General Guidelines of Admissions

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Definition of ‘Foreign National’:

The term “Foreign National” implies any candidate holding a passport of a foreign country. This category includes any Person of Indian Origin (PIO) or, Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholder who has a foreign country’s passport. A non-resident Indian (NRI) with Indian Passport is considered as Indian National and therefore such student cannot to apply for admission.

Number of seats:

A maximum of 10% of the foreign national students shall be admitted over and above the approved intake in a given programme offered by a University Department/Center subjected to the availability of infrastructure. The University reserves the right to increase OR decrease the total foreign students’ intake in each programme.

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Admission of Self-Financed Foreign Students

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Eligibility:

1. Applications:

   The University may consider the admission of foreign nationals, “in absentia”, on the basis of their desire “to be considered in absentia”. All such applications to any programme of the University are subjected to the condition that they are found eligible for admission by the University. (Note: Foreign Nationals whose qualifying degree is from India and who are residing in India at the time of application, in order to be considered for admission into any program/course should take some part of the entrance examination in the form of interviews in the University as prescribed by the Department/Centre/ School).

2. Age limit of a foreign student seeking admission in a particular programme shall be same as Indian student seeking admission in the same programme.

3. Only those foreign students who have qualified from foreign universities or Boards of Higher Education recognized as equivalent by the ‘Association of Indian Universities’ (AIU) are eligible for admission (including foreign students studied/studying in recognized Indian Colleges/Universities). When required, a reference shall be made to AIU to check the equivalence. In case the University/Board is not included in the list, the applicant has to obtain and submit a certificate to this effect from AIU. Submission of Equivalence Certificate from AIU is mandatory for such foreign nationals. AIU address is given below.

AIU HOUSE 16,
Comrade Indrajit Gupta Marg,
Opposite National Bal BhaWan,
Near ITO; New Delhi 110002, India.
Phones: (91) -11- 23230059, (91)-11-23232429
Fax:(91)-11-23232131;
Website: http://www.aiu.ac.in

Academic qualification:

A prospective foreign national student has to fulfill basic eligibility conditions (which are same as Indian students) such as age limit, the required qualifying degree and marks/grades. These eligibility conditions can be found in the University website www.cukerala.ac.in and prospectus which is available on the University website. In case a student’s parent University does not have a program which is prescribed as minimum eligibility condition, equivalent program may be considered. The decision of University is final.

English proficiency:

Proficiency in English is a pre-condition for admission of foreign nationals. Those who have completed qualifying degree from India are exempted from this mandatory requirement. Similarly, those who have studied for at least five years, in English (including their qualifying degree) in their country/other countries are also exempted from the English proficiency examination. And those who are seeking this exemption shall provide sufficient documentary evidence for the same. All other applicants should provide one of proof of International English Language Testing System (IELTS)/Test of English as Foreign Language (TOEFL)/Indian Scholastic Assessment (Ind-SAT/any other equivalent test performance at the time of submitting application. The score should not be older than two years.

Last date for application:

Foreign Nationals may apply for admission at any time during the year in a prescribed format/online. However, April 15 is regarded as the last for processing applications for the new academic year (which generally begins in mid-July) of every year. Besides, every year a separate admission notification shall be given (preferably in the month of January) by the OIA for exclusively foreign student admissions. The decision on admission shall be intimated to the applicants before the first/second week of May.

The application can be downloaded from here. Separate application for each programme shall be submitted by an applicant who desires to apply for more than one programme.

Documents to be submitted at the time of Application (offline mode):

1. Filled Application form

2. Transcripts from High School onwards with certified English translation, if the documents are in any other language (Note: Candidates are requested to enclose such documents, which in their opinion could convince the Faculty Council regarding their suitability for admission to the programme for which he/she applied.

3. Two letters of recommendation (must be in English) from their present teachers in sealed envelopes directly to the OIA by email.

4. TOEFL/IELTS/Ind-SAT/GRE scorecards, if applicable

5. Research proposal (in case of M.Phil./Ph.D. admission)

6. Proof of adequate financial support or scholarship (bank balance), applicable self- financed students and partially supported students. This is optional at the time of submitting application.

7. A medical certificate (in English) of fitness from a recognized hospital in their country/in other countries where they are currently living. This is optional at the time of submitting application.

8. Checklist

9. Application fee (non-refundable)

Application fee for UG programmes -100 $, PG programmes – 150$ and PhD programmes – 200$. These fees are applicable to 2021-2022 academic years which shall be revised time to time by the University. A separate application fees shall be collected from students who are applying for more than one course.

In case of online application submission, all the options/details similar to offline mode application shall be provided with fee payment Gateway/interface.

Where to send the Application?

The filled application along with the documents (scanned copies) shall be sent by e- mail or by post to:

The Director,
The Office of International Affairs;
Central University of Kerala;
Tejeshwini Hills; Periye; Kasaragod;
Kerala; India-671320.
Email: [email protected]

Selection Process:

1. All applications received by the OIA shall be consolidated.

2. After initial scrutiny, the OIA shall forward applications to the respective Departments/Centres/Schools for verifying basic eligibility and seeking appropriate recommendation. The Faculty Council of the concerned Department/Centre/School will do the final scrutiny and assess the student’s eligibility for admission in to the applied programme of their Department.

3. The recommendation of the Faculty Council shall be forwarded to the OIA. If necessary, a merit list may be prepared by the Department/Centre/School concerned when there are more applications than the total intake in each programme. The OIA shall prepare a consolidated statement of applications and selection list (received from all Departments) and forward to the Vice-Chancellor for final approval.

4. Upon VC’s approval, the selected students will be intimated by the OIA.

Provisional Admission:

There will be online counseling for the selected foreign students with the Department concerned. Accordingly, all the selected students will be offered provisional admission letter by the Director, OIA.

Admission fee structure & fee payment:

There is a separate admission fee structure for foreign students admitting in various programmes of the University. The fee structure of foreign national students can be found here . Those who are given provisional admission letter will have to pay applicable one academic year fees (in Indian rupees) to reserve their admission/seat in a particular programme within a stipulated time. The University reserves the right to change the fees structure without prior intimation. Financial status of the self- financed students and partially supported fellowship holders will be verified with bank balance of the student at the time of serving provisional admission letter.

In case a selected foreign student denies joining within a stipulated time, the provisional admission will be given to the next student in the list.

Visa & Health Insurance:

1. Visa:

   The provisional admission letter offered to a foreign student can be used to obtain VISA from his/her local Indian embassy/ High Commission. It is essential that a Ph.D. student should obtain a “Research VISA” and other students a “Student VISA”. Prospective applicants for Research VISA need to submit a research proposal along with University’s provisional acceptance of affiliation to the Consulate. Any other documents required for getting India VISA will be provided based on request of provisionally admitted applicants. No foreign national will be given final admition without a valid student visa. Foreign nationals selected for research programmes (Ph.D.) will be allowed to complete the admission only after obtaining a Research Visa from the Indian embassy/ High Commission of India.

2. Health Insurance:

   All the prospective students are required to buy an appropriate health insurance policy before arriving in India. It is essential that the student’s health insurance policy remains valid throughout the period of the student’s stay in this University.

3. Reporting to University and Final Admission:

   1. A student selected for admission is required to report to the Director, OIA on the day of arrival to the University with the following original documents, along with one photocopy of each original document. Certified English translation of such copies should also be submitted if they are in a different language.

   2. All the certificates and transcripts in different examinations

   3. Passport and VISA

   4. Medical fitness certificate from Medical Officer, Central University of Kerala. Applicable fees for medical tests shall be borne by the student concerned.

   5. Health Insurance policy

   6. Copy of admission fees payment details

After verification, the OIA will send the foreign student to the respective Department for final admission process. Based on the OIA communication, the Head of the Department concerned will give final admission to the student after usual verification of original certificates and payment details. Any discrepancy/mismatch of the submitted certificates/documents with the originals will be treated seriously and provisional admission offer summarily rejected.

Registration with FRRO

Under the Registration of Foreigners Rules 1939, every foreigner who is in India, to stay for ninety (90) days (for purpose of other than tourism) or above is required to register himself/herself within fourteen (14) days of arrival in India with the Foreigners Regional Registration Officer in the place of ordinary residence and declare his/her registered address.

Address of Nearest FRRO: Foreigners Regional Registration Office
20/1305, Castle View, Thiruvannur Road, Panniyankara,Kallai PO, Kozhikode, KERALA-673003
Phone Numbers: 0495-2323550, 0495-2323550(F)
Email: [email protected], [email protected]
Website: https://www.mea.gov.in/checklist-for-FRRO-FRO-Registration-Formalities.htm
The OIA will assist the students in preparing necessary documents for the purpose.

Hostel Accommodation:

Upon request, all the admitted foreign students will be given accommodation in the existing Men’s and Ladies’ hostels either single occupancy OR double occupancy as per university norms. The Dean Students’ Welfare (DSW) or Chief Warden will give accommodation based on the final admission letter and communication of the OIA.

Travelling to India:

Those students who have valid VISA and original documents will have to plan their travel to India and to the University with prior intimation to the OIA. The OIA will arrange a pickup service from the arrival Airport/Railway station for the foreign student who is arriving for the first time.

Cancellation of Admission:

1. Suppose, a selected foreign student desires to cancel his/her admission due to denial of Indian VISA and if the student had already paid admission fees, then the fees paid will be returned upon deducting bank and or University service charges.

2. The admission cancellation procedure will be governed by the general admission guidelines of Indian students, which may be amended time to time.

3. No reimbursement for cancelation of admission of a foreign student based on discrepancy/mismatch of the submitted certificates/documents with the originals.

Discipline and Campus regulations:

All the admitted foreign students will be treated like Indian students enrolled in the same course. He/she should abide by all the ‘Campus Regulations of Students’, ‘code of conduct’, and ‘hostel rules and regulations’ (if the student is staying in hostel).

Transfers and change of courses:

A foreign student admitted in a particular course will not be permitted to change the programme/course. Transfer from Central University of Kerala to another educational institute with in India is also not permitted.

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Admission of Sponsored Foreign Students

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Foreign national students seeking financial support from Indian Government agencies like, Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), Study In India (SII) Programme, University Grants Commission (UGC), Department of Science and Technology (DST), Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), Indian Council of Historical Research, (ICHR), Ministry of Education (ME) etc. can submit their application directly to the funding agency. Applications received from these Government agencies will be scrutinized and reported back to the funding agencies by the OIA. Selection results will be communicated by the respective funding agencies.

Selection process:

1. All applications received from Indian Government funding agencies will be consolidated by the OIA.

2. After initial scrutiny, the OIA will forward applications to the respective Departments/Centres/Schools for verifying basic eligibility and seeking appropriate recommendation. The Faculty Council of the concerned Department/Centre/School will do the final scrutiny and assess the student’s eligibility for admission in to the applied programme of their Department.

3. The recommendation of the Faculty Council will be forwarded to the OIA. Subsequently, the OIA will prepare a consolidated statement of applications and selection list (received from all Departments) and forward to the Vice-Chancellor for final approval.

4. Upon VC’s approval, the recommended students’ list will be intimated to the respective funding agency.

Provisional Admission:

After receiving selection results from the Government and other national agencies (such as ICCR, UGC, CSIR, ICSSR, ICHR, DST, ME, etc), all the selected students will be offered provisional admission by the respective Head of the Department. The OIA will facilitate provisional admission process.

Typically, the foreign students selected under different fellowship schemes of Indian funding agencies, need not pay any fees for their admission. For example, foreign students selected under ICCR scheme need not pay any fees for their admission in the University. However, in case, if the funding agency/ministry doesn’t pay the fees to the University, then applicable fees would be collected directly from the foreign students for their admission in the University.

Reporting to University:

A student selected for admission under any fellowship scheme of funding agency/ministry shall make their own travel plan and report to the OIA and the funding agency. The following documents are required at the time of arrival to INDIA.

1. All the certificates and translated transcripts of academic examinations.

2. Passport and VISA

3. Medical fitness certificate from Medical Officer, Central University of Kerala. Applicable fees for medical tests shall be borne by the student concerned.

4. Health Insurance policy

5. Any other certificate as may be mandated by the funding agency/ministry.

6. Fellowship letter from the sponsoring/funding agency.

The OIA shall verify documents and send the foreign student to the respective Department for final admission process.

Final Admission

Based on the OIA communication, the Head of the Department concerned will give final admission to the student after usual verification of original certificates. Any discrepancy/mismatch of the submitted certificates/documents with the originals shall be treated seriously and provisional admission offer summarily rejected and intimated to the funding/sponsoring agency.

2.1. Registration with FRRO:

Under the Registration of Foreigners Rules 1939, every foreigner who is in India to stay for ninety (90) days (for purpose of other than tourism) or above is required to register himself/herself within fourteen (14) days of arrival in India with the Foreigners Regional Registration Officer in the place of ordinary residence and declare his/her registered address.

Address of Nearest FRRO:
Foreigners Regional Registration Office
20/1305, Castle View, Thiruvannur Road, Panniyankara, Kallai PO, Kozhikode, KERALA-673003.
Phone Numbers: 0495-2323550, 0495-2323550(F)
Email: [email protected], [email protected]
Website: https://www.mea.gov.in/checklist-for-FRRO-FRO-Registration-Formalities.htm
The Office for International Affairs will assist the students in preparing necessary documents for the purpose.

Hostel Accommodation:

As mandated, all the admitted foreign students will be given hostel accommodation in the existing Men’s and Ladies’ hostels either on single occupancy OR double occupancy based on the availability of the hostel rooms as per university norms.

Travelling facility on arrival to India:

Those students who have valid VISA and original documents will have to plan their travel to India and to the University with a prior intimation to the OIA and the funding agency. The OIA will arrange a pickup service from the arrival Airport/Railway station for the foreign student who is arriving for the first time.

Cancellation of Admission:

The admission cancellation procedure shall be governed by the general admission guidelines of Indian students, which may be amended time to time.

Discipline and Campus regulations:

All the admitted foreign students will be treated like Indian students enrolled in the same course. He/she should abide by all the ‘Campus Regulations of Students’, ‘code of conduct’, and ‘hostel rules and regulations’ (if the student is staying in hostel).

Transfers and change of courses:

A foreign student admitted in a particular course will not be permitted to change the programme/course. Transfer from Central University of Kerala to another educational institute with in India is also not permitted.

Note:

The above regulations are applicable to self-financed foreign students and foregign students selected for fellowships of Indian funding agencies. In case, there are any differences on the interpretation of rules, then the opinion of the ‘Office for International Affairs (OIA)’ shall be final. The decision of Vice-Chancellor shall be final in any matter with regard to the foreign students’ admission. Application and admission fees are subjected to revise as and when University desires to do so and applicants seeking admission in different programmes are bound to pay the revised fees as applicable.