Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai Admission 2027 is now open for its flagship management programmes. The institute is accepting applications for the two-year PGDM 2027–29 and one-year PGPM 2027–28 programmes.

For the PGDM 2027 intake, Great Lakes accepts CAT 2025/2026, XAT 2026/2027 and GMAT scores taken on or after January 1, 2024. For the PGPM 2027–28 intake, the institute additionally accepts NMAT 2025 onwards.

Great Lakes Chennai is an AICTE-approved management institute with AACSB, AMBA, SAQS and NBA accreditations. Its latest official ranking information lists it at #37 in the NIRF 2025 Management category.

Great Lakes Chennai Admission 2027 – Latest Highlights

ParticularDetailsInstituteGreat Lakes Institute of ManagementCampusChennaiPGDM Batch2027–29PGPM Batch2027–28PGDM Duration2 YearsPGPM Duration1 YearPGDM Eligibility50% throughout Class 10, 12 & GraduationPGDM Work ExperienceFreshers & <36 monthsPGPM Work Experience2+ yearsPGDM ExamsCAT, XAT, GMATPGPM ExamsCAT, XAT, GMAT, NMATPGDM Application Fee₹2,200Latest Published PGDM Fee₹22.50 lakhLatest PGDM Average CTC₹15 LPALatest PGDM Highest CTC₹39.3 LPALatest PGPM Average CTC₹18.1 LPALatest PGPM Highest CTC₹43 LPA2027 Application StatusOpen2027 Cycle DeadlinesTo be announced

The application portal currently displays “Admissions Open – 2027.”

Great Lakes Chennai Admission 2027 – Important Dates

Great Lakes has introduced multiple admission cycles for the 2027 intake. However, as of the latest official update, the application deadlines for individual cycles have not yet been announced.

PGDM 2027–29

EventStatusAdmissionsOpenCycle 1Deadline TBDCycle 2Deadline TBDCycle 3Deadline TBDCycle 4Deadline TBDInterviewsOnlineProgrammePGDM 2027–29

Candidates appearing for CAT 2026, XAT 2027 or eligible GMAT can apply before receiving their final score and may be considered through the institute's profile-based early interview process.

PGPM 2027–28

The PGPM admission page also lists multiple cycles, with deadlines currently shown as To be announced. Personal interviews are scheduled across cities including Delhi, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Mumbai.

Important: Students should check the official Great Lakes admission portal regularly because the institute can update cycle deadlines during the admission season.

Great Lakes Chennai Courses 2027

Great Lakes Chennai offers multiple full-time management programmes.

1. PGDM – Two-Year Management Programme

The PGDM is Great Lakes Chennai's two-year full-time programme designed primarily for fresh graduates and early-career professionals.

The programme is:

• Two years
• Full-time
• Residential
• AICTE approved
• MBA-equivalent as recognised by AIU
• Designed for candidates with less than three years of experience

The curriculum combines management fundamentals with emerging areas such as analytics, AI and digital strategy.

PGDM Career Highlights

The latest official PGDM placement information reports:

• Average CTC: ₹15 LPA
• Highest CTC: ₹39.3 LPA
• Top 10% average CTC: ₹23.3 LPA
• PPOs: 63
• BFSI sector: 27%
• Finance roles: 33%

2. PGPM – One-Year MBA Programme

The Post Graduate Program in Management (PGPM) is Great Lakes' flagship one-year full-time management programme for experienced professionals.

It is designed for candidates with 2+ years of work experience and focuses on accelerating career growth through an intensive management curriculum.

The programme includes future-focused areas such as:

• Consulting
• Product Management
• Data Science
• Business Analytics
• Strategy
• General Management

The latest PGPM Class of 2026 recorded an average CTC of ₹18.1 LPA and the highest CTC of ₹43 LPA.

3. PGPM – Family Business & Entrepreneurship

Great Lakes also offers PGPM – Family Business & Entrepreneurship (PGPM-FBE).

This programme is designed for:

• Family-business owners
• Family-business successors
• Entrepreneurs
• Business-family members planning to join or expand their family enterprise

Candidates without the standard entrance scores may also have the option of taking the Great Lakes Aptitude Test (GREAT) for PGPM-FBE, subject to the applicable admission rules.

Great Lakes Chennai PGDM Eligibility 2027

For the PGDM 2027–29, candidates must satisfy the following:

Academic Eligibility

• Bachelor's degree in any discipline.
• Minimum 50% marks consistently in Class 10, Class 12 and graduation.
• Degree must be from a recognised institution.

Work Experience

• Freshers can apply.
• Candidates with less than 36 months of work experience as of May 30, 2027 are eligible.
• Candidates with 2–3 years of experience can also consider the one-year PGPM.

Great Lakes Chennai PGPM Eligibility 2027

For the one-year PGPM:

• Bachelor's degree in any discipline.
• Minimum 50% throughout Class 10, Class 12 and graduation.
• Candidates with 2+ years of work experience are considered.
• Candidates with 2–3 years of experience are particularly encouraged to apply.

Accepted scores include:

• CAT 2025/2026
• XAT 2026/2027
• GMAT from January 1, 2024 onwards
• NMAT 2025 onwards

Great Lakes Chennai Entrance Exams 2027

PGDM

Great Lakes accepts:

• CAT 2025/2026
• XAT 2026/2027
• GMAT taken on or after January 1, 2024

Candidates who have registered for CAT 2026/XAT 2027/eligible GMAT but are awaiting results can still apply and update their score later.

PGPM

The one-year PGPM accepts:

• CAT 2025/2026
• XAT 2026/2027
• GMAT from January 1, 2024 onwards
• NMAT 2025 onwards

Great Lakes Chennai Cutoff 2027

Great Lakes does not publish a single fixed official CAT/XAT percentile cutoff for the 2027 admission cycle.

Instead, admissions are based on a holistic, profile-based evaluation.

The institute considers:

• Entrance examination performance
• Academic record
• Work experience
• Achievements
• Extracurricular activities
• Interview performance
• Overall candidate profile

Therefore, coaching websites quoting a specific "official Great Lakes cutoff" should be treated cautiously.

Great Lakes Profile-Based Early Interview

A notable feature of the 2027 PGDM admission process is the Profile-Based Early Interview.

Candidates can potentially be shortlisted before their CAT/XAT/GMAT results are available based on:

• Academic performance
• Extracurricular participation
• Awards
• Achievements
• Overall profile

The final offer will also consider interview performance, diversity and merit among interviewed candidates.

Great Lakes Chennai Selection Process 2027

The PGDM selection process broadly follows these stages:

Step 1 – Online Application

Complete the Great Lakes application form.

Step 2 – Application Screening

The institute evaluates:

• Academic performance
• Entrance examination
• Work experience
• Achievements
• Overall profile

Step 3 – AI-Proctored Interview

Eligible candidates may be invited for the institute's AI-proctored interview.

Step 4 – Personal Interview

Shortlisted applicants participate in a personal interview with the admissions panel.

Step 5 – Final Selection

The Admissions Committee evaluates the complete profile and issues admission offers to selected candidates.

Step 6 – Fee Payment & Enrollment

Selected candidates accept the offer, pay the required fee and complete document verification and enrollment.

Great Lakes Chennai PGDM Fees 2027

The 2027–29 PGDM fee has not yet been separately published.

The latest official published fee structure for PGDM 2026–28 is:

Fee ComponentAmountTuition Fee₹10.25 lakhProgram Fee₹5.78 lakhAcademic Fee₹16.03 lakhTwin AC Accommodation₹6.32 lakhRefundable Caution Deposit₹10,000Alumni Subscription₹5,000Total₹22.50 lakh

The fee includes academic expenses, reading materials, case studies, textbooks, online resources, accommodation and vegetarian meals.

2027 fee: To be announced.

Great Lakes Chennai PGPM Fees

The latest published 2026–27 PGPM fee is:

Fee ComponentAmountTuition Fee₹12.43 lakhProgram Fee₹6.96 lakhAcademic Fee₹19.39 lakhSingle AC Accommodation₹3.96 lakhRefundable Caution Deposit₹10,000Alumni Subscription₹5,000Total₹23.50 lakh

Hostel accommodation is mandatory because the PGPM is a residential programme. Single-room accommodation is provided subject to availability.

2027–28 PGPM fee: The new fee structure should be confirmed from the official institute notification when released.

Great Lakes Chennai Hostel & Accommodation

Great Lakes Chennai follows a residential model.

PGDM

The latest published fee structure provides:

• Twin-sharing AC accommodation
• Vegetarian meals included
• Triple-sharing may be allotted depending on availability
• Hostel is mandatory

PGPM

The latest published structure provides:

• Single AC accommodation
• Hostel is mandatory
• Twin sharing may be provided if single-room allocation is unavailable

Great Lakes Chennai Placements 2026

Great Lakes has released its latest PGPM 2026 placement report.

PGPM Class of 2026

• Average CTC: ₹18.1 LPA
• Highest CTC: ₹43 LPA
• 2.6× average post-MBA to pre-MBA CTC
• 40+ new organisations
• 72% new recruiters
• Business Consulting was the largest functional hiring area.

Major recruiters included:

• Accenture Strategy
• Accenture ATCI
• Deloitte
• Cognizant
• KPMG
• Tiger Analytics
• BlackRock
• EY Studio+
• Fractal Analytics
• London Stock Exchange
• TVS Supply Chain

Great Lakes Chennai PGDM Placements 2025

The latest official PGDM placement report available on the institute website reports:

• Average CTC: ₹15 LPA
• Highest CTC: ₹39.3 LPA
• Top 10% average: ₹23.3 LPA
• 63 PPOs
• 27% BFSI hiring
• 33% finance roles

Major recruiters included:

• Accenture
• Deloitte
• EY
• Nestlé
• Gartner
• HCL
• J.P. Morgan Chase
• PwC
• Wells Fargo
• ITC
• Godrej
• Mastercard
• Federal Bank

Great Lakes Chennai Scholarships 2027

Great Lakes offers merit and diversity scholarships.

For the latest published PGDM fee cycle:

• 40 scholarships
• ₹5 lakh per scholarship
• At least 30% reserved for female candidates
• Automatic consideration based on application, essays and interview performance
• No separate scholarship application required

The institute also offers the Dr. Bala V. Balachandran Merit Scholarship, which provides a 100% tuition-fee waiver to exceptionally meritorious students along with mentorship opportunities.

Great Lakes Chennai Rankings & Accreditations

Great Lakes Chennai's latest official information highlights:

NIRF 2025

#37 – Management category

Accreditations

• AACSB
• AMBA
• SAQS
• NBA
• AICTE approval

Great Lakes describes itself as one of the few Indian B-schools with both AACSB and AMBA accreditation.

Great Lakes Chennai Campus

The Chennai campus is a 30-acre green campus and has received a LEED Platinum rating.

The institute highlights:

• Residential campus
• Global faculty
• International visiting faculty
• Industry interaction
• Experiential learning
• International exchange opportunities
• Case-based learning
• Live projects
• Strong alumni network

Great Lakes reports an alumni network of 16,000+ alumni across 30+ countries.

International Exposure at Great Lakes

Great Lakes provides international exchange and immersion opportunities.

Partner institutions mentioned by the institute include:

• EDHEC Business School
• SKEMA Business School
• HHL Leipzig
• IESEG School of Management
• Bologna Business School
• Pace University
• Manchester Metropolitan University
• University of Huddersfield
• NUCB Business School
• Ajman University

Students may participate in short-term international immersion programmes or academic exchange opportunities, subject to programme rules and availability.

Does Great Lakes Chennai Have Management Quota?

No.

Great Lakes explicitly states that it does not admit students through management quota or any other form of reservation.

The institute also warns applicants against third parties claiming to offer management-quota seats. Applications should be made only through the official Great Lakes application platform.

Great Lakes Chennai Application Fee

The current PGDM application fee is:

₹2,200

A common application can be used to apply to the Chennai and/or Gurgaon campus by selecting the relevant preference.

Great Lakes Chennai Admission 2027 – How to Apply

Candidates should:

1. Visit the official Great Lakes application portal.
2. Register for the desired programme.
3. Enter academic and personal details.
4. Enter CAT/XAT/GMAT/NMAT details as applicable.
5. Upload required documents.
6. Pay the application fee.
7. Submit the application.
8. Track the application dashboard.
9. Attend the AI-proctored interview if shortlisted.
10. Attend the personal interview.
11. Check the admission offer.
12. Accept the offer and complete fee payment.
13. Complete document verification and enrollment.

Candidates awaiting CAT/XAT/GMAT results may also apply and update their scores later under the applicable admission process.

Great Lakes Chennai Admission 2027 – Latest Update

Admissions OPEN

The official Great Lakes application portal currently shows Admissions Open – 2027.

PGDM 2027–29

Great Lakes is accepting:

CAT 2025/2026 | XAT 2026/2027 | GMAT from January 1, 2024 onwards

PGPM 2027–28

Great Lakes is accepting:

CAT 2025/2026 | XAT 2026/2027 | GMAT from January 1, 2024 onwards | NMAT 2025 onwards

The institute has introduced multiple admission cycles and a profile-based early interview process. Individual deadlines are currently shown as TBD/To Be Announced, so applicants should monitor the official admission portal for the next deadline announcement.

Great Lakes Chennai vs PGDM vs PGPM

FeaturePGDMPGPMDuration2 Years1 YearTarget GroupFreshers/early careerWorking professionalsWork Experience<36 months2+ yearsEntrance ExamsCAT/XAT/GMATCAT/XAT/GMAT/NMATResidentialYesYesLatest Published Fee₹22.50L₹23.50LLatest Average CTC₹15 LPA₹18.1 LPALatest Highest CTC₹39.3 LPA₹43 LPA

The choice should depend primarily on work experience, career stage and desired programme duration.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Great Lakes Chennai Admission 2027 open?

Yes. The official application portal currently shows admissions open for the 2027 intake.

What is the Great Lakes PGDM eligibility?

Candidates need a bachelor's degree with at least 50% consistently in Class 10, Class 12 and graduation. Freshers and candidates with less than 36 months of work experience can apply.

Which exams are accepted for Great Lakes PGDM?

Great Lakes accepts CAT 2025/2026, XAT 2026/2027 and GMAT scores taken on or after January 1, 2024 for PGDM 2027–29.

Which exams are accepted for Great Lakes PGPM?

For PGPM 2027–28, Great Lakes accepts CAT 2025/2026, XAT 2026/2027, GMAT from January 1, 2024 onwards and NMAT 2025 onwards.

What is the Great Lakes Chennai PGDM fee?

The latest published 2026–28 total fee is ₹22.50 lakh, including academic fee, twin AC accommodation, refundable caution deposit and alumni subscription. The 2027–29 fee is yet to be announced.

What is the Great Lakes PGPM fee?

The latest published 2026–27 total fee is ₹23.50 lakh, including single AC accommodation and other applicable charges.

What is the Great Lakes Chennai average package?

The latest official PGDM average CTC is ₹15 LPA, while the latest PGPM average CTC is ₹18.1 LPA.

What is the highest package at Great Lakes Chennai?

The latest official figures are ₹39.3 LPA for PGDM and ₹43 LPA for PGPM.

Does Great Lakes Chennai have a management quota?

No. Great Lakes explicitly states that it does not admit students under management quota or any other form of reservation.

Is Great Lakes Chennai good for MBA?

Great Lakes Chennai is a strong option for candidates seeking an industry-oriented management programme, particularly because of its global faculty, international exposure, AACSB/AMBA accreditation, residential learning environment and established recruiter network.

Expert Overview

Great Lakes Chennai is a leading B-school offering two-year PGDM and one-year PGPM programmes with strong placements, global exposure and industry-focused learning. Check Admission 2027, fees, cutoff, eligibility, courses and placements.

Official Sources

• Great Lakes Chennai Official Website
• Great Lakes PGDM Admission 2027
• Great Lakes PGPM Admission 2027
• Great Lakes PGDM Fee Structure
• Great Lakes PGPM Fee Structure
• Great Lakes Placement Reports
• Great Lakes Accreditations