The Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) is a government-aided institute and deemed university for the study and research of space science, located at Valiamala, Nedumangad, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. It is the first university in Asia to be solely dedicated to the study and research of outer space. It was inaugurated on September 14, 2007 by G. Madhavan Nair, the then Chairman of ISRO. IIST was set up by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) under the Department of Space, Government of India. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, former President of India, was the Chancellor of IIST. IIST offers regular engineering undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programs with a focus on space science, technology, and applications.

The Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) Thiruvananthapuram was established in the year 2007 and awarded the status of “Deemed to be a University” under the UGC Act 1956. The institute is approved by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). The total campus area is spread across 117 acres and it is rated as an AAAA+ in engineering. As a public institution, IIST Thiruvananthapuram is co-educational by nature and was formed with a vision to provide world-class education and research expertise for the contribution of space research. The mission of the institution is to create a uniquely appreciative learning environment to address the challenges associated with a space program. IIST Thiruvananthapuram aims to nurture the innovation and creativity of students and establish centres for excellence in all required research areas. IIST Thiruvananthapuram was ranked 40th in the engineering category in the NIRF 2021 Ranking.

The university aims to be an ethical as well as a value-based institution and promotes activities to meet the demands of society. IIST Thiruvananthapuram also has a properly established network with national as well as international universities of excellence and is registered as an autonomous body under the Department of Space, Government of India. The institute is closely associated with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), which is one of the leading global scientific institutions for space research applications. IIST Thiruvananthapuram is one of the most reputed educational institutions with Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, who acted as the first chancellor from its inception. It offers undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in all areas of space science, engineering, and applications. 

The NIRF rank secured by the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology is 43 over the recent past statistics, and the NIRF score sums up to 52.37 as the overall fee structure for the entire course program corresponds to INR 580000.