The Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT) runs 28 sports hostels across the state that give selected students free coaching, accommodation and food while they study. For 2026-27, applications were open online from 8 April to 6 May, for students in Classes 6 to 9 and Class 11, DT Next reported. District trials followed on 7 May for boys and 8 May for girls, with state-level direct selection for some sports on 12 May.
This year’s admissions are over. Families planning for 2027-28 should expect a similar timetable, with the notice in early April and trials soon after the school year ends. Here is how selection works and what a hostel place includes.
Types of SDAT residential programmes
SDAT has three tiers, according to the state’s 2024-25 sports policy note and earlier notices:
- Sports hostels for school students, the largest scheme. The policy note counted 27 hostels with 1,925 students; DT Next’s 2026 report puts the number at 28.
- Centres of Excellence for younger school athletes in Olympic sports. In 2025, SDAT invited students in Classes 6 to 8 and under 13 for athletics, boxing, weightlifting, tennis, gymnastics, swimming, archery, cycling and badminton, Adyar Times reported.
- Sports Hostels of Excellence for college students, at six locations, picked on merit at a state-level selection in Chennai.
In Chennai, the 2023-24 policy note lists a sports hostel and a Centre of Excellence for school boys at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Periamet, plus a Sports Hostel of Excellence for college boys. The girls’ equivalents are at the Integrated Sports Complex. The Sports Authority of India also runs a training centre with a boys’ hostel at Nehru Stadium.
How selection works
- Apply online on sdat.tn.gov.in during the window. SDAT accepts only online applications, and other forms are rejected.
- Attend the district trial at your district sports complex on the date given for your gender and sport. In 2026, district trials covered athletics, basketball, football, volleyball, kabaddi, handball and cricket (boys only), among others.
- Go to the state level if you are shortlisted. Some sports skip the district round and hold direct state selection.
- Check results on the SDAT website, where lists are published.
Trials are sport-specific and often held at specialised venues. In 2024, for example, football trials were held at Nehru Stadium and cricket trials at the Government Higher Secondary School in Ashok Nagar, Chennai, while hockey trials were held at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium in Egmore, DT Next reported. In 2025, Centre of Excellence trials were held at Nehru Stadium, the Nungambakkam sports complex, the Velachery aquatic complex and the Tamil Nadu Physical Education and Sports University at Melakottaiyur.
What a hostel place includes
Students live in the hostel, attend a nearby school or college, and train with SDAT coaches before and after classes. The financial support recorded in the 2024-25 policy note is set out below.
| Support | School sports hostels | Hostels of Excellence (college) |
|---|---|---|
| Food, per day (320 days) | ₹250, raised to ₹350 in 2025 | ₹250, raised to ₹350 in 2025 |
| Uniform and shoes, per year | ₹4,000 | ₹10,000 |
| Sports equipment | ₹1,000 | ₹10,000 |
The state raised the daily food allowance from ₹250 to ₹350 in June 2025, with non-vegetarian meals every day of the week, Dinamalar reported. The report did not say explicitly whether the hike also covers college hostels, so check with SDAT.
Results show what the system produces. This September, SDAT’s Sports Hostel of Excellence team won the men’s title in the Tamil Hockey League 2026, beating Indian Overseas Bank in a shoot-out, DT Next reported.
Tips for parents
- Keep the child’s birth certificate, school ID and any district or state competition certificates ready; certificates help at trials.
- Trials begin early in the morning. Arrive with sports kit, water and a parent or coach.
- Ask about the school the hostel is linked to and the board it follows before you accept a place.
- SDAT’s helpline listed for admissions is 95140 00777.
Quick answers
Which classes can apply to SDAT sports hostels?
For 2026-27, Classes 6 to 9 and Class 11. Check each year’s notice, as the classes have changed over time.
Is the SDAT sports hostel free?
Yes. Selected students get accommodation, food, coaching, and allowances for kit and equipment.
Where are the Chennai sports hostels?
At Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Periamet for boys and at the Integrated Sports Complex for girls.
When are the trials?
Usually in May. In 2026, district trials were on 7 and 8 May.
Information checked against official sources on 18 October 2026. Fees, dates and rules can change; confirm on the linked official pages before acting.
Sources
- Apply online for admissions to SDAT’s sports hostels for 2026-27 (DT Next)
- Policy Note 2024-25, Youth Welfare and Sports Development Department (Government of Tamil Nadu)
- Policy Note 2023-24, Youth Welfare and Sports Development Department (Government of Tamil Nadu)
- TN govt hikes daily food allowance to ₹350 for students in sports hostels (Dinamalar)
- Tamil Nadu Sports Development Authority announces admissions to elite sports centres (Adyar Times)
- SDAT announces new dates for sports hostel admissions (DT Next)
- Tamil Hockey League 2026: SDAT, SRM take home top honours (DT Next)
