NU Nalanda Admission 2026

About Nalanda University

Nalanda University is a Central University located at Rajgir in Nalanda district of Bihar, established by the Nalanda University Act, 2010 of the Indian Parliament. The university revives the legacy of the ancient Nalanda Mahavihara (5th century CE) and was inaugurated at its permanent campus in 2024 as a multi-disciplinary international centre for higher learning.

Nalanda University offers Master's and Ph.D programmes through schools including Historical Studies, Buddhist Studies, Philosophy and Comparative Religions, Languages and Literature / Humanities, Ecology and Environment Studies, Sustainable Development and Management, and International Relations and Peace Studies. Admission to Master's programmes is through the Nalanda University application — a multi-stage process involving Statement of Purpose, academic record review and online interview.

For 2026-27, the Nalanda University application is open at nalandauniv.edu.in. The university enrols students from India and abroad and offers institutional fellowships and need-based aid.

Application fee: ₹1,000 (General) / ₹1,000 (Reserved) · Official site ↗

Entrance Exams

University-conducted entrance exam

Other accepted exams

• Nalanda University application
• NET-JRF
• GATE

Eligibility

Master's: Bachelor's degree in any discipline (relevant to the programme) with strong academic record. Ph.D: Master's with the prescribed aggregate plus research interest aligned with the programme. Knowledge of relevant languages (Sanskrit, Pali, Tibetan, Chinese) is an asset for some Buddhist Studies / Historical Studies programmes.

Important Dates

How to Apply

1. 1
   Read the NU notification
   Visit nalandauniv.edu.in for the 2026-27 admission notification with programme list, eligibility and fellowship details.
2. 2
   Apply online
   Register on the NU online application portal, fill personal and academic details, upload SOP, recommendation letters, transcripts and pay the application fee.
3. 3
   Online interview
   Shortlisted candidates attend an online interview before the NU admissions committee.
4. 4
   Admission confirmation
   Selected candidates accept the offer, pay the admission fee and report to the Rajgir campus, Nalanda.

Previous Year Cutoffs

Cutoffs will be published here once last year's data is verified.

Scholarships

Scholarships are available for eligible candidates at this university.

Nalanda University fellowships, ICCR / MEA scholarships for international students, Indian Council of Historical Research and Indian Council of Philosophical Research awards, need-based aid.

Reservations

Central University reservation: SC 15%, ST 7.5%, OBC-NCL 27%, EWS 10%; PwBD 5% horizontal. International student quota as per ICCR / MEA / NU norms.

Results & Merit Lists

No result links published yet for this academic year. Subscribe below to be notified.

Frequently Asked Questions