Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados (CINVESTAV) logo

Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados (CINVESTAV)

Mexico City, MX · Ranking #601

Cinvestav (Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN) is a public research and advanced studies center founded in 1961 in Mexico City. It is part of the National Polytechnic Institute system but has its own legal personality. It offers only graduate programs: 66 master’s and doctoral programs across 34 departments in four areas—biological and health sciences, social sciences and humanities, engineering and technology, and exact and natural sciences. Cinvestav has 10 campuses in Mexico (including Zacatenco, Coapa and San Borja in Mexico City; Monterrey, Guadalajara, Mérida, Querétaro, Irapuato, Saltillo, Tamaulipas). It has about 583 researchers and is a leading Mexican institution in scientific research and high-level graduate education; programs are part of the national graduate system (CONAHCYT/PNP).

Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados (CINVESTAV) logo

Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados (CINVESTAV)

About the university

Cinvestav (Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN) is a public research and advanced studies center founded in 1961 in Mexico City. It is part of the National Polytechnic Institute system but has its own legal personality. It offers only graduate programs: 66 master’s and doctoral programs across 34 departments in four areas—biological and health sciences, social sciences and humanities, engineering and technology, and exact and natural sciences. Cinvestav has 10 campuses in Mexico (including Zacatenco, Coapa and San Borja in Mexico City; Monterrey, Guadalajara, Mérida, Querétaro, Irapuato, Saltillo, Tamaulipas). It has about 583 researchers and is a leading Mexican institution in scientific research and high-level graduate education; programs are part of the national graduate system (CONAHCYT/PNP).

Key information

  • Location: Mexico City, MX
  • Ranking #601
  • QS #601
  • National ranking #3
  • Institution type: public

Popular faculties

  • Mathematics
  • Computation
  • Physics
  • Chemistry
  • Biotechnology and Bioengineering
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Control Engineering
  • Cellular Biology
  • Molecular Biomedicine
  • Biochemistry
  • Genetics and Molecular Biology
  • Physiology and Neurosciences
  • Pharmacology
  • Toxicology
  • Educational Research
  • Infectomics and Molecular Pathogenesis

Programs (29)

  • Computer Science
  • Engineering
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Medicine
  • Nursing
  • Pharmacy
  • Business Administration
  • Economics
  • Finance and Accounting
  • Marketing
  • Tourism and Hospitality
  • Law
  • Political Science
  • International Relations
  • Philosophy
  • History
  • Linguistics
  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Physics
  • Mathematics
  • Environmental Science
  • Psychology
  • Sociology
  • Anthropology
  • Education
  • Fine Arts
  • Music

Student body

  • Total students: 2,128
  • International students: 10%

Campus life

Cinvestav is a graduate and research-only institution with 10 campuses. There are no residence halls; students arrange off-campus housing. Life centers on labs, seminars, and thesis work. Departments and units organize academic events and summer schools; some scholarships cover housing and meals for short programs. The main Mexico City campuses are Zacatenco, Coapa (Granjas Coapa), and San Borja. No traditional athletics or broad student clubs; the environment is academic and research-oriented. International students need a valid student residence (e.g. FM-3).

Housing & accommodation

Housing cost: $90 - $900 / per month

Housing options

  • No on-campus housing; off-campus rental (rooms
  • apartments) near campuses; some programs include housing for short stays (e.g. summer schools)

Student clubs and organizations

  • Academic seminars
  • summer schools
  • research groups; no broad club system (research-focused institution)

Career & internships

Internships: Cinvestav supports research stays, professional internships, and academic visits across its units. Many programs involve lab or field work as part of the degree. There is no central career or internship office; opportunities depend on the department and research group. Graduates often continue in academia or research institutions. Convocatorias on the website publish calls for stays and visiting researchers.

Admission requirements

Required documents

  • Professional degree certificate
  • academic transcript
  • curriculum vitae
  • three academic letters of recommendation
  • admission exam
  • preparatory course (where required)
  • personal interview
  • Spanish proficiency
  • valid immigration/residence permit for international students

Minimum GPA: 4

Tuition costs

  • $0 - $2,000 / per year
  • Acceptance rate: 15.00%
  • Scholarships available: Mexican students in CONAHCYT-registered programs typically receive national scholarships (living stipend). International students pay about USD 2,000/year tuition. CONAHCYT/CONAHyT (SECIHTI) offers graduate and postdoctoral fellowships. Cinvestav also awards “Elisa Acuña” scholarships for accepted doctoral students. Some programs (e.g. Advanced Summer School) include housing and meals. Application periods follow Cinvestav (February, August) and CONAHCYT (November for March start, August for September). Contact the relevant department or cinvestav.mx Convocatorias/Becas.

Quick facts

  • Founded: 1961
  • Teaching languages: Spanish, English, spanish
  • Study formats: offline

Contact