Overview
1953
Established
600 acres
Campus
July/August
Intakes
$3,900–$34,150
Tuition per year
Mangaluru (IXE), 60 km
Nearest airport
Manipal is a compact university town on the Karnataka coast, about an hour from Mangaluru airport. Almost everything a student needs sits within walking distance of the hostels, which makes it an easy first landing in India for school leavers. The campus has drawn foreign students since its first year, and the university operates a dedicated International Admissions Office that handles visa letters and FRRO registration support.
Admission for foreign nationals, OCI/PIO holders and NRIs runs through a separate Foreign/NRI channel with its own USD fee schedule. Most programmes admit on school-leaving grades without an entrance exam; MBBS and BDS are the exceptions because they require NEET-UG and central counselling. Fees are published per installment in US dollars, with a separate lower schedule for SAARC nationals and some listed African and Asian countries.
- NAAC A++ and ranked 3rd among Indian universities in NIRF 2025
- Institution of Eminence status since 2020, one of a handful of private universities to hold it
- Kasturba Medical College Manipal is NIRF 2025 medical rank 10, and its degrees are recognised for licensing routes in many countries
- Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Manipal College of Dental Sciences are both NIRF top-10 in their categories
- QS World 2026 band 851-900 and ranked 11th globally for SDG 5 (gender equality) in THE Impact Rankings 2025
- Hostel residence is compulsory in first year, with AC and non-AC single and double rooms allotted to foreign students
- Separate, lower fee schedule for nationals of SAARC countries and listed African and Asian countries
- Dedicated International Admissions Office (intladm@manipal.edu) that issues visa letters and helps with FRRO registration
Popular courses and fees for international students
Annual tuition in INR with an indicative USD conversion at ₹85 = $1. Figures are the published foreign-national fee. Confirm the current fee sheet before paying.
| Programme | Level | Duration | Tuition / year | Eligibility | Intake |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B.Tech Computer Science & Engineering (MIT Manipal) | UG | 4 years | ₹7.8 lakh≈ $9,150 | A-level/IB/12th with Physics and Mathematics; average grade D at A-level or 24 IB points; no entrance test for Foreign/NRI | July/August |
| B.Tech Mechanical Engineering (MIT Manipal) | UG | 4 years | ₹6.6 lakh≈ $7,750 | 12th/A-level/IB with Physics, Mathematics and a third science subject | July/August |
| MBBS (Kasturba Medical College, Manipal) | UG | 5.5 years incl. internship | ₹29.0 lakh≈ $34,150 | 12th/A-level/IB with Physics, Chemistry, Biology and English; NEET-UG qualification and MCC counselling mandatory; AIU equivalence certificate | August/September |
| BDS (Manipal College of Dental Sciences) | UG | 5 years | On request | PCB with English; NEET-UG qualification and MCC counselling required | August/September |
| B.Pharm (Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences) | UG | 4 years | ₹5.5 lakh≈ $6,450 | 12th/A-level/IB with Physics, Chemistry and Biology or Mathematics; minimum age 17 | July/August |
| B.Sc Nursing (Manipal College of Nursing) | UG | 4 years | ₹3.6 lakh≈ $4,300 | 12th/A-level/IB with Physics, Chemistry, Biology and English; minimum age 17; AIU equivalence certificate | July/August |
| Bachelor of Physiotherapy (BPT) | UG | 4.5 years | ₹5.3 lakh≈ $6,200 | 12th/A-level/IB with Physics, Chemistry and Biology plus English | July/August |
| BBA (Manipal School of Commerce & Economics) | UG | 3 years | ₹3.3 lakh≈ $3,900 | 12th in any stream; A-level: 3 subjects plus 5 IGCSE passes incl. English; IB: 24 points | July/August |
| Bachelor of Hotel Management (WGSHA) | UG | 4 years | ₹5.1 lakh≈ $5,950 | 12th in any stream with English | July/August |
| MBA (T A Pai Management Institute, Manipal) | PG | 2 years | ₹14.3 lakh≈ $16,850 | Bachelor's degree; GMAT/GRE/CAT or institute test and interview | June/July |
Need the complete list of programmes with seat counts? .
Admission process for international students
- 1
Create an account on apply.manipal.edu
Select the Foreign/NRI category and the programme, then fill in personal details and your school history.
- 2
Upload academic records and proof of status
Upload Grade 11/12 or predicted A-level/IB results plus your passport; NRI and NRI-sponsored applicants also upload the sponsor's passport and proof of residence abroad.
- 3
Clear any programme-specific test
Most programmes admit on grades alone, but MBBS/BDS need a NEET-UG score, B.Arch needs NATA, and TAPMI programmes hold their own test or interview.
- 4
Receive an admission notice and pay the first installment
Offers go out on a first-come, first-served merit basis; the first installment of tuition, other fees, hostel and mess is wired in US dollars within the stated deadline.
- 5
Apply for a student visa
Use the provisional admission order to obtain an Indian Student Visa valid for more than 180 days at your nearest Indian mission (OCI holders are exempt).
- 6
Report, register with FRRO and move into hostel
Submit original certificates and final Grade 12 results on arrival, register online with the Foreigners Registration Office within 14 days, and send the registration certificate to intladm@manipal.edu.
Eligibility & English requirement
- Completion of 12 years of schooling: Indian boards, GCE A-levels (with IGCSE/GCSE passes), IB Diploma, US High School Diploma, Gulf General Secondary certificates, South Asian and East African boards are accepted; other systems are checked on request by intladm@manipal.edu
- Minimum age of 17 on or before 31 December of the admission year for health-science programmes
- Subject prerequisites by programme: Physics and Mathematics for engineering and architecture; Physics, Chemistry and Biology (plus English) for medicine, dentistry, nursing and physiotherapy
- No IELTS/TOEFL score is demanded; English is expected as a school subject (AS-level English or an IGCSE English pass for A-level candidates), and non-English documents must be officially translated
- OCI/PIO cards issued after 4 March 2021 are treated as Foreign category; NRI-sponsored seats are not available for B.Arch
Important dates
- Applications open: October of the preceding year on apply.manipal.edu (Foreign/NRI channel is rolling, first-come first-served)
- MET (for Indian-category applicants) runs in two phases in April and May; Foreign/NRI applicants do not need MET
- MBBS/BDS: NEET-UG in May, followed by MCC counselling rounds from July
- Classes begin: late July to August for most UG programmes; MBBS from August/September after counselling
Scholarships for international students
| Scholarship | Benefit | Who qualifies |
|---|---|---|
| MAHE Scholar Award (Foreign/NRI UG) | 10% or 15% tuition reduction, renewable each year on university exam results | Foreign/NRI UG applicants with strong school-leaving grades; not available for MBBS, DASA, Study in India or the SAARC/listed-country fee schedules |
| MAHE Achiever Award | Tuition concession awarded from the second year onward | Based on the previous year's academic performance at MAHE; UG Foreign/NRI students only |
| SAARC and listed-country fee schedule | Substantially lower USD tuition schedule compared with the standard Foreign/NRI rates | Nationals of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka, plus listed countries such as Nigeria, Kenya and Vietnam |
| Study in India (SII) tuition waivers | Government of India partial tuition waivers through the Study in India portal | Foreign nationals applying via the SII central admission portal; admitted on the SII fee schedule rather than MAHE scholarships |
| ICCR scholarships | Tuition, hostel and living allowance funded by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations | Nominated through the Indian mission in your home country under ICCR's A2A portal; MAHE is an eligible host institution for general schemes |
| DASA (B.Tech at MIT) | Admission under the Direct Admission of Students Abroad scheme at DASA tuition rates | Foreign nationals/NRIs/OCIs with a JEE Main score, applying via dasanit.org |
Placements
₹9 lakh
Median package
₹12.3 lakh
Average package
₹69.3 lakh
Highest package
No PSW visa
India has no post-study work visa; graduates need a sponsored Employment Visa
Top recruiters: Amazon, Microsoft, Infosys, KPMG, Bosch, Intel, Oracle, Samsung, Aditya Birla Group, ICICI Bank.
Figures are for Manipal Institute of Technology's 2024-25 batch (NIRF median for B.Tech); health-science graduates typically go into hospital postings or further study rather than campus placement.
Campus, hostel and cost of living
Hostel (on campus)
- Single AC, attached bath (NRI/Foreign hostel): ₹1.9 lakh / year (≈ $2,250)
- Double AC, attached bath (NRI/Foreign hostel): ₹1.3 lakh / year (≈ $1,550)
- Double non-AC, attached bath (general hostel): ₹79,000 / year (≈ $950)
- Mess membership is compulsory for hostel residents; an annual mess advance of about INR 62,000 covers vegetarian and non-vegetarian meal plans across campus food courts.
- First-year students must live in designated hostels. NRI/Foreign hostel fees are billed in US dollars (roughly USD 1,350-2,360 per year plus USD 200 deposit and USD 140-200 utility advance). AC rooms are limited and allotted on a first-come basis; from second year MIT allots rooms by CGPA.
Monthly living cost in Manipal (estimate)
- Food outside mess $60-100
- Local transport $10-25 (campus is walkable; autos for town trips)
- Mobile and internet $5-10
- Laundry, toiletries and books $20-40
- Leisure, weekend trips to Udupi or Malpe beach $30-80
- Total with hostel: $250–400 / month
Indian student visa for MAHE Manipal admits
Foreign nationals need a Student (S) Visa from the Indian mission in their country. It is issued for the duration of the course on the university's bona fide admission letter, fee receipt and proof of funds, and holders must register with the FRRO within 14 days of arrival. Krosz prepares the visa file for every student it places, at no extra cost.
Largest international cohorts at MAHE Manipal: Malaysia, United Arab Emirates, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Nigeria, Kenya, Oman, Saudi Arabia, United States.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to write an entrance exam to join MAHE as a foreign student?
No for most programmes: B.Tech, BBA, B.Pharm, nursing, physiotherapy, hotel management and others admit Foreign/NRI applicants on school-leaving grades. MBBS and BDS are the exception and require a NEET-UG score with MCC counselling, and B.Arch requires NATA.
How much does MBBS at Kasturba Medical College Manipal cost for international students?
For the 2026-27 batch the Foreign/NRI first installment is USD 49,450 including USD 30,600 tuition, USD 18,650 other fees and a USD 200 refundable deposit; the full 5.5-year course totals about USD 197,200 before hostel and mess.
Is there a cheaper fee for students from Nepal, Sri Lanka or Africa?
Yes. MAHE publishes a separate, lower USD fee schedule for SAARC nationals (Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Afghanistan) and for listed countries such as Nigeria, Kenya and Vietnam. Students on these schedules are not eligible for the additional Scholar awards.
Which qualifications are accepted in place of the Indian 12th standard?
GCE A-levels (with IGCSE/GCSE passes), IB Diploma, US High School Diploma, Gulf 12-year secondary certificates, East African and South Asian boards are accepted directly. Other systems are vetted by the international office, and MBBS, BDS, nursing and B.Arch applicants also need an AIU equivalence certificate.
Is hostel accommodation guaranteed?
Yes, and it is compulsory in first year. Foreign/NRI students are placed in designated hostels with AC single or double rooms with attached bathrooms; hostel and mess fees are paid in US dollars along with the first-year tuition.
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Sources: official university website and international prospectus, NIRF, NAAC, UGC, MEA student visa guidelines, ICCR. Last verified 2026-10. Fees are indicative and may change; Krosz is an independent admissions and visa service and is not affiliated with Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE).