IIT Madras School Connect October 2026 Applications Open: Now for Class IX Too — Eligibility and How to Apply

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras has opened applications for the October 2026 cohort of its School Connect program, an initiative that exposes school students to a range of academic disciplines and is designed to help them make informed choices about their future education and careers. In a notable expansion, the program has been opened to Class IX students for the first time, alongside students of Classes X, XI and XII.

What is the IIT Madras School Connect program?

School Connect is an outreach initiative implemented through the Centre for Outreach and Digital Education (CODE) at IIT Madras. It introduces school students to diverse fields of study and gives them practical insight into different academic and career paths. Courses are offered in English and also in Hindi, so that language is not a barrier to learning, and IIT Madras has said development is already underway to bring the modules to learners in seven more regional languages soon.

What's new in the October 2026 cohort?

The headline change is eligibility: the program now includes Class IX students for the first time, in addition to Classes X, XI and XII. According to IIT Madras, this early exposure helps students discover diverse career paths ahead of time, giving them the clarity they need to confidently choose their Class XI and XII streams. The continued push into Hindi and, soon, more regional languages is aimed at widening access well beyond English-medium students.

Who is eligible?

The program is open to school students of Classes IX, X, XI and XII, and no prior technical background is required. It is designed to be inclusive of schools of all types — government, private and aided — and teachers from disciplines such as Science, Mathematics and Computer Science can also engage with the initiative. In short, any interested school student across these classes can take part, regardless of their academic background.

Program format

School Connect is delivered as a short, structured online program. Based on the program's established format, it runs over about eight weeks, with recorded lecture videos released weekly (roughly an hour of content that students can watch any time during the week), live interactive sessions on the weekend, and periodic online assignments across the duration. Students are advised to apply to only one course at a time. The exact schedule, weekly timings and assignment dates for the October 2026 cohort are listed on the official application page.

Certificates and recognition

Participants can earn recognition for their involvement — Certificates of Participation and Excellence are awarded to students (and teachers) based on their engagement in the program's courses, workshops or activities, giving students a tangible credential from a top institute to add to their profile.

A head start for Class XII students

For Class XII students, School Connect offers something extra: an opportunity to explore IIT Madras' non-campus BS degree programs while still in school. This lets senior students get a feel for IIT Madras' online degree ecosystem early, informing their choices as they approach higher education.

How to apply

1. Go to the official IIT Madras School Connect page, run by the Centre for Outreach and Digital Education (CODE).

2. Open the registration link for the October 2026 cohort.

3. Fill in the student registration form with the required details.

4. Select a single course to apply for (only one course at a time).

5. Complete and submit the registration before the deadline.

6. Follow the course schedule — weekly lectures, live weekend sessions and assignments — once the cohort begins.

Candidates should check the official page for the exact registration deadline, course start date and any applicable fee for the October 2026 cohort.

Why it matters

For school students, programs like School Connect provide rare, structured exposure to university-level disciplines long before they have to commit to a stream or a degree — helping them make more informed decisions and building early familiarity with a premier institute's teaching. Extending it to Class IX and into more languages makes that early guidance available to a much wider group of students.

Where to apply and check details

Applications and full details are available on IIT Madras' official Centre for Outreach and Digital Education (CODE) portal; details on the institute's non-campus BS degree programs are available on the IIT Madras online degree website.