What is Aeronautical Engineering?: Fees 2026, Subjects, Top Colleges, Admissions

Aeronautical Engineering means designing, manufacturing and maintenance of flight machines and aircraft. It is a niche domain which is under development in our country and provides great career opportunities not only in India but in foreign nations also.
It also prepares professionals to develop new technologies for the commercial aviation sector.

Recruitment opportunities are available in defense services and the aviation industry. Engineering in aeronautics is taxing because of its vast syllabus which requires a lot of dedication and hard work.

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Engineering courses

Both Aerospace and Aeronautical Engineering are good branches, but if you want to make a choice between one see the difference between them.

Aerospace Engineering is a rather more general field of engineering that includes the design, production and use of aircrafts, space crafts and other systems. Aerospace engineers are involved in numerous positions and many different fields, whether it be in the designing of a new airplane or the creation of a new propulsion system for a spacecraft. They also deal in the installation of avionic and other systems in aircrafts and space crafts. Aerospace engineers should have a good background knowledge and understanding of mathematics, physics and engineering mechanics, aerodynamics propulsion and thermodynamics.

Aeronautical Engineering is slightly more specific than aerospace engineering since it majorly deals with the construction of airplanes. Aeronautical engineers are involved in designing the specials of an aircraft, its controls, structure and power plant. They also must understand the layout of airport and other aviation related structures. Aeronautical engineers normally have a baseline preparation in arithmetic, physics and engineering mechanisms.

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Of more than 180 top Aeronautical Engineering colleges in India for BTech courses, some popular students choices along with the average courses fees are given in the table below for reference:

Note – This information is taken from official website and may vary.

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Aeronautical Engineering Colleges in India

Not at all. You do not need any prior flying experience to go for a degree in Aeronautical Engineering. The field is about the design and development aspect of aircraft and other flight-worthy vehicles and not the flying aspect per se. Pilot Training courses cover that part in depth. For Aeronautical Engineering courses, a passion for aviation in general and mechanics can be advantageous. 

If you have completed Class 12th with PCM subjects and have a minimum score of 50 to 60% in board exams, you are eligible to pursue courses in Aeronautical Engineering after 12th. Also, a keen interest in aviation, aircraft, and understanding how they fly is important for motivation and success in this business field. Problem-solving, creative and analytical skills are also highly valuable in this field.
While there is no as such age limit, mostly students are between 17-21 years old when they take admission to UG level Aeronautical Engineering courses.
For PG courses in Aeronautical Engg. you must secure at least 50 to 55 percent marks in BTech Aeronautical Engineering or a related field. 

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Aeronautical Engineering Course Admission

The selection process for the B Tech Aeronautical Engineering course depends on both parameters that include the Class 12 merit and entrance test marks. Most of the Aeronautical Engg. colleges consider the marks obtained by students in relevant entrance tests and then allot a seat on the basis of their rank in the exam.

Having said that, there are more than 80 BTech in Aeronautical Engineering colleges that offer merit-based admissions, looking at the Class 12 board exam marks of the students. These colleges mostly take the PI or GD rounds in such cases. Meanwhile, a few colleges also give equal weightage to both the things.

So, you should check the guidelines given on the college websites to ensure a smooth admission process.

You can start with the very basic step of checking the eligibility criteria for admission to the course at popular BTech Aeronautical Engineering colleges. If the college you’re targeting offers admission on the basis of Class 12 merit, you need to get excellent marks in the board examination as the merit cutoff lists are usually high.

For BTech Aeronautical Engineering admission on the basis of entrance exam scores, you need to give relevant entrance exam and secure a good rank and score to be able to get a seat for the program at some good college. Further, you have to fill out the college application forms.

After the exam results are declared and you’ve got your result, you need to apply for the counselling session through the college online portal. You will be given a seat during the counselling process after which you can pay the course fee at the BTech Aeronautical Engg. college and start attending your classes.

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Aeronautical Engineering courses

In majority of the cases, the application process for the BTech Aeronautical Engg. course takes place in the virtual mode where you have to fill a detailed application form and upload important documents for admission to the course. You can find the basic list of documents that you must keep with you while you're filling the application form given below:

• Class 12^th mark sheet with at least 50 to 70 percent marks in the PCM subjects
• Provisional Class 12 certificate (if the original is not issued yet)
• Class 10^th mark sheet
• Migration and Character Certificate (may be required)
• Valid identity proofs like Aadhar, Passport, PAN card, etc.
• Reserved category certificate (if applicable)
• Recent passport-size photos

Courses in Aeronautical Engg. can be studied at the diploma, UG, PG, and PhD levels. Coming to the admission to BTech course in Aeronautical Engineering, a lot of colleges admit students on the basis of the marks secured by them in the Class 12 board exams. These colleges may also take other admission rounds like the PI or GD for testing the ability of the students who apply.

Meanwhile, other top Aeronautical Engineering colleges in India consider the marks secured by students in the entrance exams. To keep more options available, students may work hard and give the entrance exam.

For M.Tech in Aeronautical Engineering, the admission takes place on the basis of the GATE exam score or other PG entrance exams. In a similar manner, for PhD courses, students have to give relevant research-based entrance exams and also prepare for the interview round where they may be asked to present a research proposal.

Most of the popular Indian colleges offering the BTech Aeronautical Engineering course give some sort of marks relaxation if you belong to any of the reserved categories. The relaxation in marks may vary from one college to another, but generally it is around 5%.

You should have your reserved category certificate with you at the time of admission to avail this benefit. Further, you need to upload a scanned copy of the same at the time of filling out the application form.

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Aeronautical Engineering courses

For admission to various institutes candidates are required to qualify the below-mentioned entrance exams, if you want to pursue education from a recognised college

Note - The information is taken from the official site of the exam.

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Aeronautical Engineering Course Admission

There are various national/state/college level exams that act as an entry point to the BTech Aeronautical Engineering course at top academic institutions in India. You can check the prominent exams along with the number of colleges accepting the respective exam scores to plan your preparation well.

Note: Some colleges accept multiple entrance exam scores.

The time for the BTech Aeronautical Engg. entrance exam preparation is not fixed; it rather depends on the student preparing for the same. In general, it is always better to start as early as possible, at least 6 to 8 months before the final exam date, so that you can cover all the sections in the syllabus and have enough time for revision.
Covering all the topics and revising well in advance will increase your chances of getting a good score and rank in the exam, further increasing your chances of getting shortlisted. 

This is something quite subjective. For one person, the exam for the BTech in Aeronautical Engg. course might be very easy to crack as they studied really well and have covered all the exam topics, while for another one, it could be the most difficult one to crack owing to their lack of preparation.

Further, the exam committee that sets the question papers also looks for factors like previous year student feedback, the number of applicants who applied, and the highest score statistics. All of this also impacts the difficulty level of the entrance test. 

The competitiveness of BTech Aeronautical Engineering entrance exams is moderate to high, depending on the particular exam that you're planning to give, either at the national, state, or college level.

In general, there is high competition for seats at top BTech in Aeronautical Engineering colleges owing to the growing demands in the aviation sector because of rising passenger traffic.

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Aeronautical Engineering courses

Prep tips to help you in the BTech Aeronautical Engg entrance exams 

• You first need to check the syllabus thoroughly 
• Make a weekly plan where you allot at least 2-3 topics to be covered each day
• Have a look at last years’ papers 
• Take help from seniors or professors to understand topics that are difficult
• Plan a revision schedule 

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Aeronautical Engineering Course Admission

You can choose from a lot of UG Aeronautical Engineering courses available in India. Some of the decent choices that you can consider are given below:

• BTech Aeronautical Engineering
• BTech in Avionics
• BTech Aeronautical Engineering (Computational Engineering)
• BTech Aeronautical Engineering (Autonomous Drone Technology)

All of these UG courses are 4 years long. A UG degree in Aeronautical Engg. can provide you the right knowledge of the field. Rest, the choice rests with you as to which course to opt for.

You have a lot of choices to pursue Aeronautical Engineering courses at the PG level. Some of the most popular course choices among students who are interested in research in the aeronautical field include

• MTech in Aeronautical Engineering
• MTech in Avionics
• MTech in Aerodynamics and Flight Mechanics
• MTech in Aeronautical Engineering (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle)

The duration of these Aeronautical Engg. courses is 2 years in India. A PG degree may give you an edge over other students and increase your chances of career advancement. You can choose any of the courses of your choice after reading about the course syllabus and other factors.

The Aeronautical Engg. course duration depends on the course level at which you're studying the course. For UG courses, the duration is 4 years in general. For PG Aeronautical Engg. courses, the usual time frame is 2 years. If you plan for a Diploma right after Class 10, you need to invest 3 years in the Aeronautical Engineering Diploma course.

If you are very much inclined towards the research field, you can also go for a PhD course in Aeronautical Engineering which is 3 to 6 years long, depending on the research topic you've chosen and the university where you're pursuing the doctorate course.

BTech Aeronautical Engineering is an extremely rewarding degree course that students can opt for after completing Class 12 because it offers a plethora of job opportunities to fresh engineering graduates across various work sectors like aerospace and aviation, defense, research and development, and several other private and government organizations.

Some important advantages of studying BTech Aeronautical Engg. course are listed here:

• High Earning Potential: A BTech in Aeronautical Engineering degree course opens up various career paths for the students. They get exposed to multiple Aeronautical Engineering career profiles such as Aerodynamics Engineer, Avionics Engineer, Propulsion Engineer, Quality Assurance Engineer, Missile Systems Engineer, Aeronautical Research Scientist, and many more.
• Job Stability & Demand: The demand for aeronautical engineers is generally high because of the expansion of the air travel network and the country's increasing air passenger traffic. Most of the airline companies require airplanes to accommodate the rising demands for which they need to hire talented engineers. Furthermore, the defense sector of India also needs people to design and construct military aircraft.
• Contribution to Research and Development: BTech Aeronautical Engineering graduates can act as contributors to the aerospace research and development initiatives being undertaken by the Indian government lately.

Hello candidate.

Some of the important subjects that form the foundational base for BTech in Aeronautical Engineering course at the best universities and colleges across India include Aircraft Structures, Propulsion Systems, Avionics and Aerodynamics, Thermodynamics, Flight Mechanics, Fluid Mechanics, Control Systems, and CAD (Computer-Aided Design) software.

All of these subjects will provide you comprehensive knowledge about the working process of aircraft machinery, which will make you future ready in terms of your career in the aeronautical sector.

Hope this answered your query.

The course syllabus for Aeronautical Engg. courses is designed by the colleges according to the specific course level, making sure that it covers most of the fundamental aspects of the field of aeronautics.

In that syllabus, you need to study some compulsory core subjects in every semester, which are considered very important to get a deep understanding of the discipline.
Other than the core subjects, you have the chance to opt for various elective subjects as per your own interests, something that you enjoy studying and is probably easy for you to grasp and make sense of.

Overall, you will have a good time studying Aeronautical Engineering courses if you have interest in this field.

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Engineering Courses

Dear candidate, the Aircraft Stability and Control subject is of extreme importance for every aeronautical engineering graduate because it teaches you about the various ways in which an airplane could respond after facing some unforeseen disturbances, and further gives you an idea regarding different ways to tackle the same.

This information is crucial for the aeronautical engineer to put to use while designing and manufacturing the aircraft in order to install the required safety equipment and control systems in place.

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Engineering Courses

The answer to this question is very subjective. The syllabus for the BTech Aeronautical Engineering course is planned in a manner that it covers all the important aspects of the field of aeronautics and aviation so that you get an idea of the overall picture of this work field. If you have a deep interest in this field, you may find even the toughest subject the easiest one.

Meanwhile, for some other person who is just studying the course for the sake of it, without any interest, might find the BTech Aeronautical Engg. syllabus hard and challenging.

Useful Link: Aeronautical Engineering Syllabus

The coursework for BTech Aeronautical Engineering at most of the colleges is updated regularly, usually every two years, to keep pace with the growing digital advancements and aviation sector needs. Students get to engage in lab classes, industrial research projects, and internship programs that can lead to skill enhancement and better career prospects.

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Aeronautical Engineering Syllabus

Hello candidate,

There are about 180+ BTech in Aeronautical Engineering colleges in India. Of these, 160+ colleges are privately owned, and 15 colleges are owned by the government. TNEA, JEE Main, KCET, etc. are the top entrance exams for top BTech in Aeronautical Engineering colleges in India. Some of the popular Engineering colleges in India for Aeronautical include LPU, SASTRA, Amity University Noida, Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education, IIST, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Rajalakshmi Engineering College, Visvesvaraya Technological University, Kumaraguru College of Technology, and many others.

You have a lot of good options to choose from. Decide wisely.

Yes, there are many government BTech in Aeronautical Engineering colleges in India. Some of them are mentioned below along with their tuition fees:

Disclaimer: This information is sourced from the official website/ sanctioning body and may vary.

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Aeronautical Engineering Colleges

There are around 169 Aeronautical Engineering private colleges in India. Some of the most popular colleges along with their tuition fee are given below:

Note - The information is taken from the official site of the college.

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Aeronautical Engineering Colleges in India

See, this depends on your personal interest areas and skill set. Both the job profiles offer promising work opportunities in the aeronautical industry with decent annual salary packages. If you are passionate about aircraft designing and manufacturing, you can consider the profile of an Aircraft Design Engineer who is responsible for the design and development of aircraft models using advanced technology.

On the other hand, if you are interested in electrical and electronic systems, you can go for the profile of an Avionics Engineer who is responsible for the design, construction, and maintenance of the electronic aircraft and spacecraft systems to ensure smooth functioning. You must think about your interests carefully and then come to a conclusion. Best of luck!

You can look forward to decent earning opportunities after completing a major degree course in Aeronautical Engineering in India. Some of the top recruiters that offer you handsome salary packages.

• Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)
• Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL)
• Mahindra Aerospace
• ISRO
• Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO)
• Civil Aviation Department
• Private Airline Companies

Hi candidate!

Below you can go through the list of a few of the best colleges for BTech in Aeronautical Engineering in India and a few top companies that recruit BTech graduates along with their placement package:

Disclaimer: This information is sourced from the official website.

Definitely. If students are good at PCM and have an interest in aircraft mechanisms, they should pursue this course without any hesitation regardless of their gender. In fact, universities provide reservations to women in order to ensure gender equality and attract more female participation in these courses. Furthermore, recruiters such as Air Force and airlines hire more women and are paid at par with their male counterparts.

Therefore, female candidates are motivated to pursue BTech in Aeronautical Engineering and contribute to the development of this industry.

Hope this helps !

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Aeronautical Engineering Career

The B Tech Aeronautical Engineering course is 4 years long where the coursework is divided into 8 semesters and you get to study some core subjects that give you the basic understanding of the field and some elective choices that you can choose yourself, something that you find interesting and easy to learn. 

Most of the BTech courses are 4 years long, except for the lateral entry and integrated BTech-MTech courses. The lateral entry programme for B Tech Aeronautical Engineering has a 3-year duration and the integrated BTech-MTech course is 5 years long.

 It is estimated pursuing BTech in Aeronautical Engineering courses can be affordable,  80+ colleges have their annual fees of INR 2-3 lakh and some of the colleges are Amity University, Noida, IIST, Vel Tech, and many others. The table below shows the best BTech in Aeronautical Engineering colleges in India having tuition fees of less than INR 1 lakh:

Disclaimer: This information is sourced from the official website.

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Aeronautical Engineering Colleges in India

Students who have successfully completed their class 12th examination or equivalent with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics (PCM) and aggregate of at least 50 to 75% in the examination are eligible to apply for the entrance exam for Aeronautical Engineering for BTech course.

After clearing Class 12th, candidates must clear any entrance exam such as JEE Main, KCET, and HITSEEE, for seeking admission in private or government engineering college.  

Hello candidate, the minimum eligibility criteria for getting admission to BTech Aeronautical Engineering at popular Indian colleges is a minimum of 50-55% marks in Class 12. Further, you must have completed your Class 12 with a Science stream with 50-55% marks in PCM subjects. 

Rest, for the reserved category students, there is some sort of marks relaxation in the eligibility criteria that you can check by visiting the official websites of the colleges. The admission to the course is given on a merit basis and/or entrance exam scores that may vary on the basis of the college and its individual guidelines. In addition, you may also have to appear for rounds such as Personal Interview (PI) round after getting shortlisted via the cut-off round for getting admission at some of the academic institutions.

Hope this answered your question. If yes, please up vote. 

Almost all of the Aeronautical engineering colleges in India release the application forms for admission in the online mode well in advance of the final exam date so that a majority of the students can apply from the comfort of their homes without having to travel to the institution. This approach promotes inclusivity and diversity. You need to upload the scanned copies of all the important documents, fill out all the important details, and pay the application fee. 

Having said that, a few colleges may still follow the offline approach of filling out the admission application and submitting it at the college window. This is less likely to happen, though. Still, it is always better if you read the admission guidelines given on the college websites for better clarity.

Read more: Aeronautical Engineering Admission 2025

You can definitely get admission to the BTech Aeronautical Engg. course without giving the entrance exams, on the basis of the Class 12 board exam marks that is usually followed by GD or PI rounds. For Tamil Nadu students in particular, TNEA Counselling after 12^th can be a perfect entry point for admission to top BTech Aeronautical Engineering colleges.

To have a clear picture, you may check the respective college websites for their admission requirements and then prepare accordingly.

Absolutely, yes. You can pursue the BTech Aeronautical Engg. course on the basis of Class 12 merit. There are more than 180 BTech Aeronautical Engineering colleges in India, out of which approx. 87 colleges give admission taking into account your Class 12 board exam marks. These colleges often take extra admission rounds like the GD or PI after the exam results are out. A few examples include Amity University (Noida) and Parul University (Vadodara).
Having said that, a lot of top colleges in the country strictly give admission to the course on the basis of entrance test marks. So, it is always better to check the official college websites for accurate details. 

The subjects of Aeronautical Engineering are given below, which plays contributes in the core syllabus:

• Aero Engineering Thermodynamics
• Aircraft Design Project
• Mechanics of Machines
• Aircraft Design Project
• Aircraft Structures

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Aeronautical Engineering Syllabus

The BTech Aeronautical Engineering curriculum is not the same across top colleges in India. The major components of core and programme electives and practical training might be similar, but the subjects taught in classes differ from one college to another. You can find the official syllabus for the course at your chosen colleges at their college websites to have an idea of the upcoming 4-year course duration. 

For a successful career after the completion of the BTech Aeronautical Engg. course, you should have some important technical and analytical skills. The skills can be learned through internships, hands-on training in lab classes, and research projects.

Some basic and important skills for better earning opportunities and healthy salaries in the aviation sector are given below

• Sound knowledge of Aerodynamics & Propulsion
• Proficiency in CAD Software
• Basic Avionics Systems Troubleshooting
• Strong Mathematical Aptitude
• Problem-Solving and Analytical Skills
• Good Observation Skills
• Creativity and Passion

Joining BTech in Aeronautical Engineering colleges in India can be worthwhile for you. For that, you need to check its ROI. Listed below are some of the colleges along with their fees and average placement package:

Disclaimer: The above statistics are based on the latest available data.

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Aeronautical Engineering Colleges in India

Hello aspirant! Yes, of course. Most of the top BTech Aeronautical Engineering colleges and universities offer lateral entry admission to 3-year engineering Diploma holders either on a merit-basis or through lateral entry admission entrance tests. You can directly get admitted to the second year of BTech in Aeronautical Engineering in this case.

Talking about the merit criteria, most of the engineering institutes prefer a minimum of 50-55% marks in your Diploma course. Rest, you may check the lateral entry entrance exam specifications on the official website of the university or college you wish to apply for. Some of the best colleges that offer lateral entry admissions include Manipal Institute of Technology and Institute of Aeronautical Engineering, Hyderabad.

Best of luck for your future endeavors!

The table below shows the top BTech in Aeronautical Engineering colleges in Maharashtra along with their average placement package and the prominent recruiters:

Note - The information is taken from the official site of the college.

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Aeronautical Engineering Colleges in India

It is estimated that studying Aeronautical engineering is affordable. Below table showing names of Aeronautical Engineering colleges  in Hyderabad with their annual fee structure:

IIT Madras offered the highest placement package INR 11 LPA - INR 25.2 LPA with top recruiters participated include Amazon, Axis Bank, BCG, JP Morgan. Here are some top Aerospace Engineering colleges in India with their average package and top recruiters -

Note - The information is taken from the official site of the college.

There are many Aeronautical Engineering colleges in India. Tamil Nadu has the highest number of colleges. The below is the table shows states having the number of Aeronautical Engineering best colleges in India:

Note - The information is taken from the official site of the college.

Of course. CAD software and tools are a crucial part of the Aeronautical Engineering syllabus at top colleges, given their importance in modeling aircraft structures and propulsion systems. You design and visualize aircraft and related components through advanced CAD features. Mastery over CAD tools allow you to achieve precision and the desired safety requirements. 

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Aeronautical Engineering Syllabus

It is less likely to replace the aeronautical engineers completely. AI will reshape their roles, asking them to leverage AI capabilities and innovate instead of being replaced.

You can expect improved AI design and simulation, automation of various manual routine tasks, scope for predictive maintenance, better efficiency and productivity, and discovery of new lightweight aircraft materials. So aeronautical engineers are in for an exciting ride of experimentation and higher level thinking.

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Aeronautical Engineering Career

An Aeronautical Engineering degree definitely gives you a strong understanding of aircraft systems and aerodynamics but it is not sufficient for you to become a pilot. To qualify for a pilot position you need specialised flight training, a specific number of accumulated flight hours, a pilot license and to meet certain medical fitness standards. 

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Aeronautical Engineering Career