IBSAT Eligibility Criteria 2025: Check Qualification, Age Limit, Reservation, Marks Details

IBSAT 2025 Eligibility Criteria

The ICFAI Foundation for Higher Education releases the eligibility criteria for IBSAT 2025 for MBA/PGPM admissions at its nine campuses: IBS Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Gurgaon, Dehradun, Jaipur, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Pune. Candidates must have a bachelor’s degree in any discipline from a recognised university with at least 50% aggregate marks. There is no age limit for applying, but candidates must have had English as the medium of instruction during their graduation. IBSAT is a national-level entrance exam conducted by the ICFAI Foundation for Higher Education. It is a two-hour computer-based test (CBT) consisting of multiple-choice questions. The IBSAT 2025 will be conducted from December 27 to December 28, 2025. Prospective candidates should check the eligibility criteria before applying for the exam. Here are the detailed IBSAT 2025 eligibility criteria and other important details.

IBSAT 2025 Eligibility Criteria Overview

Here's an overview of IBSAT 2025 eligibility criteria:

Educational Requirements

• Graduation or postgraduation (if applicable) in any stream with 50% aggregate marks.
• You can still apply if you are in the final of Graduation. 

Education Period

• For the 2-year Management programme, a minimum of 15 years of education (on 10+2+3 or 10+2+4) must be completed.

• For the Ph.D. programme, you are required to complete an additional two-year full-time Post Graduation in Management or obtain other professional qualification like CA/ICWA with a minimum aggregate of 60% marks or equivalent, i.e. complete a minimum of 17 years of regular education.

• At the UG level, the medium of instruction must be English. Otherwise, you need to submit scores of TOEFL/NELT/IELTS by May 31, 2026.

Age Limit

• There is no upper age limit to apply for the exam.

Exemption from IBSAT 2025

• Candidates who have a GMAT/ NMAT by GMAC/ CAT scores will be exempted from taking IBSAT.

• They will be directly called for the selection rounds i.e. GD/PI in February/ March 2026.

Note:

• Candidates not meeting the eligibility criteria of English medium in graduation and/or master's degree will be required to submit the TOEFL/NELT/IELTS score by May 31, 2026.

• Candidates' eligibility will be examined from August 2026 onward. Hence, the onus of ensuring that they satisfy the eligibility criteria rests solely with the candidates.

IBSAT 2025 Course-wise Eligibility Criteria

Check below the course-wise eligibility criteria for IBSAT 2025:

2-year Management Programme (MBA/PGPM)

• The candidate must have completed a minimum of 15 years of education (in the 10+2+3 or 10+2+4 pattern).

• The candidate who has a graduation degree (any discipline) with 50% marks or above with medium of instruction as English.

• The candidate has to submit the TOEFL/ NELT/ IELTS score by May 31, 2026, if he/she does not meet the eligibility criteria for the English medium in graduation.

• Candidates who are in their bachelor’s degree course's final year are also eligible to apply, provided they complete their graduation requirements before May 31, 2026. The admission will remain provisional until they produce mark sheets and degree certificates. The last date for submission of proof of graduation is November 1.

• Candidates' eligibility will be verified from August 2026 onward. Hence, the responsibility of ensuring that they satisfy the eligibility criteria rests solely with the candidates.

PhD Programme in Management (Full-time/ Part-time)

• Candidates who have completed their graduation in any discipline with 50% marks or above with medium of instruction as English.

• Post Graduation in Management as a full-time course from a University recognized by UGC with 55% and above marks OR

• Post Graduation (full-time) in any of the following specializations from a UGC-recognized university with at least 55% aggregate marks or above:

(a) Management (Marketing/ Finance/ HR/ Operations)
(b) Allied disciplines: Economics, Commerce, Psychology, Sociology, Public Administration, Statistics, Mathematics

• A Professional qualification like CFA/CA/CWA /CS with 55% marks or above.

Ph.D. Program in Economics (Full-time)

• Candidates who have completed their Graduation in any discipline with 50% marks or above and Post-graduation in Economics or allied discipline with 55% marks or above.

• All candidates should have completed a minimum of 17 years of education (on a 10+2+3+2 or 10+2+4+2 basis).

• Candidates who completed their graduation/post-graduation on a one-time sitting basis or part-time, distance mode, or online mode are not eligible for pursuing a Ph.D. at IBS Hyderabad.

Note:

• If you are admitted through non-management post-graduation or professional qualifications, you must complete first-year MBA courses before continuing in the PhD program.
• If you have not met the English medium requirement (at either graduation or post-graduation level), you must submit TOEFL/ NELT/ IELTS scores by May 31, 2026.

IBSAT 2025 Reservation Policy

ICFAI Foundation for Higher Education has not defined IBSAT reservation criteria/policy for reserved categories(SC/ST/OBC/PwD). There is also no fixed pattern followed for IBSAT seat allotment. In short, qualifying IBSAT does not guarantee any seat reservations for the reserved category.

IBSAT Eligibility Criteria for Reserved Categories

• The total marks for each category are similar, so the reserved category candidates also have to secure the same marks as the General category candidate.

• The minimum mark required for IBSAT 2025 is 50% for MBA/PGPM program.

• Each candidate is treated equally and therefore, there is no prior reservation of seats for reserved category candidates.

• The application fee is also the same for all the categories. There is no exemption in the application fee for reserved categories.

• All the candidates need to meet the mandatory qualification requirements to get admission to any IBS college.