Overview
Damodaram Sanjivayya National Law University (DSNLU), Visakhapatnam, is Andhra Pradesh's National Law University, named after Damodaram Sanjivayya, a former Chief Minister of the state and Union Minister. Established in 2008 by the Government of Andhra Pradesh, it admits students through CLAT, holds a NAAC A grade, and sits in the coastal city of Visakhapatnam. DSNLU offers an affordable legal education, well-maintained residential facilities, and international collaborations, and has ranked at the lower end of the NIRF top 40 in recent years while placing highly on India Today's list. This profile covers its ranking, courses, eligibility, admission, seats, cutoff, fees, hostel, scholarships and placements.
Ranking and reputation of DSNLU
DSNLU was ranked 39th in the NIRF 2024 law list, placing it right at the borderline of the top 40, and it has stayed around that mark since. It was ranked seventh by India Today and 30th by IIRF in 2024, a stronger showing on those lists than its NIRF position suggests. As Andhra Pradesh's NLU, it holds a distinctive regional position, and its international MoUs give students exposure beyond the classroom.
Courses offered at DSNLU
DSNLU's flagship programme is the five-year integrated BA LLB (Hons), admitted through CLAT. It also runs a three-year LLB admitted through its own DSNLU Entrance Test, a one-year LLM through CLAT PG, and PhD and LLD research programmes. Most CLAT aspirants target the five-year BA LLB, which is the focus of the sections below unless stated otherwise.
DSNLU eligibility criteria
For the BA LLB (Hons), you must have passed class 12 or an equivalent examination with at least 45 percent marks, or 40 percent for candidates in the SC and ST categories. Candidates awaiting their class 12 results may apply and appear for CLAT, subject to meeting the requirement at admission, and there is no upper age limit. For the LLM, you need an LLB degree with at least 50 percent marks, or 45 percent for SC and ST candidates.
DSNLU admission process and how to apply
DSNLU admits students to the BA LLB and LLM only through CLAT, run by the Consortium of National Law Universities. Register for CLAT on the Consortium website during the application window, appear for the exam, and after results take part in the centralised CLAT counselling, placing DSNLU high in your preference order. Andhra Pradesh domicile candidates should claim the home-state quota with the required documents. If a seat is allotted, you report to the Visakhapatnam campus for document verification and fee payment. The three-year LLB is admitted through the university's own entrance test.
DSNLU seats and reservation
DSNLU offers about 120 seats in the BA LLB (Hons) and 24 seats in the one-year LLM. A share of seats is reserved for Andhra Pradesh home-state candidates, and seats are further reserved vertically for the SC, ST, OBC and EWS categories, with horizontal reservation for persons with disabilities. The home-state quota makes Andhra Pradesh domicile seats close at more relaxed ranks than the all-India list.
DSNLU CLAT cutoff
DSNLU is a mid-tier NLU by cutoff. In the general all-India category, its BA LLB (Hons) has closed within roughly the top 1280 to 1680 CLAT ranks in recent years, with the round one general rank around 1281 in 2026 and a 2025 closing near 1682. Reserved categories and Andhra Pradesh home-state seats close at more relaxed ranks. The category-wise all-India closing ranks for the BA LLB in 2026 round one are below.
| Category | BA LLB all-India closing rank, 2026 |
|---|---|
| General | Around 1281 |
| EWS | Around 2217 |
| OBC | Around 2508 |
| SC | Around 10433 |
| ST | Around 15199 |
To check whether your expected rank is in range, use the CLAT college predictor, and see the NLU cut-offs page for round by round closing ranks.
DSNLU fees
DSNLU is affordable for an NLU. Tuition for the five-year BA LLB (Hons) is about 1.5 lakh rupees a year, and the total for the programme is about 10.05 lakh rupees, including hostel and other components. The manageable fee, along with financial support, keeps DSNLU accessible.
| Fee component (BA LLB) | Approximate amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition, per year | About 1.5 lakh rupees |
| Five-year total | About 10.05 lakh rupees |
To compare DSNLU against the other NLUs on total cost, see the NLU fees comparison.
DSNLU hostel and campus
DSNLU provides well-maintained, spacious hostels with separate blocks for men and women, round-the-clock security, quality mess food, and amenities including furniture, a gym, study rooms and Wi-Fi. The campus in Visakhapatnam offers a library, moot court, auditorium, laboratories and sports facilities. Its coastal location and residential setting make for a comfortable campus experience, with access to the local legal ecosystem for internships.
Scholarships at DSNLU
DSNLU offers financial support for students in need, including tuition fee reimbursement for a significant share of the batch under government schemes, along with merit-based support. SC and ST students can access government scholarships. Read each year's official notification for the current eligibility bands and amounts.
DSNLU placements: packages and outcomes
DSNLU has an improving placement record for its tier. In the NIRF 2025 data its median undergraduate package was about 7.50 lakh rupees a year, with a highest package of about 25 lakh rupees. The placement rate is modest, in the region of 25 percent of the eligible batch, because a sizeable group of students opt for higher studies, litigation and the judiciary rather than corporate placements, so the placement rate understates the range of outcomes. For how DSNLU compares with the other NLUs, see the NLU placements comparison.
| Placement metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| Median UG package, NIRF 2025 | About 7.50 LPA |
| Highest package, recent | About 25 LPA |
| Career note | Many graduates pursue higher studies, litigation and the judiciary |
Related NLUs
Comparing your options is the smart way to build a CLAT preference list. See the profiles of the premier NLUs: NLSIU Bengaluru, NLU Delhi, NALSAR Hyderabad, WBNUJS Kolkata and GNLU Gandhinagar, or return to the NLU profiles hub for the full list.
How to get into DSNLU
Because DSNLU closes within roughly the top 1300 to 1700 general-category ranks for the BA LLB, it is a realistic target for a solid CLAT score, and the Andhra Pradesh home-state quota helps local candidates considerably. Aim for steady accuracy across the comprehension-heavy English, current affairs, legal reasoning, logical reasoning and quantitative sections, with enough mock-test practice to hold a strong rank. Law Prep Tutorial Delhi trains aspirants for these NLU cutoffs. Explore the college predictor to see your realistic NLU options, then return to the NLU profiles hub to build your full preference list.