ICFAI Business School, Hyderabad: Pros, Historical Facts, Admission Process, Famous Alumni, and more

IBS Hyderabad offers management programs that are unique and differentiated through a mixture of classroom case studies, management simulations, technology integration, modern specializations, leadership workshops, and live internships of different durations.

IBS Hyderabad offers three types of programs, including 3 variants in BBA programs (one of which has a specialization in Artificial Intelligence and Data Science, one is Cloud Computing & Cyber Security), two MBA programs (including an Executive MBA), in addition to Doctoral Research Programs.

One of the reasons that makes IBS Hyderabad one of the top MBA Colleges in Hyderabad is its placement record. For example, the highest international salary for the Batch of 2023 was higher than INR 58 LPA, with INR 21 LPA being the highest domestic CTC. The Summer Internship Program is a key building block in ensuring that MBA students of IFHE keep breaking placement records.

In addition to a packed academic and co-curricular schedule, IBS Hyderabad ensures that its BBA and MBA have an active campus life through multiple student clubs, promoting leadership outside the classroom. It also has a high-powered alumni network of more than 20,000 senior professionals across the world, many of which are closely connected to the student community through in person workshops and seminars.

Highlights

Historical Facts about ICFAI Business School, Hyderabad

• The ICFAI Group, the precursor to IFHE, was established in 1984. The ICFAI Business School was later set up in 1995.
• IFHE received Deemed University status in 2008, with the Business School (IBS) becoming one of the five main Departments of the University.
• The quality and reputation of IFHE received national recognition in 2022 when the NAAC gave IBS the coveted A++ Rating.
• Over the past decade, the University has received several international recognitions, including inclusion in the Association of Indian Universities and the Association of Commonwealth Universities.

Statistical Data and Tuition Fees

• As one of the top MBA Colleges in Hyderabad, IBS, Hyderabad has a consistent record of placement success. Some highlights are:
  • Prominent recruiters include HCL, Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail, Cognizant, Deloitte, Amazon, Barclays Bank, ICICI Bank, Wipro, and Adani Wilmar.
  • The Class of 2023 achieved 95% placements, with students also taking up opportunities in higher studies and entrepreneurship.
  • The average CTC during the same placement season was INR 10.42 LPA.
  • The average salary offered to the top 10% of students in the batch was INR 17.66 LPA, with the top quartile average CTC just below INR 14 LPA.
  • The highest domestic salary was INR 21 LPA, and the highest international salary was more than INR 58 LPA.
  • More than 161 recruiters participated in the recruiting process for full time jobs and Summer Internships.
• The IBS Case Research Center actively develops business cases; these are currently used by more than 890 corporate and academic institutions in more than 80 countries.

ICFAI Business School, Hyderabad Fees: The IBS Hyderabad MBA Fees have multiple components, including tuition fees, examination charges, registration fees, placement costs, and fees for usage of IT infrastructure. The total amounts payable by students of two flagship programs are as follows:

• MBA:
  • Total academic fee: INR 17.01 Lakh.
  • Refundable caution deposit: INR 10,000 (common for academic and hostel security).
  • Convocation cost: INR 4,000.
• BBA (General Management):
  • Total academic fee: INR 10.4 Lakh.
  • Caution Deposit: INR 10,000. This will be refunded without interest when the student graduates if no harm is caused to college property.
    The scholarships available cover only about 15% of the total program fee; for example, the highest tier BBA scholarship has a total amount slightly lower than 16% of the academic fees.

Why Should You Join IBS Hyderabad?

• As one of the top MBA Colleges in Hyderabad, IBS combines national and international accreditations (A++ by NAAC and AACSB - Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International) with robust placement statistics.
• It has a strong mix of success factors according to the United Nations’ Principles of Responsible Management Education (PRME): sustainability, digitization, and diversity throughout its curriculum.
• Research and cutting edge academic leadership is provided by IFHE University Hyderabad through three Centers of Excellence: Digital Transformation, Banking & Finance, and the Case Research Center.
• It offers multiple specializations (6 different concentrations for MBA students including Finance, Marketing, and Human Resources, and three different BBA programs including modern courses in AI for Data Science, and Cloud Computing with Cyber Security).
• The classroom curriculum is supplemented by regular guest lectures given by industry leaders and eminent alumni, ensuring that the gap between academia and industry is bridged well before the placement season.
• ICFAI Business School Hyderabad is home to 25 highly qualified Faculty members, all of whom hold MBA or PGDM degrees from premier institutions, with many also having PhD degrees in Management. They work together to ensure that the curriculum has the right mixture of industry relevance, practical exposure, and sound theoretical understanding.
• IBS Hyderabad is a notable center of research output, with 7 primary research projects currently ongoing within the Business School alone. These range in finding amounts up to INR 22 Lakh, and are offered by credible national and international organizations such as the MHRD, Government of India, and the Multi Commodity Exchange of India.
• IBS Hyderabad organizes regular weekly seminars on cutting edge business and management topics. These allow students to understand the latest industry developments while interacting with eminent business leaders for future career opportunities.
• The Center for Management Development (CMD) at IFHE provides continuing education programs to business leaders across India. Some highlights are:
  • CMD works closely with public sector organizations and private companies to train their star employees through the case study method.
  • These training programs can be conducted at the IBS campus, in the office of the host company, or even online, resulting in 100% flexibility.
  • Simulations and real time analytics are key features of these high level executive training modules.
  • The interdisciplinary nature of the IFHE University community, with four Faculties other than the School of Business, allow the IBS facilitators to bring cutting edge developments to upskill participants in the Management Development Programs, from legal support to incorporation of Artificial Intelligence in business operations.
  • The final training material is not static; it is customized as per the requirements of the client organization.
  • Examples of blue chip companies working with ICFAI Business School for MDPs are Aurobindo Pharma, Bharat Electronics Limited, Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, Indian Oil Corporation Limited, Kapil Group, Maruti Suzuki India, and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
• The Career Management Center (CMC) within IFHE University Hyderabad plays a key role in long term student placement success. The highlights are:
  • The CMC has two main roles: building strong corporate relations and training students to succeed in their chosen company interviews.
  • Employees of CMC and student career representatives visit more than 1,000 companies across India throughout the year to build long term recruiting relationships.
  • The training activities of the CMC are divided into three major interventions:
    • Organizing pre-placement talks and workshops with experts throughout the year, for both first year MBA students (for the Summer Internship Program) and final year students. These interactions help the students to understand the expectations of each potential recruiter.
    • Organizing personality development workshops to make sure that students are equipped with the soft skills required to succeed, in addition to core functional skills.
    • Providing career counseling services throughout the academic year, and helping match students to optimal career paths based on both their aptitude matrix and professional interests.
  • The seminars organized by the CMC feature prominent speakers from different functional areas (Marketing, Human Resource Management, Financial Management, Operations) to ensure that all MBA and BBA students can learn something, regardless of their specializations.
• The IBS Case Research Center is a major hub of creation of realistic business situations for use in classrooms, management training programs, and simulations.
  • 270+ cases crafted by the Center have been featured in major business textbooks worldwide, including major publications by McGraw Hill, Pearson, Prentice Hall, Thomson Learning, and Cengage Learning.
  • Some of the top companies that use cases developed by ICFAI Business School are McKinsey & Company, Boston Consulting Group, Johnson & Johnson, Bain & Company, Tata Management and Training Center, the Chartered Institute of Marketing, United Kingdom, and Oxford Strategic Marketing.
  • The management cases created by ICFAI Business School are also used in top Universities worldwide, including Yale University, London Business School, Helsinki School of Economics, HEC Paris, SDA Bocconi School of Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), New York University, Concordia University, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, IIM Ahmedabad, and Berlin School of Creative Leadership, Germany.
  • The cases created by IBS are unique in that they are evaluated through a mixture of class participation and written reports.

IBS Hyderabad: Scholarships

Students of the ICFAI Foundation for Higher Education can apply for merit scholarships awarded by IFHE. These are of two main types:

• Merit Scholarships (Prior Academic Record): For example, undergraduate students of ICFAI Business School are awarded entry level academic scholarships based on their total aggregate in the Standard XII Board Examination. There are three tiers based on performance:
  • Tier 1 (aggregate equal to or above 90%): This entitles the student to tuition fee assistance of INR 21,000 per semester for four, six, or eight semesters depending on the duration of the degree.
  • Tier 2 (aggregate between 80% and 90%): The per-semester scholarship amount is INR 14,000.
  • Tier 3 (aggregate between 70% and 80%): The per-semester scholarship amount is INR 8,400.

At the end of every semester, the ongoing academic performance of the awardees is reviewed. Only those who maintain a CGPA above 6.0 will be eligible for continued award of this scholarship.

• Merit Scholarships (Awarded based on Semester Academic Performance): Students who do not cross the minimum thresholds in the qualifying examination have a second chance to secure financial aid based on academic merit, by performing well after they join IFHE University. Unlike in the case of the entry level scholarship, the total number of awards under this scheme is capped at 10% of the batch size. This is also awarded in three tiers.
  • Tier 1 (CGPA at the end of the previous semester above or equal to 9.0): Students in this tier will get a total scholarship amount of INR 42,000.
  • Tier 2 (CGPA between 8.50 and 9.00): This tier entitles its awardees to a total scholarship amount of INR 30,800.
  • Tier 3 (CGPA in the range 8.00 to 8.50): Students in this tier receive a total scholarship amount of INR 21,000.

No student can receive both types of academic merit scholarship; those who qualify for the first type will automatically be disqualified from the second.

• The Financial Aid Cell: In addition to academic merit scholarships, IFHE has a dedicated unit for helping students with funding options, including bank loans through its partnerships with public and private sector financial institutions. The Cell also answers queries related to academic merit scholarships and the disbursal of funds.
• Other Scholarships: Students of IBS, Hyderabad are free to apply to external funding organizations (both Central & State Government post matric scholarship schemes and private trusts) for financial aid based on social or financial disadvantages.

Famous Alumni of IBS Hyderabad

Each School within the IFHE Hyderabad umbrella has its own active Alumni Cell. For example, the ICFAI Business School Alumni Association works across all ICFAI locations in India (including Dehradun, Jaipur, and Mumbai) to give MBA and BBA graduates of IFHE Hyderabad access to a huge alumni base of more than 69,000 business leaders and entrepreneurs worldwide.

It was founded in 1997, soon after the School's inception in 1995, at the time of graduation of its first batch. It has facilitated many professional networking opportunities over the years, and continues to bring alumni and students together for mentorship, on campus events, funding for infrastructure projects, and internship opportunities.

IBS Hyderabad Admission

The eligibility criteria for some prominent courses as part of IBS Hyderabad Admission 2025 are as follows:

• MBA:
  • The applicant must hold an undergraduate degree in any discipline from a recognized Institution of Higher Education in India or abroad, of minimum three years’ duration.\
  • Applicants in the final year of such a program may also apply, provided that they submit the final degree certificates before joining ICFAI Business School.
  • The minimum aggregate across all semesters of UG study is 50% for general category candidates.
  • The medium of instruction during the UG studies must be English. Candidates who do not satisfy this criterion must submit TOEFL or IELTS scores.
  • Applicants must submit scores from a recognized national or international level MBA entrance test e.g. CAT, XAT, GMAT, NMAT.
• Executive MBA:
  • All the same academic criteria related to UG studies must be satisfied by Executive MBA aspirants as well.
  • However, instead of MBA entrance test scores, applicants must have at least two years’ work experience in a leadership or business management role.
• BBA:
  • Candidates must have a pass certificate in the Standard XII Examination issued by any recognized Board of Higher Secondary Education.
  • The minimum 10+2 aggregate is 50% across all subjects.
  • The medium of instruction must be English, and the candidate must satisfy the minimum age requirements as mandated by the respective School Board.
  • There is no entrance test score required; however, any candidature may be cancelled by IFHE if the original documents do not match the details in the application.
• PhD:
  • Applicants must have a postgraduate degree in Management from a University approved by the UGC, with an aggregate above 55%, in addition to a UG degree in any discipline with an aggregate above 50%.
  • Applicants with a UG degree and no PG degree in management may still apply for the doctoral program at IFHE if they have a relevant professional qualification (e.g. CA, CFA) with marks above 55% or equivalent.
  • PhD aspirants must have at least 17 years of total education.

The steps in the IBS, Hyderabad Admission Process are as follows:

• Purchasing the application form: The bulletin and form for admission to all the MBA programs offered at different ICFAI University campuses is common; students may purchase it online or offline after paying INR 1,800.
• Filling up the application form: Aspirants must fill up the application form with accurate details; any mismatch at the time of verification of the original documents may end in cancellation of the application.
• Selection Briefings: If students have any doubts about the admission process, they may attend any of the in-person selection briefing sessions held in 50+ cities across India by the IBS authorities.
• Submitting test scores: Students who have active CAT, NMAT, GMAT, or XAT scores are exempted from the IBSAT entrance examination.
• In-person selection: All shortlisted candidates will be invited to the ICFAI Business School Hyderabad campus over a ten day period in February each year, where their suitability will be assessed through presentation and personal interview rounds.
• Final selection: After receiving a final offer of admission, a candidate must pay the first semester's fees to confirm acceptance and begin attending classes by the third week of May each year.
• Executive MBA applicants have a Micro Presentation and a Personal Interview round as the final two stages in the selection process.

Campus Facilities at IFHE Hyderabad

• The campus of IFHE Hyderabad is unique among the top MBA colleges in Hyderabad, with a total area of 91 acres.
• The campus has extensive green spaces, in addition to world class academic and student infrastructure (total built up area of more than 16 lakh square feet).
• With 3 Main Labs and 5 Departments, the IFHE Hyderabad campus offers its MBA and BBA students several opportunities for interdisciplinary learning and research, in addition to a larger pool of recruiters through the University Placement Cell.
• The entire campus is WiFi enabled, allowing students to complete assignments and take part in extracurricular activities outside the classroom.
• IFHE Hyderabad organizes regular events on campus in multiple categories, from national observances (e.g. International Yoga Day) to conferences set up by the ICFAI Group and student festivals.
• From its inception, IBS Hyderabad has partnered with the local community to help the less fortunate through stationery donation drives, book donations, and in person interventions at orphanages.
• It also partners with large NGOs such as SOS Village and runs initiatives like "Khushiyon Ka Recycle" to inculcate sustainable values in its students of all Schools, including IBS.
• There are five main areas within the IBS campus (in addition to extensive green spaces): academic blocks, communication centers, cafeterias, hostel blocks, and sports buildings or grounds.
• IBS Hyderabad is home to ~30 student clubs in 4 areas: management, arts, sports, and social welfare. Some prominent student clubs in each category include:
  • Management: Investing & Capital Markets, Human Resources, Operations, Technology Management, Advertising & Branding, Data Analytics, Banking.
  • Arts: Music, Dance & Entertainment, Theater, Photography, Quizzes, Soft Skills.
  • Sports: Fitness, Adventure & Nature, Water Sports.
  • Social Welfare: Women's Empowerment, Philanthropy.
• The clubs are led by a Student Activities Coordinator and more than 20 Faculty Members.
• The clubs also organize activities throughout the year, while allowing students to have their voices heard in the overall management of the School.

FAQs

Q: What is ICFAI Business School, Hyderabad known for?

Ans: ICFAI Business School, Hyderabad has a well regarded business school with more than 95% placements, 6 MBA specializations, and a successful pool of 20,000+ alumni across the world.

Q: Where is IFHE Hyderabad located?

Ans: The 91 Acre campus of IFHE Hyderabad is located at Donthanapally Village on Shankarapalli Road in the city of Hyderabad, Telangana.

Q: What undergraduate courses are offered by IFHE Hyderabad?

Ans: Within the School of Business, IFHE Hyderabad offers 3 BBA programs (General Management, Artificial Intelligence and Data Science, and Cyber Security).

Q: What postgraduate courses are offered by IFHE Hyderabad?

Ans: Within the School of Business, IFHE Hyderabad offers 1 MBA program, 1 Executive MBA program, and PhD programs.

Q: Are there scholarships available at IFHE Hyderabad?

Ans: IFHE Hyderabad offers two kinds of academic merit scholarships, one based on performance in the qualifying examination (with no cap on the total number of awards) and the other based on semester performance (limited to a maximum of 10% of each batch).

Q: Does IFHE Hyderabad offer online courses?

Ans: In addition to IFHE Distance Learning courses offered at a University Level, the School of Business at IFHE Hyderabad offers an Online MBA that caters to busy working professionals. This lasts two years, is a fully certified course, and allows senior management leaders to gain further academic and practical knowledge at a lower cost without missing time from their careers.

Q: Is English Medium undergraduate experience mandatory for admission to the MBA course offered by ICFAI Business School Hyderabad?

Ans: Students who have studied their UG programs in a medium of instruction other than English may apply to IFHE Hyderabad for the MBA program provided that they submit TOEFL, NELT, or IELTS scores to certify their English communication abilities.

Q: Which specializations are offered to MBA students of ICFAI Hyderabad?

Ans: MBA students of IFHE Hyderabad can choose from among 6 specializations, including Marketing Management, Finance, Human Resource Management, Operations and Information Technology, Healthcare Management, and Economics.

Q: Which entrance test scores can MBA aspirants submit as part of the ICFAI Business School , Hyderabad admissions?

Ans: MBA applicants to ICFAI Hyderabad can submit any one of four test scores: CAT, GMAT, NMAT, or XAT. The last date to apply every year is January 31; the tests must therefore be taken well before this deadline.

Q: What is the deadline for application to the PhD in Management programs offered by ICFAI Business School?

Ans: ICFAI Business School admits students to its PhD programs in two batches every year, in January and in July. The deadline for application to the January 2026 doctoral program intake is 15 September 2025, and the deadline for application to the July 2026 PhD program intake is 15 March 2026.

Q: On what basis are students selected for the PhD in Management programs offered by ICFAI Business School?

Ans: Applicants to the PhD in Management program offered by ICFAI Business School go through a three stage selection process: PhD entrance test, micro presentation, and finally a personal interview. These processes happen in October and April respectively for intake in January and July. Selected students will start attending classes and performing research on the first of either of these months.

Q: What is the advantage of the four year BBA programs offered by IBS Hyderabad?

Ans: ICFAI Hyderabad offers four year BBA Honors programs in General Management, Artificial Intelligence & Data Science, and Cloud Computing & Cyber Security. These are designed to give students an additional year of specialization in fields related to emerging technologies and management, for long term career impact.

Q: What is the deadline for admission to the BBA programs offered by ICFAI University Hyderabad?

Ans: The deadline for admission to the BBA programs offered by IFHE University Hyderabad is in the fourth week of June every year.

Q: Which is the top MBA College in Hyderabad?

Ans: ICFAI Business School, Hyderabad is one of the top MBA Colleges in Hyderabad, with multiple BBA/MBA specializations in addition to impressive placement statistics.