Tamil Nadu Open University (TNOU) is a government open university established in 2002 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Recognized by UGC and DEB, TNOU offers 90+ UG, PG, Diploma, PG Diploma, and advanced vocational diploma programs across 11 academic schools. Moreover, TNOU also offers certificate and short-term courses in English and Tamil medium. The state university functions from the 12 regional centers established across Tamil Nadu.

The courses range from subjects in Commerce, Science, Management, Humanities, and Journalism domain. Admission to most TNOU courses is online and based on merit in the qualifying examination. However, students who wish to pursue a B.Ed must appear for the TNOU entrance test. 

Students from Tamil Nadu Open University have been placed in notable organizations such as ARS Steels and Alloys International Pvt Ltd, ICICI Bank, Blue Darts Express Ltd, Asgardia Corp, NAC Jewelry, Star Health Insurance, SBI Life Insurance, and more. Additionally, TNOU provides numerous scholarships based on merit and need of an applicant.

TNOU Chennai Courses

TNOU offers a variety of UG, PG, Diploma, Advanced Diploma, Short-term, and Certificate courses. The following are the courses offered with their eligibility, selection, and fee:

Course Details First Year Fee
B.Com. Eligibility Criteria: 12th passed or 12th from NIOS or 3 years diploma from DOTE, 2 years ITI (NCVT)
Selection Criteria: Merit-Based
INR 3500 - INR 4400
BBA Eligibility Criteria: 12th passed or 12th from NIOS or 3 years diploma from DOTE, 2 years ITI (NCVT)
Selection Criteria: Merit-Based
INR 4750 
BA Eligibility Criteria: 12th passed or 12th from NIOS or 3 years diploma from DOTE, 2 years ITI (NCVT)
Selection Criteria: Merit-Based
INR 3500 
B.Sc. Eligibility Criteria: 12th passed or 12th from NIOS or 3 years diploma from DOTE, 2 years ITI (NCVT)
Selection Criteria: Merit-Based
INR 9500
MCA Eligibility Criteria: any bachelor's degree with Maths as a mandatory subject
Selection Criteria: Merit-Based
INR 12,500
M.Sc. Eligibility Criteria: B.Sc. in a relevant subject from a recognized University
Selection Criteria: Merit Based
INR 5500 - 12,500
MBA Eligibility Criteria: Any Bachelor’s Degree from a Recognized University
Selection Criteria: Merit Based
INR 12,500
M.Com Eligibility Criteria: Any Bachelor’s Degree from a Recognized University
Selection Criteria: Merit Based
INR 5000
MA Eligibility Criteria: Any Bachelor’s Degree from a Recognized University
Selection Criteria: Merit-Based
INR 3500 - INR 4800
MSW Eligibility Criteria: Any Bachelor’s Degree from a Recognized University
Selection Criteria: Merit-Based
INR 6500
M.L.I.Sc. Eligibility Criteria: Bachelor of Library Science/ Bachelor Of Library and Information Science from any Recognized University

Selection Criteria: Merit Based
INR 5500
B.Ed. Eligibility Criteria: 10th / 12th passed or equivalent Selection Criteria: TNOU Entrance Exam  INR 30,500 (Full Course Fee)
Diploma  Eligibility Criteria: Bachelor’s degree from any recognized university
Selection Criteria: Merit Based
INR 5500
Vocational Diploma  Eligibility Criteria: 10th / 12th passed or equivalent
Selection Criteria: Merit Based
INR 2500 - INR 7700

Check more: TNOU Courses & Fee

TNOU Chennai Admission Process

TNOU admission process to its undergraduate, postgraduate, diploma, certificate courses, solely online. The admissions are carried out in two admission cycles in January and July each year. The admissions are based on the merit scores of an applicant. However, admissions to the B.Ed program are based on the TNOU Entrance Exam. For the B. Ed program, TNOU releases the list of shortlisted candidates and they must proceed with the document verification and fee payment. Jail inmates, Destitute Widows, and Physically Challenged aspirants are given 100% fee relaxation. Moreover, students joining the Tamil medium program are given a 10% concession in the tuition fee only. In case of queries, TNOU has established 12 regional centers across the state of Tamil Nadu. 

How to Apply at TNOU?

Aspirants who wish to apply to TNOU programs, can follow the given below steps:

  1. Aspirants must visit the official website @tnou.ac.in
  2. Navigate to the online admission link on the homepage.
  3. Begin registering on the application login link displayed.
  4. And basic personal and academic details and proceed further.
  5. Now login to the official website with the registered email address.
  6. Now start the course-specific application process, once logged in.
  7. Add the academic mark sheets of the qualifying examination along with a passport-size photograph and signature, as per the course requirements.
  8. Now fill out the registration fee and proceed to the course fee payment tab.
  9. Once successfully done, click on submit and retain the application form for future reference. 

Check more: TNOU Admission 2024

TNOU Results

TNOU conducts semester-end examinations in July. The results are announced on the official website of the university. Students can check their results online by following the below-mentioned steps:

  1. Visit the official website @tnou.ac.in
  2. Click on the drop-down menu of Examinations.
  3. Students can navigate examination results, under the exam procedures.
  4. Once clicked on the results link, students can find term results for UG, PG, Diploma, Vocational subjects, and more.

Check more: TNOU Results 

TNOU Scholarships

TNOU offers scholarships based on the merit and the needs of an applicant. Students can apply for the below-mentioned scholarships, along with the supporting documents, at the time of admission. Moreover, a student can only apply for one scholarship at a time.

Scholarship Name Details Scholarship Reward
SC/ST Tuition Fee Reimbursement for Distance Education Unemployed SC/ST students pursuing distance education are eligible for fee reimbursement
Parents' annual income must not exceed INR 1 LPA
Exemption from tuition fees
Differently-abled Tuition Fee Exemption Differently-abled students in University programs can apply for tuition fee exemption by submitting the prescribed Application Form  Exemption from tuition fees
Jail Inmates, Destitute Widows, Physically challenged  Students must provide valid supporting documents to claim the category 100% Tuition fee waiver

Check more: TNOU Scholarships

TNOU Chennai Placements

TNOU Placements drives are held by the Department of Employment and Training TNOU, each year for online students. TNIU has not released placement statistics for each year, however, some of the top TNOU recruiters are NAC Jewellery, Bank Zone, Oviya School of Designing, and more. TNOU also prepares candidates for placement through Seminars, Guest Lectures, Webinars, Conferences, Corporate Meets, Personality Development and Communication Skills Programmes, and Counseling Sessions.

TNOU Placement 2023
Particulars Statistics 
Top recruiters  ARS Steels and Alloys International Pvt Ltd, ICICI Bank, Blue Darts Express Ltd, Asgardia Corp, NAC Jewelry, Star Health Insurance, SBI Life Insurance
CTC Offered  INR 1.2 LPA - INR 3.6 LPA

Check more: TNOU Placements

TNOU Chennai Facilities

TNOU offers great faculty as well as an Auditorium, Boys Hostel, Cafeteria, Girls Hostel, Gym, Hospital / Medical Facilities, Hostel, Labs, Library, Shuttle Service, Sports Complex, and Wi-Fi Campus enhance the college's education. Below are the facilities offered by TNOU:

Library: The College features a well-designed, air-conditioned library hall with a large collection of 55,000 reference books, textbooks, and journals.

Hostel: TNOU offers separate accommodations for both boys and girls, including furnished single-occupied, twin-sharing, and three-sharing rooms. The mess at the hostel is clean and serves nutritious cuisine.

Transportation: Students can commute safely because the College provides buses that are well-connected to all geographical places in the surrounding districts.

Sports: It encourages all athletic activities as well as participation in competitive sporting events. Rowing, Boxing, Powerlifting, Taekwondo, Rollball, and other sports have earned the university national and worldwide recognition. 

Hospital: It has a highly qualified medical team that attends to all of the students', faculty's, and staff's medical needs on campus. The medical team is well-equipped, and an ambulance is available in case of an emergency. On campus, there is also a pharmacy that sells medications and other healthcare supplies.

Laboratories: TNOU has over 40 fully equipped labs allowing students to apply their knowledge practically and obtain real-world experience.

TNOU FAQs

Ques. What are the courses offered by TNOU? 

Ans. . The courses offered by the Tamil Nadu Open University are recognized by UGC, NCTE, RCI, and DEB. The University offers several UG and PG programs such as B.A., B.Com, B.Sc., BBA, MBA, MCA, M.A. and M.Sc. TNOU also offers Certificate and Vocational courses to the candidates along with full-fledged courses. The admissions into the courses offered are based on merit and entrance exam. 

Ques. What documents are required during admissions at Tamil Nadu Open University? 

Ans. . The documents required are for admission in TNOU are:

  • Passport size photographs.
  • Signature of the candidate
  • 10th Standard Mark Sheet or equivalent in support of Date of Birth
  • 12th Standard Mark Sheet (wherever applicable).
  • UG Degree Certificate (wherever applicable).
  • Community Certificate in respect of SC/ST/OBC (NCL) candidates.

Ques. How is the placement at TNOU? 

Ans. . The TNOU Placements are offered to all the candidates through its dedicated Placement Portal which has been specially designed to meet the requirements of the recruiters and the students. Till now TNOU has successfully placed more than 60,000 students with an average CTC of INR 1.2 LPA - INR 3.6 LPA.

Ques. Does TNOU have hostel facilities? 

Ans. . Indeed, TNOU offers separate accommodations with furnished single-occupied, twin-sharing, and three-sharing rooms for boys and girls. The mess in the hostel serves wholesome food in a hygienic environment. There is a food court with spotless dining areas and kitchens that serves hygienic meals.

Ques. What are the facilities available on campus at TNOU? 

Ans. . The range of facilities available at TNOU are - 

  • Transportation: The College provides buses that are well connected with all the geographical locations of surrounding areas so that students can commute safely.
  • Environment: The university has a big area campus surrounded by greenery and pollution-free landmass. 
  • Sports: It promotes all sports activities and participation in competitive sports events. 
  • Hospital: It has a highly qualified medical team that attends to all medical needs of the students, faculty, and staff on campus. 
  • Laboratories: TNOU has highly equipped labs more than 40 for the students in order to apply their knowledge practically to gain real-time exposure.
  • Library: The College has an air-conditioned well-designed and spacious library hall with a vast collection of 55,000 reference books, textbooks, and journals in total.

Ques. Is the TNOU a recognized university?

Ans. . Yes, TNOU (TNOU) was established by an Act (Act No.27) of the Legislative Assembly of the Government of Tamil Nadu in 2002. The University Grants Commission (UGC) has given recognition to the TNOU under Sec.12-B of the UGC Act, 1956.

Ques. Is the TNOU student (Formal Stream) eligible for UPSC examinations?

Ans. . Yes, because TNOU is a recognized university established by the Govt. of Tamil Nadu, the students are eligible to appear for any kind of government examination with a TNOU degree.

Ques. Where are the Regional Centres of TNOU University located?

Ans. The Regional Centres of TNOU Chennai are located in the following districts in Tamil Nadu:

  1. Chennai,
  2. Dharmapuri,
  3. Madurai, 
  4. Trichy, 
  5. Coimbatore, 
  6. Villupuram, 
  7. Nilgiris and 
  8. Tirunelveli.

Ques. Does the TNOU provide study material?

Ans. . Yes, TNOU provides study material in a self-learning format to the students for all its Programmes. The cost of this is included in the Programme Fees. The study material for all the years will be showed directly to the students on the address mentioned while applying. 

Ques. Who to contact in case of admission queries for TNOU?

Ans. Aspirants willing to enroll in TNOU can see help in admissions from the 12 regional centers. TNOU has established these regional centers all across Tamil Nadu. In case of a change of medium, change of program, and other personal/ academic information, students have to write to the Controller Of Examinations, TNOU. 

Ques. How can I get a fee refund at TNOU?

Ans. Once paid, the program price is non-refundable. However, the will withhold Rs. 500 as a processing charge from the application if it turns out that the applicant is not qualified for admission to the program of their choice. The remaining fee will be returned to the applicant.

Ques. How is TNOU as an educational institution? 

Ans. Tamil Nadu Open University is the first open university at Chennai located in the capital city of the state of Tamil Nadu. The main objective of the university is to provide benefits to the people who are not able to afford higher education. It has around 218 Programmes of study across various disciplines. It is also the the first University in the state to have introduced the credit – based self – learning materials in print.

Ques. What are the courses offered by TNOU? 

Ans. The courses offered by the University are recognized by UGC, NCTE, RCI, and DEB. The University offers several UG and PG programmes such as B.A., B.Com, B.Sc., BBA, MBA, MCA, M.A. and M.Sc. TNOU also offers Certificate and Vocational courses to the candidates along with full-fledged courses.

Ques. What documents are required during admissions at TNOU? 

Ans. The documents required are:

  • Passport size photographs.
  • Signature of the candidate
  • 10th Standard Mark Sheet or equivalent in support of Date of Birth
  • 12th Standard Mark Sheet (wherever applicable).
  • UG Degree Certificate (wherever applicable).
  • Community Certificate in respect of SC/ST/OBC (NCL) candidates.

Ques. How is the placement avenue at TNOU? 

Ans. The University Placements are offered to all the candidates through its dedicated Placement Portal which has been specially designed to meet up the requirements of the recruiters and the students. Up to now TNOU has successfully placed more than 60,000 students and is continuously working to bring the best placement opportunities for the students.

Ques. Does TNOU have hostel facilities? 

Ans. Yes, TNOU provides separate accommodation facilities for both boys and girls with furnished single occupied, twin sharing, and three sharing accommodation. The hostel's mess has good hygiene conditions with healthy food. There is a food court that serves hygienic food and has cleaned kitchens and dining halls.

Ques. What are the facilities available on campus at TNOU? 

Ans. The range of facilities available at TNOU are - 

  • Transportation: The College provides buses that are well connected with all the geographical locations of surrounding areas so that students can commute safely.
  • Environment: The university has a big area campus surrounded by greenery and pollution-free landmass. 
  • Sports: It promotes all sports activities and participation in competitive sports events. 
  • Hospital: It has a highly qualified medical team that attends to all medical needs of the students, faculty, and staff on campus. 
  • Laboratories: TNOU has highly equipped labs more than 40 for the students in order to apply their knowledge practically to gain real-time exposure.
  • Library: The College has an air-conditioned well-designed and spacious library hall with a vast collection of 55,000 reference books, textbooks, and journals in total.

Ques. Is the TNOU a recognized university?

Ans. Yes, Tamil Nadu Open University (TNOU) was established by an Act (Act No.27) of the Legislative Assembly of the Government of Tamil Nadu in 2002. The University Grants Commission (UGC) has given recognition to the TNOU under Sec.12-B of the UGC Act, 1956.

Ques. Is the TNOU student (Formal Stream) eligible for UPSC examinations?

Ans. Yes, because TNOU is a recognized university established by the Govt. of Tamilnadu, the students are eligible to appear for any kind of government examination.

Ques. Does Distance Education at TNOU Chennai have the same status as conventional education?

Ans. Yes, distance education is the accepted model adopted by a number of universities the world over. Almost all these universities use the conventional mode too.

Ques. Where are the Regional Centres of TNOU University located?

Ans. The Regional Centres of TNOU Chennai are located in the following districts in Tamil Nadu: i. Chennai, ii.Dharmapuri, iii.Madurai, iv.Trichy, v.Coimbatore, vi.Villupuram, vii. Nilgiris and viii.Tirunelveli.

Ques. Does the University provide study material?

Ans. Yes, TNOU provides study material in Self Learning format to the students for all its Programmes. The cost of this is included in the Programme Fees.