Content Curator | Updated on - Mar 31, 2026

The Ph.D. in Geological Sciences (Geoscience) at UPES (University of Petroleum and Energy Studies), Dehradun, is a full-time, on-campus doctoral research program offered under the School of Advanced Engineering. The program spans a minimum of 3 years and can extend up to 6 years, covering interdisciplinary research in Earth sciences including seismic activity, volcanic processes, climate change dynamics, natural resource exploration, groundwater assessment, geo-hazards, geochemistry, hydrology, and geospatial analysis. The program fee is INR 1,00,000 per semester; however, full-time scholars receive a 75% waiver, bringing the effective semester fee down to INR 25,000. The primary entrance exam is the UPES Research Entrance Test (RET), though candidates qualified in UGC-NET, CSIR-NET, GATE, SET, GPAT, or INSPIRE are exempted. The program is particularly relevant given Dehradun's proximity to the Himalayas, offering unique fieldwork opportunities in seismology, glaciology, and Himalayan geology.

Admissions for the July 2026 intake are expected to open around April-May 2026, based on the July 2025 cycle (Last Date to Apply: 1st June 2025). The January 2026 intake cycle had a last date to apply of December 4, 2025, with the session commencing on February 16, 2026. For the upcoming July 2026 cycle, tentative dates are expected to follow the same pattern as July 2025. Candidates are advised to monitor the official UPES PhD admissions portal at phd.upes.ac.in for the latest updates.

Key Points

The program is offered under the School of Advanced Engineering at UPES, Dehradun, with a focus on interdisciplinary Earth science research.
Research areas include seismology, climate science, geochemistry, hydrology, geological hazards, natural resource exploration, subsurface hydrogen storage, groundwater exploration, GIS, and remote sensing.
The curriculum incorporates geological fieldwork, allowing students to conduct on-site research, collect data, and analyze geological formations in local and remote regions.
Students gain proficiency in advanced geo-data analysis and modeling software and tools for interpreting complex geological and environmental data.
Full-time PhD scholars (up to 100 selected scholars) receive a monthly fellowship of INR 25,000 during coursework and INR 30,000 per month thereafter, for up to 3 years from commencement.
Candidates qualified in UGC-NET/CSIR-NET/GATE/SET/GPAT/INSPIRE are exempted from the UPES RET exam.
UPES is ranked 46th among universities in India (NIRF 2024) and 148th in QS World Rankings Asia 2025.
Interviews are conducted online via MS Teams; candidates are not required to visit the campus for the interview.

Official Link:

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Highlights
Fees
Admission
Scholarships
FAQs

UPES PhD Geological Sciences Fees

The Ph.D. (Geological Sciences) program at UPES has a semester fee of INR 1,00,000 for part-time scholars. Full-time scholars benefit from a 75% waiver on the program semester fee, reducing the effective fee to INR 25,000 per semester. Over a minimum 3-year (6-semester) duration, the total program fee for full-time scholars works out to INR 1,50,000, while part-time scholars pay INR 6,00,000 for the same duration. Additionally, a one-time refundable security deposit of INR 20,000 is payable at the time of registration.

Fee Structure

Fee Component	Full Time (per semester)	Part Time (per semester)
Program Semester Fee (before waiver)	INR 1,00,000	INR 1,00,000
Fee Waiver	75% waiver applicable	No waiver
Program Semester Fee (after waiver)	INR 25,000	INR 1,00,000
Total Program Fee (6 semesters / 3 years)	INR 1,50,000	INR 6,00,000
Refundable Security Deposit (one-time)	INR 20,000	INR 20,000
Total Fees (including security deposit)	INR 1,70,000	INR 6,20,000

The refundable security deposit of INR 20,000 is interest-free and is returned upon completion/exit from the program as per university norms.
Application fee: INR 1,000 (non-refundable), payable at the time of submitting the online application.
Hostel facility is optional and not mandatory. Hostel fee for AY 2026-27: INR 1,83,000 per year (triple sharing, common washroom) to INR 2,32,000 per year (double sharing, attached washroom) depending on the campus and room type. An additional refundable hostel security of INR 10,000 is applicable.
All scholarships/fellowships are payable as per the university's policy and are subject to change.
Fee payment schedule: 1st semester fee is payable at the time of admission; subsequent semester fees are payable as per the schedule communicated by the university.
If any taxes/levies are charged by Central/State/Local Authorities, the same shall be borne by the student.

UPES PhD Geological Sciences Admission 2026

Admissions to the Ph.D. (Geological Sciences) program at UPES are conducted twice a year - July intake and January intake. The selection process involves an online application, the UPES Research Entrance Test (RET) (exempted for UGC-NET/GATE/SET/GPAT/CSIR/INSPIRE qualified candidates), submission of a research proposal (~1000 words), and an online interview via MS Teams. Based on the July 2025 cycle, the July 2026 intake is expected to follow a similar timeline. The January 2026 intake cycle has already concluded with the session commencing in February 2026.

UPES PhD Admission Dates

Key Timeline	July 2025 Intake (Actual)	July 2026 Intake (Tentative)
Last Date to Apply	1st June 2025	~1st June 2026
RET Exam	11th June 2025	~11th June 2026
RET Result Declaration	27th June 2025	~27th June 2026
Research Proposal Submission	5th July 2025	~5th July 2026
Online Interview Booking	15th July 2025	~15th July 2026
Interviews (Online - MS Teams)	28th, 29th & 30th July 2025	~28th-30th July 2026
Interview Result Declaration	12th August 2025	~12th August 2026
Last Date to Pay Fee	17th August 2025	~17th August 2026
Registration Date	22nd August 2025	~22nd August 2026
Orientation Date	25th August 2025	~25th August 2026
Commencement of Session	27th August 2025	~27th August 2026

Entrance Exam Dates

Exam	Exam Date	Registration Period	Result/Remarks
GATE 2026	Feb 7, 8, 14 & 15, 2026	Aug 28 - Oct 13, 2025	Result: Mar 19, 2026. Valid GATE score exempts from RET.
CSIR-UGC NET Dec 2025	18th December 2025	Sep 25 - Oct 27, 2025	Qualified candidates exempted from RET
UGC-NET Dec 2025	Dec 31, 2025 - Jan 7, 2026	-	Qualified candidates exempted from RET
UGC-NET June 2026	Expected Jun 25-29, 2026	Expected Apr 2026	Qualified candidates exempted from RET

The dates mentioned above are tentative and subject to change.

Eligibility Criteria

Master's degree or equivalent in Geology, Geoscience, Applied Geology, Earth Sciences, Geophysics, or a relevant discipline with a minimum of 55% marks (or equivalent grade) from a recognized institute.
Candidates with a 4-year Bachelor's degree with a minimum of 75% marks or 7.5 CGPA (on a 10-point scale) are also eligible.
Candidates must qualify the UPES RET (Research Entrance Test) unless exempted by holding a valid UGC-NET/CSIR-NET/GATE/SET/GPAT/INSPIRE qualification.

Admission Process

Fill the online application form at phd.upes.ac.in and pay the application fee of INR 1,000.
Appear for the UPES RET (online proctored, via Codetantra platform) - 3 hours, 100 marks (50 marks Research/General Aptitude + 50 marks Domain-specific Geoscience questions). Exempted for UGC-NET/GATE/SET/GPAT/CSIR/INSPIRE qualified candidates.
RET-qualified and exempted candidates submit a Research Proposal (~1000 words) to phd@upes.ac.in.
Book an online interview slot via the link shared by the university.
Appear for an online interview conducted via MS Teams (no campus visit required).
Receive offer letter upon selection; pay the enrolment fee as per the offer letter.
Complete registration and attend orientation on campus.

UPES PhD Geological Sciences Scholarships 2026

UPES offers significant financial support to PhD scholars, making the program financially accessible. Full-time PhD scholars benefit from a 75% waiver on the semester fee and are eligible for a monthly fellowship. Additionally, UPES alumni, employees' wards, and sports achievers can avail further concessions. In AY 2023-24, UPES awarded INR 46 Crore in scholarships benefiting 6,844 students across all programs.

Scholarship Details

Scholarship / Fellowship	Eligibility	Amount / Benefit
Full-Time PhD Fee Waiver	All full-time PhD scholars	75% waiver on program semester fee (fee reduced from INR 1,00,000 to INR 25,000 per semester)
UPES PhD Fellowship (Stipend)	Up to 100 selected full-time PhD scholars	INR 25,000/month during coursework; INR 30,000/month post-coursework (up to 3 years from commencement)
INSPIRE/CSIR-NET-JRF Scholastic Grant	INSPIRE/CSIR-NET-JRF qualified candidates	INR 2,00,000 per year for scholastic purposes
Alumni Scholarship	UPES alumni (graduated 2021 onwards) enrolled in Part-Time PhD	50% fee waiver on Part-Time PhD program fee
Employee Ward Scholarship	Wards of UPES employees in Part-Time PhD	75% scholarship on semester fee (Tuition + Academic Service fee)
Employee Sibling Ward Scholarship	Sibling wards of UPES employees in Part-Time PhD	50% scholarship on semester fee
Employee Spouse Scholarship	Spouse of UPES employees in Part-Time PhD	50% scholarship on semester fee
Vijay Scholarship (Sports)	National/International level sportspersons	35% to 100% on tuition fees based on level of achievement
Domicile Scholarship	Uttarakhand domicile students	25% on tuition fee per semester

All scholarships and fellowships are subject to the university's policy and may be revised at the university's discretion.
A student is eligible for only one type of scholarship/concession at a time (highest applicable is awarded).
Fellowship continuation after 3 years is based on performance.
INSPIRE/CSIR-NET-JRF grant of INR 2,00,000 per year is subject to university's discretionary policy.
Candidates receiving fellowship/scholarship from any other source (public or private) will not be eligible for UPES fellowship/financial assistance.

UPES PhD Geological Sciences FAQs

Ques. What makes UPES Dehradun a good choice for a PhD in Geological Sciences?

Ans. UPES Dehradun is strategically located in the foothills of the Himalayas, offering unique fieldwork opportunities in seismology, glaciology, Himalayan geology, and geo-hazard research that are difficult to replicate elsewhere. The School of Advanced Engineering has experienced faculty with expertise in geoscience research, and the university provides access to state-of-the-art research facilities and geo-data analysis tools. Additionally, UPES's strong industry connections with organizations like ONGC, Reliance, and GSI provide PhD scholars with exposure to real-world geoscience applications in the energy and natural resource sectors.

Ques. What are the research specializations available under PhD (Geological Sciences) at UPES?

Ans. The PhD in Geoscience at UPES offers flexibility to specialize in areas such as seismology, climate science, geochemistry, hydrology, geological hazards, natural resource exploration, subsurface hydrogen storage, groundwater exploration, GIS and remote sensing, geomorphology, land use planning, climate modeling, and the integration of big data and machine learning in geoscience. Students can tailor their PhD journey to align with their specific research interests and the faculty's ongoing projects.

Ques. What is the actual cost of doing a full-time PhD in Geological Sciences at UPES after the fee waiver?

Ans. Full-time PhD scholars at UPES receive a 75% waiver on the program semester fee. The fee per semester after waiver is INR 25,000 (original fee: INR 1,00,000). Over a minimum 3-year (6-semester) program, the total program fee comes to INR 1,50,000. Additionally, selected full-time scholars receive a monthly fellowship of INR 25,000 during coursework and INR 30,000 per month post-coursework, which effectively offsets the fee cost significantly.

Ques. Does the PhD (Geological Sciences) program at UPES involve fieldwork?

Ans. Yes, fieldwork is an integral part of the PhD in Geoscience program at UPES. The curriculum incorporates geological fieldwork, allowing students to conduct on-site research, collect data, and analyze geological formations. Fieldwork experiences can span both local regions (including the Himalayan foothills near Dehradun) and remote areas. This hands-on experience is particularly valuable for research in seismology, geomorphology, hydrology, and natural resource exploration.

Ques. What career opportunities are available after completing a PhD in Geological Sciences from UPES?

Ans. A PhD in Geological Sciences from UPES opens diverse career paths. Graduates find roles in academia and research institutions, government agencies like GSI (Geological Survey of India), USGS, and NASA, environmental consulting firms, energy companies like ONGC and Reliance, mining and mineral resource exploration, geospatial analysis and remote sensing, meteorology and climatology, natural hazards assessment and mitigation, hydrogeology and water resource management, and science communication. The program's strong industry connections with the energy sector make it particularly relevant for careers in oil and gas exploration and subsurface resource management.

Ques. Is GATE (Geology and Geophysics paper) accepted for PhD (Geological Sciences) admission at UPES?

Ans. Yes, a valid GATE score (including the Geology and Geophysics - GG paper) is accepted for PhD (Geological Sciences) admission at UPES. Candidates with a valid GATE score are exempted from the UPES RET (Research Entrance Test) and can directly proceed to the research proposal submission and online interview stages. This exemption applies to all GATE papers relevant to the candidate's research domain. The 75% fee waiver for full-time scholars applies regardless of the entrance exam route taken.