Master of Arts [MA]
Fees
Fees at IIT Hyderabad for the Bachelor of Technology [B.Tech] (Artificial Intelligence) program include a tuition fee of INR 1,00,000 per semester. Hostel fees range between INR 32,000 to INR 50,000 per year, with additional charges for mess fees and service charges summing to approximately INR 16,500 per semester. The total annual fee is estimated to be around INR 3,00,000, inclusive of hostel and mess facilities. Scholarships and fee waivers are available based on income levels and categories; students from families with an annual income below INR 1,00,000 do not pay tuition fees, while those earning between INR 1,00,000 to INR 5,00,000 receive significant fee reductions.
SC/ST students are exempt from tuition fees and have significantly reduced hostel expenses. Various scholarship programs are available, particularly for economically weaker sections and reserved categories, helping subsidize overall education costs.
About Master of Arts [MA]
IIT Hyderabad offers two Master of Arts programmes via its Department of Liberal Arts: MA in Development Studies and MA in Health, Gender and Society, both spanning two years with 20 seats each. Total fees are INR 1,08,000 excluding hostel charges. Admission uses an IITH written test and personal interview. Applicants need a Bachelor’s degree in social sciences with at least 55% marks.
📋 Admission Status: Admissions expected to open March 2027 (Tentative).
Key Points
- Both programmes include a mandatory two-month summer internship at development organisations, think tanks, or government bodies.
- Curriculum integrates Economics, Sociology, Political Science, Public Policy, and Research Methods across four semesters.
- IITH is among the few IITs to offer a standalone two-year MA in social sciences through a dedicated Liberal Arts department.
IITH MA Fees 2026
Both MA programmes carry the same fee structure, with total fees of INR 1,08,000 for the two-year programme, excluding hostel and mess charges billed separately each semester.
| Course Name | Total Fees |
|---|---|
| MA in Development Studies | INR 1,08,000 |
| MA in Health, Gender and Society | INR 1,08,000 |
- Fees are subject to change. Verify with official sources before admission.
- Hostel and mess charges are billed separately each semester.
- A refundable caution deposit of INR 6,000 is collected at admission.
IITH MA Admission 2026
Important Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Application Portal Opened | 27 March 2026 |
| Application Deadline | 17 April 2026 |
| Written Test and Interviews | May 2026 |
| Academic Session Commenced | July 2026 |
- All dates pertain to the completed 2026-27 admission cycle.
The dates mentioned above are tentative and subject to change.
Eligibility Criteria
- Bachelor’s degree in social sciences, humanities, or allied disciplines from a recognised university, with a minimum of 55% marks or equivalent CGPA.
- Candidates appearing in the final year of their Bachelor’s programme may apply provisionally.
- Early career professionals with a relevant Bachelor’s degree are also eligible.
Admission Process
- Apply online through the IITH admissions portal at iith.ac.in/maadmissions.
- Applications are shortlisted based on academic record and statement of purpose.
- Shortlisted candidates appear for an IITH-conducted written test covering logical reasoning, social science concepts, economics, and analytical writing.
- Candidates who pass the written test attend a personal interview before the final merit list is prepared.
- No national entrance exam such as GATE, JAM, or CUET-PG is required for either programme.
IITH MA vs Other Colleges
Here is how IITH MA compares with similar social science master’s programmes on fees, entrance exams, and selectivity.
| College | Fees | Exams | Cutoff | Salary | CD Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IITH | 1.08 L | IITH Written Test Interview | Not Disclosed | Not Disclosed | 4.3/5 |
| IIT Madras | 1.62 L | GATE XH | Score 237+ GEN (2025) | Not Disclosed | 4.3/5 |
| University of Hyderabad | 0.25 L | CUET PG | Not Disclosed | Not Disclosed | 4.0/5 |
| TISS Mumbai | Not Disclosed | TISS NET | Not Disclosed | Not Disclosed | Not Rated |
✓ Opt for this if
- You want an IIT-brand social sciences MA with a small 20-seat cohort.
- Your interest lies in development economics, health policy, or public policy.
- Institute test and interview suits you better than national standardised exams.
- You plan a career in the development sector, government research, or think tanks.
✗ Skip if
- You expect formal campus recruitment with corporate placement support.
- You prefer a broader MA offering across literature, history, or political science.
- Your undergraduate is in engineering and you lack social sciences eligibility.
IITH MA Scholarships 2026
IITH MA students are eligible for institute-level scholarships based on financial need and academic merit.
| Scholarship | Amount | Eligibility |
|---|---|---|
| Merit-cum-Means (MCM) | INR 1,000/month | GEN/OBC/EWS with family income below INR 4.5 LPA and CGPA 7.0 or above |
| SC/ST Scholarship | INR 250/month + hostel fee refund | SC/ST students with family income below INR 4.5 LPA |
| National Scholarship Portal | As per GoI norms | Students meeting government eligibility criteria |
- HTRA stipend does not apply to MA students.
- Scholarship details are subject to revision at the institute level.
IITH MA FAQs
Ques. What is the difference between MA Development Studies and MA in Health, Gender and Society at IITH?
Ans. MA in Development Studies focuses on development theory, social exclusion, environmental sustainability, and public policy, preparing graduates for roles in NGOs, government agencies, and policy research. MA in Health, Gender and Society concentrates on health economics, medical anthropology, mental health, disability studies, and gender, targeting careers in public health organisations, international development bodies, and academic research. Both are two-year full-time programmes under the Department of Liberal Arts with identical fees and 20 seats each.
Ques. Is any national entrance exam such as GATE or CUET-PG required for IITH MA admission?
Ans. No national exam is required. IITH conducts its own written aptitude test covering logical reasoning, social science concepts, economics, and analytical writing, followed by a personal interview. Shortlisting is first done on academic record and statement of purpose, and only shortlisted candidates take the written test. This makes the programmes accessible to strong academics who have not prepared specifically for JAM, GATE, or CUET-PG.
Ques. What career paths do IITH MA graduates typically pursue after the programme?
Ans. Graduates typically enter the development sector at NGOs, think tanks, UN agencies, World Bank-affiliated bodies, government policy departments, and public health institutions. The mandatory two-month summer internship during the programme provides direct exposure to real-world development contexts and often shapes post-graduation career choices. A portion of graduates also continue to PhD programmes at IITs, central universities, and international institutions, where the interdisciplinary training in economics, sociology, and policy research is valued.
Ques. Can IITH MA graduates pursue a PhD at IITH or other premier institutions?
Ans. Yes. The Department of Liberal Arts at IITH offers PhD research opportunities in social sciences and humanities. Strong MA graduates who secure faculty support may apply directly to the IITH PhD programme. Graduates are also well-positioned for PhD admissions at other IITs, central universities such as JNU and the University of Hyderabad, and international institutions, where their training across economics, sociology, political science, and research methods strengthens their applications.
Ques. How selective is IITH MA admission, and what academic background do applicants typically have?
Ans. With only 20 seats per programme and no published selection cutoff, IITH MA admission is highly selective. The process weighs Bachelor’s marks, statement of purpose quality, written test performance, and personal interview. Past cohorts have included applicants from Economics, Political Science, Sociology, History, and Development Studies backgrounds. Unlike CUET-PG or GATE-based programmes, there is no standardised percentile you can benchmark against, making a strong SOP and focused academic preparation more important than test coaching.