IIT Madras Summer Fellowship Programme: Eligibility and Process

Last updated: 23 October 2026 · By the Asuraa Team

Quick answer: The IIT Madras Summer Fellowship Programme is open to non-IIT students in the third year of an engineering undergraduate degree or the third or fourth year of an integrated or dual degree. For 2026 it paid Rs 15,000 a month for two months, from 18 May to 17 July, with applications closing on 2 March, according to Careers360. IIT students are not eligible.

Key takeaways

• The IIT Madras Summer Fellowship Programme is a two-month, on-campus research fellowship for students from non-IIT institutions.
• For 2026, eligibility covered third-year engineering undergraduates and third- or fourth-year integrated or dual-degree students, according to Careers360.
• The 2026 fellowship paid Rs 15,000 a month and ran from 18 May to 17 July, with applications closing on 2 March 2026.
• Applicants upload a photograph, a bonafide letter from the head of institution, Aadhaar, and all marksheets from Class 10 onwards in one PDF.
• Selected candidates are listed on the IIT Madras department website, and the official page lists projects, papers, contests and Olympiad ranks as achievements to show.

The IIT Madras Summer Fellowship Programme (SFP) is a two-month, on-campus research internship for students from colleges other than IITs. For the 2026 cycle, it was open to third-year engineering undergraduates and to third- or fourth-year integrated and dual-degree students, paid Rs 15,000 a month, and ran from 18 May to 17 July, according to Careers360.

What is the IIT Madras Summer Fellowship Programme?

SFP is IIT Madras's summer research fellowship that places non-IIT students with its departments for about two months. Its stated aim is to build awareness of and interest in academic research among students of engineering, science, management and humanities (IIT Madras SFP).

Fellows work on a project in a department, attend on campus, and are paid a monthly stipend. It is not an online internship, and IIT students cannot apply.

For a comparison with other IIT programmes such as SURGE and SURE, see our guide to research internships at IITs for UG students. For internships beyond research, start with the internships guide for India.

Who is eligible for the IIT Madras Summer Fellowship?

You are eligible if you study outside the IIT system and are in the right year of your programme. The 2026 rules reported by Careers360 covered:

• third-year students of an engineering undergraduate programme (B.E., B.Tech, B.Sc Engg);
• third- or fourth-year students of an integrated or dual-degree master's programme.

The official SFP page, which as of October 2026 still shows the 2024 cycle, also listed first-year M.E./M.Tech, M.Sc, M.A. and MBA students as eligible, and asked for an outstanding academic record (IIT Madras SFP). Check the current year's notice for whether postgraduate students are included before you apply.

There is no published CGPA cut-off. Instead, the official page invites applicants to show academic distinction and achievements such as seminar papers, projects, design contests, Mathematics Olympiad scores or ranks, and other awards.

What do you need to apply? Eligibility, stipend, steps and documents in one table

Here is everything an applicant needs at a glance, based on the 2026 cycle as reported by Careers360 and the official SFP page.

How do you apply for the IIT Madras Summer Fellowship?

You apply online during the window, usually February to early March, and choose a department. A practical sequence:

1. Check the year printed on the notice. The SFP site is reactivated each February for that year's cycle; the 2024 page showed activation on 20 February and a 31 March deadline with no extensions (IIT Madras SFP), while the 2026 cycle closed on 2 March.
2. Get the bonafide letter early. Use the IIT Madras template for your category and ask your principal's office at least two weeks ahead, since signatures take time.
3. Merge your marksheets. Scan Class 10, Class 12 or polytechnic, and every semester marksheet into one clean PDF in order.
4. Pick a department deliberately. In 2026 the participating departments included Aerospace, Applied Mechanics and Biomedical, Biotechnology, Chemical, Civil, Computer Science, Data Science and AI, Engineering Design, Electrical, Mechanical, Medical Science and Technology, Metallurgical and Materials, Ocean Engineering, Science departments, Humanities and Social Sciences, and Management Studies (Careers360).
5. List evidence, not adjectives. Fill the achievements fields with specific projects, papers, contest results and ranks.
6. Submit before the last day. Online portals slow down near deadlines, and the 2024 notice said extensions would not be entertained.
7. Watch the department website. Selected candidates are listed on the department's website, not by individual email alone.

A one-page academic CV makes step 5 easier; our guide to a resume for an internship shows how to list projects with outcomes.

How are SFP fellows selected?

Selection is made by the departments after scrutinising applications, and the selected list is published on the department website. The official page does not publish a formula, so the best signal of what matters is what it asks you to list: academic rank, seminar papers, projects, design contests, Olympiad ranks and other awards.

In practice, this means two students with the same CGPA are separated by evidence of research-like work. A course project with a clear problem, method and result, or a paper presented at a college seminar, is the kind of item that fits the application.

How much does the IIT Madras Summer Fellowship pay?

The 2026 fellowship paid Rs 15,000 a month for up to two months, as reported by Careers360. That is a sharp rise from the Rs 6,000 a month shown for the 2024 cycle on the official page. Hostel and mess are charged separately and are subject to availability, so plan for food, travel to Chennai and incidental costs. For a broader view of what interns earn, see our post on internship stipends in India.

What do most guides on the IIT Madras SFP get wrong?

Most guides mix up cycles. The official SFP page still displays the 2024 notice with a Rs 6,000 stipend and a March deadline, while the 2026 cycle offered Rs 15,000 and closed on 2 March. Copying one year's numbers into another year's plan is how students miss deadlines.

Two other common errors:

• "Second-years can apply." The published rules are for third-year engineering undergraduates and later years of integrated programmes, not second-years.
• "You need a professor's acceptance first." SFP is a programme application; you do not need to secure a guide by email before applying. Writing to professors can still help you understand a lab's work, and our guide on how to email a professor for a research internship covers how to do it without annoying anyone.

What should you do after you are selected?

Confirm your joining date, arrange hostel or nearby stay early, and agree a plan with your guide in the first week. At the end, ask for a completion letter and keep a short report of what you built or found; our post on the internship certificate and report format shows what to keep.

Related guides

• Internships in India: A Guide by Degree, Year and Type
• Research Internships at IITs for UG Students: How to Apply
• How to Email a Professor for a Research Internship
• Can First-Year College Students Get Internships in India?

FAQ

Who is eligible for the IIT Madras Summer Fellowship?

For the 2026 cycle, students in the third year of an engineering undergraduate degree and students in the third or fourth year of an integrated or dual-degree programme were eligible, as reported by Careers360. Students of any IIT cannot apply. The official page for the 2024 cycle also listed first-year M.Tech, M.Sc, M.A. and MBA students, so check the current notice for postgraduate eligibility.

What is the stipend for the IIT Madras Summer Fellowship?

The 2026 Summer Fellowship paid Rs 15,000 a month for up to two months, according to Careers360. The official page for the 2024 cycle showed Rs 6,000 a month, so the amount has changed between years. Hostel and mess facilities are available on a payment basis, subject to availability, so the stipend is meant to offset rather than fully cover your costs.

Is there a CGPA cut-off for IIT Madras SFP?

The official page does not publish a minimum CGPA. It asks for an outstanding academic record and invites applicants to show achievements such as seminar papers, projects, design contests, Mathematics Olympiad scores or ranks and other awards. A strong CGPA helps, but documented project or research work is what makes an application stand out among similar marks.

What documents are needed for the IIT Madras Summer Fellowship?

For 2026, Careers360 reported that applicants needed a passport-size photo, a bonafide letter from the head of their institution, their Aadhaar card, a category certificate if applicable, and all academic certificates and marksheets from Class 10, Class 12 or polytechnic and every semester combined into one PDF. The official page provides separate bonafide templates for UG or dual-degree and PG students.

When does the IIT Madras Summer Fellowship application open?

The application window usually opens in February. The 2024 site was activated on 20 February with a 31 March deadline, and the 2026 cycle closed on 2 March. Because dates shift each year, check the official SFP page from late January and have your bonafide letter and merged marksheets ready before the window opens.

How will I know if I am selected for IIT Madras SFP?

The official page states that the list of selected candidates is published only on the department website, and selected students receive an admission letter. Keep checking the website of the department you applied to after the deadline, and keep your registered email and phone active so you do not miss joining instructions.

Final thoughts

The IIT Madras Summer Fellowship is one of the more accessible routes into IIT research for third-year students, but only if you read the current year's notice and prepare documents early. Before you apply, you can paste the programme notice into Asuraa's AI resume reviewer and check how well your academic CV matches it.