Jamia Millia Islamia
جامعہ ملیہ اسلامیہ
A Delhi central university born in the 1920 freedom movement, admitting mainly through its own entrance tests.
- International
- 3%
- of students
- Tuition
- ₹153.6K
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1920
- QS World Ranking
- #686
- 2027 edition
About JMI
Jamia Millia Islamia began in 1920 at Aligarh as part of the movement for education against colonial rule, moved to Delhi in 1925 and later built its campus in Jamia Nagar, south Delhi. Its founders included Maulana Mahmud Hasan, Maulana Muhammad Ali Jauhar, Hakim Ajmal Khan, Dr. Mukhtar Ahmad Ansari, Abdul Majeed Khwaja and Dr. Zakir Husain. It became a central university by Act of Parliament in 1988, holds NAAC's top A++ grade (2021) and was placed 4th among Indian universities in NIRF 2025.
Teaching is organised into eleven faculties, from Engineering and Technology, Law, Dentistry and Architecture and Ekistics to Humanities and Languages, Social Sciences, Sciences, Life Sciences, Education, Fine Arts and Management Studies, plus more than thirty research centres. The best known is the AJK Mass Communication Research Centre, whose alumni include well-known Indian journalists and filmmakers. The university runs schools as well as undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD programmes on a 239-acre, partly residential campus.
Admission is competitive: the university reported an average demand ratio of 1:19 last year. Most programmes select through JMI's own entrance tests, while B.Tech, B.Arch and BDS use JEE Main, NATA and NEET, and a few undergraduate programmes use CUET-UG. As a minority educational institution it reserves 50% of seats for Muslim applicants, including sub-quotas for Muslim women and Muslim OBC/ST applicants. Fees for Indian students are very low, which makes JMI a strong fit for students who want a big-city public university at modest cost.
Allammal Insaana Maalam Yalam
“Taught man that which he knew not (a verse of the Quran on the university's logo)” — university motto
Why students choose JMI
Indian students pay about Rs 10,000 a year for most BA and BSc honours programmes and Rs 19,525 a year for regular B.Tech places (2026-27 prospectus).
The AJK Mass Communication Research Centre trained journalists and filmmakers including Barkha Dutt, Kabir Khan and Pulitzer-winning photographer Danish Siddiqui.
Foreign nationals have 25% supernumerary seats and can be admitted on their school marks without sitting the entrance test.
The Residential Coaching Academy for civil services reports nearly 800 selections in competitive exams since 2010, including 33 in the Civil Services Examination last year.
Admissions
2027-28 entry (2026-27 cycle figures shown until the 2027-28 prospectus is published)
Selectivity
JMI does not publish an admit rate. Its 2026-27 prospectus reports an average demand ratio of 1:19 (about 19 applicants per seat) in the previous year.
Typical entry requirements
| Indian Class XII (Senior Secondary) | Programme minimums, e.g. 50% aggregate (best five papers or in the subject) for BA (Hons) Economics, BBA and B.Com (Hons); 50% aggregate in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics for BSc (Hons) Physics; selection then by entrance-test merit |
|---|---|
| JEE Main / NATA / NEET-UG | The national test rank decides B.Tech, B.Arch and BDS admission; you also fill in JMI's form for B.Tech and B.Arch, while BDS seats are allotted through NEET counselling |
| Foreign school qualifications (supernumerary seats) | Must meet the programme's eligibility; the merit list is based on marks in the last qualifying exam converted to a percentage; qualifications must be recognised by AIU or backed by an AIU equivalence certificate |
| English language | No TOEFL or IELTS minimum is published for undergraduate admission. Foreign applicants must upload attested English translations of all transcripts. TOEFL/IELTS holders are preferred for PhD admission of foreign nationals. Several programmes state English as the medium of instruction and examination; others, such as BA (Hons) Mass Media Hindi and the Urdu-medium B.Ed seats, teach in Hindi or Urdu. |
Deadlines
- JMI entrance-test programmes (2026 cycle, past) Non-binding Passed20 February - 25 March 2026
Entrance tests began on 26 April 2026. The 2027-28 prospectus is not yet out; in 2026 it was released on 20 February.
- Foreign nationals, supernumerary UG seats (2026 cycle, past) Non-binding Passed25 May 2026
Qualifying-exam results were due by 15 June 2026, the provisional list came out on 30 June 2026 and admission formalities closed on 31 July 2026. The postgraduate deadline was 30 May 2026.
- JEE Main / NATA / CUET / NEET / NCET-based programmes (2026 cycle, past) Non-bindingFrom 20 February 2026 until 10 days after the relevant test's results
Enter your JEE Main, NATA or CUET application number on the JMI form.
All dates shown are from the 2026-27 cycle and have passed. JMI has not yet published its 2027-28 prospectus or foreign-student schedule; the 2026-27 prospectus and forms appeared on 20 February 2026. Check admission.jmi.ac.in and the Foreign Students' Advisor page.
How to apply
Apply online at admission.jmi.ac.in, one form and fee per programme. For JEE/NATA/CUET-based programmes, enter your test application number on the JMI form. Foreign nationals choose between the 25% supernumerary seats (apply on the JMI portal or via Study in India; merit on school marks; application fee equivalent to Rs 1,000), the general category (sit the entrance test like Indian applicants, capped at 10% of regular seats) or ICCR scholarships (apply through ICCR's A2A portal).
What admissions looks for
- A high rank in the JMI entrance test for the programme, which decides merit for most courses.
- For interview-based programmes, performance in the interview or group discussion that follows the written test.
- Meeting the programme's Class XII minimum, e.g. 50% aggregate or 50% in the relevant subjects.
- For foreign supernumerary applicants, strong marks in the last qualifying exam, since the merit list is based on them.
Tips for applying to JMI
- 1 Check which test your programme uses: JMI's own test, JEE Main, NATA, NEET or CUET-UG. Taking CUET is not enough on its own; you must also fill in the JMI form.
- 2 Pick your entrance-test city carefully: Delhi is the automatic second choice, and a centre with 49 or fewer applicants may be moved.
- 3 Foreign nationals can apply both on a supernumerary seat (no test) and in the general category; the supernumerary UG deadline in 2026 was 25 May.
- 4 Applicants in the Muslim, Muslim women or Muslim OBC/ST categories must submit the required certificates, since 50% of seats are reserved under JMI's minority status.
- 5 International students should apply early for hostel places; hostels for foreign students and NRI wards are limited.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in INR
Tuition for Indian students is heavily subsidised, and many have their fees reimbursed by central or state government schemes. Foreign students can apply for Government of India ICCR scholarships through the A2A portal (5% of seats), and ICCR scholars pay the same fees as Indian students. Foreign students also pay a Rs 2,000 admission fee and a Rs 8,000 refundable security deposit, and are advised to buy medical insurance of Rs 5 lakh a year.
- 1,193 of 2,821
- Students in 4-year UG programmes with full tuition reimbursed by central/state government (NIRF 2026 data)
- 5% (fees at par with Indian students)
- Seats for ICCR-sponsored foreign scholars
- 25% (admission on qualifying-exam marks)
- Supernumerary seats for foreign nationals
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters (four-year undergraduate programmes under NEP 2020 since 2023-24)
MA Mass Communication (AJK MCRC)
JMI's best-known programme (50 seats, entrance test plus interview), whose alumni include Barkha Dutt and Danish Siddiqui.
B.Tech (Computer, Electrical, Mechanical, Civil, ECE)
Admission on JEE Main rank, with regular seats at Rs 19,525 a year; four-year UG graduates in 2024-25 had a median placement salary of Rs 13.2 lakh.
BA LLB (Hons)
A 10-semester integrated law degree with 60 regular seats at Rs 18,150 a year, plus a self-financed stream.
B.Arch
A five-year degree through NATA with 40 regular seats at Rs 19,625 a year; the same faculty offers M.Arch and a Master of Planning.
BA (Hons) Economics
53 seats at Rs 10,175 a year, filled through JMI's multi-city entrance test.
BDS
Admission through NEET-UG; two seats are set aside for foreign/NRI students at US$50,000 for the whole course.
Research
- The Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology and the Central Instrumentation Facility house equipment such as field-emission SEM, high-resolution TEM, and confocal and Raman microscopes.
- JMI reports 2,544 Scopus-indexed articles in the last fiscal year, a Scopus h-index of 212 and 22 researchers on the 2024 Stanford/Elsevier top 2% scientists list.
- JMI researchers developed Casspit, which the university describes as India's first RNA-extraction-free, saliva-based COVID-19 test, giving results within an hour.
- A Rs 14.8 crore R&D grant is funding a Centre of Excellence with an electric vehicle lab and a cyber security lab.
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Architecture and Ekistics
- Faculty of Dentistry
- Faculty of Education
- Faculty of Engineering and Technology
- Faculty of Fine Arts
- Faculty of Humanities and Languages
- Faculty of Law
- Faculty of Management Studies
- Faculty of Sciences
- Faculty of Social Sciences
- Faculty of Life Sciences
- AJK Mass Communication Research Centre
According to JMI's NIRF 2026 data, 339 of the 437 students graduating from four-year UG programmes in 2024-25 were placed, at a median salary of Rs 13.2 lakh, and 98 went on to higher studies. For two-year PG programmes, 1,048 of 1,453 graduates were placed (median Rs 16.8 lakh).
Student life
JMI is a partly residential campus: about 30% of students get hostel places, and over 68% come from outside Delhi. Campus life centres on the faculty buildings, the Dr. Zakir Husain Library (more than 6 lakh books and 2,243 rare manuscripts) and a large sports complex with an air-conditioned indoor stadium. The cricket ground regularly hosts Ranji Trophy matches and has hosted women's Test and World Cup games. Students aiming for the civil services can apply to the Residential Coaching Academy, and cultural clubs and NCC and NSS units run throughout the year.
- The Jamia cricket ground hosts Ranji Trophy matches every year.
- The Residential Coaching Academy for civil services had 33 CSE selections last year, led by a rank-33 topper.
- The Dr. Zakir Husain Library holds more than 6 lakh books, plus a Digital Resource Centre with 100 workstations.
- Over 68% of students come from other Indian states, and about 3% from more than thirty other countries.
Housing. Hostels house about 30% of students, with separate hostels for foreign students and NRI wards (boys and girls apart); places are limited, so apply early.
Location
The campus is in Jamia Nagar in south Delhi, a busy residential area near Okhla. Studying here puts you in India's capital, close to ministries, newsrooms, embassies and tech firms, which helps with internships in journalism, law and public policy. Delhi has very hot summers and cold, often smoggy winters, and it costs more to live in than smaller Indian cities.
Nearest airport: Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi (DEL)
Notable alumni
- BD Barkha DuttTelevision journalist; Master's in Mass Communication from the AJK MCRC
- DS Danish SiddiquiPulitzer Prize-winning Reuters photojournalist; economics degree and postgraduate study in mass communication at JMI
- KK Kabir KhanFilm director (Ek Tha Tiger, Bajrangi Bhaijaan); studied at JMI
- SR Shah Rukh KhanActor; began a master's in mass communication at JMI but left before finishing (non-degree)
- VS Virender SehwagIndia Test cricketer; attended JMI for his undergraduate studies
- AO Anjana Om KashyapHindi news anchor; diploma in journalism from JMI
- RK Rahimuddin KhanPakistani general and Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee; attended JMI before 1947
Frequently asked questions
How do I get into Jamia Millia Islamia for undergraduate study?
Most programmes select through JMI's own entrance test, which you apply for on admission.jmi.ac.in. B.Tech uses JEE Main, B.Arch uses NATA, BDS uses NEET-UG, and some language and maths programmes use CUET-UG.
Does Jamia admit students through CUET?
Only for a list of programmes, such as BA (Hons) Turkish, French, Spanish, Korean, Hindi and Urdu, BSc (Hons) Applied Mathematics and BSc Multidisciplinary. You still need to fill in JMI's application form.
Can international students join Jamia without an entrance test?
Yes. Foreign nationals can apply for 25% supernumerary seats, where merit is based on marks in their last qualifying exam; in the 2026 cycle the UG deadline was 25 May 2026. They can also sit the entrance test in the general category or come as ICCR scholars.
What are Jamia Millia Islamia's fees?
For Indian students in 2026-27, most BA and BSc honours programmes cost about Rs 10,000 a year and regular B.Tech Rs 19,525 a year. Foreign students pay US$800-2,000 a semester depending on programme and region (about Rs 1.5-3.8 lakh a year).
When is the Jamia admission deadline for 2027?
JMI has not yet published its 2027-28 dates. In the 2026 cycle, entrance-test forms ran from 20 February to 25 March 2026 and the foreign-student UG deadline was 25 May 2026.
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.
- JMI University Prospectus 2026-27 (PDF)
- JMI: About JMI
- JMI Foreign Students' Advisor: University Admission 2026-2027 (Foreign/NRI)
- JMI: Admission schedule for foreign students 2026-27 (PDF)
- JMI: Fee structure for foreign students and NRI wards 2026-27 (PDF)
- JMI: Guidelines for admission of foreign passport holders and NRI wards 2026-27 (PDF)
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