M.S. in Engineering Design at IIT Madras

M.S. in Engineering Design at IIT Madras in Chennai, Tamil Nadu is a 2-year postgraduate programme. Fees for the full course come to ₹1.6 lakh (roughly ₹80,000 a year).

The course is about design thinking, drawing, materials and digital tools, built around a portfolio of studio projects.

IIT Madras is a public/government institute, founded in 1959. This page brings together what is on record for this course at IIT Madras — fees, seats, eligibility, the admission route and placements — so you can judge it before you apply.

Most MS programmes follow a similar pattern: the first year builds the foundations, the middle years go deep into the subject, and the final year is given over to electives, a major project and usually an internship.

Here that means design thinking, drawing, materials and digital tools, built around a portfolio of studio projects. Typical first jobs: designer roles in product, fashion, communication or UX.

The exact syllabus is set by the college or its affiliating university and changes from year to year, so ask IIT Madras for the current semester-wise plan.

This is what the course costs, as recorded. Fees are for the whole course unless marked otherwise, and apply to MS programmes at IIT Madras as a group.

Colleges revise fees most years, and hostel, transport and exam charges are often billed separately. Confirm the current figure with IIT Madras before you pay anything.

For admission to M.S. in Engineering Design, you usually need Class 12 in any stream.

IIT Madras accepts National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test and Joint Entrance Exam Main for its courses. Reserved-category candidates generally get a relaxation in the minimum marks. Check IIT Madras's prospectus for the exact cut-off this year.

The admission process usually runs like this:

1. Check that you meet the eligibility above and register for the entrance exam in time.
2. Take National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test and Joint Entrance Exam Main and keep your scorecard.
3. Apply to IIT Madras on its website (www.iitm.ac.in) or through the enquiry form on this page, and take part in counselling if a state or central body runs it.
4. Once you are offered a seat, verify your documents (marksheets, ID, category certificate if any) and pay the admission fee to confirm it.

Going by the latest placement record (2024) show a placement rate of 50% students placed and a median package of ₹19 lakh at IIT Madras. These are college-wide figures, not only for this specialisation.

Placement numbers vary a lot by year and by branch. Ask the placement cell for the branch-wise report of the last two batches.

IIT Madras runs 11 MS specialisations in all. The others you can compare it with:

• M.S. in Mechanical Engineering
• M.S. in Applied Mechanics
• M.S. in Electrical Engineering
• M.S. in Biotechnology
• M.S. in Management Studies
• M.S in Ocean Engineering
• M.S in Civil Engineering
• M.S. in Aerospace Engineering
• M.S. in Computer Science And Engineering
• M.S. in Chemical Engineering

A few questions worth answering before you apply:

• Are you genuinely interested in design thinking? You will spend 2 years on it.
• Can you manage ₹1.6 lakh over the course, plus hostel and living costs? Ask about scholarships and education loans.
• Are the placement figures above good enough for your goals? Ask for the branch-wise numbers.
• How does IIT Madras compare with other colleges offering MS in and around Chennai?