South Asian University (SAU) is an international university established by the governments of the eight member nations of the South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (SAARC) viz., Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The University, established with the aim of evolving a South Asian consciousness, offers Master’s and PhD level programmes in Biotechnology, Computer Science, Economics, International Relations, Legal Studies, (Applied) MathematicsandSociology.
SAU attracts students from all member nations and its degrees are recognized by all the eight SAARC countries.
The University currently functions from its Akbar Bhawan campus in Chanakyapuri, New Delhi and will move to its 100-acre campus in Maidan Garhi, South Delhi soon.
Admission to Master’s Level Programmes
The following is a list of the Master’s level programmes offered at SAU. The figures in brackets show the number of seats available in each programme.
Details about the faculty, admission procedure and the format of the Entrance Tests can be viewed by clicking on appropriate links below:
- Applicants who have not yet completed the Bachelor’s degree course and are yet to appear for their last year/semester exam can also apply for admission and appear in the Entrance Test. However, their admission will be confirmed only if they fulfil the minimum eligibility criteria of aggregate percentage of marks at the Bachelor’s level besides clearing the Entrance Test. Please note that such candidates will not have any claim to admission if their results are not declared and their mark sheets are not available till the last date of admission which is 23 July 2021 without late fees and 10 August 2021 with late fees with prior permission for late registration.
- Students who are offered admission will be required to produce original copies of their final results at the time of admission, including mark sheets/grade sheets of their qualifying degree examination.
- Master’s level students in all programmes at SAU shall be full-time students and shall not be permitted to take up full or part-time jobs during the course of their study.
- Students whose qualifying examinations results are not announced at the time of personal registration, will not be registered till their results are declared. Such students are advised to not report at SAU without their latest marks sheets and provisional degree certificates.
Determining Rankings in Case of a Tie
In case of a tie in the total score of the Entrance Test, the rank of a candidate will be determined on the basis of the score in individual sections as follows:
- If the total score is tied, the candidate who scores higher marks in section C will be placed higher.
- In case the total score and Section C scores are tied or if there is no Section C, the candidate who scores higher marks in section B will be placed higher.
- If the tie continues further, higher rank will be awarded to the candidate who is older.
Admission to PhD programmes
The following is a list of PhD programmes offered at SAU. The figures in brackets show the number of seats available in each programme.
Details about the faculty, admission procedure and the format of Entrance Tests can be accessed by clicking on appropriate links below:
- Applicants who have not completed their Master’s level course and are yet to appear for their last year/semester exam can also take the Entrance Test. However, their admission will be subject to their fulfilling the minimum eligibility criteria of the aggregate percentage of marks at the Master’s level besides clearing the Entrance Test. Please note that such candidates will not have any claim to admission if their results are not declared and their mark sheets are not available till the last date of admission which is 23 July 2021 without late fees and 10 August 2021 with late fees with prior permission for late registration.
- The admission procedure for the PhD programme consists of an Entrance Test followed by an interview. Students are required to score at least 50% marks in both, the Entrance Test and the interview separately, to be eligible for admission.
- Travel Subsidy for candidates invited for interview: Candidates invited for the interview will be given a travel subsidy (upper limit INR 5,000) towards actual travel cost by the shortest route as per instructions which will be communicated to those called for interview. If candidates from outside India are unable to travel to New Delhi for the interview, they can seek permission for an interview through Skype.
- The pre-PhD course work is compulsory for all students and is spread over the first two semesters and carries 16 credits as follows: course work (14 credits) plus seminar and term paper (2 credits). Distribution of credits between the first two semesters is decided by individual Departments / Faculties. Some Faculties and Departments may have a slightly higher credit requirement depending on their specific needs. Candidates are advised to carefully read Faculty and Department-specific requirements online. In addition, students will be required to qualify a non-credit course on “Introduction to South Asia” offered by the university if they have not already done so.
- The tenure of the PhD programme is five years.
- At the end of the first year, students with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) less than 5.0 will be deemed to have failed and shall leave the university. There is no provision for a repeat test for improvement of grades in any pre-PhD course.
- Candidates with a CGPA above 5.0 but less than 6.5 will compulsorily pursue the MPhil programme. Such students will be required to submit a dissertation within a period of one year (two semesters) carrying a minimum of 8 Credits. M.Phil. students securing an overall FGPA of 6.50 and above (including the grade obtained in M.Phil. dissertation), will get another opportunity to enroll for the Ph.D. programme as per the SAU rules. Students with FGPA of less than 6.5 will leave the university with an MPhil degree.
- Students with a CGPA of 6.5 and above will be considered for direct admission to the PhD programme as per SAU regulations. Such candidates, if they so wish, will also be permitted to pursue the M.Phil. Degree.
- Minimum residency requirement for PhD is two years after admission.
Students pursuing a PhD degree at SAU are full-time students and are not permitted to take up full or part-time work during the residency period.
Deadline for receiving Application Forms: 23 March 2021
Application Fee, Date and Venues for the Entrance Test
An Entrance Test will be conducted simultaneously throughout the SAARC region on 10 and 11 April 2021 as per the schedule. The fee for appearing in the Entrance Test is US $10 or INR 740. Applications for admission will be accepted only online and payment must be made by credit/debit cards or net banking. Those who cannot pay the application fee online still need to fill and submit the online application form. They will be instructed on how to pay the entrance fee once they have filled the online application form.
Physically challenged candidates or those with special needs, should write to the University separately with a copy of their disability certificate so that special arrangements can be made for them. They will be allowed up to an extra 60 minutes to complete the test after due approvals on a case-to-case basis. Such students are required to apply for permission in advance with documentary evidence.
| Saturday, 10 April 2021 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Morning Session | Afternoon Session | Evening Session |
| MSc Biotechnology | MA International Relations | MSc Computer Science |
| PhD Biotechnology | PhD International Relations | PhD Computer Science |
| Sunday,11 April 2021 | ||
| Morning Session | Afternoon Session | Evening Session |
| MA Economics | MSc Applied Mathematics | Master of Laws (LLM) |
| MA Sociology | PhD Legal Studies | |
| PhD Mathematics | PhD Economics | |
| PhD Sociology |
| Countries | Morning Session | Afternoon Session | Evening Session |
|---|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | 8.30 am – 10.30 am | 11.30 am – 1.30 pm | 2.30 – 4.30 pm |
| Pakistan & Maldives | 9.00 am – 11.00 am | 12.00 noon – 2.00 pm | 3.00 – 5.00 pm |
| Sri Lanka | 9.30 am – 11.30 am | 12.30 – 2.30 pm | 3.30 – 5.30 pm |
| Nepal | 9.45 am – 11.45 am | 12.45 – 2.45 pm | 3.45 – 5.45 pm |
| Bhutan & Bangladesh | 10.00 am – 12.00 noon | 1.00 – 3.00 pm | 4.00 – 6.00 pm |
| India | 9.30 am – 11.30 am | 12.30 – 2.30 pm | 3.30 – 5.30 pm |
A student can register for as many tests as s/he pleases subject to fulfilling the eligibility criteria and as long as the Entrance Test timings do not clash.
The Entrance Test will be held at the following test centres as per above mentioned schedule. Efforts will be made to allot the centre as chosen by the candidate at the time of filling up the application form. However, if the number of candidates at any centre becomes too low, then the candidates from that centre will be transferred to the next nearest centre.
| Test Centres in India | Test Centres in Other Countries | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Ahmedabad | Jammu | Afghanistan | Kabul |
| Bangalore | Kolkata | Bangladesh | Chittagong |
| Bhopal | Lucknow | Dhaka | |
| Bhubaneshwar | Mumbai | Bhutan | Thimphu |
| Chandigarh | Patna | Kanglung | |
| Chennai | Pune | Maldives | Male |
| Cochin | Raipur | Nepal | Biratnagar |
| Dehradun | Ranchi | Kathmandu | |
| Delhi/ NCR | Shimla | Pokhara | |
| Goa | Srinagar | Pakistan | Karachi |
| Guwahati | Surat | Lahore | |
| Hyderabad | Thiruvananthapuram | Peshawar | |
| Indore | Varanasi | Sri Lanka | Colombo |
| Jaipur | Vizag | Jaffna |
Country-Wise Quota of Seats
Master’s Programmes
- 50% seats are reserved for Indian applicants in all the Master’s level programmes.
- 4% seats are reserved for applicants from each of the following five countries: Afghanistan, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
- 10% seats are reserved for applicants from each of the following countries: Pakistan and Bangladesh.
- 10% seats may be allotted to applicants from outside the SAARC region.
- Merit lists will be prepared country-wise and the competition will only be amongst candidates within each country.
- If the seats allocated to a particular country are not filled, they will be allocated to students from other countries, as per SAU rules.
PhD Programmes
The available seats in each programme will be divided as follows:
- 50% seats for Indian students and the remaining 50% seats for all other seven SAARC countries put together.
- Two merit lists will be prepared, one for Indian applicants and the other will be a combined merit list for the remaining SAARC countries. In view of the small number of seats available in each programme, seat reservation for individual countries is not possible.
Admission Procedure for Nationals of Non-SAARC Countries
All candidates from outside the SAARC region should send their application on the prescribed application form directly to Deputy Registrar Admissions, South Asian University, Akbar Bhawan, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi 110021, India, with all supporting documents including educational records, identity proof and a colour photograph. The application should reach South Asian University by 23 March 2021. Each application will be scrutinized by the concerned faculty to determine the eligibility of the candidate and the decision of the University will be final in this regard. Students from outside the SAARC region do not have to take an Entrance Test and will be admitted on the basis of their past performance. They are also not eligible for any scholarships/freeships offered by the University and will be liable to pay US$ 4500 per semester (US $9000 per year) for day scholars, payable in July, January each year.
Refund Policy
Before Final Registration
- If, after having paid the fees, a candidate withdraws from the programme up to ten days before the commencement of the Monsoon Semester, s/he will be eligible for refund of all deposits/fees paid after a deduction of USD 100. Effective date is 16 July 2021.
- Thereafter, if s/he withdraws from the programme up to the commencement of the Monsoon Semester s/he will be eligible for refund of all deposits/fees paid after a deduction of USD 200. – Effective date is 26 July 2021.
- Candidates withdrawing after the commencement of the Monsoon Semester i.e. after 26 July 2021 shall not be eligible for any refund of deposits/fees paid except security deposit.
- If a candidate who has been given admission pending the declaration of his/her result is unable to meet the admission criteria on declaration of the result, he/she will be entitled to refund of all deposits/fees paid without any deductions.
After Final Registration
As per regulation 35.8.3: If, after having paid fees, a candidate withdraws from the programme, he/she shall not be eligible for any refund of fees and deposits except security deposit paid by him/her.
Student Visa
Overseas students admitted to the South Asian University are issued a special category student visa/SAU visa with SAU endorsement. Students selected for admission must approach the Indian Embassy/ High Commission in their respective countries with the Admission Letter for issuance of this visa. Students from Bhutan and Nepal do not require a visa. However, the offer of admission will be withdrawn if students are not able to obtain the visas and join their course by the last date of admission which is 10 August 2021.
Tuition and other Fees
| Head | SAARC Students | Non-SAARC Students |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition Fee (Non-Refundable) | US$ 440 per semester (US$ 880 per year) for day scholars, payable in July & January each year.US$ 500 per semester (US$ 1000 per year) for boarders, payable in July & January each year. | US$ 4500 per semester (US$ 9000 per year) for day scholars, payable in July & January each year.US$ 5100 per semester (US$ 10200 per year) for boarders, payable in July & January each year. |
| Admission Fee (Non-Refundable) | US$ 100 (payable only once at the time of entering SAU) | US$ 100 (payable only once at the time of entering SAU) |
| Security Deposit (Refundable)* | US$ 100 | US$ 100 |
| Students’ Aid Fund (Non-Refundable) | INR50 per semester | INR50 per semester |
SAU Tuition Fee Waiver and Financial Support for PhD Students: Please refer to the details on SAU Scholarships and Financial Support rules.
Hostel and Medical Facilities
Hostel Facilities:Hostel accommodation (on a 3-to-a-room basis) is provided only to those students who come from outside the National Capital Region of Delhi (NCR). Each hostel room is approximately 14 ft. x 15 ft. in size, and has an attached bathroom. Tables and chairs are provided in each room. Hostel accommodation is NOT provided for spouse/children or other family members of admitted students. All students staying in the hostel must adhere strictly to hostel rules. Hostel Fee is US $ 60 per academic semester for students from the SAARC region. Students must vacate the hostel immediately upon completion of their course and/or if they are disqualified from continuing the course. Hostel facilities at SAU are limited and hostel allotment shall be made strictly on a first-come-first served basis subject to availability of beds. If hostel beds get exhausted, students will have to make their own stay arrangements outside. No payment in lieu of hostel accommodation will be paid by South Asian University under any circumstances during the entire course period.
Mess charges will be extra and are likely to range between US$ 50 to 75 per month.
Medical Facilities: All admitted students are covered under the Medical Group Insurance Scheme up to INR 1,50,000 for which full premium is paid by the University. In addition, the University has its own Health Centre where limited OPD facilities are available.
Expenses incurred by students on purchase of medicines (prescribed by the University doctor) are reimbursable as per SAU rules.
Scholarships & Financial Support
Select scholarships / freeships are available. Details will be available soon.
