Procedures Made Easy
Choosing your Course and Institute
You can take the help of Educational Consultants India Ltd. (Ed.CIL), a Government of India enterprise, which facilitates admissions and is a single window for the same. Ed.CIL gives advice on suitable colleges and programmes after ascertaining your requirements.
For further information you can access individual institution or university websites. The UGC
website – www.ugc.ac.in gives useful information on Indian Universities. You can also visit the
Government of India portals – www.india.gov.in and www.education.nic.in.
Essential Criteria
For admission to all undergraduate courses, universities/institutes of higher education in India
require candidates to be in possession of Higher Secondary/GCE ‘A’ level/any other examination equivalent to +2 stage of Indian qualification (12 years of schooling) with subjects related to their chosen area of study. However, for entry into diploma programmes, the qualification should comprise of 10 years of schooling.
Additional requirements, if any, as per the course is detailed ahead along with the relevant course information.
Starting the Session
Generally the academic year is from July to June. However, in some professional colleges offering engineering courses, the academic year begins in August/September.
Documents required for NRI/PIO students coming to India
Valid passport
Confirmed letter of acceptance or a provisional admission certificate from a university or a college or institution
Proof of availability of sufficient funds for the duration of studies in India for self-financing NRI students
Health certificate and AIDS-free certificate
Visa Procedures
 NRI students do not require any visa for admissions in colleges/institutions.
Holders of PIO Card also do not need a separate student visa.
Diaspora members not having a PIO card or foreign students need to get a student visa. Student visas are issued for the duration of the academic course of study on the basis of firm letters of admission from universities/recognised colleges or educational institutions in India. The visa can be applied for from any of the Indian Missions.
The visa rules have also been further liberalised. There is no restriction on the number of courses a student may like to undertake and each time the period of validity of the student visa will be counted afresh. If you want to change a course midway and join another course, the period for validity of visa will be counted with respect to the duration of the new course. Students can no longer be denied an extension of visa as long as the concerned University/Institutions permits a student to complete a course subject. This follows reports that certain State Governments deny extension of visa to students if they fail to qualify a course within two attempts. State Governments/ FRROs are now empowered to grant an extension in such cases.
Students no longer require a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for joining undergraduate/
postgraduate technical courses.
Passport valid for a minimum of six months beyond the date of intended departure from India
should accompany your application.
Students holding other nationalities (other than the country where applying for visa), should submit proof of long-term (at least three years)/permanent residence in the country (where applying). For citizens of other countries, a reference has to be made to their country of residence for which an additional fee is applicable and will involve extra processing time.
Interested students can apply to the institution directly or apply to Ed.CIL. Having more than two decades experience in assisting thousands of students to study in reputed Indian institutions, Ed.CIL will act as a “Single Window for Securing Admissions in India” and make the entire process of admission easier. Once you register with Ed.CIL and submit your application, it will take care of all the formalities starting from pre-admission to post admission and act as your local guardian, till you complete your course in India and return to your home country.
Information regarding customs and baggage rules is available with the Indian missions abroad. The Ministry of External Affairs website (www.meaindia.nic.in) may be visited to
get the contact details of the Indian mission in your country of residence. Students are advised to consult these rules before coming to India. It may be noted that as a general rule no financial assistance is available from Indian universities or colleges. Students are, therefore, urged to make adequate financial arrangements from their home country for the entire period of stay in India.
Applying for ICCR Scholarship
Offer of scholarships is sent to the respective Governments through Indian diplomatic missions
abroad. Nominations are received from the respective Governments in the Indian diplomatic
missions concerned. These are forwarded to ICCR for final selection and placement. Direct
applications from candidates cannot be considered by ICCR. International government
nominees have to fill prescribed forms for Scholarships for Foreign Nationals that are available
with Indian missions abroad. While filling in the forms, the candidate must specify the course
he wishes to pursue such as i) certificate/diploma ii) undergraduate degree iii) postgraduate
degree iv) doctoral research work only. Candidates are also advised to consult the Handbook
of Indian Universities available with Indian missions abroad to ensure the availability of their
choice of a course in India. The application forms should include the required number of copies
of educational certificates along with three copies of passport-size photographs. In some
cases, a ‘no objection certificate’ from the candidate’s employer or place of work is also
required. |
