CEPT University
CEPT University is a private, non-profit university in Ahmedabad, India, founded in 1962, delivering studio-based undergraduate, postgraduate, doctoral, and professional programs across architecture, design, planning, technology, and management to roughly 2,100 full-time students, with NIRF rank 6 in 2025.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1962
- HeadquartersAhmedabad, India
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What CEPT University does
CEPT University is a private, non-profit university headquartered in Ahmedabad, India, tracing its origins to the Centre for Environment Planning and Technology established in 1962 by the Ahmedabad Education Society and incorporated as an independent university by the Gujarat State Legislature Act of 2005. It operates five faculties — Architecture, Design, Management, Planning, and Technology — plus a CEPT Foundation Program for first-year undergraduates, delivering 4 undergraduate, 17 postgraduate, 3 doctoral, and 20+ professional programs to approximately 2,100 full-time students using a studio-based, interdisciplinary pedagogy supported by a choice-based curriculum of 100+ specialized courses and biannual Summer/Winter Schools.
The university's core academic technology is the studio-based learning methodology integrated with interdisciplinary exposure across the built environment, anchored by physical infrastructure including buildings designed by Pritzker laureate B.V. Doshi and a NABL-certified building science laboratory, complemented by the Lilavati Lalbhai Library (60,000+ resources) and the CEPT Archives. Complementary intellectual property infrastructure includes the CEPT University Press, CEPT Foundation Program, Summer/Winter Courses, and CEPT Professional Programs (CPP) for continuing education.
Since July 2016, CEPT has been fully self-financed after relinquishing government grants for undergraduate programs. Revenue is generated through tuition fees across degree programs, fees from CEPT Professional Programs (multi-week residential and tailored corporate programs delivered at client sites), and endowment fund management where interest income supports academia, research, and student scholarships. Approximately 25% of students receive financial aid. The customer base is primarily individual prospective students across India, with a growing tail of working professionals and government/organizational clients reached via CPP partnerships such as the MoHUA-URTP engagement. CEPT is ranked 6th in NIRF 2025 (only private university in the top 10 since 2020), holds a 5 Star Plus rating in GSIRF 2024, and is recognized as a Centre of Excellence by both the Government of Gujarat (2022) and the Government of India (2023).
CEPT University firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CEPT University
- Legal name
- CEPT University
- Website
- https://cept.ac.in
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1962
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- CEPT University is a private, non-profit university in Ahmedabad, India, founded in 1962, delivering studio-based undergraduate, postgraduate, doctoral, and professional programs across architecture, design, planning, technology, and management to roughly 2,100 full-time students, with NIRF rank 6 in 2025.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CEPT University industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Higher Education
- NAICS
- Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Online Graduate Schools (Master’s & Doctoral Programs) (EDAHALAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Education Professionals (Teacher/Administrator CE, CPD) (EDAAALAE)
Keywords
Where CEPT University is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Ahmedabad
- HQ country
- India
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
CEPT University business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Tuition and Academic Programs: Revenue from undergraduate, postgraduate, doctoral, and professional programs through tuition fees. Since July 2016, CEPT became fully self-financed after giving up government grants for UG programs.
- Professional Development Programs: Certificate and training programs for working professionals across architecture, design, planning, technology, and management disciplines. Includes organization-specific tailored programs.
- Endowment Fund Management: Endowments managed by the University where interest income supports academia, research projects, and student scholarships. Principal amounts remain invested for long-term growth.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Postgraduate Programs |
| Subscription | Annual | Undergraduate Programs |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Professional Certificate Programs |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels11 records
CEPT University product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CEPT University delivers undergraduate, postgraduate, doctoral, and professional programs in architecture, design, planning, technology, and management through a studio-based, interdisciplinary learning model. The university generates the majority of its revenue from tuition fees and has been fully self-financed since July 2016. It also offers continuing education certificates and organization-specific training programs in built environment disciplines.
Product overview
CEPT University is an educational institution offering a comprehensive portfolio of academic programs across multiple faculties: Architecture, Design, Management, Planning, Technology, and a Foundation Program. The university's program structure consists of undergraduate programs (B.Arch, B.Des, BCE, BUD), postgraduate programs (spanning 17 specialized master's degrees including MAHR, MAT, MBEP, MCDF, MCEM, MCR, MFD, MHD, MID, MLA, MRE, MSED, MUD, MUI, MUM, MUP, MUTS), doctoral programs (PhD in Architecture, Planning, and Technology), and supplementary programs including CEPT Professional Programs (CPP) for continuing education, and Summer and Winter Courses for short-term specialized learning. The portfolio also includes a common CEPT Foundation Program for first-year undergraduates. Studio-based learning is the core pedagogical approach across all programs, emphasizing hands-on, interdisciplinary education in the built environment.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- CEPT Foundation Program (CFP): One-year immersive foundation program for undergraduate students from Architecture, Design, Planning, and Technology faculties.
- CEPT Professional Programs (CPP)
- Summer and Winter Courses (SWC)
- Lilavati Lalbhai Library
- CEPT Archives
Products and services
- B.Arch - Bachelor's in Architecture An internationally recognized bachelor's degree program in architecture that has produced many of India's leading architects who work at global practices and engage in research at top institutions.
- B.Des - Bachelor's in Design A bachelor's program that nurtures contextually aware, critically reflective, and professionally agile designers through a rigorous yet flexible choice-based learning ecosystem.
- BCE - Bachelor's in Civil Engineering The only engineering program in India that follows a studio-based learning approach, offered at CEPT University.
- BUD - Bachelor's in Urban Design A bachelor's program that trains professionals to shape functional, sustainable, and inclusive cities by integrating architecture, landscape, and planning to design urban spaces.
- MAHR - Master's in Architectural History and Research A postgraduate program that cultivates reflective practice grounded in history, research, and critique in architectural studies.
- MAT - Master's in Architectural Tectonics A postgraduate program built on the belief that architecture gains meaning through the way it is made, placing construction at the center of architectural thinking.
- MBEP - Master's in Building Energy Performance A specialized postgraduate program blending building physics with conscientious building design to address India's need for reduced energy consumption in buildings.
- MCDF - Master's in Computational Design and Fabrication A postgraduate program that nurtures designers capable of conceptualizing form, exploring materials, and adopting cutting-edge fabrication processes to develop innovative solutions.
- MCEM - Master's in Construction Engineering & Management A two-year M.Tech program blending construction technology with managerial leadership for the built environment.
- MCR - Master's in Conservation and Regeneration A postgraduate program that situates conservation studies within discourses of ecology, science, and global economy, rejecting boundaries implied by nationalism and religion.
- MFD - Master's in Furniture Design A postgraduate program focused on training professionals to engage actively with the rapidly growing furniture industry.
- MHD - Master's in Housing Design A postgraduate program treating housing as a complex architectural problem shaped by markets, society, and regulation.
- MID - Master's in Interior Design A two-year interdisciplinary postgraduate program blending practical, design-led approaches with theoretical, research-informed methodologies in interior design.
- MLA - Master's in Landscape Architecture A postgraduate program that has shaped how landscape is taught and practiced in India for over 30 years, moving beyond garden making to address environmental, social, and urban challenges.
- MRE - Master's in Real Estate (MBA in Real Estate) A postgraduate program designed to respond to the evolving needs of India's rapidly formalizing real estate sector, preparing professional managers for organized real estate development.
- MSED - Master's in Structural Engineering Design A postgraduate program cultivating advanced technical and analytical expertise in structural engineering.
- MUD - Master's in Urban Design A two-year postgraduate program training architects to practice in shaping the physical form of urban areas and the design of public places.
- MUI - Master's in Urban Infrastructure India's pioneering postgraduate program focused on planning and implementing core urban infrastructure systems including water supply, sanitation, solid waste, and blue-green infrastructure.
- MUM - Master's in Urban Management A postgraduate program blending specialized urban knowledge with management principles to improve the social, technological, operational, and financial functioning of cities and towns.
- MUP - Master's in Urban Planning A two-year full-time postgraduate programme in urban planning, urban development, and public policy.
- MUTS - Master's in Urban Transport Systems A postgraduate program offering comprehensive knowledge in planning, technology, design, operations, and management of urban transport.
- PhD in Architecture A doctoral program creating a repository of in-depth knowledge related to history, theory, design, pedagogy, human habitat, and human-nature relations.
- PhD in Planning An advanced doctoral program for scholars committed to original, high-quality research on cities, regions, and infrastructure systems.
- PhD in Technology A doctoral program facilitating advanced scholarly inquiry, empowering candidates to generate knowledge through original, high-impact research in building engineering and technology.
- CEPT Professional Programs (CPP) Certificate and training programs bridging academics, practice, policymaking, and implementation. Includes multi-week on-campus residential programs and topic-focused online programs for individuals, as well as tailored programs for organizations in urban planning, housing policy, transport, building energy performance, heritage conservation, and infrastructure.
- Summer and Winter Courses (SWC) Intensive short-duration courses (two to four weeks) offering experiment, variety, and innovation. Over 40 travel-based courses explore emerging areas, test new ideas, provide in-situ experience, and create opportunities for learning by making.
- CEPT Foundation Program (CFP) A year-long immersive program introducing students to rigour and work habits essential for undergraduate study, bringing together students from Architecture, Design, Planning, and Technology faculties to develop cross-disciplinary understanding and discipline-specific skills.
Quantifiable outcome
- NIRF 2025 Rank: 6th among all universities in India
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use CEPT University
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
CEPT University technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
CEPT University partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor, flagship and core.
- South China University of TechnologyminorHost institution for Designing Resilience Global Competition 2026 where CEPT team won Climate Resilience Urban Design Excellence Award.
- Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), Government of IndiaflagshipCPP partnership with MoHUA under URTP (Urban Learning, Resilience, Training and Inclusion Program) for professional development of urban development professionals and street vendors under PM SVANidhi Scheme.
- TNFF (Tamil Nadu Fashion Forum)coreCEPT Signs MoU with TNFF for collaboration in fashion and design domain, marking a strategic partnership in creative industries.
- AutodeskcoreCEPT Signs MoU with Autodesk for technology integration in design and architecture education, providing students access to industry-standard design software and training.
- Deep Foundations Institute of India (DFII)coreJoint seminar on Deep Excavation Support Systems with Faculty of Technology, bringing together academicians, researchers, and industry experts.
- Indian Geotechnical Society (IGS)coreCollaboration with IGS Ahmedabad-Vadodara Chapter for geotechnical engineering seminars and knowledge exchange.
- CEPT Urban Planning and Design Foundation (CUPDF)coreStrategic collaboration for Leaders Program: Creative Redevelopment of Cities and various professional development initiatives.
- Kochi Biennale FoundationminorAcademic collaboration through Let's Talk lecture series featuring international curators and design thinkers.
- NYU (New York University)minorInternational student exchange and collaborative learning experience between CEPT Faculty of Management and NYU students.
Scale indicators18 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights7 records
CEPT University competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- School of Planning and Architecture (SPA) Delhi: Government-run institution offering undergraduate and postgraduate programs in architecture, planning, and related built-environment disciplines. Direct comparable to CEPT's Faculty of Architecture and Faculty of Planning, competing for the same top-tier Indian students pursuing careers in architecture and urban planning.
- Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee - Department of Architecture and Planning: Premier Indian Institute of Technology with a long-established architecture and planning department offering B.Arch, M.Arch, and M.Plan programs. Competes with CEPT for top-ranking architecture aspirants in India and overlaps on studio-based pedagogy and built-environment research.
- Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur - Department of Architecture and Regional Planning: IIT department offering architecture and regional planning programs with strong studio culture and design-research focus. Directly comparable to CEPT on the architecture-design-planning academic intersection and on NIRF rankings within the architecture category.
- Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay - Centre for Urban Science and Engineering: IIT Bombay offers urban planning and engineering programs that compete with CEPT's Faculty of Planning and Faculty of Technology. Comparable in research depth, government CoE-style partnerships, and target student profile for built-environment postgraduate studies.
- Srishti Manipal Institute of Art, Design & Technology: Bengaluru-based private design school offering undergraduate and postgraduate programs across design disciplines, including architecture-adjacent fields. Comparable to CEPT's Faculty of Design and Bachelor of Design program on pedagogy, student profile, and creative-industry placements.
- MIT Institute of Design, Pune: Private design school offering UG and PG programs in industrial, communication, transportation, and interior design. Direct peer to CEPT's design portfolio, competing for design-aspirational students with studio-based learning and interdisciplinary curricula.
Broad incumbents
- Pearl Academy: Multi-city private institution offering design, fashion, media, and business programs with broader portfolio than CEPT. Comparable as a private higher-education competitor in the design domain, though Pearl's footprint extends beyond built environment into fashion and media where CEPT does not compete.
Emerging players
- World University of Design: Younger private design university offering architecture, fashion, and visual-communication programs with interdisciplinary structure. Emerging peer competing with CEPT for design-oriented students, particularly those seeking private, multidisciplinary built-environment education outside Ahmedabad.
- Indian Institute of Art & Design (IIAD): New Delhi-based private design institution offering UG and PG programs in fashion, interior, communication, and product design with international faculty. Comparable on private-design-school positioning, though IIAD's portfolio is broader and less architecture-focused than CEPT's.
Regional players
- Rachana Sansad Academy of Architecture: Mumbai-based private architecture school offering B.Arch and related programs primarily serving Maharashtra and western-India students. Regional peer to CEPT's Faculty of Architecture with overlapping studio pedagogy, though narrower program scope and weaker national rankings.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
CEPT University social profiles
Digital presenceCEPT University compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance6 records
CEPT University financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CEPT University leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
CEPT University funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CEPT University M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about CEPT University
What does CEPT University do?
CEPT University delivers undergraduate, postgraduate, doctoral, and professional programs in architecture, design, planning, technology, and management through a studio-based, interdisciplinary learning model. The university generates the majority of its revenue from tuition fees and has been fully self-financed since July 2016. It also offers continuing education certificates and organization-specific training programs in built environment disciplines.
Is CEPT University a public or private company?
CEPT University is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was CEPT University founded?
CEPT University was founded in 1962.
Where is CEPT University based?
CEPT University is headquartered in Ahmedabad, India, in the Asia region.
How does CEPT University make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Tuition and Academic Programs are the primary driver. The others are professional Development Programs and endowment Fund Management.
Who are CEPT University's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are School of Planning and Architecture (SPA) Delhi, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee - Department of Architecture and Planning, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur - Department of Architecture and Regional Planning, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay - Centre for Urban Science and Engineering, Srishti Manipal Institute of Art, Design & Technology and MIT Institute of Design, Pune. Pearl Academy is listed as a broad incumbent. Emerging players are World University of Design and Indian Institute of Art & Design (IIAD). Rachana Sansad Academy of Architecture is listed as a regional player.
Does CEPT University have an API?
No public API is recorded for CEPT University.
What industry is CEPT University in?
CEPT University's product category is Higher Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHALAD, Online Graduate Schools (Master’s & Doctoral Programs), with a secondary code of EDAAALAE, Education Professionals (Teacher/Administrator CE, CPD). Its NAICS code is 611310 and its SIC code is 8200.