FAQs by Incoming Students
IIM A invites students from foreign schools to our campus to get a better perspective on emerging economies and the challenges they pose.
With a culture that is one of the oldest and an economy that is one of the fastest-growing on the globe, India presents myriad challenges
and opportunities.
The IIM A Buddy system is in place to help international students adjust to the social and academic environment on the campus.
FAQ for incoming exchange students
First of all, we at the exchange council, Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad congratulate and extend a warm welcome to incoming exchange
students to the institute.
Following are the answers to frequently asked questions by incoming exchange students. We hope that this will help answer most of your questions.
- What is Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad? The Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad is one of the premier B-schools in India. The institute was founded in 1961. The institute offers a two years Postgraduate Program in Management, one year Executive Program in Management as well as other programs like the Management Development Programs for professionals. The two year PG program in Management is the flagship program of the institute. Admission to this program is based on a highly competitive selection process with an acceptance ratio as low as 1:800. The alumni of the institute have performed exceptionally well in varying fields ranging from academia to Corporate World.
- Where is Ahmedabad? Ahmedabad is the largest city in the state of Gujarat (home state of the most well known Indian, Mahatma Gandhi) in the western part of India, about 500 Km to the north of India's financial capital Mumbai and about 1000 Km to the Southwest of Indian capital, New Delhi. The Indian Institute of Management is situated in a city locality called 'Vastrapur' at about 10 Km from Sardar Patel International Airport of Ahmedabad.
- How is the weather in Ahmedabad? Weather in Ahmedabad is characterized by hot summers and mild and pleasant winters. Summer lasts from April to July while winter is between December and February. Mercury can touch as high as 47 C (116 F) in summers while it dips to about 8 C (46 F) in winters. Weather in remaining months is moderate. Rainfall in Ahmedabad is moderate to scanty.
- How will my schedule at the institute be like? The academic year in the institute is divided into three terms and a summer term. 1st term is between June and August, 2nd term is between September and December and the 3rd term is between January and March. The months of April and May are summer months.
- What is the academic support would I receive from the institute? The institute boasts of top quality students and offers an excellent opportunity to interact with peers in the courses. Apart from that, the institute has a library with huge collection of books and subscription to many online databases.
- How about my accommodation and food? The institute provides accommodation to all exchange students within the premises of the institute. You may be accommodated in student dormitories or other facilities on the campus. The institute has a student mess which offers both vegetarian as well as non vegetarian food options. Apart from that, the institute also has a student canteen with variety of food options with an option of door-delivery.
- During my stay in India, will I be able to participate in cultural events and get acquainted with the Indian culture? Absolutely. The Institute organizes a number of cultural events along with academic activities. The festival of 'Garba' (traditional dance from the state of Gujarat) generally falls in September-October every year. The festival of 'Diwali' (festival of lights) generally falls in October or November. The institute organizes such events in the campus, in which incoming exchange students are most welcome to participate and get acquainted with the Indian Culture.
- What are my options if I want to spend some time outside the campus? Ahmedabad is a happening city in Gujarat. The city boasts of a number of malls, including Iscon Mall, Himalaya Mall and Gulmohar Park mall. These malls house both western and Indian shops. Ahmedabad is a food lovers' paradise. The city has a number of restaurants offering all the different food options, including continental, Chinese and Indian. In addition, there are a few hotels that offer midnight buffets. The city also houses two of Ashrams of Mahatma Gandhi. More famous is the Sabarmati Ashram while the other one is a Kochrab Ashram in the city. There are a few tourist destinations in the city, including Kankaria Lake and Science City.
- How is the transportation in the city? In Ahmedabad, major mode of public transport is buses and three wheelers called 'Auto-rikshaws'. Cabs can also be booked on phone.
- Can I visit other famous tourist destinations of India? Depending on your academic load, you are most welcome to visit tourist destinations of India. Ahmedabad is well connected by air, road and train to other parts of the country. You can arrange your journey to famous tourist destinations of India, such as Taj Mahal, Goa, Khajuraho, Rajasthan etc. through various websites such as www.makemytrip.com (India site) and www.yatra.com .
- Will there be someone to help me settle in the place? A student volunteer from IIMA is assigned to each exchange student as a 'buddy' . This helps the exchange students get over the hurdles in a new place with relative ease and also get student inputs on courses etc. before their arrival.
A typical course consists of 25 classroom sessions of 75 minutes each in a term.
A typical week is a 6-day week with Sunday being the holiday.
Your class lectures can be scheduled at any time of the day depending on the professor's availability.