Deakin University’s GIFT City campus, launched in 2024, is the first Australian university branch campus in India and one of the flagship institutions at the Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City) — India’s first operational International Financial Services Centre (IFSC). Regulated by the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA), the campus focuses exclusively on STEM and FinTech disciplines, in line with IFSCA’s mandate.
Deakin is ranked #264 globally (QS World University Rankings 2026) and is particularly strong in business, data science, and financial technology programmes.
Why GIFT City?
GIFT City is a purpose-built smart city and IFSC on the outskirts of Gandhinagar, Gujarat. The IFSCA regulatory framework that governs campuses here was designed to attract global finance and technology talent. Key features for students:
- International environment: peers from domestic and international backgrounds
- Industry adjacency: major financial institutions operating in GIFT City create internship and placement pipelines
- IFSCA recognition: programmes are recognised by IFSCA and, for the purpose of most central government examinations, treated equivalently to UGC-recognised degrees
Programmes available
Deakin GIFT City offers programmes exclusively in IFSCA-approved disciplines (STEM and FinTech):
| Programme | Level | Duration | Tuition (INR/yr) | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MBA (FinTech) | Postgraduate | 18 months | ₹13.0 lakh | Open |
| Master of Business Analytics | Postgraduate | 24 months | ₹11.4 lakh | Open |
| Master of Data Science | Postgraduate | 24 months | ₹11.4 lakh | Open |
| Master of Information Systems | Postgraduate | 24 months | ₹10.8 lakh | Upcoming |
| Bachelor of Information Technology | Undergraduate | 36 months | ₹9.5 lakh | Upcoming |
Tuition figures are representative of 2025–26 intake. Verify current fees on the Deakin India official website before applying.
MBA (FinTech) — the flagship programme
The Deakin GIFT City MBA in FinTech is an 18-month programme designed for professionals seeking a management career at the intersection of finance and technology. The curriculum covers financial markets, blockchain and DeFi, data-driven decision making, and regulatory technology (RegTech). Students complete a live industry project with a GIFT City-based financial institution in the final semester.
Entry requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree from a recognised university (CGPA 6.0+/10)
- Minimum 2 years of work experience (waived for exceptional candidates)
- GMAT/GRE (preferred but not mandatory for Indian applicants with strong profiles)
- English proficiency: IELTS 6.5+
Cost comparison: The same MBA programme at Deakin’s Melbourne campus costs approximately AUD 58,000–62,000 (≈ ₹32–35 lakh) per year for international students. At the GIFT City campus, the tuition is ₹13.0 lakh per year — a saving of roughly 35% on tuition alone, and 60–65% on total cost including living expenses.
IFSCA recognition
As an IFSCA-regulated institution, Deakin GIFT City degrees are:
- Eligible for UPSC and State PSC exams — recognised as degrees from a regulated institution. Students applying to PSCs unfamiliar with the IFSCA framework should proactively obtain an AIU equivalence certificate.
- Eligible for GATE-based PSU recruitment — same eligibility as UGC-regulated IBC graduates
- Recommended: obtain an AIU equivalence certificate before applying to IIT/IISc PhD programmes, as IITs have not yet explicitly addressed IFSCA IBC degrees in their admission notices
Intake dates
Deakin GIFT City runs three intakes per year: March, July, and November. This is more flexible than most IBC campuses, which typically offer two annual intakes.
How to apply via Glocampus
- Search and compare all Deakin GIFT City programmes on the Programmes page
- Build your Universal Application Profile with your transcripts and supporting documents
- Submit directly through Glocampus — we route your application to Deakin India’s admissions team and confirm receipt within 24 hours
- Track every status change in real time: received → under review → conditional offer → final offer
Information verified against Deakin India’s official admissions portal and IFSCA registration records as of May 2026. Always verify current fees and intake dates directly with the university before applying.