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List of Colleges in Visakhapatnam 2026: Top Colleges & Universities
Top colleges and universities in Visakhapatnam (Vizag) for 2026, grouped by stream, with NIRF 2025 ranks, courses, entrance exams, localities and official websites.
Looking for the list of colleges in Visakhapatnam for 2026? Vizag is one of the strongest education hubs in Andhra Pradesh. It is home to the 100-year-old Andhra University, the deemed university GITAM, IIM Visakhapatnam, the Indian Institute of Petroleum and Energy (IIPE), a national law university, an Indian Maritime University campus and Andhra Medical College, one of the oldest medical colleges in the country.
This guide groups the best colleges in Visakhapatnam by stream: universities, engineering, medical, management, law, and arts, science and commerce. For each one we give the type, the latest verified NIRF 2025 rank (or "Not ranked"), main courses, the admission exam, the locality and the official website. Some well-known campuses sit just outside the city, in the Anakapalli or Vizianagaram districts, and we mark those clearly.
Quick answer: The top colleges in Visakhapatnam in 2026 are Andhra University (NIRF 2025 University rank 23, Overall 41), IIM Visakhapatnam (Management rank 29), GITAM (University rank 88, Pharmacy 33, Law 38), AU College of Engineering (Engineering rank 88) and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar College of Law, AU (Law rank 16). For medicine, Andhra Medical College is the leading government option, and for petroleum and energy engineering there is IIPE.
Top 10 colleges in Visakhapatnam at a glance (2026)
The ranks below come from the NIRF India Rankings 2025, published by the Ministry of Education on 4 September 2025. NIRF 2026 had not been released when this guide was updated. You can check the full tables on nirfindia.org.
| # | Institute | Type | NIRF 2025 rank | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Andhra University | State public university | University 23; Overall 41; State Public University 4 | Arts, science, engineering, pharmacy, law, PG research |
| 2 | IIM Visakhapatnam | Institute of National Importance | Management 29 | MBA (PGP), executive MBA, PhD |
| 3 | GITAM (Deemed to be University) | Deemed university (private) | University 88; Pharmacy 33; Law 38 | B.Tech, pharmacy, law, management, medicine |
| 4 | AU College of Engineering (A) | Constituent college of AU | Engineering 88 | B.Tech, M.Tech, PhD |
| 5 | AU College of Pharmaceutical Sciences | Constituent college of AU | Pharmacy 31 | B.Pharm, M.Pharm, PhD |
| 6 | Dr. B.R. Ambedkar College of Law, AU | Constituent college of AU | Law 16 | LLB, BA LLB, LLM |
| 7 | Andhra Medical College | Government medical college | Not in NIRF 2025 Medical list | MBBS, MD/MS (est. 1923) |
| 8 | Indian Institute of Petroleum and Energy (IIPE) | Institute of National Importance | Not ranked | B.Tech in petroleum and chemical engineering |
| 9 | Damodaram Sanjivayya National Law University | State national law university | Not in NIRF 2025 Law list | BA LLB (Hons.) through CLAT |
| 10 | Gayatri Vidya Parishad College of Engineering | Private, autonomous | Not in NIRF 2025 Engineering top 100 | B.Tech through AP EAPCET |
Note: NIRF ranks some Andhra University colleges separately, such as the College of Engineering, the College of Pharmaceutical Sciences and the Law College. That is why one university appears several times. "Not ranked" means we could not find the institute in the published NIRF 2025 lists. It does not mean the college is poor.
Top universities in Visakhapatnam
Visakhapatnam has a state university, a large deemed university and two central institutions. To compare them with universities in the rest of the state, see our guide to the top universities in Andhra Pradesh.
| Name | Type | NIRF 2025 rank | Main courses | Admission route | Locality | Official website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andhra University | State public | University 23 | BA, B.Sc, B.Com, B.Tech, MA, M.Sc, MBA, PhD | AP EAPCET, AP PGCET, AP ICET, AP LAWCET | Waltair / Siripuram | andhrauniversity.edu.in |
| GITAM (Deemed to be University) | Deemed (private) | University 88 | B.Tech, B.Pharm, BBA, LLB, MBBS, MBA | GITAM GAT, NEET (MBBS), CLAT/own test (law) | Rushikonda | gitam.edu |
| Indian Maritime University – Visakhapatnam campus | Central university campus | Not ranked | B.Tech Naval Architecture & Ocean Engineering, M.Tech | IMU-CET | Visakhapatnam | imu.edu.in |
| Centurion University (CUTM), Andhra Pradesh | State private university | Not ranked | B.Tech, B.Pharm, BBA, BCA, paramedical, MBA | Own admission process | Nellimarla, Vizianagaram (outside Vizag) | cutmap.ac.in |
Andhra University (AU)
Andhra University was founded in 1926 and is the oldest and best-known university in the region. It runs its teaching through constituent colleges, including Arts & Commerce, Science & Technology, Engineering, Engineering for Women, Pharmaceutical Sciences, the Law College and the School of International Business. Fees in its government quota seats are among the lowest in the city.
- Established: 1926
- Type: State public university
- NIRF 2025: University 23, Overall 41, State Public University 4
- NAAC: A++ (CGPA 3.74, accredited 2023; the university says it is valid until 2030)
- Admission via: AP EAPCET (B.Tech), AP PGCET (M.Sc/MA), AP ICET (MBA/MCA), AP LAWCET (LLB)
- Approx. fees: low for convener-quota seats; self-financed courses cost more. Check the official website.
GITAM (Deemed to be University)
GITAM began in 1980 as the Gandhi Institute of Technology and Management and became a deemed university in 2007. Its main campus overlooks Rushikonda beach. It has schools of technology, pharmacy, law, business, science and humanities, plus a medical college and a dental college.
- Established: 1980 (deemed university since 2007)
- Type: Deemed to be university (private)
- NIRF 2025: University 88, Pharmacy 33, Law 38
- Popular courses: B.Tech (CSE and specialisations), B.Pharm, BBA LLB, MBA, MBBS
- Admission via: GITAM Admission Test (GAT) for most UG/PG courses, and NEET UG with MCC deemed-university counselling for MBBS
- Approx. fees: B.Tech fees are much higher than in government colleges. Check gitam.edu for 2026 figures.
Engineering colleges in Visakhapatnam
Vizag has more than a dozen well-known engineering colleges. Apart from GITAM, most fill their seats through AP EAPCET counselling. IIPE is the only one that admits through JEE Advanced and JoSAA.
| Name | Type | NIRF 2025 rank | Main courses | Admission route | Locality | Official website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AU College of Engineering (A) | Government (AU constituent) | Engineering 88 | B.Tech, M.Tech, PhD | AP EAPCET, GATE/AP PGECET | AU campus, Waltair | andhrauniversity.edu.in |
| Indian Institute of Petroleum and Energy (IIPE) | Institute of National Importance | Not ranked | B.Tech Petroleum, Chemical, Mechanical, Maths & Computing; M.Tech; PhD | JEE Advanced + JoSAA | Vangali, Sabbavaram (Anakapalli district) | iipe.ac.in |
| GITAM School of Technology | Deemed (private) | Not in Engineering top 100 | B.Tech, M.Tech | GITAM GAT | Rushikonda | gitam.edu |
| Gayatri Vidya Parishad College of Engineering | Private, autonomous | Not in Engineering top 100 | B.Tech, M.Tech, MBA, MCA | AP EAPCET | Madhurawada | gvpce.ac.in |
| Anil Neerukonda Institute of Technology & Sciences (ANITS) | Private | Not in Engineering top 100 | B.Tech, M.Tech, MBA | AP EAPCET | Sangivalasa, Bheemunipatnam | Not linked (see note below) |
| Vignan's Institute of Information Technology (VIIT) | Private, autonomous | Not in Engineering top 100 | B.Tech, M.Tech, MBA | AP EAPCET | Duvvada | vignaniit.edu.in |
| Raghu Engineering College | Private, autonomous | Not in Engineering top 100 | B.Tech, M.Tech, MBA | AP EAPCET | Dakamarri, Bheemunipatnam | raghuenggcollege.com |
Warning: When we checked ANITS's older website domain, it carried unrelated betting links. That usually means a website has been tampered with, so we have not linked it. Find the college's current official site through the AP EAPCET counselling college list or Andhra University's list of affiliated colleges.
IIPE Visakhapatnam
IIPE was set up in 2016 under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. The IIPE Act, 2017 declared it an Institute of National Importance. Students join its B.Tech programmes through JEE Advanced and JoSAA counselling, as they do for IITs. Its campus is at Vangali, Sabbavaram, in Anakapalli district, about an hour from the city centre.
Gayatri Vidya Parishad College of Engineering (GVPCE)
GVPCE opened in December 1996 and is run by a non-profit society. It is an autonomous college in Madhurawada, near the city's IT corridor. Since 2022-23 it has been affiliated to Andhra University. It is a popular AP EAPCET choice for CSE, ECE and mechanical engineering.
ANITS, VIIT and Raghu
ANITS was founded in 2001 and has a large campus at Sangivalasa on the Bheemunipatnam side. VIIT was set up in 2002 at Duvvada and became autonomous in 2017. Raghu Engineering College was founded in 2001 at Dakamarri and is permanently affiliated to JNTU-GV, Vizianagaram. All three admit most B.Tech students through AP EAPCET.
Medical and dental colleges in Visakhapatnam
No Visakhapatnam college appears in the NIRF 2025 Medical top 50. Admission to every MBBS and BDS seat is through NEET UG.
| Name | Type | NIRF 2025 rank | Main courses | Admission route | Locality | Official website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andhra Medical College | Government | Not ranked | MBBS (250 seats), MD/MS | NEET UG – 15% MCC all-India quota, 85% state counselling | Near King George Hospital (KGH) | amc.edu.in |
| GITAM Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (GIMSR) | Deemed (GITAM) | Not ranked | MBBS (about 150 seats), MD/MS | NEET UG + MCC deemed-university counselling | Rushikonda / Beach Road | gimsr.gitam.edu |
| GITAM Dental College & Hospital | Deemed (GITAM) | Not ranked | BDS, MDS | NEET UG / NEET MDS | Rushikonda | gitam.edu |
| Anil Neerukonda Institute of Dental Sciences | Private | Not ranked | BDS, MDS | NEET UG + state counselling | Sangivalasa, Bheemunipatnam | Check the state counselling list |
Andhra Medical College was founded in 1923 and celebrated its centenary in 2023. It is attached to King George Hospital, one of the largest government hospitals in coastal Andhra. According to the college website, its MBBS intake rose to 250 seats, which the NMC renewed for 2024-25. Government-quota fees are very low, so cut-offs are high.
Management colleges in Visakhapatnam
| Name | Type | NIRF 2025 rank | Main courses | Admission route | Locality | Official website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IIM Visakhapatnam | Institute of National Importance | Management 29 | PGP (MBA), EMBA, PhD | CAT + IIM-V selection process | Gambheeram, Anandapuram | iimv.ac.in |
| AU School of International Business / AU Dept. of Commerce & Management | State public | Not separately ranked | MBA, MBA (IB) | AP ICET | AU campus | andhrauniversity.edu.in |
| GITAM School of Business | Deemed (private) | Not in Management top 100 | BBA, MBA | GITAM GAT / CAT / other scores | Rushikonda | gitam.edu |
IIM Visakhapatnam started in 2015. It is an Institute of National Importance under the IIM Act, 2017 and now teaches at its permanent campus at Gambheeram, on the city's northern edge. Its NIRF Management rank has stayed between 26 and 33 in recent editions, and it was 29 in NIRF 2025. The PGP costs several lakh rupees in total, so check the official fee page and the need-based aid options.
Law colleges in Visakhapatnam
| Name | Type | NIRF 2025 rank | Main courses | Admission route | Locality | Official website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dr. B.R. Ambedkar College of Law, Andhra University | State public | Law 16 | 3-yr LLB, 5-yr BA LLB, LLM | AP LAWCET, AP PGLCET | AU campus | andhrauniversity.edu.in |
| GITAM School of Law | Deemed (private) | Law 38 | BA LLB, BBA LLB, LLM | GITAM admission process | Rushikonda | gitam.edu |
| Damodaram Sanjivayya National Law University (DSNLU) | State national law university | Not in Law top 40 | BA LLB (Hons.), LLM, PhD | CLAT | Nyayaprastha, Sabbavaram (Anakapalli district) | dsnlu.ac.in |
DSNLU was created by an Andhra Pradesh Act in 2008 and is a member of the CLAT consortium. AU's Law College is the only LLB college in Andhra Pradesh in the NIRF 2025 Law top 40 (rank 16). GITAM, a full university, also ranks at 38.
Arts, science and commerce colleges in Visakhapatnam
No Visakhapatnam college appears in the NIRF 2025 College top 100. Several older colleges are still popular for BA, B.Sc and B.Com because of their history, low fees and strong teaching.
| Name | Type | NIRF 2025 rank | Main courses | Admission route | Locality | Official website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AU College of Arts & Commerce / College of Science & Technology | State public | Covered under AU's rank | BA, B.Com, B.Sc, MA, M.Sc | Merit / AP PGCET | AU campus | andhrauniversity.edu.in |
| St. Joseph's College for Women | Aided, autonomous (women) | Not ranked | BA, B.Com, B.Sc, BBA, PG courses | Merit / state degree admissions | Gnanapuram | stjosephsvizag.com |
| Dr. V.S. Krishna Govt. Degree & PG College | Government, autonomous | Not ranked | BA, B.Com, B.Sc, M.Sc, M.Com | Merit / state degree admissions | Maddilapalem | drvskrishnagdc.edu.in |
| Mrs. A.V.N. College | Aided, affiliated to AU | Not ranked | BA, B.Com, B.Sc, PG courses | Merit / state degree admissions | Velampeta (Old City) | avncollege.ac.in |
St. Joseph's College for Women was founded in 1958 and was the city's first women's college. It became autonomous in 1987. Dr. V.S. Krishna College was founded in 1968 and became autonomous in 2011. Mrs. A.V.N. College dates back to 1860, which makes it one of the oldest colleges in South India.
How admission works in Visakhapatnam
- Engineering (B.Tech): Most colleges, including AU College of Engineering, GVPCE, ANITS, VIIT and Raghu, admit through AP EAPCET and the state's web counselling. IIPE admits through JEE Advanced and JoSAA. GITAM runs its own GAT.
- Medical (MBBS/BDS): You must qualify NEET UG. Andhra Medical College fills 15% of seats through MCC and 85% through state counselling. GIMSR's deemed-university seats go through MCC.
- Management (MBA): IIM Visakhapatnam admits through CAT. Andhra University and most affiliated colleges admit through AP ICET.
- Law: DSNLU admits through CLAT. AU's Law College admits through AP LAWCET (LLB) and AP PGLCET (LLM).
- Arts, science and commerce: Undergraduate admission is mostly based on Class 12 marks through the state's online degree admission process or the college's own merit list. PG courses at AU use AP PGCET.
- Maritime: The IMU Visakhapatnam campus admits through IMU-CET.
Verify fees: Fees in AP's convener-quota colleges are fixed by the state regulator and change every few years. Fees at deemed and private universities change every year. Always check the 2026-27 fee notice on the official website before you pay.
How to choose the right college in Vizag
Tip: Don't choose by the brand name alone. Compare the specific course, the faculty, the latest placement report and the total cost, including hostel and transport, for the colleges your exam rank can realistically get you.
- Check the NIRF category: Andhra University's University rank 23 covers the whole university. For B.Tech, look at the separate Engineering rank of AU College of Engineering (88).
- Check location and commute: IIPE and DSNLU are at Sabbavaram, and ANITS and Raghu are towards Bheemunipatnam. These campuses are 25–40 km from the city centre, so hostel availability matters.
- Check affiliation and autonomy: Autonomous colleges set their own syllabus and exams. Affiliated colleges follow AU or JNTU-GV.
- Look at total cost: A government seat at AU or AMC costs a small fraction of a management seat at a deemed university.
- Check the website is genuine: Use official domains only, and be careful with "direct admission" agents.
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Scholarships for students in Visakhapatnam
Funding can make the difference between colleges. Students in Vizag can combine several sources:
- National Scholarship Portal (NSP): Central schemes such as post-matric scholarships for SC/ST/OBC/minority students and the Central Sector Scheme are listed on scholarships.gov.in.
- Andhra Pradesh schemes: The state's post-matric scholarship and fee-reimbursement schemes cover eligible students in convener-quota seats. Apply through the college and the state portal.
- Institute aid: IIM Visakhapatnam, GITAM and others offer need-based or merit scholarships. Check each institute's admissions page.
- Merit scholarships through an exam: The AISEE scholarship lets Class 12 and college students win tuition support at partner institutions. See the AISEE exam dates, and if you are aiming for B.Tech, read about scholarships for engineering students.
Frequently asked questions
Which is the best college in Visakhapatnam?
Overall, Andhra University is the highest-ranked institution in Visakhapatnam: NIRF 2025 University rank 23 and Overall rank 41. For management, IIM Visakhapatnam leads at Management rank 29. The best choice depends on your stream.
Is there an IIT or NIT in Visakhapatnam?
No. Vizag has no IIT or NIT. Its centrally funded institutes are IIM Visakhapatnam, IIPE and the Indian Maritime University campus. IIPE admits through JEE Advanced, like the IITs.
What is the NIRF 2025 rank of GITAM Visakhapatnam?
In NIRF 2025, GITAM ranked 88 in the University category, 33 in Pharmacy and 38 in Law.
Which entrance exam is needed for engineering colleges in Vizag?
Most Vizag engineering colleges admit through AP EAPCET. IIPE uses JEE Advanced and JoSAA, and GITAM conducts its own GAT.
How many MBBS seats does Andhra Medical College have?
According to the college's website, Andhra Medical College has 250 MBBS seats, which the NMC renewed for 2024-25. Admission is through NEET UG with state and MCC counselling.
Is DSNLU inside Visakhapatnam city?
DSNLU's campus is at Nyayaprastha, Sabbavaram. That is on the outskirts of Visakhapatnam and now falls in Anakapalli district. Students reach it by road from the city.
Are Visakhapatnam colleges ranked in NIRF 2026?
When this guide was updated, NIRF 2026 had not been officially released, so this article uses NIRF 2025. Check nirfindia.org for the latest edition.
Conclusion: choosing from the list of colleges in Visakhapatnam
The list of colleges in Visakhapatnam covers every major stream, from Andhra University and GITAM to IIM Visakhapatnam, IIPE, DSNLU and Andhra Medical College. Shortlist by stream and entrance exam, check each college's NIRF 2025 category rank and official website, and plan your funding early. Your next step: register for your entrance exam and apply for scholarships before the 2026-27 deadlines.
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