Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology: Courses, Fees, Admission 2025, Cutoff & More

Know more about IIST Thiruvananthapuram 2025 – courses, fees, cutoffs, placements, reviews, admissions and other details to make a better decision.

About IIST Thiruvananthapuram: Overview

IIST was established by the government of India in 2007 under the Department of Space, India, as the first institute in the country devoted entirely to space science and technology education. It serves as a Deemed-to-be University, and it makes a large contribution to training ISRO’s human resources.

Situated in a scenic 100 acres of campus close to the Western Ghats, IIST provides undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral programs in a unique set of disciplines. The flagship B.Tech programs in Aerospace Engineering, Avionics, and Dual Degree in Engineering Physics with M.Tech/M.Sc. are heavily research-oriented. Admissions are through JEE Advanced, and the best students are offered full financial support. Outstanding graduates can also be hired directly into ISRO.

It also offers M.Tech and M.Sc. degrees in 15 space-related disciplines and provides research support at all degree levels. Members of the faculty actively supervise PhD theses, execute funded projects, and work closely with ISRO as well as international collaborations.

With approximately 98 faculty members from 11 states and a completely residential campus, IIST is able to combine academics with real-world exposure. Under the guidance of scientific luminaries, including its current Director, Prof Dipankar Banerjee, IIST is a launch pad to train India’s future space scientists and engineers.

Source: ScienceIndiamag

IIST Highlights 

Courses Offered at IIST

Here is the list of courses offered at IIST:

IIST Fees Structure 2025

Here is the IIST fee structure for 2025:

IIST Admission Process

Admission to the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST), Thiruvananthapuram, is entirely online. Interested candidates should apply online and complete the admission process at https://www.iist.ac.in.

Here are the various eligibility criteria to apply for different programs offered by the institute:

B.Tech Admission:

IIST offers B.Tech in Aerospace Engineering, Avionics Engineering and Computer Science & Engineering(Data Science). Admission is based on the performance on JEE Main and JEE Advanced. Candidates should have completed Class 12 with Physics and Mathematics with at least 75% marks (and 65% for SC/ST). Only those who have appeared for JEE Advanced will be considered.

M.Tech Admission:

Applicants for M.Tech must have a B.Tech degree with at least 60% marks (55% in case of SC/ST) and a valid GATE score. The selection is done on the basis of the GATE and the eligibility in the respective program.

M.Sc Admission:

IIST also offers an M.Sc. programme. The minimum eligibility criteria for applying to the programme are a B.Sc degree in any discipline with 60% (55% for SC/ST) marks and a qualified GATE exam.

The entire application process, including documentation uploads and fee payments, will be done through the official website. Applicants must check the website for updates, admission results, deadlines and counselling dates.

IIST University Placements 2024

The placement report 2025 is yet to come out. But according to the 2024 data, the median package of IIST Thiruvananthapuram was ₹ 11.64 LPA. Out of a total of 116 students, 89 were placed for an overall placement percentage of 76.72%.

Prominent recruiters included ISRO, Texas Instruments, Infosys, Mercedes Benz, CDAC, Skyroot Aerospace, Analogue Devices, Wipro, Bosch, NFTDC, and Agnikul Cosmos, among others. The placements are majorly from industry sectors like space, electronics, and technology, which also signifies a strong industry connect of IIST.

The institute’s rigorous academic and research training, combined with specialisation in space science and technology, continues to attract leading organisations across various industries.

Highlights:

Dedicated Placement Cell

The placement cell at IIST Thiruvananthapuram is very active and helps to place students in reputed organisations. The cell also works in coordination with the recruiters to handle internship drives, campus placements and career development programs. Students get all-round support to be job-ready, from resume-building workshops to interview preparation. The focus does not stop at traditional roles in the space sector. Instead, several find opportunities in leading engineering, R&D, and tech companies.

Internship Opportunities

Internships form an integral part of education in IIST. Students are urged to participate in such research activities and programs during the summer or internships between academic years. Most of them intern with ISRO units, national labs, or private space-tech startups doing real-time projects. Such exposure provides them with valuable experience and networking opportunities. Hence, this leads to pre-placement offers and/or research internships after graduation.

Alumni Working in Top MNCs

Graduates from IIST have established careers in leading MNCs and renowned research institutions. From ISRO and Skyroot Aerospace to global giants Texas Instruments, Infosys, Bosch and Mercedes Benz, our alumni have made their mark across domains. A large majority have also continued or are engaging in graduate studies or research at prestigious foreign universities. The successful alumni network is also a testament to the academic qualities of the institute. 

Scholarships and Financial Aid at IIST

Research scholars admitted to the Ph.D. programme at IIST are eligible for a monthly fellowship of ₹31,000, provided they meet one of the following criteria:

• Hold a postgraduate degree in Basic Sciences with a valid NET or equivalent qualification
• Have a graduate degree in a professional course with NET or equivalent
• Hold a postgraduate degree in a professional course

At the end of their second year of research, the scholars’ performance will undergo an evaluation by a committee. If the review is satisfactory, the fellowship amount may be increased to ₹35,000 per month.

Aside from research, Ph.D. students are employed in departments to help in tutorials, practicals, or other academic work for an average of 6 hours a week.

It is important to note that although the fellowship supports the scholar’s academic work, the scholars themselves must absorb the costs of various services, including hostel accommodation, food, medical facilities, and so on, according to IIST’s rules.

IIST University Cutoff 2025 (Expected)

For admission to its different programmes, IIST also considers several national-level entrance examinations. These include JEE Advanced for undergraduate courses and GATE for postgraduate programmes. Candidates are required to sit for the appropriate exam according to the respective course for which they are applying.

There is no reservation policy, and admission is purely on merit based on eligibility and the entrance examination. Each year, depending on the number of applicants, the number of available seats and general performance in the entrance exams, the institute decides what the cut-off ranks/scores for each programme will be.

The cut-offs differ category-wise as well, with relaxed criteria for candidates who belong to SC, ST, OBC-NCL, EWS and PwD categories, as per the reservation policies of the government. Hence, this leads to equal opportunity in education without compromising academic quality.

This is the B.Tech cutoff for 2024: 

Category

Recognition and Rankings of IIST 

According to NIRF Ranking 2024, the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) is 51st in B.Tech among 300 institutes in India and 2nd in the state of Kerala. In the IIRF 2024 rankings, IIST is ranked 14th in B.Tech among 160 colleges across India. The next index, IIRF 2025, ranked IIST 17 out of 150 colleges in India. Plus, IIST was recognised in the 6-25 band of the top 25 institutions in India in the NIRF Innovation Ranking 2020 for its high focus on research and innovation.

Campus Life and Infrastructure at IIST Thiruvananthapuram

The fully residential and well-equipped campus of IIST Thiruvananthapuram is built in a way that it would encourage academic pursuits, while taking care of its students. Located on 100 acres of land surrounded by beautiful Ponmudi hills, the campus is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and furnished with green buildings providing a clean educational environment.

Of all the things on the campus, what stands out is the hostel setup, which consists of 11 blocks: Dhruva, Chitra, Ashwini, and so on and is named after different constellations. These hostels are spacious, ventilated, Wi-Fi equipped, well-furnished with a common reading and television room along with indoor games and electronic gadgets for recreation, 24×7 electricity and water facilities. The availability of safe drinking water, laundry services and round-the-clock security has made it convenient for over 800 students living here.

The academic centre of the campus is a centrally located, six-storey library. It gives access to library books, journals, and more than 5000 e-resources that are available through the IIST Virtual Library (IVL) at any moment in time. A multimedia area, document scanning, reprographics and writing support all help make the library a vibrant research and study space.

IIST possess State-of-the-art Laboratories, an Innovation Centre and Research facilities for hands-on learning. The canteens Aditi, Akshaya, Tripthi, and Subhiksha cater to students and staff/faculty. All menus are overseen by committees in which students take part.

You can choose from a variety of fitness and recreational facilities on campus. The central gymnasium offers workout machines, weights and personal trainers. Both hostels are also equipped with indoor activities like table tennis, carrom and chess. There is also a football ground, basketball courts, volleyball court, cricket nets and badminton courts on campus, which are floodlit for late-night play. IISTs have Regular Sports Meets and intramural Competitions.

The institute has a good IT infrastructure and facilities with Wi-Fi all over the campus, smart classrooms, a fully digitised library and an academic system. The rooftop Astronomical observatory, innovative and research-oriented culture, and a climate research facility at its Ponmudi campus are a few of the highlights.

FAQs

Q1. What is IIST famous for?

IIST is Asia's first space university, known for its focus on space science and technology. It's closely linked to ISRO and trains future scientists and engineers for India’s space missions.

Q2. Which entrance exams are accepted at IIST?

For undergraduate courses, IIST accepts JEE Main and JEE Advanced. For postgraduate programmes like M.Tech and M.Sc., a valid GATE score is required.

Q3. How is the placement at IIST?

The 2024 median package was ₹11.64 LPA with a 76.72% placement rate. Top recruiters include ISRO, Infosys, Texas Instruments, Mercedes-Benz, and Skyroot Aerospace.

Q4. What courses are offered at IIST?

IIST offers B.Tech in Aerospace, Avionics, and Data Science, a 5-year Dual Degree program, M.Tech in 15 specialisations, M.Sc programs, and Ph.D. opportunities in space-related fields.

Q5. Is IIST good for research and innovation?

Absolutely. IIST supports strong research in collaboration with ISRO, has modern labs, a virtual library, and even a climate observatory at its Ponmudi campus. It's also ranked among the top in India for innovation.