IIT Madras Summer Fellowship Programme (SFP) 2026 – Last Date, Eligibility & How to Apply

Many students are searching about IIT Madras Summer Fellowship Programme 2026 these days.
Some already heard about it from seniors, but still confuse how selection works and who can actually apply.

In this post, I will explain everything in very simple words, so anyone can understand without problem.

If you are planning for research internship in IIT, read full article carefully.

What is IITM Summer Fellowship Programme?

IIT Madras Summer Fellowship Programme (SFP) is basically a 2-month research internship for non-IIT students.

It is conducted by Indian Institute of Technology Madras every year during summer vacation.

Selected students get chance to:

Work under IIT Madras professors
Do real research project
Use lab facilities
Get stipend also

Many students think it is normal internship, but actually competition is high and selection is based on academic performance and SOP.

2026 Important Dates (Don’t Miss This)

Application Deadline: March 2, 2026 (5:00 PM IST)
Programme Duration: May 18, 2026 – July 17, 2026

If you delay even few minutes, portal will close. So better apply early.

Who Can Apply? (Eligibility Criteria)

This fellowship is only for Non-IIT students.

Below is basic eligibility:

3rd year B.E./B.Tech./B.Sc (Engg)
3rd year of 3-year B.Sc (with PCM)
3rd or 4th year Integrated M.Tech/M.Sc
1st year M.Sc / M.A / MBA

Student must have good academic record.

If backlog or low marks, chances become less. Not impossible, but difficult.

Stipend & Other Benefits

Stipend: ₹15,000 per month
Total for 2 months: ₹30,000

Accommodation is available in hostel, but you have to pay mess and hostel charges.

Big benefit is exposure. IIT Madras is ranked No.1 in India under National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF).

Research experience from here looks very strong in CV.

Required Documents

Before applying, keep these documents ready:

Bonafide Certificate from your college
Consolidated marksheet (10th to latest semester)
1-page SOP
Application fee ₹100

File size should be less than 2MB. Many students upload big file and then error comes.

So compress PDF properly.

How to Apply (Step-by-Step Process)

Follow below steps:

Go to official SFP portal
Register with email ID
Fill personal and academic details carefully
Select department preference
Upload documents
Pay ₹100 application fee
Submit form and save application number

Many time website become slow near deadline. So don’t wait last day evening.

Participating Departments

Engineering Departments:

Aerospace
Biotechnology
Chemical
Civil
Computer Science
Electrical
Mechanical
Ocean Engineering

Science Departments:

Physics
Chemistry
Mathematics

Also available:

Humanities & Social Sciences
Management Studies

Choose department wisely. Don’t select randomly.

How to Write Strong SOP (Very Important)

Selection committee mainly focus on SOP.

Instead of writing:

“I am passionate about research and want to learn more.”

Write clearly:

What topic you want to work on
Which IIT Madras lab interests you
Why your background matches

If possible, mention professor’s research area. It shows you did homework.

Generic SOP usually get rejected.

Common Mistakes Students Make

Some common problem:

Upload wrong marksheet
Writing copied SOP
Selecting too many departments without clarity
Applying last minute

Small mistake can cost selection.

FAQs

Q. Can IIT students apply?
No, this is only for Non-IIT students.

Q. Is stipend guaranteed?
Yes, if selected and completed full programme.

Q. Is it online or offline?
Mostly offline at IIT Madras campus.

Q. How tough is selection?
Competition is high. Good academics + strong SOP needed.

If you are serious about research career, IIT Madras SFP is very good opportunity. Not easy to get, but worth trying.