Tamil Nadu has a state university devoted only to music, dance and the visual arts: the Tamil Nadu Dr. J. Jayalalithaa Music and Fine Arts University, on Dr. D.G.S. Dinakaran Salai in R.A. Puram, Chennai 600 028. It runs its own postgraduate, diploma and weekend courses on campus and awards degrees to students of the government music and fine arts colleges across the state.
Admissions for 2026-27 have largely closed, but the forms the university published this year show what each course asks for and costs, which is a fair guide to the next cycle. Here is what is offered, who can apply and where to ask.
What the university is
The university was set up under a 2013 Act, dated 14 November 2013, and renamed in 2020, according to the state Art and Culture Department’s policy note for 2024-25. The same note lists what it oversees:
- Eight colleges run by the department: four Government Music Colleges (Chennai, Madurai, Coimbatore and Thiruvaiyaru), two Government Colleges of Fine Arts, the Government College of Architecture and Sculpture, and the aided Kalai Kaviri college.
- The MGR Government Film and Television Institute and 10 self-financing colleges.
- 23 off-campus centres.
At its November 2023 convocation, 3,448 students received degrees for the years 2019-20 to 2022-23. Students at the government music colleges get a stipend of Rs 500 a month for ten months, and new nagaswaram and thavil degree courses were started at Chennai and Thiruvaiyaru.
Courses on the university campus
The university’s course page lists these programmes run directly by it:
| Programme | Duration |
|---|---|
| MA Music (vocal, violin, veena, nagaswaram, mridangam, thavil) and MA Bharatanatyam | 2 years |
| MFA Painting | 2 years |
| MA weekend (vocal, mridangam, Bharatanatyam) | 3 years |
| MFA weekend (painting, visual communication design) | 3 years |
| Diploma in Music Engineering; Diploma in Folk Music and Villuppattu | 1 year |
| Online advanced diplomas in music and Bharatanatyam | 2 years |
| Online Diploma in Music Therapy / Certificate in Music Therapy | 1 year / 6 months |
| PhD in music, dance and fine arts | Not stated |
The weekend courses are aimed at working people and teachers. The home page also lists a Master of Theatre Arts and a one-year Audio Engineering and Production diploma for 2026-27.
Eligibility and fees: what this year’s forms show
The university does not publish one fee table. The three 2026-27 application forms on its site give these details:
- Master of Theatre Arts: two years; any degree with 50% marks plus basic knowledge of music, dance or the visual arts; no upper age limit; selection by screening or interview. Fee Rs 25,000 a year. Application fee Rs 590, or Rs 295 for SC, SC(A) and ST candidates. Last date this year was 15 August 2026.
- Folk Music and Villupattu diploma: one year; tuition Rs 15,000 for Indian students and USD 200 for foreign students; application fee Rs 590.
- Audio Engineering and Production: one year; Class 12 with basic music knowledge; tuition Rs 3,50,000. Last date this year was 31 July 2026.
The forms ask for Class 10 and 12 mark sheets, a transfer certificate, degree certificates where relevant, a community certificate if applicable, and Aadhaar or passport details. Hard copies go to the Registrar at the R.A. Puram address.
Colleges in Chennai
If you want an undergraduate degree, you will usually study at an affiliated college. The university’s college list includes these in Chennai:
- Tamil Nadu Government Music College, Dr. D.G.S. Dinakaran Salai, R.A. Puram (044 2493 7217): BA, diploma and certificate courses in music and dance.
- Government College of Fine Arts, 31 EVR Periyar Salai, Periyamet (044 2561 0878): four-year BFA and two-year MFA.
- MGR Government Film and Television Institute, CIT campus, Taramani (044 2254 2212): Bachelor of Visual Arts.
- Tamil Isai Kalloori, Rajah Annamalai Mandram, Esplanade Road: BA and MA Music and diplomas.
Several self-financing colleges in K.K. Nagar, Shenoy Nagar, Choolaimedu, Tambaram and Kottivakkam are also affiliated. Fees at these vary, so ask each college directly.
Quick answers
Can I do an MA in music without a music degree?
The university offered a bridge course for such students in 2024, Mylapore Times reported. Ask the admissions office whether it runs in your year.
When do admissions open?
This year’s forms carried deadlines in July and August, so watch the university website from about June.
How do I contact the university?
Call 044 2462 9035 or 044 2462 9036, or use the form on its contact page.
Information checked against official sources on 18 October 2026. Fees, dates and rules can change; confirm on the linked official pages before acting.
Sources
- Home page (Tamil Nadu Dr. J. Jayalalithaa Music and Fine Arts University)
- University courses (TNJJMFAU)
- Colleges (TNJJMFAU)
- Master of Theatre Arts application 2026-27 (TNJJMFAU)
- Folk Music and Villupattu application 2026-27 (TNJJMFAU)
- Audio Engineering and Production application 2026-27 (TNJJMFAU)
- Art and Culture Department Policy Note 2024-25 (Government of Tamil Nadu)
- Contact us (TNJJMFAU)
- TN Dr. J Jayalalithaa Music and Fine Arts University open for admissions now (Mylapore Times, June 2024)
