Address: Madhav Nagar, 576104 Manipal, Karnataka, India
Health Sciences (Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy), Engineering, Management
Manipal Academy of Higher Education grew from Kasturba Medical College, which began teaching at Manipal in 1953 on the initiative of Dr T.M.A. Pai, who proposed a self-financed model of medical education. The group of institutions was declared a deemed-to-be university by the Government of India in 1993.
In 2020 the Ministry of Education named it an Institution of Eminence Deemed to be University. Besides the campus at Manipal in Karnataka, the academy has off-campuses in Mangaluru, Bengaluru and Jamshedpur and an offshore campus in Dubai. Its constituent colleges include Kasturba Medical College and the Manipal College of Dental Sciences.
The academy describes itself as a private deemed university, and its programmes centre on health sciences, engineering and management. In the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2025 it was placed 3rd in the University category.
Domains taught:
AI and Machine Learning, Bioengineering, Engineering, Life Sciences, Software Engineering
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Certificate, Diploma, Doctor, Master, MBA
Status:
Private
Partnerships:
One of India’s leading private universities with a strong international presence. Highly ranked for health sciences (Kasturba Medical College), engineering (Manipal Institute of Technology – MIT), and management.
Research:
Extensive research in health sciences, engineering, life sciences, and pharmacy. Focus on interdisciplinary research and innovation.
Famous Alumnis:
Satya Nadella, Rajeev Suri (also NITK), Vikas Khanna
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
5000
Current students***:
35000
Foreign students***:
10%
Cumulative former students***:
N/A
Pros
Excellent health sciences and engineering programs, international collaborations, vibrant campus life in Manipal (a university town).
Cons
High tuition fees, large student population, some programs more competitive than others.
Best For
Students seeking high-quality private education in health sciences, engineering, or management, often valuing an international environment and a well-rounded campus experience.
Vellore Institute of Technology: a private university in Vellore listing engineering, computer science and information technology.
SRM Institute of Science and Technology: a private institution in Chengalpattu District, Tamil Nadu, with engineering, computer science and health sciences.
Aligarh Muslim University: a public university in Aligarh that includes medicine, engineering and sciences.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
Monash University in Australia teaches medicine, engineering and information technology.
Nanyang Technological University in Singapore lists engineering, business and computing.
China Medical University Taichung in Taiwan specialises in Western medicine and Chinese medicine.
Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil is a private university with engineering and project management.
Yonsei University in South Korea is a private university with medicine, engineering and business.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
How did Manipal Academy of Higher Education begin?
It started with Kasturba Medical College, set up at Manipal in 1953 under the leadership of Dr T.M.A. Pai. Dr Pai proposed a self-financed model of medical education.
When did it become a deemed university?
The Government of India declared the group of institutions a deemed-to-be university in 1993. The Ministry of Education later gave it Institution of Eminence status in 2020.
Where are its campuses?
The main campus is at Manipal in Karnataka. It also has off-campuses in Mangaluru, Bengaluru and Jamshedpur and an offshore campus in Dubai.
Which colleges belong to the academy?
Constituent colleges include Kasturba Medical College and the Manipal College of Dental Sciences. Check the official pages for the programme you want.
How is it ranked in India?
The National Institutional Ranking Framework 2025 listed it 3rd in the University category. Rankings change each year, so check the latest tables.
What subjects can I study there?
Its programmes centre on health sciences, engineering and management. Health sciences include medicine, dentistry and pharmacy.
Biomedical Sensors, Engineering, Innovation, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Medical Devices
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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