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

Thermal Engineering is a special branch of mechanical engineering focused on how heat moves, how it is generated and also how it is used to make machines work.

If you enjoy knowing how a car engine works, why a refrigerator stays cold or also how a rocket survives re-entry you are interested in thermal engineering. 

It is all about managing temperature and energy ensuring machines don’t get too hot, too cold or waste energy.

Duration of Thermal Engineering courses varies on basis of course level at which you're planning to pursue course. At UG level, most of colleges offer integrated BTech-MTech courses that have a general time span of 5 years in India. Coming to PG level, a plethora of colleges offer M Tech in Thermal Engineering course with a duration of 2 years, which gives you advanced-level knowledge of 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 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 eligibility criteria, you also need to clear relevant entrance tests with excellent marks.

Candidates can check a general overview of the Thermal Engineering admission process below -

• Make sure you meet the eligibility requirements
• Apply online by filling up the form
• Takethe  entrance exam
• Wait for the merit list and result
• If selected, attend the counselling session
• Get the documents verified and pay the fee to secure the seat

Note: The info is taken from other sources and can be different.

For Thermal Engineering in India, you can take several entrance tests for getting admission to some of best colleges in country offering courses in this field at UG and PG level.

You can check number of colleges that accept certain exam scores and then decide 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 way for technical jobs in in PSUs. This year, IIT Guwahati will conduct GATE 2026 exam. GATE 2026 exam dates are OUT. GATE 2026 EXAM DATES are February 7, 2026 to February 8, 2026 and February 14, 2026 to February 15. 2026. GATE will be held on different dates in two shifts. Candidates are advised to keep checking website for GATE 2026 official notification. 

This is completely your choice. If you want to explore area of thermal energy after studying fundamentals of Mechanical Engineering, you can opt for an M Tech in Thermal Engineering course. No doubt, degree will let you explore good earning opportunities in job market demanding advanced-level technical expertise, making you an asset for recruiter.
Coming to 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

Elective MTech Thermal Engineering subjects may vary depending on institution where you’re pursuing 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 right professional electives, you must think about your passions and interests, subjects that seem fun to explore, have scope for skill enhancement, are aligned with 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 67 private colleges, some popular students' choices include SRM Institute of Science and Engineering, Thapar University, PES University (Bangalore), NorthCap University (Gurgaon), GMR Institute of Technology (Andhra Pradesh), and MLR Institute of Technology (Hyderabad).

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

Total cost of studying Thermal Engineering courses generally differs from college to college and on basis of course level at which you're studying course. 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 college hostel), college application, semester exam fee, lab work, workshops, etc.

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

After completing the course you can explore many jobs in India with a decent salary. 

Candidates can see some best jobs below -

·       Thermal Design Engineer

·       Maintenance Engineer

·       Operations Engineer

·       Thermal Systems Analyst

Candidates should have some skills if they want to go for Thermal Engineering courses. They can see a list of these skills below - 

• Knowledge of Thermodynamics
• Good Maths 
• Problem Solving
• Thinking Skills
• Adaptability
• Teamwork

Hope this helped! All the best!

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.