Indian Institute of Foreign Trade New Delhi Fees, Admission 2026, Courses, Cutoff, Ranking, Placement

About Indian Institute of Foreign Trade - [IIFT] New Delhi

The Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT), established in 1963, is a premier public business school located in New Delhi, India. It operates as an autonomous institute under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, with additional campuses in Kolkata, GIFT City, and Kakinada.

IIFT holds an A+ grade from NAAC and is accredited by AACSB. It is ranked 17th in the NIRF 2025 Management category and 63rd by QS for its MBA program. The institute offers specialized programs in international business, including MBA (International Business), doctoral, and certificate courses, with a strong faculty and student base. It is recognized for its research centers and global collaborations, contributing significantly to India's foreign trade education.

Key Highlights

Overview

The Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT), established in 1963, is a premier public business school located in New Delhi, India. It operates as an autonomous institute under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, with additional campuses in Kolkata, GIFT City, and Kakinada.

IIFT holds an A+ grade from NAAC and is accredited by AACSB. It is ranked 17th in the NIRF 2025 Management category and 63rd by QS for its MBA program. The institute offers specialized programs in international business, including MBA (International Business), doctoral, and certificate courses, with a strong faculty and student base. It is recognized for its research centers and global collaborations, contributing significantly to India's foreign trade education.

Key Highlights

Admission Dates 2026

Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) New Delhi offers admission to MBA programs in International Business (IB) and Business Analytics (BA) based on CAT 2025 scores. The admission process includes application submission, shortlisting, group discussion, personal interview, and final selection.

Admission Process

IIFT New Delhi offers admission to MBA programmes through a two-stage selection process based on CAT scores, group discussions, and personal interviews. The institute also admits international candidates and NRI applicants through separate pathways with GMAT requirements. Applications for MBA(IB) and MBA(BA) 2026-28 programmes are currently open with an extended deadline of December 12, 2025.

MBA (International Business) & MBA (Business Analytics) 2026-28 Admission

Steps to Apply

1. Visit the official IIFT admissions portal at iift.ac.in
2. Click on new registration and create an account with your name, email, mobile number, and date of birth
3. Verify your account through OTP sent to your phone or email
4. Log in and complete the online application form with academic details, personal information, category status, and work experience
5. Upload scanned copies of photograph, signature, category certificate (if applicable), and other required documents in prescribed formats
6. Select your preferred MBA programme (MBA IB, MBA BA, or both) and campus preferences
7. Pay the application fee online using debit/credit card, net banking, or UPI
8. Review all details and submit the application form
9. Download and save the confirmation page and payment receipt

Selection Process

Stage 1: Shortlisting

Candidates are shortlisted based on CAT 2024 scores (98% weightage) and gender diversity (2% weightage). Sectional cutoffs apply.

Stage 2: Group Discussion and Personal Interview

Shortlisted candidates appear for Group Discussion (21 points) and Personal Interview (22 points). Final selection considers CAT score (48%), GD+PI (43%), gender diversity (3%), academic diversity (3%), and work experience (3%). Interviews are held offline across ten centres: Delhi, Kolkata, Kakinada, GIFT City, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Indore, Lucknow, and Mumbai.

Eligibility Criteria & Fees

Documents Required

- Scanned copy of photograph (passport size) - Scanned copy of signature - Self-attested copies of all academic mark sheets and certificates (Class X, XII, and Graduation) - Category certificate (if applicable) - CAT 2024 scorecard - Work experience certificates (if applicable) - Any other documents as specified in the application portal

Foreign Nationals and NRI Admission

Eligibility for Foreign Nationals

- Valid passport or travel document from a country other than India - Recognised bachelor's degree of minimum 3 years with 50% marks - GMAT score (taken after January 1, 2023) received by IIFT by March 15, 2025 - Final-year students may apply with proof of qualification by October 31, 2025

Eligibility for Indian Nationals Abroad

- Must have been resident outside India for not less than 18 months as on December 31, 2024 - Certificate from Indian Embassy/High Commission/Consulate confirming continuous residency required - GMAT score (taken after January 1, 2023) received by IIFT by March 15, 2025

Selection for Foreign Nationals/NRI

- Admission based on GMAT score and personal interview - Candidates arrange their own travel; online interviews available if physical presence not possible

Documents for Foreign Nationals/NRI

- Copy of latest GMAT score certificate - Self-attested copies of all academic mark sheets and certificates (Class X, XII, Graduation)

Cutoff 2025

The Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) New Delhi maintains highly competitive cutoffs for its MBA (International Business) and MBA (Business Analytics) programs, primarily based on CAT 2024 scores. The overall percentile cutoff for the General category is around 98+, with sectional cutoffs approximately at 55 percentile. Reserved categories have lower cutoffs, with OBC around 90+ percentile and SC/ST around 85+ and 75+ percentiles respectively. These cutoffs have remained stable compared to previous years, reflecting consistent competition and high standards.

Placements 2025

Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) New Delhi achieved a strong placement performance in 2025 with over 120 recruiters participating and a placement rate close to 100%. The highest international package reached ₹85.4 LPA, while the average package was around ₹27.3 LPA, reflecting robust demand across domains such as Sales & Marketing, Finance, Consulting, and IT/Analytics.

Placement Statistics

Top Recruiters

IT: Amazon, Microsoft, Infosys, Wipro, Capgemini

Consulting: Accenture Strategy, Deloitte, EY, McKinsey & Co, Bain & Co, ZS Associates

Core: Adani, Tata Steel, Cipla, Axis Bank, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Chase

Branch-wise Placement

Rankings & Accreditations

In the 2025 NIRF Management rankings, Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) New Delhi is ranked 17th nationally with a score of 62.93, showing a slight decline from its 15th position in 2024. It remains a prominent institute for international business education in India.

NIRF 2025

Other Rankings

Accreditations

• NAAC: Accredited (Grade and validity details not specified)

Scholarships & Financial Aid

The Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT), New Delhi offers various scholarships based on merit and financial need, including a Need-Based Scholarship and a New Scholarship Scheme covering 10% of students with 20% tuition fee waiver. Additionally, government scholarships for reserved categories and external merit scholarships are accessible through the National Scholarship Portal and other sources.

Institute Scholarships

Government Scholarships

External Scholarships

• State Police Personnel Wards Scholarship: Partial funding for wards of police personnel pursuing MBA or other degrees
• SBI Education Loan Scheme: Collateral-free loans up to ₹15 lakh with interest waiver for family income below ₹6.5 lakh

Comparison

Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) New Delhi is compared with Management Development Institute (MDI) Gurgaon and XLRI Jamshedpur as these are premier government-affiliated business schools in India known for their strong management programs, consistent NIRF rankings, and robust placement records, making them key peers in management education.

Key Strengths

• Indian Institute of Foreign Trade - [IIFT] New Delhi: Specializes in international business and trade with strong global industry connections and high foreign placement packages.
• Management Development Institute (MDI) Gurgaon: Known for its strong corporate interface, leadership development programs, and consistent top 15 NIRF ranking.
• XLRI Jamshedpur: One of India’s oldest B-schools with a legacy of excellence in human resource management and general management education.

Campus & Infrastructure

The Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) New Delhi campus is located in the Qutab Institutional Area, spanning approximately six acres. It is situated near prominent institutions like Jawaharlal Nehru University and IIT Delhi, offering a serene environment with views of the Qutab Minar, ideal for academic pursuits.

Campus Details

Academic Facilities

• Library: Around 84,000 volumes, 800 journal subscriptions, WTO Resource Centre, access to databases like NIC, CMIE, India Trades, World Bank Indicators
• Labs: 3 state-of-the-art computer centres with 300 Pentium Core 2 Duo / i7 nodes, software including SPSS, Oracle, Visual Basic, Java
• Classrooms: Centrally air-conditioned lecture halls with modern audio-visual aids and smart classroom facilities

Other Facilities

• Auditorium with 500 seating capacity
• Indoor games facilities
• Wi-Fi enabled hostels with 24/7 internet access
• Conference halls for round-table discussions
• Mess facilities providing hygienic meals four times a day
• Sports grounds for cricket, football, volleyball; indoor table tennis
• 24/7 security with CCTV surveillance and hostel wardens