What is the duration of a diploma in software engineering?

After class 12th, students can pursue diploma programs in software engineering which are usually 1-2 years long.

Software Engineering Courses After 12th: Types, Eligibility, Entrance Exams, Top Colleges & Salary

Software Engineering Courses After 12th

After finishing class 12th, students can apply for several courses in the field of software engineering. The software engineering courses after 12th fall into 3 categories, certificate, diploma and undergraduate types. All of these courses can be applied for by students after class 12th depending on their overall interests and goals. These software engineering courses that students can do after class 12th offer a lot of knowledge in the field.

Also read - List of Best Diploma Courses After 12th: Eligibility, Duration, Top Colleges

After class 12th, undergraduate courses are the most applied type of software engineering course. These courses are for a duration of 3 - 4 years. UG software engineering programs are offered in several specializations such as BTech Software Engineering, BSc Software Engineering or BE Computer Science. However, these courses require a lot of commitment and time on behalf of students.

Diplomas and certificate courses are much shorter for students to do. These require less effort and time on behalf of students. These courses are mainly aimed at those who are unsure whether to commit to a full-time UG course after 12th. They provide a lot of valuable knowledge to students and are less expensive.

Related read - Software Engineering Salary

Software Engineering Courses After 12th Highlights

Provided below are the need-to-know details about the software engineering courses that students can pursue after class 12th. The highlights are as follows:

Field	Software Engineering
Course Types	Certificate Courses, Diploma Courses, Undergraduate Courses
Certificate Course Duration	6 months - 1 year
Diploma Course Duration	1 - 2 years
UG Course Duration	3 - 4 years
Certificate Courses	Software Engineering, Web Design, Computer Applications
Diploma Courses	Advanced Software Engineering, Advanced Software Development Methods
UG Courses	BTech Software Engineering, BTech Computer Science, BSc Software Engineering
Entrance Exams	JEE Mains, JEE Advanced, CUET UG
Top Colleges	Mumbai University, Amity University, University of Mysore, DTU Delhi, Graphic University
Top Jobs	System Analyst, QA Engineer, Full Stack Developer, Web Designer
Average Salary	IN 3 - 9 lakhs per year
Top Recruiters	Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Wipro, Tata Consultancy Services

Types of Software Engineering Courses After 12th

After completing class 12th, there are three main types of software engineering courses that students can aim to pursue. The three software engineering courses are:

Certificate Courses in Software Engineering
Diploma Courses in Software Engineering
Undergraduate Courses in Software Engineering

Each type of software engineering course after 12th offers students a lot of valuable knowledge. Diploma and UG courses are available to students in a number of top colleges. These courses are also available with several different specializations for students to choose from depending on their interests. Provided below is an overview of the different types of software engineering courses students can pursue after 12th along with relevant details.

1. Certificate Courses in Software Engineering After 12th

After finishing class 12th, students have the option to pursue short certificate courses. These programs tend to last between 6 months to a year, depending on the course. Certificate courses teach students several specialized topics. These courses help students develop skill sets in the field of software development and computer science. These courses can be very helpful if students decide to pursue full-time software engineering courses after 12th. Provided below are some certificate courses in software engineering that students can pursue:

Certificate Course in Web Design
Certificate Course in Software Engineering
Certificate Course in Computer Applications
Certificate Course in Desktop Engineering

Read - Cohesion and Coupling in Software Engineering

2. Diploma Software Engineering Courses After 12th

Several colleges in India offer diploma programs in software engineering for students to pursue. Diploma courses give a strong understanding about different software-related topics to students. These courses are aimed at those students interested in the field but not sure whether to commit to a full-time university course. Diploma courses in software engineering can also be pursued after finishing UG courses.

Diploma programs in software engineering are relatively shorter in duration. These courses are generally for 1-2 years. The average course fees for diplomas in software engineering range between INR 30,000 to 70,000 per year. Some colleges that offer diploma programs in software engineering include Madras Christian College, Amity University and University of Mysore.

3. UG Software Engineering Courses After 12th

Software Engineering courses are a very popular type of undergraduate program for students to do after 12th. These undergraduate courses are offered by several of the top engineering colleges in India. These courses provided significant in-depth understanding in the field of software engineering. These courses generally are full-time programs that require a lot of work to be put in by students. UG courses also allow students to work in different areas of software engineering and open a lot of doors.

These courses are generally for a duration of 3 to 4 years long. The average course fees for UG courses in software engineering range between INR 50,000 to 1,50,000 for most colleges. Provided below is an overview of the different types of UG Software Engineering courses in India with relevant details:

Course Name	Details
BTech Software Engineering	The BTech Software Engineering program focuses more on areas of software development and design. This course places a lot of emphasis on related topics such as data structures, programming tools and web design as well. These courses are for 4 years.
BTech Computer Science	The BTech Computer Science course focuses on aspects of computer science as well as software. This includes topics such as cybersecurity, hardware maintenance and software programming. The BTech in Computer Science program is fora duration of 4 years.
BSc Software Engineering	The BSc Software Engineering course is for a duration of 3 years. This course puts a lot of focus on the software itself rather than related topics such as data or hardware. The course is good for students who want a thorough deep-dive into software engineering.
BE Computer Science	The BE Computer Science course is for 4 years. The course mainly aims to teach different topics of computer science and their related topics. It also provides the role computers play in the fields of engineering. The course is more theory-based, It goes into topics such as Algorithms and System Design.

Software Engineering Courses After 12th Eligibility

The eligibility criteria for software engineering courses depend on the type of course and college a student is applying to. Provided below is an overview of the eligibility criteria for the software engineering courses that students can aim for:

Course	Eligibility Criteria
Certificate Courses	Students should have scored a minimum 50% score in their class 12th boards to be eligible. A background in Science with Maths is recommended for pursuing certificate courses in software engineering.
Diploma Courses	A background in science (Physics, Chemistry and Maths) is necessary to pursue diploma courses in software engineering. Students must have completed their class 12th from a recognised board and institution. A minimum 50% score must have been achieved in 12th boards to be eligible for diploma courses in software engineering.
Undergraduate Courses	Students must have completed their class 12th from a recognised board and institution. A minimum 50-60% score must have been achieved by students in their class 12th board exams to be eligible. Students must have a background in the science stream (Physics, Chemistry, Maths or Computer Science) to be eligible for most undergraduate software engineering courses. If applicable, students must take and clear various competitive entrance exams to be eligible for some of the top software engineering colleges in India.

Software Engineering Courses After 12th Entrance Exams

As stated, some colleges require students to take entrance exams to be given admission. While pursuing their class 12th, students should also prepare for these entrance exams and score well in them. Entrance exams are usually taken for the Undergraduate These exams are taken at state and national levels. Provided below are some of the entrance exams students can take for software engineering courses after 12th:

Examination Name	Examination Date
JEE Mains	2nd April - 7th April, 2025
JEE Advanced	18th May, 2025
CUET UG	8th May - 1st June, 2025
SRM JEE	Phase I : 22nd April - 27th April, 2025 Phase II : 12th June - 17th June, 2025 Phase III : 4th July - 5th July, 2025
IPU CET	26th April - 18th May, 2025
JMI Entrance Exam	26th April, 2025

Software Engineering Courses After 12th Top Colleges and Fees

There are a number of top colleges that offer software engineering courses in India. Students can pursue different courses in software engineering after class 12th depending on their interests. Provided below is an overview of the top colleges that students can apply to for software engineering courses after 12th.

Certificate Courses in Software Engineering Top Colleges

Provided below is an overview of some of the top colleges that offer certificate courses for software engineering after class 12th. The colleges are as follows:

College Name	Average Fees in INR
Calicut University	INR 5,000
Mumbai University	INR 5,000
University of Madras	INR 12,000
Guru Nanak Dev University Amritsar	INR 3,500
Andhra Loyola College	INR 6,000

Diploma Courses in Software Engineering Top Colleges

Provided below is an overview of some of the top colleges that offer Diploma courses to students for software engineering after 12th. The colleges are as follows:

College Name	Average Fees in INR
Amity University	INR 30,000
Janki Devi Vocational Center	INR 40,000
ITM University	INT 5,000
University of Mysore	INR 30,000
Agra College of Management and Technology	INR 1,05,000
Patel College of Science and Technology	INR 62,000
SSM College of Engineering and Technology	INR 50,000
Seamedu School of Pro Expression	INR 52,000

Undergraduate Courses in Software Engineering Top Colleges

Listed below are some of the top colleges that offer undergraduate software engineering courses to students after finishing class 12th. The colleges are listed as follows:

College Name	Average Fees in INR
BVDU Pune	INR 1,20,000
SITS Hyderabad	INR 63,000
Jain University	INR 1,97,000
Graphic University	INR 3,20,000
DTU Delhi	INR 1,66,000
SRM Engineering College Kanchipuram	INR 2,60,000
CV Raman Global University	INR 1,19,000

Software Engineering Courses After 12th Top Jobs and Salaries

Graduating students who have pursued software engineering courses after class 12th have a number of well-paying jobs that they can pursue. The type of job that students can go for depends on their interests, educational level and overall vision for their career. However, regardless of the type of job students have the chance to pursue well-paying and fulfilling careers. The average salary in the software engineering field ranges between INR 3 to 9 lakhs per year. Provided below are some of the top jobs that students can go after after finishing software engineering courses:

Job	Average Salary per annum in INR
Programmer	INR 3,40,000
Web Developer	INR 3,00,000
Data Scientist	INR 10,00,000
Software QA Tester	INR 5,00,000
Application Developer	INR 5,00,000
System Software Developer	INR 6,00,000
IT Sales Manager	INR 4,50,000
System Analyst	INR 7,00,000
QA Engineer	INR 4,00,000
Full Stack Developer	INR 6,00,000

Read - Salary for Google Software Engineer

Software Engineering Courses After 12th Top Recruiters

There are several top recruiters in the software engineering field that students can turn to upon finishing the software engineering courses after 12th. Provided below is an overview of some of the recruiters students can turn to for well-paying jobs in the field. The top recruiters for software engineering are as follows:

Microsoft	Google
Sony	Infosys
Ubisoft	Deloitte
Amazon	Wipro
Adobe	Tata Consultancy Services

Read - Non Functional Requirements in Software Engineering

Frequently Asked Questions

Which course after 12th is best to become a software engineer?

For students who are sure that they want to be software engineers, undergraduate courses are the best choice after 12th. Some of the best undergraduate software engineering courses include BTech Software Engineering, BTech Computer Science and BSc Software Engineering.

What is the salary of a software engineer?

The average salary most can expect working in the field of software engineering ranges between INR 3 to 9 lakhs per year.

Is 12th marks important for software engineering?

Yes, good marks in 12th are important to be eligible for software engineering courses.

How difficult is software engineering?

Software engineering is a very demanding and difficult field to pursue for students. Those students who are unsure whether to pursue a full undergraduate course in software engineering can always pursue certificate or diploma courses instead after finishing 12th.

Who are the top recruiters for software engineering?

Upon finishing software engineering courses after 12th, students can turn to top recruiters such as Google, Microsoft and Deloitte for well-paying jobs.