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NSU Tirupati CDOE: fees, courses and admission

National Sanskrit UniversityTirupati, Andhra Pradesh

Central universityDistanceSince 1961NAAC A+

Fees and rules checked on 23 October 2026

₹5,000a year for Shastri or BA (Hons.) Sanskrit, with soft-copy study material
₹7,000a year for any Acharya (master’s level) programme
₹12,000a year for the PG Diploma in Yoga Vijnana
8distance programmes on UGC-DEB’s 2026-27 list

Admission: NSU’s 2026-27 distance admission closed on 25 September 2026 after several extensions, and the CDOE said there would be no further one. The next intake hasn’t been announced (checked 23 October 2026).

Overview

National Sanskrit University is a central university in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, founded in 1961 as Kendriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha and made a central university by an Act of Parliament in 2020. Its Centre for Distance and Online Education, started in 2003, teaches Sanskrit degrees and a yoga diploma by distance, with self-learning material, contact programmes and exams at the Tirupati campus.

Type
Central university, Andhra Pradesh (Act of Parliament, 2020)
Modes
Distance (ODL)
Sessions
One intake a year; the 2026-27 session began on 1 September 2026
Study centres
None listed; exams and practicals are held at the Tirupati campus
Entrance test
None mentioned; the CDOE publishes lists of selected applicants

Courses and fees

Shastri (Hons.) Sahitya

Distance

4 years

₹5,000a year

₹6,000 a year with printed books; ₹20,000 over four years by our sum

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Shastri (Hons.) Vyakarana

Distance

4 years

₹5,000a year

₹6,000 a year with printed books; ₹20,000 over four years by our sum

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BA (Hons.) Sanskrit

Distance

4 years

₹5,000a year

₹6,000 a year with printed books; ₹20,000 over four years by our sum

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Acharya Sahitya

Distance

2 years

₹7,000a year

₹8,400 a year with printed books; ₹14,000 over two years by our sum; taught in Sanskrit

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Acharya Puranetihasa

Distance

2 years

₹7,000a year

₹8,400 a year with printed books; ₹14,000 over two years by our sum; taught in Sanskrit

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Acharya Dharmasastra

Distance

2 years

₹7,000a year

₹8,400 a year with printed books; ₹14,000 over two years by our sum; taught in Sanskrit

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Acharya Jyotish

Distance

2 years

₹7,000a year

₹8,400 a year with printed books; ₹14,000 over two years by our sum; taught in Sanskrit

Get fee details

PG Diploma in Yoga Vijnana

Distance

2 years

₹12,000a year

₹14,400 a year with printed books; ₹24,000 over two years by our sum; for ages 20 to 44

Get fee details

Fees are from the CDOE Prospectus 2026-27 on the university’s website and are charged each year. The lower fee comes with soft-copy study material; printed books cost ₹1,000 a year more for Shastri and BA, ₹1,400 for Acharya and ₹2,400 for the PG Diploma, paid separately on the portal. Every applicant pays a ₹700 application fee, exam and certificate fees are set by the Examinations Section, and later years’ fees are called by circular. Fees are paid online on the Samarth portal and are not refunded except under UGC’s refund policy.

Admission

  1. 2026-27 session (from 1 September 2026)

    Closed. Applications opened on 7 July 2026 and the final extension ended on 25 September 2026.

  2. Next intake (2027-28)

    Not announced yet (checked 23 October 2026). The 2026-27 notice was issued on 6 July 2026.

How to apply

1Create an ABC ID through DigiLocker, then a DEB ID using it
2Register on the Samarth portal the university’s website, fill in your profile and get a registration number
3Apply for a programme, upload your documents and pay the ₹700 application fee online
4If your name is on the CDOE’s selected list, pay the first-year programme fee on the same portal

Portal: the university’s website. Only online applications are accepted, from Indian nationals. Keep your SSC certificate, qualifying-exam marks and certificate, date of birth proof, a government ID, ABC and DEB IDs and a photo ready. Help: the university’s email or 9440626562, 9.30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on working days.

Eligibility

  • Shastri (Hons.)

    Prak-Shastri, Intermediate or an equivalent 10+2 pass, preferably with Sanskrit, or NSU’s Diploma in Sanskrit with English; at least 17 on 15 August.

  • BA (Hons.) Sanskrit

    Prak-Shastri, Intermediate or an equivalent 10+2 pass, or NSU’s Diploma in Sanskrit with English; at least 17 on 15 August.

  • Acharya

    A three-year degree or Shastri in the subject; graduates who studied Sanskrit as a second language or group subject also qualify. At least 20 on 15 August.

  • PG Diploma in Yoga Vijnana

    A three-year degree from a recognised university; aged at least 20 and under 45 on 15 August.

Exams and study

Exams at Tirupati

All exams and practicals are held offline at the NSU campus in Tirupati. You must attend at least 75% of the contact programme to be allowed to sit them.

Study material

Soft-copy self-learning material comes with the basic fee. Printed books are sent by registered parcel if you pay the extra fee.

Contact programme

One personal contact programme each semester, or two spells a year for the yoga diploma, held online, offline or blended. Shastri and Acharya are taught mainly in Sanskrit.

UGC recognition. UGC-DEB’s 2026-27 list of recognised ODL programmes (session beginning August 2026) includes NSU for 8 programmes: Shastri (Hons.) Sahitya and Vyakarana, BA (Hons.) Sanskrit, Acharya in Puranetihasa, Dharmasastra, Jyotish and Sahitya, and the PG Diploma in Yoga Vijnana, recognised up to July 2028. NSU’s Prak-Shastri, Diploma and Certificate in Sanskrit are not on that list.

Frequently asked questions

How much does NSU’s distance Acharya cost?

₹7,000 a year with soft-copy material or ₹8,400 with printed books, plus a ₹700 application fee and exam fees. Over two years that is ₹14,000 by our sum.

Do I need to know Sanskrit?

Yes for Shastri, BA (Hons.) and Acharya: traditional subjects are taught in Sanskrit, modern ones in English. The yoga PG Diploma is in English except one course.

Where are NSU distance exams held?

Offline at the NSU campus in Tirupati only, and you need at least 75% attendance in the contact programme to sit them.

Can I still join for 2026-27?

No. The last extension ended on 25 September 2026 and NSU said there would be no further one. The next intake hadn’t been announced on 23 October 2026.

Is National Sanskrit University accredited?

Yes. It is a central university, and NAAC graded it A+ with a CGPA of 3.26 in June 2024, valid to 6 June 2029.

If NSU Tirupati CDOE isn’t the right fit

NSU’s distance courses are all in Sanskrit studies or yoga. Sri Venkateswara University, also in Tirupati, runs a distance MBA and MA courses, IGNOU admits in January and July, and UGC-entitled private online MBAs start at ₹67,000 in total (Mangalayatan University, fee checked 17 October 2026).

Sources
  1. NSU CDOE page the university’s website, with its admission, results and syllabus notices, read 23 Oct 2026.
  2. CDOE Prospectus for ODL Programmes, Academic Year 2026-27 (fee structure, eligibility, terms and how to apply), the university’s website, read 23 Oct 2026.
  3. CDOE Admission Notification for AY 2026-27 (6 July 2026) and Phase-V extension notice (16 September 2026), the university’s website, read 23 Oct 2026.
  4. CDOE academic circular on printed study material fees (22 October 2026), the university’s website, read 23 Oct 2026.
  5. NAAC certificate of 7 June 2024 on the NSU IQAC page, read 23 Oct 2026.
  6. UGC-DEB 2026-27 list of recognised ODL programmes, S.No 4.
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