Content Curator | Updated on - Mar 31, 2026

The BA (Hons.) History programme at UPES, Dehradun, offered through the School of Liberal Studies and Media, is a 4-year full-time on-campus undergraduate degree structured as a 3+1 model (8 semesters). The programme focuses on the History of Modern South Asia and Global History, with thrust areas including Global Intellectual History, Indian Political Thought, and the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine. The total tuition and academic service fee is Rs. 8,88,000 over 4 years. Admission is based on a Personal Interview or valid CUET UG score. The programme is particularly suited for students aspiring to civil services, archival research, heritage management, journalism, policy think tanks, and academic careers at top global universities. A unique Archival Ideation Lab on campus houses rare documents from the 18th century onwards, giving students hands-on access to primary historical sources.

Admissions for the 2026-27 academic year are currently ongoing (as of March 2026). UPES conducts rolling admissions in multiple rounds; Round 3 applications were open until March 26, 2026. The next round of applications is expected to open in April 2026, with classes commencing in late July or early August 2026. Students are advised to apply early as seats are limited and scholarships are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.

Key Points

The programme follows a 3+1 model: 3 years of core coursework (6 semesters) followed by a Research Dissertation (Semester 7) and an Industry Research Fellowship (Semester 8), where students are placed in Vidhan Sabhas, State Archives, NGOs, Embassies, Think Tanks, and Museums.
A unique on-campus Archival Ideation Lab houses rare documents from the 18th century, including imperial gazettes, periodicals, old newspapers, and education commission reports, with a special focus on Uttarakhand history.
The programme offers multilingual training in Indian languages (Tamil, Bengali, Marathi, Gujarati, Telugu, Urdu) and European languages (French, Portuguese, Dutch), preparing students for global research careers.
Faculty members have been trained at and associated with the University of Cambridge, JNU, University of Delhi, Jadavpur University, and the Centre for Studies in Social Sciences, Calcutta.
Students can opt for Minors from other disciplines across UPES schools, enabling genuine interdisciplinary learning.
Swapaksha, the Philosophical Society run by History students, organises debates, roundtables, and publishes a biannual webzine, helping students prepare for UPSC group discussions and academic interviews.
Exchange semester opportunities are available with globally reputed institutions; current students have presented research at conferences at foreign universities.

Official Link:

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Highlights
Fees
Admission
Scholarships
FAQs

UPES Latest Updates and News

18 Feb, 2026 UPES BA {Hons.} History Fee Structure 2026 has been released. The total academic fee is ₹ 7.54 Lakhs. Read more.

UPES BA (Hons.) History Fees

The total programme fee for BA (Hons.) History at UPES for the 2026-27 batch is Rs. 8,88,000 (tuition and academic service fee combined over 4 years). In addition, students pay one-time charges such as the PDC fee (Rs. 23,300), Training and Certification fee (Rs. 31,300), and other mandatory charges. The refundable security deposit of Rs. 20,000 is collected at registration and returned upon programme completion. Hostel accommodation is optional and available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Fee Components

Fee Component	Amount
Tuition Fee (per semester)	Rs. 84,000
Academic Service Fee (per semester)	Rs. 27,000
Total Tuition + Academic Service Fee (8 semesters)	Rs. 8,88,000
PDC (Personality Development Course) Fee (one-time, UG)	Rs. 23,300
Training and Certification Fee (one-time, paid in Sem 2)	Rs. 31,300
Alumni Fee (one-time)	Rs. 2,100
Convocation Fee (one-time, paid in penultimate semester)	Rs. 3,300
Technology Fee (per semester, Year 1 only)	Rs. 3,800
Medical Insurance Fee (Year 1)	Rs. 500
I-Card Fee (one-time)	Rs. 500
Application Fee (one-time)	Rs. 1,750
Refundable Security Deposit (one-time)	Rs. 20,000
Total Fees (excluding hostel, including refundable security)	Rs. 9,74,350
Hostel Fee - Triple Sharing, Common Washroom (per year, optional)	Rs. 1,83,000
Hostel Refundable Security (one-time, optional)	Rs. 10,000
Total Fees with Hostel (4 years, triple sharing)	Rs. 17,16,350

The refundable security deposit of Rs. 20,000 (and Rs. 10,000 hostel security, if applicable) is returned upon programme completion as per university norms.
PDC fee of Rs. 23,300 is payable in two instalments: half at the time of admission and the remaining half in the penultimate semester.
Technology fee of Rs. 3,800 per semester is applicable for Year 1 only; subsequent year amounts will be communicated along with semester fees.
Hostel accommodation is optional and available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Other hostel options (double sharing with attached washroom for girls: Rs. 2,32,000/year) are also available at Kandoli Campus.
Hostel fee mentioned above is for the academic session 2025-26; 2026-27 hostel fees will be communicated separately.
Fee payment schedule for 2026-27 batch: Semester 1 at the time of admission; Semester 2 by January 2, 2027; Semester 3 by July 10, 2027; Semester 4 by January 2, 2028; and so on.
Any taxes or levies imposed by Central/State/Local authorities shall be borne by the student.

UPES BA (Hons.) History Admission 2026

Admissions to BA (Hons.) History at UPES for 2026-27 are currently ongoing in multiple rounds. The process is simple: students apply online, are shortlisted, and are called for a Personal Interview (PI). CUET UG 2026 scores are also accepted as an alternative. UPES conducts rolling admissions, so students are encouraged to apply early to secure their seat and avail merit-based scholarships.

UPES Admission Dates

Event	Date
Applications Open (Round 1)	November 2025 (already open)
Round 1 Last Date to Apply	January 20, 2026
Round 2 Applications	February 15 - March 15, 2026 (tentative)
Round 3 Last Date to Apply	March 26, 2026
Round 4 / Further Rounds	April 2026 onwards (tentative)
Personal Interviews / Counselling	June 2026 (tentative)
Seat Allotment and Fee Payment	June - July 2026 (tentative)
Classes Begin	Late July / Early August 2026 (tentative)

CUET UG 2026 Exam Dates

Event	Date
CUET UG 2026 Registration Start	January 3, 2026
CUET UG 2026 Registration End	February 26, 2026
CUET UG 2026 Admit Card	May 5, 2026 (tentative)
CUET UG 2026 Exam	May 11 - May 31, 2026
CUET UG 2026 Answer Key	June 17, 2026 (tentative)
CUET UG 2026 Result	July 4, 2026 (tentative)

The dates mentioned above are tentative and subject to change.

Eligibility Criteria

Minimum 50% marks in Class X and Class XII (any stream).
Students from any stream (Science, Commerce, or Arts) are eligible to apply.
No specific subject requirement at Class XII level for this programme.

Admission Process

Step 1: Apply online at admission.upes.ac.in by paying the application fee of Rs. 1,750.
Step 2: Submit required documents including Aadhaar card, PAN card (student and parent), and academic records.
Step 3: Shortlisted candidates are called for a Personal Interview (PI), which can be attended at designated venues across India.
Step 4: Alternatively, candidates with a valid CUET UG 2026 score may be considered directly without a separate PI.
Step 5: Selected candidates receive an admission offer letter and must pay the acceptance fee within the stipulated timeline to confirm the seat.
Step 6: Final registration and document verification at the time of joining.

UPES BA (Hons.) History Scholarships 2026

UPES offers a wide range of scholarships for the BA (Hons.) History programme, making it accessible to meritorious and deserving students. In 2023-24, UPES awarded Rs. 46 crore in scholarships benefiting 6,844 students. Scholarships are primarily applicable on tuition fees and are awarded at the time of admission based on board merit or national exam scores. Students from Uttarakhand benefit from a dedicated domicile scholarship applicable across all semesters.

Scholarship Details

Scholarship Name	Eligibility	Benefit
Merit Scholarship (Girls and Others) - Board Merit	12th Overall: 95.01% and above	30% on 1st year tuition fee
Merit Scholarship (Girls and Others) - Board Merit	12th Overall: 90.01% - 95%	25% on 1st year tuition fee
Merit Scholarship (Girls and Others) - Board Merit	12th Overall: 85.01% - 90%	20% on 1st year tuition fee
Merit Scholarship (Girls and Others) - Board Merit	12th Overall: 75% - 85%	15% on 1st year tuition fee
Merit Scholarship (Girls and Others) - Board Merit	12th Overall: 60% - 74.99%	10% on 1st year tuition fee
Merit Scholarship (Boys) - Board Merit	12th Overall: 95.01% and above	30% on 1st year tuition fee
Merit Scholarship (Boys) - Board Merit	12th Overall: 90.01% - 95%	25% on 1st year tuition fee
Merit Scholarship (Boys) - Board Merit	12th Overall: 85.01% - 90%	20% on 1st year tuition fee
Merit Scholarship (Boys) - Board Merit	12th Overall: 75% - 85%	15% on 1st year tuition fee
National Level Exam Scholarship (CUET)	CUET Score: 95.01 percentile and above	100% on 1st year tuition fee
National Level Exam Scholarship (CUET)	CUET Score: 90.01 - 95%	40% on 1st year tuition fee
National Level Exam Scholarship (CUET)	CUET Score: 85.01 - 90%	25% on 1st year tuition fee
Domicile Scholarship (Uttarakhand)	Uttarakhand domicile certificate	25% on tuition fee per semester (all semesters)
Jyoti Scholarship (Freeship)	Min. 80% in 10th and 12th; family income up to Rs. 8 lakh/year	100% on semester fees (all components except security)
Vijay Scholarship (Sports)	International medal holder	100% on tuition fee
Vijay Scholarship (Sports)	International participation	75% on tuition fee
Vijay Scholarship (Sports)	National medal holder	50% on tuition fee
Vijay Scholarship (Sports)	National participation	35% on tuition fee
Academic Performance Scholarship (from 2nd year)	CGPA 8.5 and above; 1st in programme	20% on tuition fee per year
Academic Performance Scholarship (from 2nd year)	CGPA 8.5 and above; 2nd in programme	15% on tuition fee per year
Academic Performance Scholarship (from 2nd year)	CGPA 8.5 and above; rest of eligible students	10% on tuition fee per year
Scholarship for Wards of Defence Personnel	Serving/retired/martyr defence parent	35% on 1st year tuition fee
Scholarship for Wards of Teachers	Ward of full-time school teacher	35% on 1st year tuition fee
Student Financial Support	Loss of earning parent after joining UPES	Rs. 50,000 relaxation on tuition fee per semester

Board merit and national exam scholarships are applicable for the 1st year tuition fee only and must be claimed before registration; no post-registration requests are entertained.
A student is eligible for only one type of scholarship at the time of admission; the highest applicable scholarship is awarded.
The Domicile Scholarship (25% per semester) is applicable for all semesters and can be clubbed with the Academic Performance Scholarship from the 2nd year onwards.
The Jyoti Scholarship (Freeship) covers 100% of semester fees (excluding security deposit) and is available for 51 seats only, renewed annually based on CGPA of 6.0 and above, 75% attendance, and income certificate submission.
Total seats for board merit scholarship: up to 3,000 (awarded in order of merit).
Scholarship application deadline: at the time of admission, before completion of registration.

UPES BA (Hons.) History FAQs

Ques. What makes the BA (Hons.) History programme at UPES different from a regular BA History at other universities?

Ans. The UPES programme is a 4-year research honours degree (3+1 model) under the NEP framework, not a standard 3-year BA. The 4th year includes a Research Dissertation and an Industry Research Fellowship in institutions like Vidhan Sabhas, State Archives, NGOs, Embassies, and Museums. The on-campus Archival Ideation Lab with rare 18th-century documents, multilingual training, and faculty trained at Cambridge and JNU are distinctive features not commonly found at other private universities.

Ques. Is CUET mandatory for admission, or can I apply directly through a Personal Interview?

Ans. CUET is not mandatory. UPES accepts both a valid CUET UG 2026 score and a Personal Interview (PI) as selection criteria. Students who have not appeared for CUET can still apply and attend the PI at designated centres across India. However, a strong CUET score can unlock the National Level Exam Scholarship (up to 100% on 1st year tuition fee).

Ques. What language training is offered in this programme, and is it compulsory?

Ans. The programme offers elective language courses in Indian languages (Tamil, Bengali, Marathi, Gujarati, Telugu, Urdu) and European languages (French, Portuguese, Dutch) across multiple semesters. These are offered as electives, not compulsory courses, but are strongly recommended for students interested in archival research, international organisations, or global academic careers.

Ques. What is the Archival Ideation Lab, and how does it benefit History students?

Ans. The Archival Ideation Lab is a unique on-campus facility at UPES that houses rare primary source documents from the 18th century onwards, including imperial gazettes, periodicals, old newspapers, education commission reports, film magazines, and rare philatelic and numismatic objects. It provides History students direct access to primary sources that are often unavailable in public repositories, enabling original archival research as part of their coursework and dissertation.

Ques. Can a student from a Science or Commerce background pursue BA (Hons.) History at UPES?

Ans. Yes. The only eligibility requirement is a minimum of 50% marks in Class X and XII from any stream. There is no subject-specific requirement at the Class XII level. Students from PCM, PCB, Commerce, or Arts backgrounds are all equally eligible.

Ques. What are the career prospects after BA (Hons.) History from UPES, and does the university help with placements?

Ans. Graduates can pursue careers in civil services (UPSC/state PSCs), archival and heritage management, investigative journalism, content creation for OTT and documentary platforms, policy think tanks, international organisations (UN, UNICEF, World Bank), and academic research (MA/PhD at top global universities). UPES provides placement assistance through its Career Services department and faculty mentoring for higher education applications. The fellowship in Semester 8 provides direct industry/institutional exposure. However, mass corporate placements are not the primary focus of this programme; it is oriented towards research, policy, and public sector careers.