IITM BS Data Science Fees for Students Who Joined Before 2026

If you joined the IITM BS in Data Science in the September 2025 term or earlier, you pay the older fee structure. Under it, the foundation level costs Rs 32,000 and both diplomas cost Rs 1,25,000. The handbook puts the full BS degree at Rs 3,25,000 to Rs 3,87,000. The official fee document on the DS website gives a lower range, Rs 3,15,000 to Rs 3,51,000. These are full fees before any waiver.

Who this fee structure is for

The handbook calls these the existing fees for students who joined the programme till the September 2025 term. Students who join the foundation level from the January 2026 term pay the revised fees. Those are covered in the 2026 Data Science fee breakdown.

The handbook does not cover unusual cases, such as a student who left and later came back. If that is you, ask the support team which structure applies to your roll number.

Old fees at a glance

These are the handbook figures.

The official fee document gives different totals

The DS academics page links to a separate official document, "Existing Fee Structure till Sep 2025 Term". It gives only totals, with no per-credit working. Its figures do not all match the handbook:

In plain words:

• Up to both diplomas, the two sources agree.
• They differ only at the BSc and BS levels. There, your fee depends on the electives you pick, so both give a range.
• The handbook's top figures are higher, by Rs 20,000 for the BSc and Rs 36,000 for the BS. Its lowest BS figure is Rs 10,000 higher too.
• Neither source explains the gap.

You never pay a fixed total anyway. Each term you pay the per-credit fee for the courses you register for. So go by the amount on your own course registration page each term, and use these totals only for planning. If the amount does not match your rates, raise a support ticket before you pay.

Fee per credit

Foundation: Rs 32,000

The foundation level has 32 credits at Rs 1,000 each. That makes Rs 32,000.

Diploma: Rs 62,500 per diploma

Each diploma has 23 theory credits and 4 project credits. Theory costs Rs 2,500 per credit and projects cost Rs 1,250 per credit. So one diploma costs Rs 62,500. For both diplomas, you pay Rs 1,15,000 for 46 theory credits and Rs 10,000 for 8 project credits, which is Rs 1,25,000.

BSc level: Rs 64,000 to Rs 90,000

The BSc level has 28 credits. Five mandatory Level 3 courses give 20 credits and cost Rs 50,000. The last 8 credits depend on your choice:

BS level: Rs 1,04,000 to Rs 1,40,000

The BS level also has 28 credits. It includes two mandatory Level 4 courses from the data science side and two from the programming side. Each pair is 8 credits and costs Rs 40,000, so Rs 80,000 in all. The last 12 credits are your choice:

The credit table in the same section also allows 0, 4 or 12 apprenticeship credits at the BS level, and 4 credits of MG/HS/HM courses. The fee options above do not show an apprenticeship route. The charge for crediting an apprenticeship is in the guide to other IITM BS fees.

Old fees and new fees side by side

The old column uses the handbook table. The official fee document puts the old full BS at Rs 3,15,000 to Rs 3,51,000. The biggest jumps are at the foundation and diploma levels. The BS level range is almost the same, because the new structure allows up to 8 NPTEL credits at that level, which are cheap.

Common questions

I joined in September 2025. Will my diploma fees go up to the 2026 rates?

The handbook links the old fees to the term you joined, not to the level you are in. It does not describe any switch to new rates partway through. If you are unsure, raise a ticket with support and ask which rates apply to your next level.

Can I still get a fee waiver on the old fees?

The handbook shows one fee waiver table for the programme, with 50% and 75% waivers based on category and family income. It does not say the waivers are limited to the new fees. See the fee waiver rules for the full table.

Is the qualifier fee included in the Rs 32,000?

No. The qualifier exam fee is a separate entry fee, explained in the qualifier application fee guide. The Rs 32,000 covers only the 32 foundation credits.

Why does the BS level have a range of fees?

You choose your own mix of Level 3 courses, Level 4 courses and NPTEL credits. Level 4 costs twice as much per credit as Level 3, and NPTEL costs the least. Your choices decide where you land in the range.