UPES Dehradun offers a full-time and part-time PhD across 7 schools and 5 interdisciplinary research centres, covering Engineering, Computer Science, Business, Design, Health Sciences, Law, and Liberal Studies. The total programme fee is INR 6,00,000 for 3 years for most programmes, rising to INR 12,00,000 for select programmes. UPES is ranked 43rd in Engineering and 45th overall among Indian universities by NIRF 2025.
📋 Admission Status: Admissions expected to open December 2026 (Tentative) for the January 2027 intake.
Key Points
Full-time PhD fees are INR 1,00,000 per semester (6 semesters) for most programmes. Full-time scholars also receive a 75% semester fee waiver, reducing the effective out-of-pocket semester cost to INR 25,000 for eligible scholars. Select interdisciplinary or professional programmes carry a higher fee of INR 2,00,000 per semester.
| Programme Type | Total Fees (3 Years) |
|---|---|
| PhD Standard (Engineering, CS, Business, Law, Liberal Studies, Design, Health Sciences) | INR 6,00,000 |
| PhD Select Programmes (higher-fee tracks) | INR 12,00,000 |
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| July 2026 Application Deadline | June 10, 2026 (Concluded) |
| January 2027 Applications (Estimated) | December 2026 (Tentative) |
The dates mentioned above are tentative and subject to change.
Here is how UPES PhD compares with similar private universities on fees, admission exams, and ratings.
| College | Fees (3 Yrs) | Exams | Stipend | CD Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UPES Dehradun | 6 L to 12 L | RET GATE UGC-NET | INR 25,000 to 30,000/month (FT) | 4.0/5 |
| Manipal University Jaipur | 1 L to 5.7 L | UGC-NET or equivalent | Not Disclosed | 4.1/5 |
| Amity University Noida | 2.5 L to 16 L | PI-based (APET at some campuses) | Not Disclosed | 3.5/5 |
| SRM IST Chennai | Not Disclosed | SRMJEEE-PhD University Entrance | Not Disclosed | 4.0/5 |
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UPES does not offer a separate named scholarship for PhD students. The monthly stipend and fee waiver constitute the primary financial support. Additional concessions apply for UPES-affiliated applicants.
| Support | Criteria | Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time PhD Fellowship | Full-time enrolment, maintaining progress milestones | INR 25,000 to 30,000 per month + INR 30,000 annual contingency + 75% fee waiver |
| Alumni Scholarship | UPES graduate (2021 or later) | 50% fee concession on part-time PhD |
| Employee Ward Concession | Children of UPES employees | 75% fee concession |
According to Collegedunia Ranking 2025, UPES ranks #94 out of 370 colleges in India. The college has an overall Collegedunia score of 605/2000, calculated based on NAAC grade, exam cutoff, rankings, placements and student reviews.
UPES is ranked by several ranking agencies such as NIRF, The Week, Outlook. Some of these rankings are as follows-
| Ranking Agency | Latest | Previous |
|---|---|---|
 | #136 out of 500 (2026) #3rd Uttarakhand | #87 out of 762 (2025) #4th Uttarakhand |
 | #72 out of 131 (2023) #2nd Uttarakhand | #44 out of 190 (2022) #2nd Uttarakhand |
 | #43 out of 300 (2025) #2nd Uttarakhand | #42 out of 300 (2024) #2nd Uttarakhand |
 | #34 out of 160 (2023) | #26 out of 160 (2022) |
 | #84 out of 173 (2024) | #82 out of 166 (2023) |
Ques. How does the UPES PhD stipend compare to UGC-JRF rates?
Ans. UGC-JRF pays INR 37,000 per month (rising to INR 42,000 as SRF), which is higher than UPES’s INR 25,000 to 30,000 range. However, UGC-JRF requires clearing the national NET-JRF examination, which is highly competitive. UPES’s fellowship is institutionally funded and available to any qualifying full-time scholar without a national qualifying exam. If a UGC-JRF or CSIR fellowship is available, pursuing it at a central university will typically deliver both a higher stipend and better academic credibility.
Ques. What are the strongest research areas at UPES for a PhD candidate?
Ans. UPES’s Centre for Data Science and AI, CAER (clean energy: biofuels, microalgae, plastic-to-energy), and CIDRI (advanced materials, environmental sensors, digital health) have documented research output with funded projects. The Machine Intelligence Research Centre uses HPE Apollo servers with Tesla V100 GPUs. Himalayan sustainability and Indian Knowledge Systems are niche but active areas. For mainstream engineering or management research, the output is competitive at private-university level but well below IITs or NITs.
Ques. Can a working professional complete a UPES PhD part-time?
Ans. Yes. UPES explicitly offers a part-time PhD mode for working professionals. Part-time scholars pay the full semester fee with no stipend or waiver, making the total cost INR 6 lakh to INR 12 lakh over 3 years. The research proposal and PI requirements are the same. Completing the thesis within the minimum duration (typically 3 years) is harder in part-time mode. Confirm current part-time timelines with the UPES PhD office before applying.
Ques. Are publications required to submit a UPES PhD thesis?
Ans. UPES requires PhD scholars to publish in peer-reviewed Scopus or SCI-indexed journals as a condition for thesis submission. The minimum publication requirement should be confirmed with the supervising school, as it may vary by discipline. This is standard practice at most Indian private universities and is consistent with UGC PhD regulations. Candidates should assess the publication environment and available journals in their research area before committing to a specific centre at UPES.
Ques. How many intakes does UPES PhD have and which cycle is better to apply for?
Ans. UPES admits PhD scholars twice a year: a January intake (applications open around November to December) and a July intake (applications open around April to May). Both cycles follow the same RET and PI process. The January cycle typically has fewer applicants. Neither cycle is inherently better for acceptance odds. Candidates with qualifying exemptions (GATE, NET, GPAT) can apply to either cycle and skip the RET.
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