Banaras Hindu University
काशी हिन्दू विश्वविद्यालय
A 1,300-acre central university in Varanasi, founded in 1916, with fees that start at about 1,150 rupees a semester.
- Students
- 31,698
- 18,392 undergraduates
- International
- 2%
- of students
- Tuition
- ₹32,300
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1916
About BHU
Banaras Hindu University was founded in 1916 by Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya, with the support of Annie Besant, under the Banaras Hindu University Act of 1915. It is a central university of the Government of India on the southern edge of Varanasi, near the Ganges. The main campus covers about 1,300 acres, with Indo-Gothic buildings, the Shri Vishwanath Mandir at its centre, the Bharat Kala Bhavan museum, over 60 hostels and Sir Sunderlal Hospital, a teaching hospital of more than 900 beds. A second site, the Rajiv Gandhi South Campus at Barkachha in Mirzapur district, covers over 2,700 acres.
BHU is a large residential university. In its 2024-25 data for India's NIRF rankings it reported about 18,400 undergraduates, 10,900 postgraduates and 2,450 PhD students, taught by 1,866 faculty. Teaching is organised in institutes and faculties spanning agriculture, science, medicine, ayurveda, dental sciences, arts, social sciences, commerce, law, education, performing arts, visual arts, and Sanskrit and Hindu studies, plus the Mahila Maha Vidyalaya women's college.
Admission is national and merit-based: Indian undergraduates are ranked on their CUET-UG scores and allotted seats through BHU's own allotment programme, while foreign nationals apply separately through the International Centre for supernumerary seats. BHU suits students who want a traditional, residential Indian campus with very low fees and a strong Indian culture and humanities tradition alongside sciences and medicine.
Vidyāyā'mṛtamaśnute
“Knowledge imparts immortality” — university motto
Why students choose BHU
Regular-seat tuition on the main campus is very low: 1,150 rupees a semester for BA and BCom (Hons) and 2,000 rupees for BSc (Hons) in 2026-27 (2,300 and 4,000 rupees a year).
Up to 25% supernumerary seats in each programme are reserved for foreign nationals, who apply directly to the International Centre instead of sitting CUET.
The campus has its own teaching hospital, the Bharat Kala Bhavan art museum and over 60 hostels.
Alumni include Bharat Ratna recipients Bhupen Hazarika and C. N. R. Rao.
Admissions
2027 entry (academic session 2027-28)
Selectivity
BHU does not publish an overall acceptance rate. Indian applicants are ranked on CUET-UG merit scores for each programme and campus combination, with published cut-offs after each round; foreign nationals are considered on their qualifying-exam results, largely first come, first served.
Typical entry requirements
| Indian Class 12 (10+2) plus CUET-UG | Programme-specific eligibility (e.g. 50% aggregate in 10+2 science for BSc (Hons) Agriculture) and ranking on CUET-UG subject-test scores |
|---|---|
| Foreign qualifications | At least 50% aggregate in a 12th-grade equivalent recognised by the Association of Indian Universities |
| English language | IELTS 6 · TOEFL iBT 70 The International Centre says a TOEFL (minimum 70) or IELTS (minimum 6.0) score may be required from foreign candidates when applying. |
Deadlines
- International students (previous cycle, 2026-27) Non-binding Passed31 May 2026
Applications opened 27 February 2026 for UG, PG, diploma and certificate programmes; PhD applications are accepted throughout the year.
Dates for 2027-28 are not yet published. In the 2026-27 cycle the International Centre took applications from 27 February to 31 May 2026. Indian applicants follow the NTA CUET-UG schedule and then BHU's CAP-UG rounds, announced on admission.bhu.ac.in. The International Centre page (checked 30 September 2026) still shows only the 2026-27 dates.
How to apply
Indian students register for CUET-UG with NTA, then apply to BHU's Combined Allotment Programme (CAP-UG) for seat allocation. Foreign nationals, NRIs, OCI and PIO candidates apply online through the Foreign Students' Registry portal (bhufsradm.samarth.edu.in), pay a processing fee (3,000 rupees for SAARC countries, 6,000 for others), receive an offer letter and pay the provisional fee online. Foreign applicants for MBBS and BDS apply through Indian embassies.
What admissions looks for
- For Indian applicants, a strong CUET-UG merit score in the subject tests required for the programme.
- Meeting programme eligibility in Class 12, such as 50% aggregate in the required science subjects.
- For foreign nationals, at least 50% aggregate in an AIU-recognised qualifying exam and, where asked, TOEFL 70 or IELTS 6.0.
- Complete documents and timely fee payment: foreign offers lapse if the provisional fee and acceptance are not submitted in time.
Tips for applying to BHU
- 1 Indian applicants: check which CUET subject tests your target programme accepts before registering with NTA, as each programme lists its own test codes.
- 2 International applicants: apply early, since the International Centre considers applications largely on a first-come, first-served basis.
- 3 Register on the Study in India portal and plan for FRRO registration within 14 days of arriving in India.
- 4 Hostel places are not guaranteed and are allotted on a merit-cum-distance formula, so have a back-up for accommodation.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in INR
Most Indian students on regular seats pay very low fees, and BHU's NIRF data shows over 15,000 students receiving full tuition reimbursement from government schemes in 2024-25. BHU also offers help through its Student Welfare Fund (including free meals under the Annadaan Yojana), merit scholarships for top rank-holders and department scholarships; international students can apply through ICCR or Study in India scholarship schemes, which waive the processing fee.
- 3,000 rupees (SAARC) or 6,000 rupees (non-SAARC); not charged to ICCR, Study in India or EdCIL scholars
- International application processing fee
- Up to 25% supernumerary seats in each programme
- Seats for foreign nationals
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters
MBBS (Institute of Medical Sciences)
Taught with Sir Sunderlal Hospital, the on-campus teaching hospital of more than 900 beds; foreign applicants apply through Indian embassies.
BA LLB (Hons)
Five-year integrated law degree in the Faculty of Law, one of BHU's few higher-fee special courses.
BSc (Hons) Agriculture
Four-year professional course in the Institute of Agricultural Sciences, with extra seats at the Rajiv Gandhi South Campus.
Bachelor of Performing Arts (vocal, instrumental, Bharatanatyam, Kathak)
Rare university-level training in Indian classical music and dance.
Shastri (Hons) in the Faculty of Sanskrit Vidya Dharma Vijnana
Traditional Sanskrit and Hindu studies degree reflecting the university's founding mission.
Bachelor of Fine Arts
Applied arts, painting, plastic arts, pottery and ceramics, and textile design in the Faculty of Visual Arts.
Research
- BHU reported 596 sponsored research projects and about 205.85 crore rupees in sponsored research funding received in 2024-25 (NIRF 2026 data).
- Bharat Kala Bhavan, the campus art and archaeology museum founded in 1920 with Rabindranath Tagore as its first chairman, is known for its Indian paintings.
- The Sayajirao Gaekwad Library, completed in 1941, is the main library, supported by institute, faculty and departmental libraries.
- The Rajiv Gandhi South Campus hosts a Krishi Vigyan Kendra researching agriculture, agro-forestry and biodiversity for the Vindhya region.
Schools & faculties
- Institute of Medical Sciences
- Institute of Science
- Institute of Agricultural Sciences
- Faculty of Arts
- Faculty of Social Sciences
- Faculty of Commerce
- Faculty of Law
- Faculty of Education
- Faculty of Performing Arts
- Faculty of Visual Arts
- Faculty of Sanskrit Vidya Dharma Vijnana
- Mahila Maha Vidyalaya
NIRF 2026 data: of 4,992 three-year UG graduates in 2024-25, 672 were placed (median salary 8.5 lakh rupees) and 4,173 went on to higher studies; most BHU graduates continue to postgraduate study.
Student life
BHU is a residential campus: over 60 hostels house more than 12,000 students, though hostel places are not guaranteed and are allotted on a merit-cum-distance basis. The Shri Vishwanath Mandir temple at the centre of campus, the Bharat Kala Bhavan museum and roads laid out in a semicircle shape daily life. There are university sports boards, NSS and NCC units and a wellbeing services cell. International students have dedicated hostels and support from the International Centre, which also runs workshops and cultural events.
- Shri Vishwanath Mandir, a complex of seven temples at the centre of campus, with a tower of 252 feet (77 m).
- Bharat Kala Bhavan museum of Indian art and archaeology.
- University Sports Board, National Service Scheme and National Cadet Corps units.
- International student hostels managed with the International Centre.
Housing. Over 60 hostels house more than 12,000 students, but places are not guaranteed and are allotted on a merit-cum-distance formula.
Location
Varanasi, on the Ganges in Uttar Pradesh, is one of India's oldest cities and a major centre of Hindu pilgrimage and learning. BHU's main campus sits on the city's southern edge near the river, and the Rajiv Gandhi South Campus is about 60 km to the southwest in Mirzapur district.
Nearest airport: Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport, Varanasi (VNS)
Notable alumni
- BH Bhupen HazarikaSinger-composer and Bharat Ratna recipient (2019); BA (1944) and MA (1946) in political science
- CN C. N. R. RaoSolid-state chemist and Bharat Ratna recipient; MSc in chemistry
- JN Jayant NarlikarAstrophysicist and science writer; studied at BHU before his Cambridge PhD
- NS Namvar SinghHindi literary critic; BA (1949), MA (1951) and doctorate from BHU
- KS Kashinath SinghHindi novelist, Sahitya Akademi Award 2011; BA, MA and PhD from BHU
- MT Manoj TiwariBhojpuri singer, actor and Member of Parliament for North East Delhi; M.P.Ed. from BHU
- RM Ram Manohar LohiaIndependence activist and socialist leader; completed intermediate (pre-degree) studies at BHU in 1927
Frequently asked questions
How do I get admission to BHU for undergraduate courses?
Indian applicants must take CUET-UG (run by NTA) and then apply through BHU's CAP-UG allotment, where seats are allotted on CUET merit. Foreign nationals apply separately to the International Centre without CUET.
What are BHU's fees?
Regular seats on the main campus are cheap: 1,150 rupees a semester for BA and BCom (Hons) and 2,000 for BSc (Hons) in 2026-27 (2,300 and 4,000 rupees a year). Professional courses cost more, such as 36,150 a semester for BA LLB.
How much does BHU cost for international students?
Foreign nationals pay the regular fee plus an annual development fee, for example 30,000 rupees (SAARC) or 50,000 (non-SAARC) for BA and BCom (Hons), and 225,000 or 350,000 for MBBS and BDS.
When is the BHU deadline for international students?
For 2026-27 the International Centre accepted UG and PG applications from 27 February to 31 May 2026; 2027-28 dates have not been announced. PhD applications are open all year.
Does BHU guarantee hostel accommodation?
No. BHU has over 60 hostels, but places are allotted on a merit-cum-distance formula and are not guaranteed.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
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