BITS Hyderabad to accept foreign students

This is the first time that the prestigious BITS is allowing foreign students on any of its campuses.

File photo shows graduates celebrating after the convocation ceremony at the Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS), Hyderabad Campus. The prestigious institute is all set to open its gates to foreign students from the next year in all its courses. Photo: P.V. Sivakumar

The BITS Pilani Hyderabad campus is all set to open its gates to foreign students from the next year in all its courses though the number is being limited to 50 in the first year.

Later, the other two BITS campuses in Pilani and Goa will also be admitting foreign students. “This will be strictly for students who possess non-Indian passports only,” said V.S. Rao, Director of BITS Pilani Hyderabad campus. This is the first time that the prestigious BITS is allowing foreign students on any of its campuses.

Prof. Rao said the idea is to give an international look to BITS and said the global presence in classrooms will bring additional perspectives and help Indian students in critical thinking. Presence of international students and faculty will also help the BITS to participate in international rankings. “We provide international quality education and BITS has excellent eco-system to accommodate them,” Prof. Rao said adding that initially the focus will be on SAARC countries.

Prof. Rao admitted that some private universities were diluting standards to increase foreign students’ presence on their campuses but BITS will stick to its quality. He said Hyderabad campus has been chosen and not the Pilani campus first given its cosmopolitan culture, presence of international companies and also the international facilities at Hyderabad campus.

Foreign students will have to live along with Indian students in the same hostels. After all they have to understand Indian culture and mindset as most of them would end up working in International companies doing business with India, Prof. Rao argued. “We are ensuring that not more than 15 percent of foreign students are admitted in each class.”

The admission will be based on SAT scores and SAT subject scores and students need to have minimum 75 percent in Maths, Physics and Chemistry at plus two level and not less than 60 per cent in each of them All the admitted students will get tuition waivers on merit. The course fee is Rs. 6,900 US $ that includes tuition fee, admission fee and hostel fee excluding food charges.