NIFT Admission through SAT/GRE/GMAT: Admission Process, Eligibility Criteria and Seat Intake

NIFT Admission Process for Foreign National/NRI /OCI/PIO/SAARC is different from that of Indian Students. The procedure, eligibility criteria, and admission process are different. Read the article to find how.

NIFT Admission Process for Foreign National/NRI /OCI/PIO/SAARC

Candidates under the Foreign Nationals/NRIs/OCIs/PIOs/SAARC categories are not required to appear for the NIFT Entrance Examination. They get admission to the NIFT Institutes based on the scores of SAT/GMAT/GRE examinations. The NIFT application process for Foreign Nationals/NRIs/OCIs/PIOs/SAARC candidates is open. All the candidates who fulfill the eligibility criteria under this category could apply before April 30, 2026.

Who can Apply for NIFT Admission (residing in India or abroad)?

Foreign Nationals/NRIs/OCIs/PIOs/SAARC candidates (residing in India or abroad) with the following status and who meet the eligibility criteria may apply for NIFT 2026 admission.

• Foreign National: A foreign national is a citizen of a country other than India, and who is not of Indian origin.
• NRI (Non-Resident Indian): An Indian citizen who is ordinarily residing outside India or in India and holds an Indian Passport with NRI Status.
• PIO (Person of Indian Origin): A person who or whose any of the ancestors was an Indian national and who is presently holding another country’s citizenship/nationality, i.e. he/she is holding a foreign passport.
• OCI (Overseas Citizen of India): A person registered as an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) Cardholder under section 7A of the Citizenship Act., 1955.
• SAARC: (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation): The citizen from the countries Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka

What are the eligibility criteria to apply under Foreign Nationals/NRIs/OCIs/PIOs/SAARC categories?

The eligibility criteria for NIFT Foreign Nationals/NRIs/OCIs/PIOs/SAARC categories is given below.

• Candidate must have appeared in SAT/ GMAT/ GRE score.
• The minimum requirement of SAT/ GMAT/GRE score is 50%.

• Age Limit: For UG programmes, the maximum age should be less than 24 year as on 1st August of the year of admission. For PG programmes, there is no age limit.

Procedure under Foreign Nationals/NRIs/OCIs/PIOs/SAARC categories

Those who want admission under this category have to apply online at NIFT website: nift.ac.in/admission. The last date for applying under this category was April 30, 2026. The candidates who fulfill the admission criteria specified for this category may apply online with the requisite application fee of Rs. 11,100/- through the online NIFT payment gateway.

Also Read:

• Career Opportunities after NIFT

Dates for NRI/Foreign National /OCI/PIO/SAARC

Check out the important dates for NRI/Foreign National /OCI/PIO/SAARC.

Seat Intake at NIFT for Foreign Nationals/NRIs/OCIs/PIOs/SAARC categories

Check out the seat intake for NIFT Admission through NRI Category.

How to apply for NIFT B.Des and B.F.Tech Programme under Foreign Nationals/NRIs/OCIs/PIOs/SAARC categories?

Candidates should have the following to apply for Foreign Nationals/NRIs/OCIs/PIOs/SAARC categories.

• Candidates applying for Bachelor Programmes of NIFT need to arrange to send SAT scores directly from the College Board USA to NIFT through College Board Portal.
• SAT scores had to be submitted through the College Board, USA, to NIFT before April 30, 2026. The Designated Institution (DI) Code is 7258.
• Candidates at the time of NIFT registration for SAT should indicate DI code: 7258.
• Candidates whose SAT scores have not been received from the College Board, USA, may not be considered for admission under this category.
• The Campus and Programme will be allotted to the successful candidates based on a merit list drawn as per SAT score of the candidates and the preference of the candidate.

How to apply for NIFT M.F.M, M.Des & M.F.Tech Programmes under Foreign Nationals/NRIs/OCIs/PIOs/SAARC categories?

Candidates should have the following to apply for Foreign Nationals/NRIs/OCIs/PIOs/SAARC categories.

• Candidates applying for Master of Fashion Management (M.F.M) need to arrange to send GMAT test scores.
• Candidates applying for Master of Design (M.Des.) and Master of Fashion Technology (M.F.Tech.) should arrange to send GRE test scores directly to Admissions Department, NIFT Head Office, New Delhi.
• The candidates must designate NIFT Programmes as a choice in the GRE/GMAT.
• Candidates whose GRE/GMAT scores have not been received from the Educational Testing Services/Graduate Management Admission Council may not be considered for admission under this category.
• The campus and programme will be allotted to the successful candidates based on merit list drawn as per GRE/GMAT score of the candidates as well as the preference of the candidate.
• Candidates who want admission under this category should apply online in the prescribed application form.

Also Read:

• List of NIFTs in India: Ranks, Courses, Admission Process, Fees & NIFT Seat Intake
• NIFT Fee Structure (UG/PG): Components, Category/Semester-wise Fees Details & Important Points
• NIFT Placements: Highest/Average salary, Participating Companies & Job Roles