Content Curator | Updated on - Mar 31, 2026

The Ph.D. (Law) programme at SASTRA Deemed University is a full-time doctoral degree offered under the School of Law (LAW). The programme spans a minimum of 3 years and a maximum of 6 years, and is designed for candidates seeking to contribute to legal scholarship, policy research, and academic careers in law. SASTRA's School of Law is known for its strong moot court tradition and the prestigious Nani Palkhivala Memorial Lecture series, and the Ph.D. programme benefits from a faculty with expertise across constitutional law, corporate law, intellectual property, international law, and human rights. The programme is popular among law graduates, legal practitioners, and academicians seeking to advance their research credentials. SASTRA is ranked #11 among deemed universities by NIRF 2025 and is NAAC accredited.

As of March 2026, the Ph.D. (Law) admissions for the January 2026 batch have been completed. The application window for the January 2026 batch (Law) was open from January 19, 2026 to March 30, 2026. The next admission cycle is expected for the July 2026 or October 2026 batch. Applications are accepted throughout the year and admissions are processed quarterly. Candidates are advised to apply well in advance and monitor the official SASTRA website (sastra.edu) for the next call for applications.

Key Points

The Ph.D. (Law) programme is offered under the School of Law (LAW) at SASTRA Deemed University, Thanjavur.
Admissions are conducted quarterly (January, April, July, October), giving candidates multiple entry points in a year.
Candidates who have qualified UGC-NET (including JRF), UPSC, or other recognized competitive exams are exempted from the entrance test but must clear the interview.
Full-time internal research scholars may be appointed as Teaching Assistants (TA) with a monthly stipend.
Scholars must complete a minimum of 4 courses (at least 12 credits) and pass a Research Critique before proceeding to thesis work.
A minimum of 1 publication in a peer-reviewed journal is required before synopsis submission; 2 publications are required before final thesis defence.
SASTRA's School of Law hosts the prestigious Nani Palkhivala Memorial Lecture and has an active moot court programme.
The programme is recognized under UGC regulations and SASTRA is NAAC accredited.

Official Link:

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Highlights
Fees
Admission
Scholarships
Ranking
FAQs

SASTRA Latest Updates and News

01 Apr, 2026 Sastra University Phase 1 Registration 2026 begins @sastra.edu. The last date to apply ranges between Apr 19 & Jun 5, 2026. Learn more.

SASTRA Ph.D. (Law) Fees

The Ph.D. (Law) programme at SASTRA involves a tuition fee payable per semester, along with a one-time development fee and other charges at the time of admission. The indicative fee structure based on official sources is as follows:

Fee Components

Fee Component	Amount (Rs.)
Tuition Fee (per semester)	20,000 (indicative, as per Law/Arts/Humanities category)
Special/Registration/Medical Exam Fees (one-time, at admission)	4,750
Sports and Unit Test Fee (per annum)	1,000
Total Fees (for 6 semesters / 3 years, excluding hostel)	1,25,750 (indicative)

Hostel Fees (Optional, not mandatory)

Room Type	Non-AC (per annum)	AC (per annum)
Single Room	Rs. 25,000	Rs. 80,000
2-in-1	Rs. 20,000	Rs. 60,000
3-in-1	Rs. 16,000	Rs. 55,000
Single (Bath Attached)	Rs. 30,000	Rs. 90,000

The tuition fee for Ph.D. (Law) is indicative; candidates should confirm the exact fee with the admissions office at the time of selection.
Hostel fees are optional and not included in the total fees above.
Mess/food charges are billed separately on a monthly basis.
Fee payment is to be made through online banking as per university norms.
No EMI option is officially mentioned; fees are typically paid semester-wise.

SASTRA Ph.D. (Law) Admission 2026

Admissions to the Ph.D. (Law) programme at SASTRA are conducted quarterly throughout the year. The selection process involves a written entrance test (or exemption for NET/UPSC qualified candidates) followed by an interview. The application window for the January 2026 batch (Law) was open from January 19, 2026 to March 30, 2026. The next cycle is expected around July 2026 or October 2026.

SASTRA Ph.D. (Law) Admission Dates

Event	Date
Application Window (January 2026 batch - Law)	January 19, 2026 - March 30, 2026
Application Open (Rolling/Quarterly)	Throughout the year
Entrance Test and/or Interview (January 2026 batch)	December 12, 2025
Intimation of Selection (January 2026 batch)	On or before December 20, 2025
Date of Joining (January 2026 batch)	January 5, 2026
Next Expected Admission Cycle	July 2026 / October 2026 (Tentative)

UGC-NET Exam Dates

Event	Date
UGC-NET Phase 1 Application Window	October 7, 2025 - November 7, 2025
UGC-NET Phase 1 Admit Card	December 28, 2025
UGC-NET Phase 1 Exam	December 31, 2025 - January 7, 2026
UGC-NET Phase 1 Result	February 4, 2026
UGC-NET Phase 2 Application (Tentative)	April 2026 - May 2026
UGC-NET Phase 2 Exam (Tentative)	June 2026

Note: UGC-NET qualified candidates (including JRF) and UPSC qualified candidates are exempted from SASTRA's entrance test but must appear for the interview.

The dates mentioned above are tentative and subject to change.

Eligibility Criteria

Candidates must hold a two-year/four-semester master's degree in Law (LL.M.) or an equivalent qualification with a minimum of 55% aggregate marks from a recognized university.
Alternatively, candidates with a four-year/eight-semester bachelor's degree with a minimum of 75% marks may be considered.
A 5% relaxation in marks is applicable for SC/ST/OBC (non-creamy layer), Differently Abled, and EWS candidates.

Admission Process

Apply online through the SASTRA admissions portal (sastra.edu) or the School of Law research application portal.
Shortlisted candidates are called for a written entrance test (syllabus communicated by email) and/or interview.
Candidates with valid UGC-NET (JRF/LS) or UPSC scores are exempted from the written test but must clear the interview.
Based on the interview performance and availability of a research supervisor in the proposed area, provisional registration is granted.
Provisional registration is done quarterly (first week of January, April, July, or October).
Doctoral Committee is constituted within one month of provisional registration.

SASTRA Ph.D. (Law) Scholarships 2026

Research scholars enrolled in the Ph.D. (Law) programme at SASTRA may be eligible for various fellowships and scholarships from government and non-government bodies. The following scholarships and fellowships are relevant for Ph.D. (Law) scholars:

Scholarships and Fellowships

Scholarship / Fellowship	Offered By	Amount	Eligibility
UGC-JRF (Junior Research Fellowship)	UGC / NTA	Rs. 37,000/month (JRF); Rs. 42,000/month (SRF)	UGC-NET JRF qualified candidates (Law paper)
UGC Non-NET Fellowship	UGC	Rs. 8,000/month (JRF); Rs. 9,000/month (SRF)	Full-time Ph.D. scholars not covered under JRF
AICTE Yashasvi Scholarship	AICTE	Up to Rs. 50,000/year	SC/ST/OBC/EWS students in AICTE-approved institutions
National Scholarship Portal (NSP) Scholarships	Govt. of India	Varies	Based on category and income criteria
SASTRA Teaching Assistantship (TA)	SASTRA University	Stipend (communicated at admission)	Full-time internal scholars selected as TAs

UGC-NET (Law) JRF is the most significant financial support available to Ph.D. (Law) scholars; candidates are strongly encouraged to qualify UGC-NET with JRF.
The SRF rate of Rs. 42,000/month applies after the first two years of the JRF tenure.
Candidates should apply for government fellowships independently through the respective portals.
Scholarship amounts and conditions are subject to revision by the respective awarding bodies.

SASTRA Ph.D Law Ranking

Collegedunia Ranking

#42 out of 102 in India 2025

#3rd in Tamil Nadu

NIRF Ranking

#11 out of 40 in India 2025

#1st in Tamil Nadu

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SASTRA Ph.D. (Law) FAQs

Ques. Does SASTRA University offer Ph.D. in Law? What is the School of Law like?

Ans. Yes, SASTRA Deemed University offers a full-time Ph.D. in Law under its School of Law (LAW). The School of Law is known for its strong academic environment, active moot court programme, and the prestigious Nani Palkhivala Memorial Lecture series. SASTRA is NAAC accredited and ranked #11 among deemed universities by NIRF 2025.

Ques. What is the application process for Ph.D. (Law) at SASTRA? Is there a separate application window for Law?

Ans. Yes, SASTRA has a separate application window for Ph.D. (Law). For the January 2026 batch, the application window was open from January 19, 2026 to March 30, 2026. Applications are generally accepted throughout the year with quarterly admissions. Candidates should monitor the official SASTRA website for the next call for applications.

Ques. I have an LL.M. degree. Am I eligible for Ph.D. (Law) at SASTRA?

Ans. Yes. Candidates with an LL.M. degree (two-year/four-semester) with a minimum of 55% aggregate marks from a recognized university are eligible for Ph.D. (Law) at SASTRA. Candidates with a five-year integrated law degree (B.A. LL.B./B.B.A. LL.B./B.Com. LL.B.) with 75% marks may also be considered for direct Ph.D. admission.

Ques. What research areas are available under Ph.D. (Law) at SASTRA?

Ans. The Ph.D. (Law) programme at SASTRA covers a broad range of research areas including constitutional law, corporate and commercial law, intellectual property rights, international law, human rights law, environmental law, criminal law, and legal theory. The specific research area depends on the availability of a recognized research supervisor at SASTRA's School of Law.

Ques. What is the minimum duration to complete Ph.D. (Law) at SASTRA?

Ans. The minimum duration is 3 years from the date of provisional registration. The maximum duration is 6 years, extendable by up to 2 more years with Vice-Chancellor approval. Scholars must complete coursework (minimum 4 courses), pass a Research Critique, publish at least 1 paper before synopsis submission, and 2 papers before final defence.

Ques. Can a practicing advocate or legal professional pursue Ph.D. (Law) at SASTRA?

Ans. Yes. SASTRA offers Part-time External Research Scholar status for candidates from recognized institutions, R&D organizations, and corporates. Legal professionals from law firms, courts, or government legal departments may be eligible as external candidates. The selection for external candidates is based on a critique of peer-reviewed journal articles presented before a pre-registration committee chaired by the Dean-Research.