IGNOU MSW Admission 2026 | Program Detail, Eligibility, Scholarships

IGNOU MSW Admission 2026: IGNOU is going to start its admission soon for various UG and PG programmes, including the MSW Programme (Master of Social Work). It is a UGC approved Postgraduate course which follows semester structure. Its total programme fee is INR 37,000 plus development fee and registration fee as applicable. Those who are interested and have a bachelor’s degree from a recognized University can apply through official website of IGNOU. They need to fill out an application form. 15 December 2025* is the expected start date of applying for admission. MSW Programme’s medium of instruction is both Hindi and English. For more information regarding admissions, visit IGNOU official website. 

IGNOU MSW Admission 2026: Highlights

About IGNOU

IGNOU was established in 1985 through the Parliament Act. It delivers programmes in distance education mode. IGNOU is one of the premier Open University/Institution of India that is especially known for its high quality education under low budget fee structure, and accessibility so that students can easily access its benefits. IGNOU is UGC approved, AIU-recognised and NAAC-accredited.

Ignou MSW Programme Overview & Credits

MSW (Master of Social Work) is a postgraduate programme with a 2-year course duration. IGNOU follows semester-based programme delivery and delivers this programme in 4 semesters. Its curriculum not only includes core courses related to social work but also includes themes in some of the relevant areas of social work like globalization, migration, and courses on HIV/AIDS. The programme offers practical exposure to provide hands-on training to make students prepared for contemporary social challenges.

IGNOU has assigned a total of 72 credits for MSW Programme which includes compulsory core courses, elective courses and field work. 

IGNOU MSW Admission 2026

IGNOU MSW admission process will start soon for the January academic year 2026. IGNOU offers admission in various courses twice a year, January and July. Those who are eligible for admission can apply by Samarth Admission Portal of IGNOU or by official website. The university has a mandatory registration fee for every student to pay. Registration fee is non-refundable. There is no official announcement of the starting date of admission, but it is expected to be 15 December 2025*.

Eligibility Criteria For IGNOU MSW Admission 2026

Eligibility Criteria are some requirements that need to be met by students if they want admission in their preferred University. At IGNOU, to be eligible for MSW Programme admission, students must have a Bachelor degree or Higher degree from a recognized University. Another mandatory requirement is DEB ID. Without it, students can not qualify for further proceedings. Those eligible can apply through the official website of IGNOU. 

IGNOU MSW Admission Fee Structure 2026

IGNOU has divided its fee component into three parts- registration fee, development fee, and programme fee. Total Programme fee for 2 years is INR 370,000. Application fee is necessary for further proceedings. For General category students, application fee is INR 300, meanwhile for students from reserved category, application fee is INR 150 as they get relaxation. Check below mentioned table for more details:

IGNOU MSW Admission Process 2026

All students must be ensured to have DEB ID at the time of filling registration/application form. 

• Step 1: Visit official website and apply from there or apply directly through IGNOU Samarth Admission Portal.
• Step 2: Create your account under /New Registration’ and save those credentials (Username and password received on registered mail)
• Step 3: Now re-login to your account and access registration/application form
• Step 4: Select the programme you want to apply for
• Step 5: Fill personal details like phone number, name, contact, residential address, etc
• Step 6: Fill relevant academic details like 10th marks, 12th marks, bachelors, etc
• Step 7: Upload documents in support of your filled details
• Step 8: Check all details one more time before clicking on ‘declaration box’
• Step 9: Now pay fees and submit your application. Save filled copy of your application and fee acknowledgement receipt for future reference
• Step 10: Now wait for University’s mail. Once your documents are verified, they will send admission confirmation message. 

Required Documents For IGNOU MSW Admission

All documents must be scanned from applicant’s  original documents only

• Proof of Identity (less than 200 KB)
• Relevant Academic Qualification (less than 200 KB)
• Recent Photograph of applicant (less than 100 KB)
• Experience Certificate (if applicable) (less than 200 KB)
• Specimen Signature (less than 100 KB)
• Category Certificate, if applicable (less than 200 KB)

IGNOU MSW Programme Scholarship & Placement Cell

Students can apply for Government of India scholarships through the National Scholarship Portal after their admission is confirmed by IGNOU. IGNOU has Campus Placement Cell (CPC), established in 2005, and acts as a nodal centre for placement-related activities. It provides meaningful employment opportunities to its students and alumni at all levels matching with their personal and academic profile. 

CPC conducts Placement drives, Job fairs, Recruitment drives and Employability enhancing activities at Headquarters, study centres, regional centres and company premises. For MSW students, IGNOU provides training sessions as well to make them prepared to find placements within India as well outside the country too.