commissioner's registration rules, including the 14-day FRRO deadline for long-term student visas.

SCIE is the nodal department for international students from admission to graduation. It runs an orientation covering university rules, legal procedures and medical facilities, assigns buddies and mentors, helps set academic timetables, assists with finding accommodation and supports Foreigners' Registration Office formalities. An International Students' Council represents students, and International Students' Day falls on 29 to 31 July 2026.


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Symbiosis International a public or a private university?

It is a private university. Symbiosis International (Deemed University) is a deemed-to-be university established under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956, sponsored by the Symbiosis Society. It holds Category-I status from the UGC and is accredited by NAAC at Grade A++ with a CGPA of 3.56 in Cycle 3, declared in December 2022.

### How do international students apply, and is it different from the Indian route?

Yes, it is a separate channel. Admissions for Foreign Nationals, NRI, OCI and PIO applicants are centralised for every constituent institute through the Symbiosis Centre for International Education (SCIE) at scie.ac.in, not through the institute directly. Application, document upload, payment and admission-status tracking are all handled online, and the applicant travels to India only after accepting an offer.

### Do I have to sit SET, SITEEE or SNAP?

Foreign National, OCI and PIO candidates are exempted from SIU's entrance tests and instead take an English proficiency test. For NRI candidates applying under the international category, the entrance exam is not mandatory. Selection is made on academic transcripts weighted at 90 per cent, the statement of purpose at 5 per cent and two letters of recommendation at 5 per cent.

### What English test does Symbiosis accept?

An English proficiency test is compulsory for Foreign National, OCI and PIO applicants. Either IELTS Academic with a minimum overall score of 6.0, or Symbiosis's own International English Language Assessment (IELA), conducted online by the English Language Teaching Institute of Symbiosis, with a minimum band 4 out of 6. IELA is registered through the SCIE application form and costs USD 50. NRI applicants are not asked for an English test.

### How many seats are open to international applicants?

SCIE earmarks 20 per cent of the total intake of each programme for the international categories, which cover Foreign Nationals, PIO card holders, OCI card holders and Non-Resident Indians. Seats are therefore capped per programme rather than open-ended, and admission is on a merit list.

### Why are the fees so different for Foreign Nationals and for NRI or OCI applicants?

SIU publishes two separate fee tables for each programme. For the 2026-27 SIBM Pune MBA the Foreign National academic fee is USD 2,600 a year against USD 23,200 for NRI and OCI candidates. Undergraduate law at SLS Pune is USD 1,300 a year for Foreign Nationals and USD 8,900 for NRI and OCI. SIU's Golden Jubilee Scholarship covers academic fees for Foreign Nationals only, at USD 1,300 a year for undergraduate programmes, USD 2,600 for MBA programmes and USD 1,950 for other postgraduate programmes; it excludes Indian, NRI, OCI and PIO students, short-term programmes, doctoral programmes and part-time programmes.

### What does the full first-year cost look like beyond tuition?

Foreign Nationals pay a one-time application fee of USD 65, a one-time administrative fee of USD 275, a refundable institute deposit of USD 275 and, where applicable, USD 50 for the IELA test. campus logistics accommodation is published at USD 650 per year plus a USD 250 deposit, and the annual meal plan at USD 560. campus logistics, meal arrangements and uniform charges sit outside the annual academic fee and are settled at the institute on joining. NRI, OCI and PIO applicants pay USD 120 as the application fee and USD 550 as the administrative fee.

### Is accommodation guaranteed?

No. Students admitted to a residential programme must live in the campus campus logistics, and most institutes also offer campus logistics places to students on non-residential programmes, but SCIE states plainly that campus logistics accommodation is not guaranteed and is allocated against vacancies at the discretion of the institute Director or Principal. Undergraduate campus logistics operate at Viman Nagar, Vishwabhavan, Lavale Hill Base, Lavale Hill Top, Model Colony, Noida, Hyderabad and Nagpur.

### When are the 2026 intakes and reporting dates?

They vary by institute. SIBM Pune reports 29 May to 3 June 2026 with the MBA commencing 3 June. Symbiosis Law School Pune reports 24 to 27 June and 29 to 30 June, commencing in the first week of July. Symbiosis Institute of Design reports 29 and 30 June, commencing 1 July. Symbiosis Centre for Media and Communication reports 13 to 15 July, commencing 16 July. Symbiosis School for Liberal Arts reports 17 and 18 July, commencing 20 July 2026.

### Can I apply before my Class 12 results are out?

Yes, for undergraduate programmes. An applicant may submit a predicted score or pre-board marks endorsed by the school principal on school letterhead, together with the Class 12 hall ticket. The final board result must be uploaded as soon as it is declared, otherwise the application is not considered for the merit list. Nepali nationals submit the Class 11 final marksheet and pre-board marksheet instead.

### What happens after I arrive in Pune?

Reporting formalities include a medical examination at the Symbiosis Centre for Health Care on campus, confirmation of fee details with the accounts department and payment of any balance, and eligibility clearance. Anti-ragging and indemnification undertakings are signed by both student and parent, and the SIU eligibility form is executed on 500-rupee stamp paper. Any documents not produced at reporting must reach SCIE by 31 August, or the student is not permitted to sit the Semester I examination and may forfeit the academic fee.

### What are the visa and registration rules?

SCIE issues a Provisional Admission Letter for the visa application once the administrative fee and part payment of the annual academic fee are received. The visa must be a student visa naming Symbiosis International University; any other visa type is invalid for final admission. Foreign nationals on a visa longer than 180 days must register with the FRRO or FRO within 14 days of arrival, with shorter deadlines for Pakistani, Afghan and Bangladeshi nationals. Nepali and Bhutanese nationals are not asked for a visa or residential permit.

### Can I work part-time in India while studying?

No. The Bureau of Immigration states that students on an Indian student visa must not undertake employment or business activity in India, and must open a Non-Resident Ordinary bank account and give the details to the FRRO. Any funding plan therefore has to cover tuition and living costs without local earnings.


## Sources

- [SIU International Admissions](https://www.siu.edu.in/admissions/international-admissions) (checked 2026-08-22)
- [SCIE - Apply for Undergraduate](https://www.scie.ac.in/apply-for-undergraduate/) (checked 2026-08-22)
- [SCIE - Apply for Postgraduate](https://www.scie.ac.in/apply-for-postgraduate/) (checked 2026-08-22)
- [SCIE - English Language Requirement](https://www.scie.ac.in/english-language-requirement/) (checked 2026-08-22)
- [SCIE - Scholarship](https://www.scie.ac.in/scholarship/) (checked 2026-08-22)
- [SCIE - Payment Information](https://www.scie.ac.in/payment-information/) (checked 2026-08-22)
- [SCIE - Accommodations](https://www.scie.ac.in/accommodations/) (checked 2026-08-22)
- [SCIE - Foreigners Registrations](https://www.scie.ac.in/foreigners-registrations/) (checked 2026-08-22)
- [SCIE - Student Mobility](https://www.scie.ac.in/student-mobility/) (checked 2026-08-22)
- [SIU Undergraduate Prospectus 2026-27](https://www.siu.edu.in/siteassets/img-inner/UG_Prospectus_2026-27.pdf) (checked 2026-08-22)
- [SCIE UG and PG Commencement and Reporting Dates 2026](https://www.scie.ac.in/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/UG-and-PG-Commencement-and-Reporting-dates-2026.pdf) (checked 2026-08-22)
- [SNAP - Symbiosis admission for international students](https://www.snaptest.org/symbiosis-international-students.html) (checked 2026-08-22)
- [SIU Public Self Disclosure](https://www.siu.edu.in/uploads/pdf/SIU_Public_Self_Disclosure.pdf) (checked 2026-08-22)
- [SIU Accreditation and Recognition](https://www.siu.edu.in/about-us/why-us/accreditation-and-recognition) (checked 2026-08-22)
- [SIU Our Legacy](https://www.siu.edu.in/about-us/our-legacy) (checked 2026-08-22)
- [AACSB accredited school listing - SCMHRD](https://www.aacsb.edu/accredited/s/symbiosis-international-university-symbiosis-centre-for-management-and-human-resource-development) (checked 2026-08-22)
- [NAAC accreditation status register](https://naac.gov.in/index.php/en/2-uncategorised/32-accreditation-status) (checked 2026-08-22)
- [Bar Council of India - recognised universities and colleges](https://www.barcouncilofindia.org/info/recognised-universities-colleges) (checked 2026-08-22)
- [NBA accreditation programme register](https://www.nbaind.org/accreditationprogram) (checked 2026-08-22)

## Free counselling

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