IIFT Admission 2026, Fees, Courses, Placements & CAT Cutoff

The Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) is a Government of India institution established in 1963 under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry. It was originally established as an autonomous body to contribute to skill development for India's external trade sector and subsequently received Deemed to be University status in 2002. IIFT's academic focus is centred on international business, trade, economics, management and related areas. Its Delhi campus is located in the Qutab Institutional Area of New Delhi.

The flagship management programme is the two-year full-time MBA (International Business). The programme is structured over six trimesters and combines general management subjects with a strong focus on international business and global trade. The curriculum covers areas such as management, economics, finance, marketing, operations, information systems, international trade operations, international economics, international marketing, international financial management, international business strategy, logistics and supply-chain management. Students also undertake a summer internship, port visit and research project as part of the programme.

For students researching IIFT admission 2026, the primary entrance examination is CAT 2025. IIFT's 2026–28 admission brochure states that CAT 2025 scores, along with other defined parameters, are used for shortlisting candidates. Shortlisted applicants proceed to Group Discussion and Personal Interview. The 2026–28 final selection framework assigns 55% weightage to the CAT 2025 score, 10% to Group Discussion, 20% to Personal Interview, 5% to gender diversity, 5% to work experience and 5% to academic consistency.

The eligibility requirement for the flagship MBA (IB) is a recognised bachelor's degree of at least three years' duration in any discipline, with a minimum of 50% marks. The minimum is 45% for candidates belonging to the SC, ST and PwD categories. Final-year candidates can also apply, subject to submission of proof of the required qualification within the prescribed timeline. There is no age limit for the programme.

The MBA (IB) has an intake of 240 seats at the Delhi campus and another 240 at Kolkata. The 2026–28 brochure also lists 120 seats at GIFT City and 120 at Kakinada. For the purpose of the flagship Delhi-campus information, the relevant intake is therefore 240 seats.

IIFT's current official academic information identifies the MBA (IB) as a general management programme with an international-business focus rather than a conventional programme divided into separately named major specialisations. The curriculum provides electives across different management and international-business areas. Therefore, individual elective areas should not automatically be presented as formal specialisations.

IIFT has received AACSB accreditation and holds an A+ NAAC grade, awarded in its third NAAC cycle in 2023. It is also a Deemed-to-be University. The institute's current accreditation page records AACSB accreditation from November 2021 and NAAC A+ accreditation from 2023.

In the NIRF 2025 Management ranking, IIFT was placed at #17 nationally. IIRF's current 2026 listing places IIFT at #9 among Best B-Schools (Government) Overall.

The latest official placement report available for the flagship MBA (IB) is for the 2023–25 batch. IIFT reported an average CTC of ₹31.30 LPA, median CTC of ₹26.00 LPA, highest domestic CTC of ₹72.00 LPA and highest international CTC of ₹1.23 crore. The placement cycle involved 135 recruiters, including 45 new associations, and seven international positions.

The Delhi campus is spread across 6.5 acres and includes academic and residential facilities, lecture halls, conference facilities, an auditorium, computer laboratories, sports and indoor-game facilities and residential infrastructure. A separate 5.6-acre campus at Maidan Garhi is also being developed.

IIFT Important Dates 2026

The IIFT MBA (International Business) 2026–28 admission cycle is based on CAT 2025 followed by IIFT's institute-level selection process. The official IIFT brochure specifies CAT 2025 as the entrance examination used for shortlisting candidates, followed by Group Discussion and Personal Interview for shortlisted applicants.

For the 2026–28 MBA (IB) admission cycle, the official IIFT brochure lists 28 November 2025 as the last date for submission of the online application form and application fee. The entrance examination used for the programme was CAT 2025, scheduled for 30 November 2025.

This distinction is important for students searching for IIFT admission 2026. Although the academic batch is called 2026–28, the entrance-test and application activities began during 2025. Candidates seeking the 2026 intake therefore needed to use the CAT 2025 examination and complete the IIFT application within the institute's prescribed deadline.

After CAT 2025, IIFT uses the CAT score together with other defined parameters for the first stage of its selection process. The official 2026–28 selection criteria document specifies that shortlisted candidates proceed to the second stage consisting of Group Discussion and Personal Interview.

For the final selection, IIFT's 2026–28 framework assigns 55 marks to CAT 2025, 10 marks to Group Discussion and 20 marks to Personal Interview. The remaining 15 marks are distributed among gender diversity, work experience and academic consistency. This means CAT performance is important, but the final selection is based on a combination of entrance performance and profile-based assessment.

The institute's GD-PI process is conducted in physical mode. For the 2026–28 admission cycle, the official brochure lists Delhi, Kolkata, Kakinada, GIFT City, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Indore, Lucknow and Mumbai as GD-PI locations, while also stating that IIFT may add or remove centres for administrative reasons.

Candidates should also keep track of document requirements. Applicants belonging to reserved categories such as SC, ST, PwD, OBC-NCL, General-EWS and other categories specified by IIFT must upload the relevant certificate with the application. The institute follows applicable Government of India reservation norms.

The official admission material does not provide a single fixed calendar date for every subsequent stage, such as the individual GD-PI appointment or final fee-payment deadline, in the same way that it specifies the application and CAT dates. Such dates are communicated to shortlisted and selected candidates through the institute's admission process.

The IIFT MBA (IB) is a two-year full-time residential programme. Students should therefore treat the admission schedule, document-verification requirements and fee-payment instructions issued directly by IIFT as the controlling information for joining the 2026–28 batch.

For future admission cycles, applicants should not automatically reuse the 2026–28 dates. IIFT generally releases its MBA admission forms several months before the academic session, and the institute's official website should be checked for the latest application notification.

IIFT Courses Offered

The Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) offers management, economics, research and professional programmes across its campuses. For students searching for the flagship management course, the principal programme is the two-year full-time MBA (International Business). IIFT also offers MBA (Business Analytics), MA (Economics), an Integrated Programme in Management and several postgraduate and certificate programmes. These programmes have separate eligibility requirements, intakes and fee structures.

MBA (International Business)

The flagship MBA (IB) is a two-year full-time residential programme conducted over six trimesters. It focuses on general management with an additional emphasis on international business, trade and global business environments. The programme contains core management disciplines such as marketing, finance, operations, economics, human resources and information systems alongside international-business subjects.

The current course structure includes subjects such as:

• Fundamentals of Management

• Managerial Communication

• Management Information Systems

• Business Statistics

• Accounting for Managers

• Micro and Macroeconomics

• Marketing Management

• International Trade Operations & Documentation

• Corporate Finance

• International Economics

• International Marketing Management

• Organisational Behaviour

• Strategic Management

• International Financial Management

• Operations Management

• International Trade Logistics & Sourcing

• International Business Strategy

• Supply Chain Management

• Corporate Ethics and Governance

The programme comprises 120 credits, including core courses, electives, foreign-language study, summer internship, port visit, social-awareness activity, comprehensive viva and research project.

Specialisation Structure

IIFT's flagship MBA (IB) should not be described as having a fixed list of formal major specialisations in the same way as some conventional MBA programmes. The official curriculum provides a broad general-management foundation and allows students to take electives in different areas. The programme's distinctive academic focus is International Business, supported by subjects in trade, global strategy, logistics, international finance and international marketing.

Eligibility

Candidates applying to MBA (IB) must hold a recognised bachelor's degree of at least three years' duration in any discipline with a minimum of 50% marks. The minimum requirement is 45% for SC, ST and PwD candidates. Final-year graduation candidates may apply, subject to submission of proof of qualification by the prescribed deadline. There is no age limit.

CAT Requirement

For the 2026–28 MBA (IB) intake, IIFT uses CAT 2025 for shortlisting. Candidates shortlisted on the basis of CAT performance and other parameters are invited to the GD-PI stage.

Other Management Programmes

IIFT also offers a separate MBA in Business Analytics at Delhi. This is a two-year full-time programme with a different curriculum and admission profile. The 2026 AICTE mandatory disclosure lists 60 seats for MBA (Business Analytics).

The institute also offers a two-year MBA (International Business) in online mode, MA (Economics) with a trade and finance focus, a five-year Integrated Programme in Management at Kakinada, and various postgraduate diploma and certificate programmes.

For students specifically researching IIFT MBA courses, the flagship MBA (IB) should therefore be considered separately from MBA (Business Analytics), online MBA and other executive or certificate programmes. Their fees, seats, delivery modes and admission requirements are not interchangeable.

The official 2026 AICTE disclosure lists 240 seats for MBA (International Business) and 60 for MBA (Business Analytics). For the Delhi flagship MBA (IB), the relevant intake is 240 seats.

IIFT Admission Process 2026

The IIFT admission process 2026 for the flagship MBA (International Business) is based on CAT 2025 followed by Group Discussion and Personal Interview. IIFT's 2026–28 admission brochure clearly states that CAT 2025 scores and other defined parameters are used for shortlisting, after which shortlisted candidates participate in the second stage.

1. Check Eligibility

Candidates must have a recognised bachelor's degree of at least three years' duration in any discipline. The minimum qualifying percentage is 50%, reduced to 45% for candidates belonging to SC, ST and PwD categories. Students appearing in their final qualifying examination can also apply, subject to submission of the required proof by the institute's deadline. There is no age limit.

2. Appear for CAT

For the 2026–28 MBA (IB) batch, CAT 2025 is the entrance examination used for shortlisting. Candidates therefore need to register for and appear in CAT according to the Common Admission Test authority's schedule.

3. Apply to IIFT

Candidates must separately complete the IIFT application process. For the 2026–28 intake, the official brochure listed 28 November 2025 as the last date for submission of the online application form and application fee.

4. Shortlisting

IIFT uses CAT 2025 performance along with other defined parameters for Stage 1 shortlisting. The institute does not treat CAT as the only component of the overall admission process.

IIFT CAT Cutoff

The latest official published shortlisting criteria available for the immediately preceding 2025–27 cycle specified a 70 percentile sectional CAT cutoff for the General category and a composite cutoff of 35/100. For General-EWS/OBC-NCL, the sectional cutoff was 50 percentile and composite cutoff 25; for SC/ST/PwD/Kashmiri Migrants/Kashmiri Pandits, the sectional cutoff was 25 percentile and composite cutoff 15.

For the 2026–28 cycle, IIFT's published selection framework confirms CAT 2025 as the shortlisting examination, but the current official material retrieved does not provide a separate numerical CAT cutoff in the same format as the 2025–27 published result document. Therefore, the 2025–27 cutoff should not be presented as the official 2026–28 cutoff.

5. Group Discussion

Candidates shortlisted in Stage 1 proceed to Group Discussion. The GD carries 10 marks in the 2026–28 final selection framework.

6. Personal Interview

The Personal Interview carries 20 marks in the 2026–28 final selection framework. IIFT uses the GD-PI stage to evaluate candidates beyond their CAT performance.

7. Final Selection

The 2026–28 final selection framework is:

This means the final selection combines test performance with GD, PI and profile-based components.

8. Admission Offer

After completion of the selection process, IIFT prepares its admission outcome according to the applicable merit and selection criteria. Selected candidates must complete the prescribed admission formalities within the institute's specified deadlines.

9. Fee Payment

Candidates receiving admission offers must pay the applicable programme fee according to the institute's fee schedule. The current AICTE mandatory disclosure lists ₹18,40,800 as the tuition fee for the two-year MBA (International Business), equivalent to approximately ₹9.20 LPA per academic year when divided equally across two years. Other applicable charges should be considered separately.

10. Programme Commencement

The MBA (IB) is a two-year full-time residential programme. Students must complete the institute's admission and registration requirements before joining the academic programme.

For applicants searching IIFT CAT cutoff 2026, it is important not to confuse the previous year's published CAT shortlisting threshold with the current cycle's final selection process. The institute's 2026–28 framework clearly specifies the selection weights, while the numerical cutoff should only be reported when officially published for that particular admission cycle.

IIFT Fees Structure 2026

The latest 2026 official AICTE mandatory disclosure lists the tuition fee for the two-year MBA (International Business) at ₹18,40,800 and the sanctioned intake at 240 seats. When the total tuition fee is divided equally across the two-year programme, the annual equivalent is approximately ₹9.20 lakh per year. The official source identifies ₹18,40,800 as tuition rather than an all-inclusive cost of attendance, so students should not interpret ₹9.20 LPA as the complete annual residential expense.

IIFT MBA (IB) Fee

The IIFT fees figure above is specifically the tuition fee reported in the institute's 2026 AICTE mandatory disclosure. Additional charges associated with accommodation, mess, deposits, student facilities or other services should not be automatically included in the tuition figure unless they are separately specified in the applicable fee notice.

Residential Programme

The MBA (IB) is a fully residential programme, and IIFT's official FAQ states that all MBA (IB) students must stay on campus. Consequently, students planning their overall budget should account for residential and living expenses in addition to tuition.

The Delhi campus has residential blocks for students and visiting faculty. The campus infrastructure includes academic buildings, residential facilities, computer laboratories, conference halls, an auditorium and other student facilities.

Fee vs Total Cost

Students searching for IIFT MBA fees should distinguish between tuition and total programme expenditure. The ₹18.408 lakh figure is identified by the 2026 AICTE disclosure as tuition. It should therefore not be represented as the total amount a student will necessarily spend during two years.

The institute's fee schedule can include separate charges depending on the academic year, residential arrangements and applicable institutional requirements. Candidates should therefore verify the fee-payment notice issued for their batch before making financial commitments.

Other IIFT Programmes

IIFT offers several other programmes with separate fee structures. The 2026 AICTE disclosure lists ₹16.50 lakh tuition for the two-year MBA (Business Analytics), ₹10.50 lakh for the Online MBA and separate tuition figures for its postgraduate diploma and certificate programmes. These amounts should not be combined with the flagship MBA (IB) fee.

CAT and IIFT Fees

CAT is the entrance examination used for shortlisting candidates for the 2026–28 MBA (IB) programme. CAT-related examination charges are separate from the IIFT academic programme fee. Similarly, the institute's application process and examination-related expenses should be treated separately from tuition.

The 2026–28 admission brochure identifies CAT 2025 as the entrance route for shortlisting and states that shortlisted candidates subsequently participate in GD and PI.

Scholarships and Financial Support

IIFT provides scholarship and financial-support mechanisms subject to the applicable rules. The institute's official documentation includes scholarship provisions and government-category reservation and support frameworks. However, scholarship amounts and individual eligibility can vary by scheme and batch.

Students should therefore use the latest official scholarship notification rather than assuming that a fixed percentage of tuition will be waived.

Important Fee Note

The ₹18,40,800 figure is the latest 2026 tuition figure identified in IIFT's official AICTE mandatory disclosure. Since tuition is only one component of the overall cost, prospective students should separately budget for residential and other applicable expenses.

For a student comparing IIFT fees with other MBA colleges, the most accurate comparison is therefore to use ₹18.41 lakh as the officially disclosed two-year tuition for MBA (IB), rather than presenting it as an all-inclusive residential programme cost.

IIFT Placements

The latest official placement report available for the flagship MBA (International Business) is for the 2023–25 batch. IIFT's final placement highlights report an average CTC of ₹31.30 LPA, a median CTC of ₹26.00 LPA, a highest domestic CTC of ₹72.00 LPA and a highest international CTC of ₹1.23 crore.

IIFT MBA (IB) Placement Highlights

The latest placement report states that 135 recruiters participated in the final placement process, including 45 new corporate associations. Seven international positions were reported, highlighting the international orientation of the MBA (IB) programme. More than 38% of the batch secured Pre-Placement Offers (PPOs).

IIFT Average Package

The latest official IIFT average package for MBA (IB) is ₹31.30 LPA for the 2023–25 batch. The corresponding median CTC was ₹26.00 LPA. The difference between average and median is relevant when interpreting placement outcomes because the average can be influenced by higher-value offers, while the median represents the middle point of the reported distribution.

The top 25% of the MBA (IB) batch recorded an average CTC of ₹49.60 LPA, according to the institute's placement report. This figure should not be confused with the overall batch average.

IIFT Highest Package

The latest official IIFT highest package for MBA (IB) is ₹1.23 crore, representing the highest international CTC for the 2023–25 batch. The highest domestic CTC was ₹72.00 LPA. Because these are separate domestic and international figures, they should not be combined into a single package statistic.

Domain-wise Placements

The 2023–25 MBA (IB) placement report shows recruitment across multiple business domains:

• Consulting: 22%

• Finance: 21%

• Sales & Marketing: 19%

• General Management: 14%

• Trade & Operations: 13%

• IT/Analytics: 11%

These percentages describe the domain-wise distribution reported by IIFT and should not be interpreted as formal academic specialisations.

Recruiters and International Roles

IIFT's MBA (IB) placement process covers organisations across consulting, finance, sales and marketing, general management, trade and operations, and IT/analytics. The 2023–25 final placement report records 135 participating recruiters and seven international positions.

The international-business orientation of the curriculum is also reflected in the programme's academic structure, which includes international trade operations, international economics, international marketing, international financial management, international trade logistics and international business strategy.

Summer Internship

For the 2024–26 MBA (IB) batch, IIFT reported summer-placement participation from more than 105 recruiters. The average stipend was ₹2.73 lakh for a two-month internship, with a median stipend of ₹2.50 lakh, highest international stipend of ₹6.00 lakh and highest domestic stipend of ₹4.50 lakh.

These internship figures relate to the 2024–26 batch and should not be mixed with the final-placement figures of the 2023–25 batch.

Placement Interpretation

Students searching for IIFT placements, IIFT average package or IIFT highest package should always check the placement year and programme. The latest final-placement figures publicly reported by IIFT for the flagship MBA (IB) are ₹31.30 LPA average CTC, ₹26.00 LPA median CTC, ₹72.00 LPA highest domestic CTC and ₹1.23 crore highest international CTC for the 2023–25 batch.

The international package is a CTC figure and should not be interpreted as annual take-home salary. Individual compensation also varies by role, recruiter, location, experience and other employment conditions.