Complete guide to SPA Vijayawada — cutoffs, fees, placements, departments, hostels, campus life, and everything you need for JEE 2025 admissions.
School of Planning and Architecture, Vijayawada (SPAV) was established on July 7, 2008, by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (now Ministry of Education), Government of India, through an Act of Parliament as an autonomous Institute of National Importance. It is one of three Schools of Planning and Architecture (along with SPA Delhi and SPA Bhopal) in India — the newest and the only one serving South India.
Located at Nidamanuru, Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh — in the heart of one of South India's fastest-growing cities and the capital region of Andhra Pradesh — SPAV is strategically positioned to serve South India's booming urban development, infrastructure, and architectural design sectors. Ranked 16th in Architecture & Planning by NIRF 2025 and CoA-accredited, SPAV offers B.Arch (5-year) and B.Plan (4-year) at UG level via JEE Main Paper 2 through JoSAA as a GFTI.
SPAV's B.Arch closing rank in JoSAA 2025 was 786 (General AI, Round 6) — making it significantly more accessible than SPA Delhi (rank 207) while maintaining the Institute of National Importance brand. The B.Plan programme closes at approximately rank 3,000+ (General). Both cutoffs are JEE Main Paper 2 ranks (not B.Tech Paper 1 ranks).
The institute's placement cell has achieved a placement rate of approximately 82%, with top recruiters including Deloitte, L&T, ISRO, World Resources Institute, and ISB. The NIRF 2025 median B.Arch package is ₹5.65 LPA and B.Plan ₹5.2 LPA — higher than many newer GFTIs, reflecting the premium demand for architecture and planning graduates from an Institute of National Importance.
For 2026 admissions, SPAV is the premier choice for South Indian students aspiring to study architecture or urban planning at a nationally important institution — with affordable fees (₹95,000 tuition per year), proximity to Andhra Pradesh's capital region development projects, and access to Vijayawada's emerging smart city, metro rail, and urban infrastructure ecosystem.
SPA Vijayawada holds strong positions in both national and international rankings. Below is a comprehensive overview of all major rankings for 2024–2025.
| Ranking Body | Category | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| NIRF | Architecture & Planning | 16 (2025) |
| India Today | Architecture | 11 (2019 – latest) |
| India Today | Architecture | Top 15 (2025 est.) |
| Institute of National Importance | MoE Designation | Designated |
| CoA Accredited | Architecture | Accredited |
| Ranking Body | Category | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| QS World University Rankings | Overall | Not Ranked |
| THE World University Rankings | Overall | Not Ranked |
| QS Asia Rankings | Overall | Not Ranked |
| Commonwealth Association of Architecture | Architecture | Member (via SPA network) |
| UIA (Union Internationale des Architectes) | Architecture Education | Recognised |
SPA Vijayawada offers undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programs across 2 academic departments.
| Department | B.Tech / B.Des | M.Tech / M.Sc | PhD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Architecture (B.Arch, M.Arch, Ph.D.) | YES | YES | YES |
| Urban & Regional Planning (B.Plan, M.Plan, Ph.D.) | YES | YES | YES |
| Urban Design (M.Plan specialisation) | — | YES | — |
| Housing (M.Plan specialisation) | — | YES | — |
| Transport Planning (M.Plan specialisation) | — | YES | — |
| Landscape Architecture (M.Arch specialisation) | — | YES | — |
| Industrial Design (M.Des – proposed) | — | — | — |
| Structural Engineering for Architecture (integrated) | — | — | — |
| Environmental Design & Sustainability | — | — | YES |
| Heritage Conservation (Ph.D.) | — | — | YES |
The fee structure at SPA Vijayawada is government-regulated. Below is a detailed breakdown for B.Tech students for 2025–26. All amounts are approximate and subject to revision.
| Fee Head | Amount |
|---|---|
| B.Arch Tuition Fee (per year) | ₹95,000 |
| B.Plan Tuition Fee (per year) | ₹95,000 |
| M.Arch / M.Plan Tuition Fee (per year – Regular) | ₹1,30,000 |
| Hostel Seat Rent (per year) | ₹10,000 |
| Mess Charges (per semester, approx.) | ₹14,000 |
| Studio & Materials Fee (per year) | ₹5,000 |
| Library Fee (per year) | ₹2,000 |
| Sports & Cultural Fee (per year) | ₹1,500 |
| Total B.Arch per Year (approx.) | ₹1,45,000 |
| Total B.Arch 5-Year (approx.) | ₹4.8 lakh |
SC/ST students are eligible for central government post-matric scholarship covering full tuition reimbursement through the National Scholarship Portal — effectively making SPAV nearly free for eligible students.
SPAV provides scholarships for SC/ST and economically weaker section students at both UG and PG level, and also participates in the Scholarship Programme for Diaspora Children (SPDC) — an MoE initiative for NRI students.
The total 5-year B.Arch fee of ₹4.8 lakh is a fraction of equivalent private architecture school fees (₹15–40 lakh) — making SPAV one of the highest-value architecture degrees in South India.
AICTE Pragati Scholarship (₹50,000/year for girls) and AICTE Saksham Scholarship (₹50,000/year for PwD students) are also available for eligible students.
M.Tech: ~₹18,000–20,000 per semester tuition. GATE-qualified students receive HTRA stipend of ₹12,400/month as Teaching Assistants.
PhD: Minimal or no tuition fees. Monthly fellowships range from ₹31,000–₹58,000/month under JRF/SRF schemes.
The table below shows the official Round 6 JoSAA 2025 closing ranks for SPA Vijayawada B.Tech programs across all reservation categories.
👉 Scroll horizontally to view OBC / SC / ST closing ranks →
| Program | General (GN) | OBC-NCL | SC | ST |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B.Arch – Round 1 (General AI, JEE Paper 2) | 478 | 1,150 | 650 | 340 |
| B.Arch – Last Round / Round 6 (General AI, JEE Paper 2) | 786 | 2,200 | 1,100 | 580 |
| B.Plan – Round 1 (General AI, JEE Paper 2) | 1,200 | 2,800 | 1,600 | 820 |
| B.Plan – Last Round (General AI, JEE Paper 2) | 3,200 | 6,500 | 3,200 | 1,650 |
| B.Arch – EWS Last Round | 800 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| B.Arch – DASA / Foreign Nationals | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| M.Arch (GATE – General) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| M.Plan (GATE – General) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
* Gender-Neutral GN Pool. Round 6 JoSAA 2025. Source: JoSAA official portal.
2026 Round 1 Opening Rank (JEE Paper 2, JoSAA)
2026 Expected Last Round Closing Rank
2026 Expected Last Round Closing Rank
| Sector | Offers | Avg. CTC |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture Practice & Design | 22 | ₹5.5L |
| Urban Planning & Consulting | 12 | ₹5.2L |
| Infrastructure & Construction | 10 | ₹6L |
| Government & Smart Cities | 6 | ₹6.5L |
| International Development / Research | 4 | ₹8L |
| IT & BIM / GIS Technology | 4 | ₹5.5L |
| Real Estate & Development | 3 | ₹5.5L |
| Academia & Research | 3 | ₹5L |
| Branch | Avg. CTC | Placement % |
|---|---|---|
| B.Arch (5-year) | ₹5.65L | 83% |
| B.Plan (4-year) | ₹5.2L | 72% |
| M.Arch | ₹6.5L | 78% |
| M.Plan (Urban Design / Housing / Transport) | ₹6.15L | 80% |
| Ph.D. | ₹10L+ | 88% |
| M.Plan (Landscape Architecture) | ₹5.8L | 72% |
| M.Plan (Environmental Planning) | ₹6L | 75% |
| M.Plan (Self-Financed PG) | ₹5.5L | 70% |
| Year | Avg. CTC | Highest Domestic CTC | Companies |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023–24 | ₹5.65L | ₹78L | 30+ |
| 2022–23 | ₹5.2L | ₹16L | 25+ |
| 2021–22 | ₹4.8L | ₹12L | 22+ |
| 2020–21 | ₹4.2L | ₹10L | 18+ |
| 2019–20 | ₹3.8L | ₹8L | 14+ |
SPAV's 15-acre urban campus in Nidamanuru, Vijayawada sits at the intersection of the city's cultural heart and its expanding metropolitan infrastructure. The campus features the iconic Krishnaveni Sabhagaar (auditorium), purpose-built design studios, a digital fabrication lab, a central architecture and planning library, two student hostels (within a 5-minute walk from studios), a cafeteria, and an eco-friendly campus design that reflects the school's sustainability values. Vijayawada city — with its Krishna riverfront, Kanaka Durga temple, Indira Gandhi Municipal Corporation, and booming residential development — is itself a live urban design laboratory.
All incoming B.Tech students are guaranteed hostel accommodation. SPA Vijayawada has 2 hostels.
| # | Hostel Name | Type | Approx. Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Boys Hostel | Boys | 120+ |
| 02 | Girls Hostel | Girls | 80+ |
SPAV conducts active research in architecture, urban planning, housing, transport, smart cities, and environmental design — with a particular focus on South India's urban challenges. Sponsored research projects for AP CRDA, Smart Cities Mission, VMDA, MoHUA, and TERI address Vijayawada's rapid urbanisation, Amaravati's planned capital development, and Andhra Pradesh's coastal resilience and infrastructure needs.
SPAV graduates are among South India's leading architectural entrepreneurs — alumni-founded practices have contributed to Andhra Pradesh's residential boom, Hyderabad's tech campus architecture, and Vijayawada's urban transformation. SPAV connects students with AP government startup initiatives, DIPP incubators, HUDCO startup support, and the Smart Cities Mission innovation fund.
The institute's location adjacent to Amaravati Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) — one of India's most ambitious new capital city projects — provides architecture and planning students extraordinary entrepreneurship and project opportunities in greenfield urban development, unlike any other architecture school in India.
SPA Vijayawada provides a comprehensive financial support system through government, institute, and private scholarships.
| Scholarship / Fellowship | Eligibility | Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| SC/ST Post-Matric Scholarship (Central) | SC/ST students via National Scholarship Portal | Full tuition reimbursement + maintenance as per GoI norms |
| SPAV Institutional Scholarship (SC/ST/EWS) | SC/ST and EWS students at SPAV with merit criteria | Partial to full tuition support as per institute norms |
| Scholarship Programme for Diaspora Children (SPDC) | NRI / PIO / OCI students (MoE SPDC scheme) | Tuition fee waiver as per SPDC programme guidelines |
| National Scholarship Portal (OBC/EWS) | OBC/EWS students meeting NSP income criteria | ₹10,000–₹20,000 per year |
| Andhra Pradesh SC/ST Scholarship | SC/ST students from Andhra Pradesh domicile | Full tuition + maintenance as per AP state norms |
| AP BC/EBC Scholarship | BC/EBC students from Andhra Pradesh domicile | As per AP state backward community scholarship norms |
| INSPIRE Fellowship (DST) | Top 1% in Class 12 board exams | ₹80,000 per year + ₹20,000 summer research grant |
| Prime Minister's Scholarship (Ex-Servicemen) | Wards of ex-servicemen/paramilitary personnel | ₹2,500/month for boys, ₹3,000/month for girls |
| AICTE Pragati Scholarship (Girls) | Female students, family income < ₹8 lakh | ₹50,000 per year |
| AICTE Saksham Scholarship (PwD) | Students with ≥40% disability | ₹50,000 per year |
School of Planning and Architecture Vijayawada
Nidamanuru, Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh – 521104
India
Browse our complete list of IITs, NITs, IIITs, and other top engineering colleges.
Browse All Colleges