Great Lakes Institute of Management (GLIM), Chennai is a private management institute started in 2004 by Dr. Bala V. Balachandran, a noted faculty member from the Kellogg School of Management. The institute is approved by AICTE and is affiliated to the Tamil Nadu Dr. Ambedkar Law University as a standalone institution. It also holds global AMBA accreditation from the Association of MBAs.
In NIRF Management 2025, GLIM Chennai holds the #37 rank in India among management institutions. The institute is known for its one-year PGPM for experienced professionals, its two-year PGDM for freshers and early-career candidates, and its residential learning model in Chennai.
The campus is at Mowbrays Road, Chennai. PGPM students stay in single AC rooms, and vegetarian meals are included with accommodation inside the programme fee.
- PGPM is a 1-year, full-time residential programme for working professionals with 2 or more years of experience. Admission is through CAT, XAT, GMAT, or NMAT.
- PGPM (Family Business and Entrepreneurship) is a 1-year specialised PGPM track. It follows the same fee and admission route as the regular PGPM.
- PGDM is a 2-year, full-time programme for freshers and candidates with less than 36 months of work experience. Admission is through CAT, XAT, GMAT, NMAT, or CMAT.
- Executive PGPM is a 15-month hybrid programme meant for senior working professionals. GMAT or GRE scores are preferred for admission.
- PGPM Flex is a part-time modular programme for working professionals who want flexibility without leaving work fully.
- Professional Certificate in Digital Marketing is a short-duration certificate course.
For Indian students, the PGPM total fee is INR 23.50 Lakhs, including accommodation. The PGDM fee is INR 22.50 Lakhs for two years. NRI students pay INR 36.47 Lakhs for PGPM.
GLIM Chennai has a scholarship pool of INR 2 Crores per intake. It includes a 100% tuition fee waiver for the top-ranked PGPM applicant and 40 merit awards of INR 5 Lakhs each.
In the 2025 placement season, PGPM students received an average CTC of INR 17.8 LPA and a highest offer of INR 30.8 LPA. The PGDM batch recorded a highest package of INR 39.3 LPA, an average package of INR 15 LPA, and 100 percent placement.
Admission Update: Great Lakes Chennai admissions for PGPM 2027-28 are open. Candidates can apply with CAT 2026, which is scheduled on November 29, 2026, XAT 2027, which is scheduled on January 3, 2027, or a valid GMAT score from January 2024 onwards. PGDM 2027-29 applications are expected to open in December 2026.
Great Lakes Chennai Admission Dates 2027
PGPM 2027-28 applications at GLIM Chennai are open. Applicants can use CAT 2026, XAT 2027, GMAT from January 2024 onwards, or other accepted scores as per the programme. PGDM 2027-29 applications are expected after CAT 2026 scores are released in December 2026.
| Event | Date |
| PGPM applications for 2027-28 | Open now, August 2026 |
| CAT 2026 registration closes | September 15, 2026 |
| XAT 2027 registration closes | December 6, 2026 |
| CAT 2026 exam | November 29, 2026 |
| XAT 2027 exam | January 3, 2027 |
| PGPM personal interview | January to March 2027, tentative |
| PGPM offers | February to April 2027, tentative |
| PGPM commencement | July 2027, tentative |
Subject to revision. Kindly check with the official sources to confirm
The exams accepted by each programme and the work experience rules are given below.
| Programme | Exam Accepted | Work Experience Requirement |
| PGPM | CAT, XAT, GMAT, NMAT | Minimum 2 years, full-time after graduation |
| PGPM (Family Business) | CAT, XAT, GMAT, NMAT | Minimum 2 years |
| PGDM | CAT, XAT, GMAT, NMAT, CMAT | Freshers to under 36 months |
| Executive PGPM | GMAT, GRE preferred | Substantial corporate experience |
| PGPM Flex | CAT, XAT, GMAT | Working professionals |
Great Lakes Chennai Courses and Fees
GLIM Chennai offers full-time residential, executive, modular, and certificate options in management. The one-year PGPM costs INR 23.50 Lakhs for Indian students and includes accommodation. The two-year PGDM fee is INR 22.50 Lakhs, which comes to about INR 11.25 Lakhs per year.
| Course | Duration | Eligibility | Total Fees (Indian) |
| PGPM | 1 year | Graduation + 2 years work experience + CAT/XAT/GMAT/NMAT | INR 23.50 Lakhs, including accommodation |
| PGPM (Family Business and Entrepreneurship) | 1 year | Graduation + 2 years work experience | INR 23.50 Lakhs |
| PGDM | 2 years | Graduation with 50% + CAT/XAT/GMAT/NMAT/CMAT | INR 22.50 Lakhs |
| Executive PGPM | 15 months, hybrid | Graduation + substantial work experience + GMAT/GRE | INR 12.97 Lakhs |
| PGPM Flex | Modular | Working professionals | INR 9.85 Lakhs |
| Professional Certificate in Digital Marketing | Short-duration | Open | INR 2 Lakhs per year |
Subject to revision. Kindly check with the official sources to confirm
For NRI and international students, the PGPM fee is INR 36.47 Lakhs. The PGPM residential fee covers a single AC room and all vegetarian meals. Non-vegetarian meals are available at the mess counter for an extra charge.
Great Lakes Chennai Admission Process
GLIM Chennai selects students through a holistic process. The institute does not announce a minimum entrance exam cutoff and does not offer admission through management quota. Test score, academics, work experience, essays, and interview performance are reviewed together.
- Choose the programme based on work experience and eligibility.
- Fill out the online application and pay the required application fee where applicable.
- Submit accepted entrance exam scores for the programme.
- Complete essays and other profile details asked in the application.
- Attend the personal interview if shortlisted.
- Wait for the final offer based on the full profile review.
PGPM Admission
PGPM is for working professionals. Applicants must have at least 2 full years of full-time post-graduation work experience by the time the programme starts. For the 2027-28 batch, the work experience date is April 30, 2027. Freshers cannot apply for PGPM.
- Eligibility: Graduation with at least 50% in Class 10, Class 12, and graduation, along with a minimum of 2 years of full-time post-graduation work experience.
- Exam accepted: CAT, XAT, GMAT from January 2024 onwards, or NMAT.
- Selection: The institute reviews test score, work profile, essays, and personal interview. No minimum cutoff is declared. GMAT applicants with strong corporate profiles are considered along with CAT and XAT scorers.
PGDM Admission
PGDM is meant for freshers and candidates with strictly less than 36 months of work experience. For the 2026-28 batch, the work experience date was May 30, 2026. The 2027-29 application cycle is expected to begin in December 2026 after CAT 2026 results.
- Eligibility: Graduation with at least 50% in Class 10, Class 12, and graduation. Freshers and candidates with under 36 months of work experience are eligible.
- Exam accepted: CAT, XAT, GMAT, NMAT, or CMAT.
- Application fee: INR 2,200 per programme application.
Executive PGPM Admission
The Executive PGPM is for senior professionals. GMAT or GRE scores are preferred. The course runs for about 15 months in a hybrid format with on-campus modular sessions and planned online coursework. Candidates should apply directly through the GLIM Chennai admissions office for the current cycle.
Great Lakes Chennai Placements
During the 2025 placement season, the PGDM batch received the highest offer of INR 39.3 LPA, while the PGPM batch received the highest offer of INR 30.8 LPA. The PGDM average CTC was INR 15 LPA, and the top 10 percent of the PGDM batch averaged INR 23.8 LPA. PGDM placements stood at 100%. For PGPM, the average CTC was INR 17.8 LPA.
Deloitte, EY, Amazon, Flipkart, Ola, Swiggy, Aditya Birla Group, Barclays, HSBC, Mu Sigma, and Accenture are among the top recruiters. Students are hired across consulting, BFSI, technology, e-commerce, and analytics. Since PGPM requires 2 or more years of work experience, the batch usually moves into mid-senior roles.
| Placement Metric | PGDM 2025 | PGPM 2025 |
| Highest Package | INR 39.3 LPA | INR 30.8 LPA |
| Average Package | INR 15 LPA | INR 17.8 LPA |
| Top 10% Average | INR 23.8 LPA | - |
| Placement Rate | 100% | - |
Chennai gives GLIM Chennai access to IT corridor and BFSI hiring networks. Its AMBA accreditation and alumni base in South India and the Middle East also support recruiter diversity.
Great Lakes Chennai Rankings
GLIM Chennai is ranked #37 in Management by NIRF 2025. The ranking reflects academic resources, research output, and placement outcomes. For GLIM, placement records and faculty quality play an important role in its NIRF performance.
| Ranking Body | Category | 2025 Rank |
| NIRF | Management | 37 |
The institute also has AMBA accreditation. This international accreditation checks the quality of MBA and PGPM programmes against global standards. Fewer than 2 percent of business schools worldwide hold AMBA accreditation, and it is recognised by corporate recruiters and international partner institutions.
Great Lakes Chennai Scholarships
GLIM Chennai sets aside INR 2 Crores per intake for scholarships in the PGPM and PGDM programmes. These awards are merit-based and handled through the regular admission process. Students do not need to submit a separate scholarship application.
| Scholarship | Eligibility | Coverage |
| Dr. Bala V. Balachandran Merit Scholarship | Top-ranked PGPM applicant based on academic merit | 100% tuition fee waiver, INR 12.43 Lakhs |
| Diversity and Merit Awards | Merit-based, open to all PGPM/PGDM applicants, with 30% reserved for women | INR 5 Lakhs each, 40 awards per intake |
The Dr. Bala V. Balachandran Merit Scholarship brings the effective PGPM cost down from INR 23.50 Lakhs to INR 11.07 Lakhs for the top-ranked student. The 40 diversity and merit awards are given at admission and directly reduce the fee payable.
Great Lakes Chennai Campus and Infrastructure
GLIM Chennai is located on Mowbrays Road in Chennai, a residential area with access to the city business district. The campus has academic facilities for management education, including smart classrooms, seminar rooms, a library, and computing facilities.
PGPM is a fully residential programme, and accommodation is compulsory. The single AC room and all vegetarian meals are included in the INR 23.50 Lakhs programme fee. Chennai also gives students access to IT and BFSI recruitment corridors. The city has metro, bus, and suburban rail connectivity to major employment hubs.
Great Lakes Chennai vs IMT Ghaziabad vs TAPMI Manipal
Great Lakes Chennai, IMT Ghaziabad, and TAPMI Manipal are private management institutions that attract many CAT and XAT applicants in the 90 to 97 percentile range. The table compares major points that students usually check before applying.
| Parameter | GLIM Chennai | IMT Ghaziabad | TAPMI Manipal |
| Type | Private standalone | Private autonomous | Private autonomous |
| NIRF 2025 (Management) | 37 | Refer NIRF data | Refer NIRF data |
| Location | Chennai, Tamil Nadu | Ghaziabad, NCR | Manipal, Karnataka |
| Flagship Programme | PGPM, 1-year + PGDM, 2-year | PGDM, 2-year | PGDM, 2-year |
| Total Flagship Fee | INR 23.50 Lakhs, PGPM | Refer official data | Refer official data |
| Placement Highest 2025 | INR 39.3 LPA, PGDM | Refer official data | Refer official data |
| Placement Avg 2025 | INR 17.8 LPA, PGPM | Refer official data | Refer official data |
| Accreditation | AMBA | AMBA, AICTE | AICTE |
GLIM Chennai stands out because it offers a 1-year PGPM for experienced professionals, a format not offered in the same way by IMT or TAPMI. IMT Ghaziabad benefits from its NCR location and access to the Delhi-NCR corporate market. TAPMI Manipal is known for BFSI specialisation and a residential campus culture in the Western Ghats. For many applicants in the 90 to 97 percentile CAT pool, location and sector preference become key factors.
Great Lakes Chennai FAQs
Ques. Where does Great Lakes Chennai stand in NIRF 2025?
Ans. Great Lakes Institute of Management Chennai is placed at #37 in Management in NIRF 2025. The institute also has AMBA accreditation, an international quality marker held by fewer than 2 percent of business schools worldwide.
Ques. How much do Indian students pay for PGPM at Great Lakes Chennai?
Ans. The PGPM fee at GLIM Chennai is INR 23.50 Lakhs for Indian students for 2026-27. This total includes tuition of INR 12.43 Lakhs, programme fee of INR 6.96 Lakhs, single AC accommodation with all vegetarian meals at INR 3.96 Lakhs, and a refundable caution deposit of INR 10,000. NRI students pay INR 36.47 Lakhs.
Ques. Does Great Lakes Chennai announce a CAT cutoff?
Ans. GLIM Chennai does not publish a minimum CAT cutoff. Selection is based on the full profile, including entrance test score, academics, work experience, essays, and personal interview. Students with strong overall profiles have received admission across different CAT score ranges. GMAT and XAT scores are also accepted.
Ques. What salary figures were reported in Great Lakes Chennai placements 2025?
Ans. In 2025, GLIM Chennai PGPM graduates recorded an average CTC of INR 17.8 LPA, while PGDM graduates recorded an average CTC of INR 15 LPA. The highest PGDM offer was INR 39.3 LPA, and the highest PGPM offer was INR 30.8 LPA. Deloitte, EY, Amazon, Flipkart, Barclays, HSBC, Mu Sigma, and Accenture were among the top recruiters.
Ques. Which Great Lakes Chennai programmes require work experience?
Ans. Work experience is required for PGPM, but not for PGDM. PGPM applicants must have at least 2 full years of post-graduation, full-time work experience by April 30, 2027. PGDM accepts freshers and candidates with strictly less than 36 months of work experience.
Ques. What financial awards can students get at Great Lakes Chennai?
Ans. GLIM Chennai gives a 100% tuition fee waiver worth INR 12.43 Lakhs through the Dr. Bala V. Balachandran Merit Scholarship to the top-ranked PGPM applicant. It also offers 40 diversity and merit awards of INR 5 Lakhs each per intake. These awards together make up INR 2 Crores, and at least 30% are reserved for women.
Ques. Can GMAT scores be used for Great Lakes Chennai admission?
Ans. Yes. For PGPM admission at GLIM Chennai, GMAT scores from January 2024 onwards are valid. GMAT is the preferred exam for Executive PGPM, and GRE scores are also accepted for that programme. GMAT applicants are reviewed through the same holistic process used for CAT and XAT applicants.
Ques. Is there a two-year MBA option at Great Lakes Chennai?
Ans. Yes. GLIM Chennai offers a 2-year PGDM, which is recognised as equivalent to an MBA in management education. The programme is for freshers and candidates with under 36 months of work experience. Its total fee is INR 22.50 Lakhs for two years. The institute also offers a 1-year PGPM for experienced professionals at INR 23.50 Lakhs.