Admissions FAQs

UWC Mahindra is a fully residential IB Diploma school for students aged 16 to 18, located on a 180-acre biodiversity reserve in the Sahyadri hills of Maharashtra. It is the only UWC college in India and one of the colleges in the global United World College network, which brings together young people from different nations, cultures, and economic backgrounds for peace and a sustainable future.

UWC Mahindra is the only school in India that is part of the UWC movement. It is fully residential, with students from more than 80 countries living on campus together. A majority of students attend on scholarship. The programme extends well beyond the IB Diploma through Triveni, a structured framework for creativity, activity, and service that includes project-based travel across India. Faculty have been involved in developing IB subject curricula including Global Politics, World Religions, and Film Studies.

UWC Mahindra has approximately 260 students from over 80 countries living and studying on campus at any one time.

No. UWC Mahindra does not accept applications directly from students. All applicants must apply through one of three official UWC routes: the National Committee system, the Global Selections Programme, or the International Application Pathway. Full details are on the How to Apply page.

If you are looking for scholarship support and are eligible through your nationality or country of residence, the national committee route is almost always the right starting point. If you can fully fund your studies and want to choose which UWC school you attend, the Global Selections Programme may be the right route. If you need financial support but do not have access to a national committee, the International Application Pathway may apply.

Indian citizens, Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), and Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) apply through the UWC Committee of India. The committee runs its own selection process and accepts applications for all UWC colleges. Visit in.uwc.org for details, deadlines, and the application form.

If you apply through the national committee route or the International Application Pathway, school placement is decided by UWC International after selection. You cannot guarantee placement at UWC Mahindra through these routes. If you apply through the Global Selections Programme, you can select up to three UWC schools in order of preference, and UWC Mahindra can be one of them.

Selection is run by your national committee, not by UWC Mahindra directly. The process typically involves a written application, interviews, and in some cases a selection event. The exact format varies by committee. What all committees look for is aligned with the six UWC selection standards: intellectual curiosity, commitment to UWC values, social competence, resilience, personal responsibility, and academic robustness.

Students must be between 16 and 18 years of age at the start of the programme. UWC Mahindra offers the two-year IB Diploma.

All teaching at UWC Mahindra is conducted in English. Students must be able to study and communicate effectively in English. Students arrive from all over the world, many having studied in non-English-medium schools, and the college supports language development as part of the programme.

Academic potential is one of six criteria that national committees consider, but it is not the only one. UWC Mahindra looks for students who have made the most of the opportunities available to them, whatever their context. A student with strong results from a well-resourced school is not automatically preferred over one who has shown initiative and commitment in a more challenging environment.

es. Many UWC Mahindra students arrive having never studied in an international or English-medium school. The selection process is designed to find students who will thrive at UWC Mahindra, not students who already look like they belong at one. Prior international school experience is not a criterion.

Yes. UWC Mahindra is an IB World School offering the full two-year IB Diploma Programme. It is fully accredited by the Council of International Schools.

Annual fees are approximately INR 28,75,000 for Indian students and USD 41,750 for overseas students. Fees are subject to change each year. This covers tuition, boarding, and meals. UWC Mahindra is a two-year programme.

Yes. A majority of UWC Mahindra students attend on full or partial scholarship. Scholarships are need-based, not merit-based. The level of support offered is determined through a financial assessment of the family's circumstances. The goal is to ensure that financial need is not a barrier to admission.

Families are asked to contribute as much as they are reasonably able to. The assessment considers parental income and assets, family size, and household expenditure. The process is handled as part of the national committee application for students applying through that route.

Full scholarships are available for students who cannot contribute to fees. Do not let uncertainty about cost stop you from applying. The process is designed to work out what support is needed, not to exclude students who need it.

No. The Global Selections Programme is for students who can fully self-fund their studies. Financial support is not available through this route.

Yes. All students live on campus in residential houses (wadas) for the full two years. There are no day students. The residential experience is central to the UWC Mahindra education: students live, eat, and build community together around the clock.

The campus is in Mulshi, Maharashtra, approximately 50 kilometres from Pune city centre. It sits on a 180-acre biodiversity reserve in the Sahyadri hills. The setting is intentionally remote: it focuses the community and makes India part of the daily experience.

English is the language of instruction and the shared language of the campus community. Students come from more than 80 countries and bring dozens of first languages with them. Hearing multiple languages at mealtimes and in the wadas is part of daily life.

Students have structured opportunities to leave campus, including exeats (term breaks), homestays, Experience India Week, and Project Week. Day-to-day movement off campus is governed by the college's residential policies.

UWC Mahindra has a named Designated Safeguarding Lead and a Deputy, and operates under a comprehensive child safeguarding policy. The campus is a secure environment. Safeguarding contact details and policies are published on the college website.

The dining hall serves meals that reflect the international and Indian character of the community. Vegetarian options are always available. Dietary requirements and allergies are catered for.

UWC Mahindra offers subjects across all six IB Diploma groups. Faculty have been involved in developing curriculum for Global Politics, World Religions, Film Studies, and World Studies Extended Essays.

UWC Mahindra graduates attend universities across the world, including leading institutions in the UK, US, Europe, and India. University guidance is provided throughout the two years by a dedicated University Guidance Counsellor.