What is Thermal Engineering?: Course Fees 2025, Subjects, Top Colleges, Admissions

Thermal Engineering is a popular specialisation within Mechanical Engineering that revolves around the concepts of how thermal energy or heat is generated, transferred, and utilized for various purposes like the generation of power, optimal heating and cooling, and overall energy management, both at homes and in industrial settings, reducing the loss of energy and impact on the environment.

The duration of Thermal Engineering courses varies on the basis of the course level at which you're planning to pursue the course. At the UG level, most of the colleges offer integrated BTech-MTech courses that have a general time span of 5 years in India. Coming to the PG level, a plethora of colleges offer the M Tech in Thermal Engineering course with a duration of 2 years, which gives you advanced-level knowledge of the field and acts as an entry point for a rewarding career journey.

For UG courses in Thermal Engineering, you should get at least 50 to 60% marks in Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics subjects, which may differ from one college to another. For example, for an Integrated BTech Mechanical engineering + M Tech Thermal Engineering at the IITs, you should have at least 75% marks in your Class 12 board exams.
Further, for PG courses like M Tech in Thermal Engineering, you must have at least 55 to 60% marks in graduation. Other than meeting the eligibility criteria, you also need to clear relevant entrance tests with excellent marks.

To get admission to Thermal Engineering courses at some of the best colleges in India, you should start by checking the eligibility requirements and make sure to meet them. Appearing for the entrance tests and scoring outstanding marks and rank in the exam is also quite important.

Another crucial step is to fill out the college application forms without fail before the registration window gets closed. After the exam results are out and you've got your marks and rank, you need to apply for the counseling process via the online portal.

You must go for the counseling process, where you'll be given a seat according to your marks and rank in the exam. After getting the seat, you need to go to the college and pay the Thermal Engineering course fee and get your seat confirmed.

A few colleges may offer admission on the basis of Class 12 merit, for which you must check the respective college websites to have better clarity.

The admission process for M.Tech Thermal Engineering can easily take up 3 to 5 months from the entrance exam to the final seat allotment. This is because every college has to complete a lot of formalities before giving admission to the students. The basic steps include entrance examination, college application, result announcement, cutoff release, college counseling, seat allotment, course fee payment, document verification, and final admission confirmation.

When it comes to pursuing Thermal Engineering in India, you can take several entrance tests for securing admission to some of the best colleges in the country offering courses in this field at the UG and PG level.

You can check the number of colleges that accept certain exam scores and then decide the exam they would like to appear for afterwards:

Note: Some colleges accept multiple entrance exam scores.

GATE exam is conducted only once a year to offer admissions to master's and PhD programs at top institutions, such as IITs and NITs. Qualifying GATE exam also paves the way for technical jobs in in PSUs. This year, IIT Guwahati will conduct the GATE 2026 exam. The GATE 2026 exam dates are OUT. The GATE 2026 EXAM DATES are February 7, 8, 14, and 15. The GATE will be held on different dates in two shifts. Candidates are advised to keep checking the website for the GATE 2026 official notification. 

GATE qualifying cutoff is the institute eligibility cutoff, and on the other hand, the GATE admission cutoff ensures a call for admission at IITs, NITs, IITs, and CFTIs. Check below in detail:

GATE Qualifying Cutoff: It is the minimum mark a candidate must score so that he or she is eligible for admission. But this does not mean that a candidate is selected for admission. Actually, it is fixed before the announcement of GATE results. It is announced by the conducting IIT and available on GOAPS. It includes qualifying marks for each paper.

Admission GATE Cutoffs: It is the final opening and closing rank score fixed by the participating institutes for the selection of candidates. It is to be noted here that meeting the admission GATE cutoff does not mean that the candidates will be selected for admission. It is fixed after the GATE result date. It is declared by the individual participating institutes and available on their respective counselling portals (CCMT/ COAP).

Total 120 questions will be asked in the AP PGECET question paper. All the questions are Multiple Choice Questions. Solving question papers helps candidates successfully clear the AP PGECET 2025 exam. Each question carries one mark, and there is no provision for negative marking. The questions will be asked in the English language.

If you are someone who wishes to get in-depth knowledge of the foundational concepts of mechanical systems and thermal energy transfer and utilization and wants to earn a dual degree in 5 years, which includes theory classes and skill-based learning via lab work, this could be a go-to course option for you. This also turns out to be a cost-effective option that can lead to promising earning opportunities in the long run.
Having said that, you need to indulge in some self-introspection and see for yourself if you are really interested in the course, whether it aligns with your future plans, and if you would like to put your time and money in the same. Best of luck! ;)

This is completely your choice. If you want to explore the area of thermal energy after studying the fundamentals of Mechanical Engineering, you can opt for an M Tech in Thermal Engineering course. No doubt, the degree will let you explore good earning opportunities in the job market demanding advanced-level technical expertise, making you an asset for the recruiter.
Coming to the job aspect after BTech Mechanical Engineering, this can also be a promising choice in terms of career scope and earning potential. If you are a mechanical wizard who loves to play with machines and are satisfied with your 4-year academic ride, you look for a job and start earning right after graduation.

M Tech Thermal Engineering subjects covered in the syllabus vary on the basis of the college; however, some of the fundamental concepts taught in classes are almost the same. You can find some main subjects included in the M Tech Thermal Engineering syllabus below:

• Advanced Thermodynamics
• Advanced Fluid Mechanics
• Kinematics of Machines
• Heat Transfer
• Thermo Fluids
• Convective Heat and Mass Transfer
• Computational Fluid Dynamics
• Design and Optimization of Thermal Systems
• Advanced Power Plant Cycles

The elective MTech Thermal Engineering subjects may vary depending on the institution where you’re pursuing the course. Some popular elective subject choices offered across popular colleges include:

• Advanced IC Engines
• Advanced Steam Power Plants
• Aerodynamics
• Refrigeration Systems and Components Design
• Renewable Energy
• Thermal Behavior of Advanced Materials
• Solar Thermal Technologies
• Multi-Phase Flow and Heat Transfer

To choose the right professional electives, you must think about your passions and interests, the subjects that seem fun to explore, have scope for skill enhancement, are aligned with the market demands, and are scoring and easy to understand.

There are approx. 106 full-time colleges where you can pursue courses in Thermal Engineering. Talking about the 67 private colleges, some popular students' choices include SRM Institute of Science and Engineering, Thapar University, PES University (Bangalore), The NorthCap University (Gurgaon), GMR Institute of Technology (Andhra Pradesh), and MLR Institute of Technology (Hyderabad).

Coming to the govt. colleges that are around 38 in number, the IITs, NITs, Delhi Technological University, College of Engineering Pune, SVNIT Surat, and College of Engineering (Anna University) are some options that you can consider.

The total cost of studying Thermal Engineering courses generally differs from college to college and on the basis of the course level at which you're studying the course. The average tuition fee for Thermal Engineering courses is around INR 2 Lacs to INR 8 lakh. Plus, there are other extra charges that you need to pay like that of hostel accommodation (if you're staying in the college hostel), college application, semester exam fee, lab work, workshops, etc.

So, it is better if you check the official college websites and read their detailed fee structure for your preferred course to avoid any confusion at the time of admission.

After completing a major degree course in Thermal Engineering, you can explore various career options across work sectors with a decent earning potential. Some popular career options that you can look forward to are given here for your reference:

·       Thermal Design Engineer

·       Maintenance Engineer

·       Operations Engineer

·       Thermal Systems Analyst

·       Safety Engineer

·       HVAC Engineer

·       Thermal Plant Service Engineer

The average starting salary after completing Thermal Engineering courses is approximately INR 4 LPA to INR 6 LPA. This is an estimated figure that varies to a great extent on the basis of your academic record, internship experience (if any), skill set, company location, and the market scenario. You should prioritize skill enhancement by taking up internships and attending workshops to increase your chances of getting a good job with a healthy salary package.

Courses in Thermal Engineering help students learn various important skills, both technical and soft skills, along with theoretical knowledge and hands-on training. Some general skills that you can learn and the ones that will benefit you in your career are given here:

·       Knowledge of Thermodynamics

·       Proficiency in Heat Transfer & Fluid Mechanics

·       Good Mathematical Understanding

·       CAD Software

·       Analytical and Problem-Solving Aptitude

·       Critical Thinking Skills

·       Adaptability & Teamwork

To choose the right college for the M Tech in Thermal Engineering course, you should look out for some important parameters like the course curriculum, course fee, scope for research exposure, All India ranking of the college, industrial connections, placement records, and alumni feedback. After you analyze all of these points carefully, only then should you make the final call as to which college would serve you in the best way possible.