IGNOU Distance Education Admission 2026: Admission for various distance learning courses is open now at IGNOU for the July session 2026. Admission form is made available on the IGNOU Samarth portal, along with the application processing fee of INR 300/-. The last date of IGNOU Distance Education admission 2026 is 16 August 2026 for all programs. Registrations are ongoing for undergraduate, postgraduate, diploma and certificate courses in ODL mode.
Admission will be merit-based, so students applying for the UG program must have 10+2 qualification and a bachelor’s degree for the PG program. However, IGNOU conducts entrance exams for BEd, Post BSc Nursing and PhD programs. The average course fee will range from INR 3,500/- to INR 66,000/- for the entire program.
IGNOU Distance Education Admission Updates
- IGNOU Distance Education has again extended the last date of admission 2026 till 16 August 2026 for the July academic cycle, and the applicants need to apply at www.ignou.ac.in.
- IGNOU Distance Education admission process is now open for the July session, with the last date to submit the registration form for all courses being 16 August 2026. Source
- Applications are being accepted online for Distance Education UG programs at IGNOU for the July session, and the last date to submit the application form for admission is 16 August 2026.
- IGNOU Distance Education PG admission 2026 is open, with the extended deadline to submit the application form being 16 August 2026 at the @ignou.ac.in website.
About University: IGNOU stands for Indira Gandhi National Open University. It was established in 1985. IGNOU is accredited by NAAC with an A++ grade and all its programmes are recognised by the UGC, AICTE, NCTE and DEB for distance courses. It has over 69 Regional Centres, 25 Overseas Study Centres, 2,000+ Learner Support Centres, etc. Currently, IGNOU provides 325 programmes, which include Four-Year Undergraduate Programmes (FYUP) and skill-based courses under NEP 2020. The university offers programs through ODL and online mode with 2 admission sessions: January and July.
Highlights of IGNOU Distance Education
| Highlights | Details |
| University Name | Indira Gandhi National Open University |
| University Type | Central University |
| Establishment year | 1985 |
| Mode of Admission | Merit and entrance-based |
| Recognition | UGC-DEB |
| Average Program Fee | INR 3,500/- to INR 66,000/- |
| Application Fee | INR 300/- |
| Program Offered | UG, PG, Diploma, and Certificate |
| Age Limit | No lower or upper age limit |
| Mode of Education | Online and ODL |
IGNOU Distance Education Admission 2026
IGNOU has commenced the admission for UG, PG, Diploma, and Certificate distance learning courses for the July 2026-27 academic session through the www.ignou.ac.in website. IGNOU Distance Education admission 2026 is open now, with the extended last date of 16 August 2026. The registration process will include filling out the admission form with a fee of INR 300 for all courses. Before starting, new applicants will be required to create their APAAR ID using their own email ID and phone number.
IGNOU Distance Education offers admission to UG courses like BSW, BA, BSc, BLIS, BCA, BBA for a duration of 3 years with 6 semesters. PG courses like MSW, MSc, MLIS, MA, MFA, MBA, etc for 2 years with 4 semesters. To become eligible for a bachelor’s degree course, applicants must pass their 10+2 or equivalent examination for a master’s degree course, a valid UG degree from a recognised university. Selection to all the programmes will be based on the results of the previous qualifying examination. However, IGNOU conducts entrance exams for Bachelor of Education (BEd), Post BSc Nursing and PhD programs.
IGNOU Distance Education Courses List
Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) offers more than 300+ programmes at UG, PG, Certificate and Diploma level. All the programs are approved and recognized by statutory bodies like UGC-DEB, NCTE and AICTE. Programs are available in open and distance learning (ODL) mode through 21 schools of studies with diverse specializations. Students can check out the list of Bachelor and Master degree courses in the table given below:
| Undergraduate | Postgraduate |
| Bachelor of Social Work | Master of Social Work |
| Bachelor of Science | Master of Science |
| Bachelor of Library and Information Science | Master of Library and Information Science |
| Bachelor of Arts | Master of Arts |
| Bachelor of Tourism and Travel Management | Master of Fine Arts |
| Bachelor of Computer Applications | Master of Business Administration (MBA) |
| Bachelor of Business Administration | Master of Tourism and Travel Management |
IGNOU Distance Education UG Admission 2026
IGNOU has opened the admission portal for the UG distance learning program for applicants who have completed 10+2 education. Students who are intereted to study at IGNOU can fill out the registration form online at www.ignou.ac.in. The last date of IGNOU Distance Education UG admission 2026 is 16 August 2026. Interested students have to register online on the IGNOU samarth portal and pay an application fee of INR 300/-.
IGNOU offers Popular UG distance learning programs like BCA, BBA, BA, BLIS, BSC in open and distance learning mode (ODL). All these courses are approved by the UGC. All the UG programs are offered for a minimum course length of 3 years with 6 semesters and a maximum period of 6 years. Admission will be given to only those students who have passed their 10+2 examination or equivalent from a recognized board.
Selection of the applicants will be done through merit marks secured in the previous qualifying examination. However, students applying for BEd and post BSc Nursing programs will have to appear for the entrance examination conducted by the university. There is no minimum age limit for any UG program or entrance exam. IGNOU UG course fee varies from INR 4,800/- to INR 60,000/– annually. All the programmes will use English and Hindi as the main medium of instruction.
IGNOU Distance Education PG Admission 2026
PG Admission 2026 is open now at IGNOU distance education for the July academic session for all learners who have completed their bachelor’s education. Admission process is ongoing online through the @ignou.ac.in portal, and the last date of PG registration is 16 August 2026 for all PG programs. IGNOU PG distance admission is open for programs like MBA, MSW, MSc, MFA, MLIS, MA, and others with various specialisations.
All the programs are UGC-DEB approved and available in open and distance learning (ODL) mode. The duration of all the master degree courses are 2 years with 4 semesters. To become eligible for admission, applicants must have a 3 year bachelor’s degree with a minimum 50% mark (45% for SC/ST category) from a recognized university.
Applicants will be selected mainly based on merits as IGNOU does not conduct entrance examinations for any program. There is no maximum age limit for admission and all the programs will be delivered in either Hindi or English. IGNOU distance education charges PG course fee ranging from INR 13,000/- to INR 66,000/-.
IGNOU Distance Education Eligibility Criteria
Admission eligibility criteria for offered courses at IGNOU for the July academic session are mentioned below in points. The applicants are required to meet these criteria to get admission at IGNOU for distance learning programs:
- UG Degree Course: To apply for UG course admission at IGNOU Distance a 10+2 education is required from any school.
- PG Degree Course: To apply for PG degree admission at IGNOU Distance Education, candidates must have completed their bachelor’s degree education from UGC recognized University.
- Diploma and Certificate Course: Must have 10+2 qualification from a recognised board.
- Mark Relaxation: IGNOU offers 5% mark relaxations for the reserved category.
- Entrance Examination: Applicable for BEd, post BSc Nursing and PhD programs.
- Age Limit: There is no minimum or maximum age limit for any program.
- Language: It is essential for students to have proficiency in English and Hindi as all the course material and classes will be delivered in either medium.
IGNOU Distance Education Admission Process 2026
IGNOU conducts online admission for all the programs offered in distance mode. Students have to create their APAAR ID and read all the instructions before filling the admission form. For successful submission of the IGNOU application form, follow the steps given below:
Step 1: Visit IGNOU official website at www.ignou.ac.in.
Step 2: Register with your active email ID and phone number.
Step 3: Login using your username and password.
Step 4: Scan and upload all the documents in given size and format.
Step 5: Review and pay application fee of INR 300/- online.
Step 6: Confirmation message will be mailed or SMS.
Step 7: Submit the duly-filled application form before the given deadline.
IGNOU Distance Education Documents Required
At the time of admission process, students will be required to scan and upload following list of documents in given format and size:
- 10th and 12th marksheet and certificate (less than 200 KB)
- UG degree certificate (less than 200KB)
- Experience certificate (less than 200KB)
- Category or caste certificate (less than 200KB)
- Scanned photograph and signature (less than 100 KB)
- ID proof such as Adhaar card and pancard.
IGNOU Distance Education Fees
Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) offers diverse UG, PG, Diploma and Certificate courses in ODL mode. All the courses have affordable fees ranging between INR 3,500/- to INR 66,000/- per year. In addition to the course fee, students also have to pay an application fee of INR 300/-, project/practical fee of INR 300/- to INR 500/- and examination fee of INR 200/- per theory course. All the payment of the fees has to be made online via debit card, credit card, or net banking. Students can check out average course fee of all the programs in the table given below:
| Particulars | Total Course Fees |
| UG Course | INR 4,800/- to INR 60,000/- |
| PG Course | INR 13,000/- to INR 66,000/- |
| PG Diploma Course | INR 3,500/- to INR 22,000/- |
| Diploma Program | INR 3,500/- to INR 15,200/- |
| PG Certificate Course | INR 4,000/- to INR 6,200/- |
| Certificate Course | INR 1,500/- to INR 7,800/- |
| Awareness & Appreciation Program | INR 500/- to INR 1200/- |
Top Universities Approved by UGC DEB
Contact Details
- University Address: IGNOU Maidan Garhi,New Delhi-110068
- Phone Number: 29572513, 29572514
- Website: https://www.ignou.ac.in/
- Registration Portal: https://ignouadmission.samarth.edu.in/
- Office Timing: 9:30 AM to 6:00 PM (Monday to Friday)
IGNOU Distance Education Admission FAQs
Ques: What is the start date of IGNOU Distance Education admission 2026?
Ans: IGNOU has started the admission process from 25 May 2026 for all distance education programs.
Ques: What is the last date of IGNOU Distance Education admission 2026?
Ans: 16 August 2026 is the last date to apply for admission at IGNOU for all distance learning programs.
