Content Curator | Updated on - Apr 8, 2026

The Ph.D. in Earth and Space Sciences at IIST, Thiruvananthapuram, is a full-time, campus-based doctoral programme offered by the Department of Earth and Space Sciences. The programme spans a minimum of 3 to 5 years and covers interdisciplinary research areas including astrophysics, atmospheric sciences, geology, planetary geosciences, remote sensing, and geoinformatics. IIST, being a Deemed University under the Department of Space (Government of India), offers a unique research environment with direct links to ISRO's scientific missions. The programme admits students twice a year (January and July sessions), with approximately 5 seats available per cycle across the department's research areas. Scholars receive a monthly fellowship of Rs. 37,000 (JRF) which is enhanced to Rs. 42,000 (SRF) after two years, making it a fully funded doctoral programme.

As of April 2026, the January 2026 batch has already commenced. The next admission cycle (July 2026) is expected to open for applications tentatively in April 2026, based on the previous year's schedule (April 08 - May 07, 2025 for the July 2025 session). Students are advised to regularly check the official IIST admissions portal at https://admission.iist.ac.in for the July 2026 notification.

Key Points

IIST is a Deemed University under the Department of Space, Government of India, with a direct research pipeline to ISRO.
The Ph.D. programme in Earth and Space Sciences covers research areas such as Astronomy and Astrophysics, Atmospheric Sciences, Remote Sensing and Geoinformatics, and Geology.
All selected scholars receive a fully funded fellowship (JRF: Rs. 37,000/month; SRF: Rs. 42,000/month) for up to 5 years.
Travel grants are provided to attend national and international conferences.
By the end of the second year, scholars must pass a Comprehensive Examination to upgrade from JRF to SRF status.
Scholars are required to assist departments in tutorials/practicals for up to 6 hours per week.
Hostel accommodation is provided on campus, subject to availability, with preference given to institute-funded scholars.
Out-of-station candidates are reimbursed sleeper class train/bus fare for attending the screening test and interview.

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Fees
Admission
Scholarships
FAQs

IIST Trivandrum Latest Updates & News

16 Apr, 2026 IIST Trivandrum PhD Fee Structure 2026 has been released. The total academic fee is ₹ 54,800 .

IIST Ph.D. (Earth Space Science) Fees

The Ph.D. programme at IIST is highly affordable given its fully funded nature. The one-time admission fee at the time of joining is Rs. 10,000, which includes a refundable caution deposit of Rs. 5,000. Each semester, scholars pay a total academic fee of Rs. 7,450. Hostel and mess charges are additional and amount to Rs. 28,250 per semester. SC/ST/PwD students are exempted from paying tuition fees.

Fee Components

Fee Component	Amount (Rs.)
One-Time Fees (at Admission)
Admission Fee (Non-Refundable)	500
Campus Development Fee	1,000
Institute and Library Deposit (Refundable)	5,000
Alumni Fee (collected with final semester fee)	500
Convocation cum Degree Fee (collected with final semester fee)	2,000
Seminar/Thesis Fee (collected with final semester fee)	1,000
Total One-Time Fee	10,000
Semester Fees (per semester)
Tuition Fee	2,500
Computer Fee	750
Internet Fee	250
Library Fee	1,000
Examination Fee	500
Registration and Enrollment Fee	200
Sports Facilitation Fee	250
Medical and Insurance Fee	2,000
Total Semester Fee	7,450
Hostel and Mess Fee (per semester)
Hostel Establishment Charges	5,000
Hostel Rent	4,500
Electricity and Water Charges	750
Mess Advance (6 months)	18,000
Total Hostel and Mess Fee	28,250
Grand Total at Admission (1st Semester)	45,700
Total Fee from 2nd Semester Onwards (per semester)	35,700

Institute and Library Deposit of Rs. 5,000 is refundable at the time of leaving the institute.
Alumni Fee, Convocation cum Degree Fee, and Seminar/Thesis Fee are collected along with the final semester fee.
SC/ST/PwD students are exempted from Tuition Fee (Rs. 2,500 per semester).
Seat Acceptance Fee of Rs. 4,950 is to be paid upon confirmation of seat.
Mess bill corresponds to Rs. 3,000 per month; advance of 6 months is collected by the Canteen office after physical reporting.
Additional fees: Supplementary Examination Fee - Rs. 100 per paper; PhD Re-registration Fee - Rs. 1,500; Thesis Submission Fee - Rs. 1,000; Convocation Fee - Rs. 2,000; Alumni Registration Fee - Rs. 500.
Hostel accommodation is not mandatory but is provided on campus subject to availability.
Scholars staying outside campus are eligible for HRA.
Fees are subject to change at the discretion of the institute.

IIST Ph.D. (Earth Space Science) Admission 2026

IIST conducts Ph.D. admissions twice a year - for January and July sessions. The selection process involves shortlisting based on national eligibility test scores (GATE/CSIR/UGC-NET/JEST/NBHM), followed by a Screening Test (for candidates without valid national test scores) and/or a Direct Interview. The January 2026 session has already concluded. The July 2026 session is expected to open for applications tentatively in April 2026, based on the previous year's pattern.

IIST Ph.D. Admission Dates

Sl. No.	Event	Tentative Date (July 2026 Session)
1	Opening of IIST website for online applications	April 2026 (tentative)
2	Closing of IIST website for online applications	May 2026 (tentative)
3	Display of shortlisted candidates for Screening Test and Direct Interview	Mid-May 2026 (tentative)
4	Screening Test (IIST Campus, Valiamala)	Mid-June 2026 (tentative)
5	Interview Dates (IIST Campus, Valiamala)	Mid-June 2026 (tentative)
6	Display of provisionally selected candidates	Late June/Early July 2026 (tentative)
7	Fee payment for first allotment	Early July 2026 (tentative)
8	Reporting date at the Institution	Late July 2026 (tentative)
9	Classes begin for Ph.D. Programme	Late July 2026 (tentative)
10	Last date of Admission	Mid-August 2026 (tentative)

Dates are tentative and based on the July 2025 admission cycle. Official notification for July 2026 is expected on the IIST admissions portal.

Entrance Exam Dates

Exam	Exam Date	Result/Score Validity	Remarks
GATE 2026	February 7, 8, 14, 15, 2026	March 19, 2026 (Result)	Valid for Physics, Geology and Geophysics, Environmental Science and Engineering streams
JEST 2026	April 12, 2026	To be announced	For Physics and Astrophysics specializations
CSIR NET June 2026	June 2026 (tentative)	To be announced	For Earth Sciences, Physical Sciences
UGC NET June 2026	June 25-29, 2026 (tentative)	To be announced	For relevant science disciplines

The dates mentioned above are tentative and subject to change.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicant must be an Indian citizen, below 35 years of age (age relaxation as per Government rules for reserved categories).
Master's degree in relevant area (Physics, Atmospheric Science, Geoinformatics, Remote Sensing, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Earth System Science, or equivalent) with minimum 60% marks (55% for OBC/EWS/SC/ST/PwD); OR B.E./B.Tech. with 75% marks (70% for reserved categories) with a valid GATE score; OR 4-year Bachelor's degree in Science with 75% marks and a valid national eligibility test score.
Must have qualified a national eligibility test such as GATE, CSIR-NET, UGC-NET, JEST, or NBHM in the relevant discipline (score must be valid at the time of application); candidates without a valid national test score may appear for IIST's own Screening Test.

Admission Process

Apply online through the IIST admissions portal: https://admission.iist.ac.in
Upload relevant documents including qualifying degree certificates, national eligibility test scorecard, and category certificates (if applicable).
Shortlisted candidates are called for a Screening Test (objective type, 1 hour) if they do not hold a valid national eligibility test score.
Candidates with valid GATE/CSIR/UGC-NET/JEST/NBHM scores are directly called for an Interview.
Final selection is based on interview performance; UR candidates must score 60% or above, and SC/ST/PwD/OBC/EWS candidates must score 55% or above in the interview.
Provisionally selected candidates must pay the Seat Acceptance Fee of Rs. 4,950 to confirm their seat.
Application fee: Rs. 700 for General/EWS/OBC; Rs. 350 for SC/ST/PwD and Women applicants (non-refundable).
Candidates can apply to a maximum of four broad research areas, including across departments.

IIST Ph.D. (Earth Space Science) Scholarships 2026

IIST provides a fully funded fellowship to all institute-funded Ph.D. scholars, making external scholarships largely supplementary. The institute fellowship is one of the most competitive in India for space and earth sciences research. Additionally, scholars funded by external agencies such as CSIR, UGC, DST, NBHM, and State Government Science and Technology Schemes draw their fellowship from the respective funding agencies.

Fellowship Details

Scholarship / Fellowship	Amount	Duration	Eligibility
IIST Junior Research Fellowship (JRF)	Rs. 37,000 per month	First 2 years of Ph.D.	All institute-funded Ph.D. scholars
IIST Senior Research Fellowship (SRF)	Rs. 42,000 per month	Up to 3 years after JRF (max 5 years total)	Based on performance review after 2 years
CSIR/UGC-NET JRF	Rs. 37,000 per month (JRF); Rs. 42,000 per month (SRF)	As per agency norms	Candidates qualifying CSIR/UGC-NET JRF
NBHM Fellowship	As per NBHM norms	As per agency norms	Candidates qualifying NBHM
JEST Fellowship	As per funding agency	As per agency norms	Candidates qualifying JEST with valid rank
National Fellowship for SC Students (NFSC)	Rs. 31,000 per month (JRF)	As per UGC norms	SC category Ph.D. scholars
National Fellowship for ST Students (NFST)	Rs. 31,000 per month (JRF)	As per UGC norms	ST category Ph.D. scholars

IIST fellowship is available for a maximum of 5 years (2 years JRF + 3 years SRF), subject to satisfactory performance review.
Scholars receiving external fellowships (CSIR, UGC, DST, etc.) will draw their fellowship from the respective agency; IIST will not bear the fellowship if it is stopped by the agency for any reason.
HRA is provided to scholars who stay outside the campus.
Travel grants are available for attending national and international conferences.
SC/ST/PwD scholars are exempted from tuition fees.

IIST Ph.D. (Earth Space Science) FAQs

Ques. Is the Ph.D. in Earth and Space Sciences at IIST directly connected to ISRO projects?

Ans. Yes, IIST is a Deemed University under the Department of Space, Government of India, and has a strong research collaboration with ISRO. Many Ph.D. scholars work on projects that are directly aligned with ISRO's ongoing missions in areas like remote sensing, atmospheric sciences, and astrophysics. Faculty members often have active collaborations with ISRO centres, and scholars may get opportunities to work with ISRO data and infrastructure.

Ques. Can I apply for the Ph.D. programme without a GATE or NET score?

Ans. Yes, you can apply even without a valid GATE/CSIR/UGC-NET/JEST/NBHM score. In such cases, you will be required to appear for IIST's own Screening Test (objective type, 1 hour), and if you qualify, you will be called for an interview. However, having a valid national eligibility test score gives you a direct interview call, which is a significant advantage.

Ques. What research areas are available under Ph.D. (Earth and Space Sciences) at IIST?

Ans. The Department of Earth and Space Sciences at IIST offers research in Astronomy and Astrophysics, Atmospheric Sciences, Remote Sensing and Geospatial Data Intelligence, Geology, and Planetary Geosciences. For each admission cycle, specific research areas and available positions are listed in the official notification. For January 2026, areas like Geospatial Data Intelligence, Astronomy and Astrophysics, and Atmospheric Science were advertised.

Ques. Is hostel accommodation guaranteed for Ph.D. scholars at IIST?

Ans. Hostel accommodation is provided on campus subject to availability, with preference given to institute-funded scholars. Scholars who are not allotted hostel accommodation are eligible for House Rent Allowance (HRA) as per institute norms.

Ques. How many seats are available for Ph.D. (Earth and Space Sciences) at IIST per year?

Ans. IIST offers approximately 5 seats for Ph.D. in Earth and Space Sciences per admission cycle (January and July sessions combined). The exact number of seats and area-wise distribution is determined by the institute for each session and is published in the official admission notification.

Ques. What is the career scope after completing a Ph.D. in Earth and Space Sciences from IIST?

Ans. Graduates of this programme have strong career prospects in academia (as faculty or post-doctoral researchers at IITs, IISc, and international universities), research organisations (ISRO, DRDO, CSIR labs, IMD, SAC, NRSC), and the growing space-tech startup sector. The IIST brand, combined with the research environment and ISRO linkage, makes graduates highly competitive for positions in space science, atmospheric research, remote sensing, and astrophysics globally.