Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar
भारतीय प्रौद्योगिकी संस्थान गांधीनगर
A young IIT on the Sabarmati, known for its liberal-arts-heavy engineering curriculum and flexible branch changes.
- Students
- 2,801
- 1,286 undergraduates
- Student–faculty
- 14.8:1
- ratio
- Founded
- 2008
- QS World Ranking
- 851-900
- 2027 edition
About IITGN
IIT Gandhinagar (IITGN) is one of eight IITs announced by the Government of India in 2008. It started in a temporary campus in Ahmedabad under IIT Bombay's mentorship and moved in 2015 to a roughly 400-acre campus on the banks of the Sabarmati at Palaj, Gandhinagar. IITGN describes it as India's first 5-star GRIHA LD (green) rated campus.
The institute offers four-year BTech degrees in Artificial Intelligence, Chemical, Civil, Computer Science and Engineering, Electrical, Integrated Circuit Design and Technology, Materials and Mechanical Engineering, alongside master's and PhD programmes in engineering, sciences and humanities. Its NIRF 2026 data list 1,286 undergraduates, 758 two-year postgraduates and 757 PhD students.
IITGN's undergraduate curriculum stands out for its breadth. Every BTech student starts with a four-week Foundation Programme, and the institute says its curriculum has the largest liberal-arts content of any engineering curriculum in India. Students can switch branch after the first semester, add minors, honours or a second major, and about 40% gain study-abroad experience. It suits JEE (Advanced) candidates who want a small, flexible IIT rather than the largest name.
Why students choose IITGN
Liberal branch change: about half of the students who applied for a branch change in 2022 got one, with a minimum CPI of 6.5 after the first semester.
A mandatory four-week Foundation Programme covering values, creativity, teamwork, social awareness and sport, which won the World Education Award in 2013.
Students can add minors, honours, a dual major or a BTech-MTech dual degree in any discipline that has an MTech.
Roughly 40% of BTech students go abroad for internships or research during their degree.
Admissions
2027 entry via JEE (Advanced) 2027 and JoSAA 2027 (details shown are from the 2026 cycle)
Selectivity
IITGN does not publish an acceptance rate. BTech seats are allotted by JEE (Advanced) rank through JoSAA counselling; the sanctioned intake for 4-year UG programmes was 340 in 2024-25. Foreign nationals compete for supernumerary seats capped at 10% of each course.
Typical entry requirements
| Indian Class XII (CBSE, state boards and equivalents) | Qualify through JEE (Main), then earn a JEE (Advanced) rank high enough for your chosen IITGN branch in JoSAA counselling |
|---|---|
| Foreign nationals and OCI/PIO | Register directly for JEE (Advanced) without JEE (Main); foreign-national seats are supernumerary, up to 10% of each course, and outside Indian reservation categories |
| Olympiad route | Selection to an Indian Olympiad training or orientation camp (maths, physics, chemistry, informatics) in the current or past four years, or an international Olympiad medal (any nationality), plus the JoSAA Class XII eligibility rules |
| English language | All teaching is in English. No minimum English test score is published for BTech entry through JEE (Advanced). |
Deadlines
- BTech via Olympiad route (2026 reference) Non-binding Passed4 June 2026, 5 PM IST
Previous cycle: applications opened 23 April 2026. Expect similar timing for 2027 entry.
- JoSAA Round 5 seat acceptance (2026 reference) Non-binding Passed20 July 2026, 5 PM
Previous cycle. New IITGN BTech students registered on campus on 20 July 2026; hostels opened from 18 July.
These are 2026-cycle dates. The JEE (Advanced) 2027 schedule and organising IIT had not been announced on the pages checked; JEE (Advanced) is held in May, with results followed by JoSAA rounds in June and July.
How to apply
Indian nationals take JEE (Main), then JEE (Advanced), and choose IITGN programmes during JoSAA seat allocation. Foreign nationals register directly for JEE (Advanced) and compete for supernumerary seats through JoSAA. Olympiad-camp students apply separately through IITGN's online form with their marksheets, camp and medal certificates, and CV. Admitted students register on campus in July and begin with the Foundation Programme.
What admissions looks for
- A strong JEE (Advanced) rank: seats are allotted strictly by rank and category through JoSAA.
- For Indian nationals, qualification through JEE (Main) to become eligible for JEE (Advanced).
- For the Olympiad route, selection to a national training camp or an international Olympiad medal.
- Readiness for a broad curriculum with humanities, design and life-sciences courses alongside engineering.
Tips for applying to IITGN
- 1 If you have attended an Indian Olympiad training camp, apply through IITGN's Olympiad route in April to June as well as through JEE (Advanced).
- 2 Don't overthink branch choice: IITGN allows branch changes after the first semester (minimum CPI 6.5), and you can add a second major or an MTech later.
- 3 Plan to arrive for the Foundation Programme in July; it is a mandatory 4-credit course and you cannot skip to the start of classes in August.
- 4 Foreign nationals can skip JEE (Main): register for JEE (Advanced) directly and target the supernumerary foreign seats.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in INR
Under IITGN's undergraduate scheme, SC, ST and PwD students get a full tuition waiver. Students with family income under Rs 1 lakh a year get full tuition remission, and those with Rs 1 to 5 lakh get two-thirds remission; IITGN also waives the remaining third for families earning Rs 1 to 2.5 lakh. Families earning under Rs 9 lakh can take an interest-free Vidyalaxmi loan for the tuition they pay. There are also many donor-funded scholarships, institute merit awards and free basic messing assistance. IITGN's BTech fee schedule was not published on the pages checked.
- 396 of 1,173 (261 government-funded, 130 from institute funds, 5 from private bodies)
- UG students (4-year) with full tuition reimbursement, NIRF 2026
- Rs 14,00,000
- Median salary of placed BTech graduates, 2024-25
Academics
Academic calendar: Two semesters; new BTech students begin with the Foundation Programme in July, with classes from mid-August
BTech Computer Science and Engineering
IITGN added 10 seats in 2025-26; students can pair it with a BTech-MTech dual degree.
BTech Artificial Intelligence
A dedicated AI degree with specialised courses beyond the AI content in CSE; seats rose by 10 in 2025-26.
BTech Integrated Circuit Design and Technology
A BTech focused on chip design, linked to the Electrical Engineering research stream in integrated circuit design and technology.
BTech Electrical Engineering
Includes core electronics and communication courses, with research in power systems, signal processing and machine learning.
MSc Cognitive Science
Admits through its own written test and interview, unlike other MSc programmes that use IIT-JAM.
Research
- Sponsored research brought in Rs 114.9 crore across 360 projects from 80 funding agencies in 2024-25 (NIRF 2026 data).
- 12 patents were granted in 2024 (NIRF 2026 data).
- Centres include Archaeological Sciences, Biomedical Engineering, Design and Innovation, Safety Engineering and Sustainable Development.
Schools & faculties
- Biological Sciences and Engineering
- Chemical Engineering
- Civil Engineering
- Computer Science and Engineering
- Electrical Engineering
- Materials Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
- Chemistry
- Mathematics
- Physics
- Cognitive and Brain Sciences
- Earth Sciences
NIRF 2026 data: of 213 BTech students who graduated in the minimum time in 2024-25, 166 were placed (median salary Rs 14 lakh) and 44 went on to higher studies.
Student life
IITGN is fully residential: students live in hostels on the Sabarmati campus, with academic, housing and hostel areas spread across about 400 acres. Life revolves around student-run clubs, sport and events such as the Blithchron cultural festival and Amalthea, the technology summit. The Foundation Programme puts every new BTech student through theatre, art, sport and heritage visits before regular classes start. The student-life site stresses an informal culture in which students are treated as responsible adults, and the institute runs a counselling service.
- Mandatory four-week Foundation Programme for every new undergraduate.
- Blithchron cultural festival and the Amalthea technology summit.
- Explorer and Gram fellowships, which IITGN lists among its distinctive undergraduate programmes.
- Language courses in French, Japanese, Mandarin, Sanskrit and Urdu within the engineering curriculum.
Housing. Students live in on-campus hostels; for 2026 entry, hostels opened to new BTech students on 18 July.
Location
Gandhinagar is the capital of Gujarat, a planned, green city next to Ahmedabad. IITGN's campus sits at Palaj on the banks of the Sabarmati river, on land provided by the Gujarat government. Ahmedabad's airport and the wider city are a short drive away.
Nearest airport: Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, Ahmedabad (AMD)
Frequently asked questions
How do I get into IIT Gandhinagar?
Through JEE (Advanced) and JoSAA counselling for the BTech. Students selected for Indian Olympiad training camps, or international Olympiad medallists, can also apply through IITGN's separate Olympiad route.
Can I change my branch at IIT Gandhinagar?
Yes. You can apply for a branch change after the first semester with a minimum CPI of 6.5; in 2022 about half of applicants were successful.
Can international students do a BTech at IIT Gandhinagar?
Yes. Foreign nationals register directly for JEE (Advanced), without JEE (Main), and compete for supernumerary seats capped at 10% of each course. IITGN's own international portal is for master's and PhD applicants.
What is the median placement salary at IIT Gandhinagar?
For BTech graduates of 2024-25, the median salary of placed students was Rs 14 lakh, with 166 of 213 graduates placed and 44 going on to higher studies (NIRF 2026).
How much does it cost to live on campus at IITGN?
IITGN estimates about INR 54,860 per semester for food, accommodation, laundry and miscellaneous costs, or roughly INR 1.1 lakh a year.
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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