Siksha 'O' Anusandhan University Admission 2026: Eligibility, Entrance Exams, Application Process & Fees
SOA University admissions for 2026 are open across undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral programmes at its nine constituent institutes in Bhubaneswar. Admission runs primarily through SAAT (Siksha 'O' Anusandhan Admission Test), the university's own entrance examination, with national-level exams (JEE Main, NEET, CLAT, CAT/XAT/MAT, GATE, GPAT) accepted depending on the specific programme and institute.
What's New in SOA Admissions 2026
- SAAT continues as the university's primary entrance route for UG and PG admission across most of its nine constituent institutes.
- B.Tech admission continues to accept JEE Main as an alternative to SAAT.
- MBBS and BDS admission continues via NEET UG, subject to the applicable NEET cut-off rank and category-wise seat matrix.
A Quick Look at SOA University
SOA is a UGC-recognised deemed university with NAAC A++ accreditation, organised as a federation of nine constituent institutes spanning Engineering, Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Business, Law, Agriculture, Hotel Management and Nursing. Its 127-acre main campus in Bhubaneswar includes the integrated IMS & SUM Hospital teaching hospital. Admission runs primarily through SAAT, with national-level exams accepted for discipline-specific programmes.
SOA Entrance Exam List by Programme
| Programme Group | Accepted Entrance Exams / Route |
|---|---|
| B.Tech (ITER) | SAAT or JEE Main |
| MBBS (IMS & SUM Hospital) | NEET UG |
| BDS (IDS) | NEET UG |
| MD/MS (IMS & SUM Hospital) | NEET PG |
| MDS (IDS) | NEET MDS |
| Super-speciality Medical | NEET SS |
| M.Tech / MCA (ITER) | GATE or SAAT (PG) |
| M.Pharm (SPS) | GPAT or SAAT (PG) |
| MBA/PGDM (IBCS) | CAT, XAT, MAT, or SAAT (PG) |
| BA LL.B. (Hons.) (SNIL) | SAAT or CLAT |
| BBA / BCA (IBCS), B.Sc. Agriculture (IAS), BHM (SHM), B.Sc. Nursing (SNC) | SAAT |
| PhD (all disciplines) | University's own research-admission process |
SOA Application Process, Step by Step
The process runs online through the official SOA admissions portal (soa.ac.in) for most programmes, with programme-specific requirements depending on the relevant constituent institute.
Step 1: Registering on the Admission Portal
- Visit the official SOA admissions website and start a new application for your chosen programme and institute.
- Register with a mobile number or email ID.
- Fill in personal, academic and contact information.
- Pay the application fee online (specific amount not consistently reported across sources — confirm on the portal).
- Appear for SAAT, or submit a valid JEE Main/NEET/CLAT/CAT-family score, as applicable to your programme.
- Attend counselling for seat allotment at the relevant constituent institute.
Documents Required for SOA Admission
- Entrance exam scorecard (SAAT, JEE Main, NEET, CLAT, CAT/XAT-family, GATE, GPAT — whichever applies)
- Class 10 and Class 12 marksheets
- Graduation marksheet, for postgraduate programmes
- Transfer certificate and character certificate
- Passport-size photographs
- Valid photo ID proof
- Category certificate, where applicable
SOA Fee Refund Policy
A specific, verified refund policy was not found across the sources reviewed for this guide. As a UGC-recognised deemed university, SOA is expected to follow UGC-mandated refund guidelines — confirm the exact current-cycle dates and deduction slabs on the official admissions portal.
SOA Course-Wise Admission 2026
SOA B.Tech Admission 2026 (ITER)
B.Tech runs across 7+ core branches plus emerging specialisations (AI/ML, Cyber Security, Data Science, IoT), admitted via SAAT or JEE Main scores, followed by counselling for seat allotment.
- Minimum eligibility is reported inconsistently — 45% aggregate (40% for SC/ST/OBC) by one source, or 60% (50% for reserved categories) by another — confirm the exact current-cycle bar with the admissions office.
- Total programme fee is most consistently cited around ₹9.16 lakh for the full 4-year programme, though sources disagree sharply — see the Fees section for the full range.
SOA MBBS and BDS Admission (IMS & SUM Hospital, IDS)
MBBS (150 seats, as reported) and BDS admission are via NEET UG, subject to the applicable cut-off rank and the university's own category-wise seat matrix.
Candidates need a Class 12 pass with Physics, Chemistry and Biology, and a minimum aggregate reported at 50% by one source. As with any NEET-based deemed-university seat, a valid NEET UG score alone does not guarantee a seat — admission is also subject to SOA's own counselling round and seat availability at the Institute of Medical Sciences and SUM Hospital or the Institute of Dental Sciences respectively.
SOA MBA Admission (IBCS)
MBA/PGDM admission accepts CAT, XAT, MAT, or SAAT (PG) scores, with a minimum graduation aggregate required (exact figure not consistently reported). A Group Discussion and/or Personal Interview stage following the written score is common practice for MBA admissions at comparable deemed universities, though a specific, verified GD/PI requirement for SOA's IBCS was not confirmed in the sources reviewed for this guide — confirm directly with the admissions office.
BBA, BCA, B.Sc. Agriculture, BHM and B.Sc. Nursing Admission
These UG programmes across IBCS, IAS, SHM and SNC are primarily admitted via SAAT, with Class 12 pass in a relevant stream (Science for B.Sc. Agriculture and B.Sc. Nursing; any stream for BBA, BCA and BHM, per typical deemed-university practice) as the baseline eligibility — confirm the exact current-cycle subject and marks requirement for each specific programme with the relevant institute.
SOA Law Admission (SNIL)
SOA's integrated law programme (BA LL.B. Hons.) admits via SAAT or CLAT scores, with a Class 12 pass and a minimum aggregate reported at 50% by one source.
SOA M.Tech, MCA and M.Pharm Admission (ITER, SPS)
M.Tech/MCA admission favours GATE-qualified candidates, with SAAT (PG) as an alternative route for candidates without a GATE score. M.Pharm admission similarly favours GPAT-qualified candidates, with SAAT (PG) as an alternative. In both cases, the relevant undergraduate degree (B.E./B.Tech for M.Tech; B.Pharm for M.Pharm) with a minimum aggregate (commonly 50% at comparable institutions) is the baseline eligibility.
PhD Admission
PhD admission requires a relevant master's degree and follows the university's own research-admission process, open across Engineering, Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Management, Law, Agriculture and Nursing. As with most Indian PhD programmes, this typically involves a written entrance test and/or interview, followed by submission and approval of a research proposal once admitted — specific, current procedural details should be confirmed with the relevant institute's doctoral committee.