IIFT MBA Admission 2027 Opens: CAT 2026, Eligibility, Fees, Seats and Deadline

IIFT MBA 2027 admission update at a glance

The admission notice was posted on the official IIFT website on October 12, 2026. IIFT's prospectus says CAT 2026 will be used for shortlisting and selection along with other defined parameters. Candidates who clear the first stage will be called for Group Discussion and Personal Interview.

The prospectus does not publish a guaranteed CAT percentile for a call. A candidate should therefore treat any cutoff circulating on coaching portals or social media as an estimate unless IIFT issues an official category-wise threshold.

Which IIFT programmes and campuses are included?

The two-year MBA (International Business), commonly called MBA (IB), is offered for the 2027-29 intake at four IIFT campuses: Delhi, Kolkata, Kakinada and GIFT City. The programme is built around general management with a strong international business and trade orientation.

The two-year MBA (Business Analytics), or MBA (BA), is offered at the Delhi campus. Its curriculum combines management foundations with statistics, data management, visualization, programming and analytical decision-making.

Programme choice should be based on curriculum and career direction, not only campus preference. MBA (IB) is the broader option for candidates interested in management roles with international business exposure. MBA (BA) has explicit quantitative eligibility conditions and is intended for learners comfortable with mathematics, statistics and data-led problem solving.

How CAT 2026 is used in IIFT admission

IIFT will use the CAT 2026 score with other defined parameters to shortlist or select applicants. This wording matters because CAT performance is central, but it is not described as the only input. The institute may consider additional profile information under the detailed criteria it publishes for the cycle.

Shortlisted candidates will move to a second round consisting of Group Discussion and Personal Interview. The prospectus lists Delhi, Kolkata, Kakinada, GIFT City, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Indore, Lucknow and Mumbai as physical GD/PI locations. IIFT also reserves the right to add or remove centres or change the mode for administrative reasons.

IIMs conduct CAT, but they do not run IIFT's admission process. The prospectus explicitly separates the two responsibilities. Candidates should direct IIFT form questions to IIFT and CAT registration or test questions to the CAT helpdesk.

• Registering for CAT 2026 does not automatically apply to IIFT.
• Complete the separate IIFT form before November 25.
• Use the same accurate CAT registration details in the IIFT application.
• Prepare for profile-based shortlisting as well as the CAT score.
• Plan for GD and PI preparation after the CAT examination.

MBA (International Business) eligibility

For MBA (IB), applicants need a recognized bachelor's degree of at least three years in any discipline with a minimum of 50 percent marks. The minimum is 45 percent for candidates belonging to SC, ST and Persons with Disability categories.

The prospectus also permits applicants with completed professional qualifications such as CA, CS, ICWA/CMA or FIAI, subject to the stated minimum marks. Final-year candidates may apply, but they must submit proof of the required qualification by October 31, 2027.

There is no age limit. Eligibility should still be checked against the exact documents a candidate will submit because a provisional admission can be cancelled when the qualifying result does not satisfy the minimum requirement.

MBA (Business Analytics) eligibility

MBA (BA) has a more specific academic requirement. One route is a bachelor's degree with at least 50 percent marks or a 5.0 CGPA out of 10, with Mathematics or Statistics studied at graduation level.

A second route is a B.Tech or B.E. degree in any discipline from a recognized institution with at least 50 percent marks or a 5.0 CGPA out of 10. A third route is a bachelor's degree meeting the same marks or CGPA condition with Mathematics at the 10+2 level. The prospectus says Applied Mathematics at 10+2 will not be considered under that route.

Completed professional qualifications listed by IIFT may also qualify, with 50 percent marks for the general threshold and 45 percent for SC, ST and PwD applicants. Final-year candidates can apply subject to submitting proof by October 31, 2027. There is no age limit.

IIFT MBA application fee for 2027-29

The application fee depends on both the candidate category and the programme selected. The prospectus lists separate fees for MBA (IB) and MBA (BA), so candidates applying to both should read the live payment summary carefully before confirming the transaction.

The fee is non-refundable. Use only the application link reached from iift.ac.in, check the category and programme selection before payment, and save the completed application and receipt.

What does the prospectus say about programme fees?

IIFT has not fixed the final total fee for the 2027-29 batch in the prospectus. It uses the previous batch as a reference: MBA (IB) 2026-28 was listed at Rs. 19.73 lakh across campuses, while MBA (BA) 2026-28 was listed at Rs. 17.93 lakh. The institute says the exact 2027-29 amount will be communicated with the offer letter.

Hostel and mess charges are additional and vary by campus and occupancy. These historical amounts are useful for budgeting, but they should not be presented as the final payable fee for the incoming batch.

The prospectus states that SC, ST and PwD students receive a 50 percent concession in tuition fee only. Candidates should verify how that concession applies to their final offer and which non-tuition components remain payable.

How to apply for IIFT MBA admission

Start from IIFT's official website and open the current MBA 2027-29 admission link. Do not rely on an old bookmarked portal because IIFT application URLs can change by cycle. Create the applicant login with an email address and phone number that will remain active throughout the process.

Enter personal, academic and category information exactly as supported by your documents. Add the CAT 2026 registration number carefully. Select the intended programme or programmes, upload the required files, review the complete form and pay the applicable fee.

After submission, download the application and payment acknowledgement. An incomplete application can be rejected, and the prospectus says the category entered in the form will not be changed. Build in time for payment or document issues rather than submitting close to the deadline.

• Open the admission link from iift.ac.in.
• Create or access the IIFT applicant account.
• Enter CAT 2026 and academic details accurately.
• Choose MBA (IB), MBA (BA), or both as applicable.
• Upload valid category documents when claiming reservation.
• Review the category, programme and fee before payment.
• Submit by November 25 and retain the confirmation.

Documents and details to prepare

The live form should be treated as the final checklist, but candidates can prepare the common records in advance: CAT registration details, identity information, marksheets, degree or final-year status, photograph, signature and category certificate where applicable.

OBC-NCL and EWS applicants should check whether their certificate format and validity meet Central Government institution requirements. SC, ST, PwD and Kashmiri Migrant applicants should also use the category documents specified by IIFT. Do not upload a state-format certificate without checking whether the institute accepts it.

Keep names, dates and marks consistent across CAT, IIFT and academic documents. If a genuine discrepancy exists, contact the IIFT admissions office before improvising an entry.

What CAT 2026 candidates should do now

The IIFT deadline falls four days before CAT 2026. That timing makes last-week form filling a poor strategy. Complete the institute application early so the final days before CAT remain available for revision, sleep and test logistics.

For preparation, do not chase an unofficial IIFT cutoff as though it were a guaranteed target. Maximize the CAT score while protecting sectional balance, then begin light GD/PI readiness after the exam. Maintain a record of academics, work experience, internships, achievements and reasons for choosing IIFT; these details will support interview preparation if shortlisted.

MBA (BA) applicants should be ready to explain their quantitative background and interest in analytics. MBA (IB) applicants should understand why international business, trade and cross-border management fit their goals. A specific answer grounded in past experience is stronger than repeating brochure language.

Common mistakes to avoid

The first mistake is assuming that selecting IIFT in a CAT-related preference automatically submits an IIFT application. The institute requires its own form. The second is confusing the application fee with the programme fee; the amount paid now only completes the application.

Candidates should also avoid quoting the 2026-28 programme fee as the final 2027-29 amount. IIFT says the new batch fee will be shared with offer letters. Finally, do not treat a predicted percentile as an official cutoff. The prospectus gives the selection route but does not promise a call at a particular score.

Official sources and verification note

This article was checked on October 14, 2026 against the IIFT homepage announcement dated October 12 and the official MBA 2027-29 prospectus. Programme, eligibility, seat, application-fee and deadline details come from those IIFT sources.

Application interfaces, dates and admission rules can be updated. Candidates should recheck the live IIFT admission page before submitting and use the contact information printed in the prospectus when the portal status is unclear.

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