International Students

“Our mission is to ignite, educate, and empower the creative visionaries of tomorrow, equipping them to sculpt the artistic and social landscape through the enduring power of heritage.”

An Institution with Global presence

Study in Kerala at Kalamandalam Program encompasses a diverse range of educational opportunities, cultural experiences, and career prospects for international students. With its rich academic heritage, affordability, cultural immersion, and global opportunities, India emerges as a compelling destination for students seeking a holistic and enriching educational experience. In this context Kalamandalam offers different viable courses for international students.Kerala Kalamandalamis the premier public institution in India dedicated to preserving the ancient artistic heritage of Kerala through rigorous training and exceptional performance. Now, it is opening its programs to international students. The Study in Kerala (SiK) program at Kerala Kalamandalam, administered by the Office of International Affairs, allows students to transfer credits earned at Kalamandalam to their home universities.

Kerala Kalamandalamrenowned for its meticulous training and performances, the institution offers instruction in various classical dance and theatre forms, including Kathakali, Mohiniyattam, Kudiyattam, Thullal, Kuchipudi, Bharatanatyam, and NangiarKoothu. Additionally, it features training in the traditional orchestra Panchavadyam and Modern Theatre. The curriculum also includes Modern Indian languages, Aesthetics, and Indian Literature, reflecting the institution’s comprehensive approach to arts education.

In 1930, the nationalist poet Vallathol Narayana Menon and Manakkulam Mukunda Raja envisioned the establishment of the first public institution for performing arts in Kerala, aiming to nurture and sustain traditional performance expressions through modern public patronage. This vision materialized as Kerala Kalamandalam, which was transformed into a deemed university in 2007. Offering undergraduate to doctoral programs through its 14 departments, Kerala Kalamandalam is fully funded by the State Government of Kerala, India.

Kalamandalam enjoys an international reputation in the fields of Indian Performing Arts and Intercultural Theatre. Esteemed theatre makers and scholars such as Eugenio Barba, Jerzy Grotowski, Peter Brook, Richard Schechner, Phillip Zarrilli, Farley Richmond, Marlene Pitkow, Rolf Groesbeck, Justine Lemos, and Ms. Milena Salvini have visited Kalamandalam to train in its unique body training systems and to explore the performative matrix essential for their intercultural theatre work.

Study in Kerala (SiK @Kalamandalam)

The international reputation that Kerala Kalamandalam has earned over the years is a testament to its strength, now enabling it to formally open its programs to international students in areas such as Performing Arts, including Modern Theatre, Humanities, and frontier disciplines. An experience at Kalamandalam offers exposure to a unique world of practice, knowledge, and artistic expression, providing students with academic, cultural, and financial benefits.

Kerala Kalamandalam has two campuses. The Vallathol Nagar Campus is the main location, encompassing 31 acres and housing academic blocks, traditional and modern practice studios (known as Kalaries), a Kuttambalam (traditional theatre space constructed according to Bharatha’s Natysastra), a library, hostels, and the administrative complex. The Nila Campus, the oldest campus situated near the Nila River, hosts Post Graduate and Research programs. Both campuses are located in Cheruthuruthy, a small town 30 kilometers from Thrissur city and 82 kilometers from Cochin International Airport.

Important Factors of SiK Kalamandalam

• India’s first art-centric study abroad program with a pioneering focus on art practice and its allied/frontier disciplines.
• A rigorous and dynamically adaptable learning system with a modular format designed to meet diverse educational needs.
• Tailored courses for study abroad students.
• A diverse range of courses spanning arts, humanities, and social sciences to choose from.
• Seamless transfer of credits/transcripts directly to the home institution or student.
• The flexibility to collaborate with teachers in designing courses tailored to the student’s research interests.
• Gurus (Teachers) renowned for their expertise in both art and academia.
• Tuition fees adjusted according to the number of credits earned, ensuring affordability.
• An outstanding library with a wealth of resources.
• Safe and hygienic accommodation facilities meeting international standards, both on-campus and off-campus.
• Authentic, traditionally crafted practice spaces and performance venues.
• Experience an impressive array of over 200 meticulously produced live performances each year.
• Immerse yourself in the vibrant tapestry of local traditional cultures, festivals, and performances with direct access.
• Convenient access to transportation amenities for seamless travel.

Academic and Artistic Programmes at SiK

Primarily, SiK offers undergraduate students the opportunity to enroll in the regular semester curriculum at Kerala Kalamandalam, as well as in courses developed by academic experts in frontier areas such as languages, social sciences, arts, and culture, aligning with Kalamandalam’s curriculum framework. Additionally, we provide short-term courses ranging from three months to fourteen days, customized to meet the needs of students and their home institutions. Courses designed with a research focus on local practices, such as temple festivals, rivers, folklore, and craft traditions, are available. These are taught by invited academics and incorporate contemporary theoretical perspectives, seamlessly integrating with the regular curriculum and carrying equivalent credits.

SiK,Kalamandalam offers innovative academic initiatives for faculty and artists to explore Indian cultural and performance practices, alongside courses on society and development. The ‘Contemporary Kerala’ program, spanning fourteen days, is designed for faculty to study key aspects of modern Kerala, including culture, literature, cinema, development, education, caste systems, politics, economy, environment, and science and technology. All courses at Kalamandalam align with the latest trends in international higher education and meet contemporary demands. Additionally, the “Gender and Performance” program offers university and college educators a short-duration course that delves into performance as a reflection of socio-political dynamics. These programs’ modular structure allows for focused and flexible engagement with core subject areas.

After completing an orientation program in both practical and theoretical aspects, international undergraduate students can enroll in the following regular semester programs at Kalamandalam:

• Kathakali (Theatre)
• Kudiyattam (Sanskrit Theatre)
• Performance Making (Theatre)
• Bharathanatyam (Dance)
• Kuchipudi (Dance)
• Mohiniyattam (Dance)
• Chenda (Percussion)
• Chutty( Traditional Make up)
• Music (Carnatic Vocal and Instruments)
• Modern Theatre

Customized individual theory/practice based courses (2 to 4 credits) flexible to the choice of the students:

• Introduction to Kathakali
• Overview of Kerala Performing Arts Tradition
• Malayalam Language
• Sanskrit Language
• Hindi Language
• Temple Festivals of Central Kerala – Myth, Belief, Spectacle and Society (Field based course)
• Political Economy of Festivals
• Kalari ( Martial Art Tradition of Kerala)
• Yoga
• Environment and Culture
• 21^st century Indian Literature
• Kerala Modernity
• Principles of Ayurveda
• Democracy and Performance
• Mother Cult and Performance Traditions 

Students can enroll in both regular courses and customized courses tailored to their academic needs. SiK is open to designing specialized courses to meet the requirements of home institutions or individual students, focusing on the areas of expertise at Kalamandalam. Students enrolled in the regular semester program can earn 12 to 16 credits and are permitted to take credits from various departments and a selection of customized courses, subject to fulfilling any prerequisites.

Short duration programmes for 2024-25:

• ‘Indian Performance Cultures’-International Winter School :Dec 2024/ Jan 2025
• ‘Contemporary Kerala’-14 days Faculty Development Programme: June/ July 2025
• ‘Gender and Performance’- 14 days Faculty Development Programme: Dec 2024
• ‘Tradition, Arts & Contemporary Society’: 2025
• Traveling Seminar- ‘Mother Cult Worship and Performance Manifestations’: 2025

Admissions

Students and institutions can apply online directly to the Study in Kerala (SiK) program at Kalamandalam. Applicants must have sufficient proficiency in English to pursue the course. A complete application includes a filled-out application form, a reference letter from the applicant’s academic advisor or the head of the international division at their home university testifying to the student’s ability to undertake the course, a statement of purpose from the student, and transcripts from the home institution. Applications will be reviewed by the university-level admission coordination committee for decisionmaking.

Who can apply

Students with 2.75 GPA studying in the second, third or fourth-year undergraduate programme are eligible to apply. 

For admissions, the following can reach out to SiK on behalf of students:

• Councils/ Consortiums / Institutions for International Education
• Higher Education Agencies dealing with International Students Mobility
• International Units of Universities
• Heads/ Deans of Departments/Schools of Universities
• NRI groups or Associations
• Groups with Business Interests in Arts (Short term programs)
• Students can directly approach if they fulfill the academic requirements stipulated bySiK
• Asian/ South Asian Units of the Universities or Institutions
• Art Conservatories/ Institutions
• Dance/Theatre/Performance making Companies
• Freelance Artists
• Institutions focusing on Intercultural Performance/ Theatre Practices
• Academic Schedule

Academic calendar of regular courses is based on semester system. Students admitted under SiK at Kalamandalm have to follow the same system. The Monsoon semester is from July to November and the Winter semester is from January to April/May. All the short-term programs are scheduled between July to December/ January.

For details of our programs and facilities please write to: oia@kalamandalam.ac.in

Study in Kerala/India

Office of International Affairs

Kerala Kalamandalam  (Deemed to be University for Arts & Culture)

Cheruthuruthy, Thrissur, Kerala, India- 679 531.

info@kalamandalam.ac.in

+91 4884 262418/ 263440/ +91 9446542562.

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