When do you pay in a pay after placement course? The fee trigger explained
In the MICA x Masai programme the fee starts after you join an eligible job, not when you interview or are shortlisted. Here are the rules on rejecting offers, finding your own job, being laid off and not being placed.
Quick answer: In the MICA x Masai programme the PAP fee starts after you join an eligible job, meaning an offer at or above the minimum CTC in your Placement Agreement, typically from ₹3 LPA. The fee is triggered one month after you join. Interviews, shortlisting and placement preparation don't trigger it, and rejecting an eligible offer does. If you meet every condition and aren't placed, no PAP fee is charged.
Terms as of 27 October 2026.
The timeline, in order
- You complete the programme. Placement preparation begins towards the end of the learning phase, and the placement window opens once you have completed the programme and become eligible to take part.
- Interviews and offers arrive over several months. Placements are staggered, so classmates are placed at different times, and any timeline you are shown is only illustrative.
- You receive an eligible offer and join the company.
- The post-joining period runs. The fee is triggered after one month of joining, and your Placement Agreement sets the exact period, for example 30 days after joining.
- Your payment cycle begins. You pay in one go, or you choose EMI and attend a session with an NBFC partner. The guide to MICA Business Analytics with AI fees and EMI works out the totals.
What counts as an eligible placement
An eligible placement is a job offer at or above the minimum CTC threshold in your programme agreement, typically starting from ₹3 LPA. The band your CTC falls in sets the amount: ₹1,80,000 for ₹3.00 to ₹4.99 LPA and ₹2,50,000 for ₹5.00 LPA and above, plus GST.
CTC means cost to company. It is the annual figure on your offer letter and can include pay components that don't reach you as monthly take-home. An offer below the threshold isn't an eligible placement.
What doesn't trigger the fee
The fee isn't triggered when placement preparation starts, when interviews begin, or when you are shortlisted or selected. It is linked to a successful employment outcome: securing an eligible offer and joining the organisation.
Can you reject an offer?
No. You can't reject an eligible placement offer under the programme terms. If you do, the fee is triggered regardless, as though you had accepted. Company and location preferences aren't accepted either. The model works best for learners who are open to any eligible offer.
What if you find a job yourself?
The fee still applies. Masai is not a placement agency charging for a job introduction. The fee pays for the teaching and upskilling delivered through the programme, so it applies however you secure the job.
What if you aren't placed?
If you have met all the eligibility criteria, taken part in placements, kept to the Code of Conduct, and Masai is unable to place you in an eligible role, the PAP fee isn't triggered.
What you have already paid isn't refunded: ₹99, ₹10,000 plus GST, and ₹5,000 if you reached the Elevate unit. The eligibility criteria run through the whole programme: attendance of 90% or more, assignment completion of 80% or more, 60% or more in assessments, every project submitted, and the Code of Conduct. The MICA Masai qualifier test and Foundation Unit guide lists them with a plan for the first five weeks.
What if you lose the job?
If you are laid off, the company shuts down or your pay is cut, and the reason isn't behavioural or performance-related, Masai provides placement support for six months from the date of your placement or graduation.
What the Placement Agreement sets
The Placement Agreement sets the minimum CTC, the post-joining period and the exact trigger. The terms and acceptance letter reach you by email after you clear the qualifier test, before you pay the ₹10,000. The Placement Agreement is attached to your Foundation Test result, and you sign it to continue. If you don't sign, you are dropped from the programme and the ₹10,000 isn't refunded.
The situations in one table
| Situation | What happens |
|---|---|
| You are shortlisted or interviewed | No fee |
| You get an eligible offer and join | The fee is triggered after the post-joining period, one month after joining |
| You reject an eligible offer | The fee is triggered as though you had accepted it |
| You find a job without Masai's help | The fee still applies |
| You meet every condition and aren't placed | No PAP fee |
| You are laid off or the company closes, and it isn't performance or behaviour related | Six months of placement support, counted from the date of placement or graduation |
Frequently asked questions
How soon after joining do I pay?
The fee is triggered after one month of joining. The Placement Agreement sets the exact post-joining period, for example 30 days after joining.
Do I pay if my salary is below ₹3 LPA?
An offer below the minimum CTC threshold isn't an eligible placement, and the threshold typically starts from ₹3 LPA.
Can I choose EMI later?
You choose between one payment and EMI once you are placed. EMI goes through an NBFC partner, and the total is higher than the one-time amount.
Is placement guaranteed?
No. The Elevate unit doesn't guarantee placement. Masai provides placement support, which is not a job guarantee, and timing varies with your performance, interview readiness and hiring demand.
For the full picture of the model, read Masai Pay After Placement is back. The fees and FAQ are on the MICA Business Analytics with AI programme page.
Placement support is not a job guarantee. Past record is no guarantee of future prospects. The programme is offered by Masai in collaboration with MICA, Ahmedabad.