Content Curator | Updated on - Mar 31, 2026

The Ph.D. in Liberal Arts (officially offered as Ph.D. in Liberal Studies and Media) at UPES, Dehradun is a full-time doctoral program offered by the School of Liberal Studies and Media. The program spans a minimum of 3 years and a maximum of 6 years, with a semester fee of INR 1 lakh; however, full-time scholars receive a 75% waiver, bringing the effective semester fee down to INR 25,000. The program covers disciplines such as Economics, English Literature, History, Political Science, Psychology, Journalism and Mass Communication, and Communication, making it one of the few interdisciplinary doctoral programs in the humanities and social sciences at a private university in India. Admission is primarily based on the UPES Research Entrance Test (RET), with exemptions for UGC-NET/GATE/SET/GPAT/CSIR/INSPIRE qualified candidates, and the program is popular for its fellowship support, internationally connected faculty, and emphasis on transdisciplinary research.

Admissions for the July 2026 intake are currently ongoing. Applications opened on March 10, 2026, and the last date to apply is June 1, 2026. The RET exam is scheduled for June 10-11, 2026, with interviews in late July 2026 and the session commencing in August 2026.

Key Points

The program is offered under the School of Liberal Studies and Media and covers seven core problem areas: Citizenship, Education, Environment, Gender, Health, Technology, and Urbanisation.
Full-time PhD scholars at UPES receive a monthly fellowship of INR 25,000 during coursework and INR 30,000 per month after clearing the mandatory coursework examination, valid for up to 3 years from commencement.
INSPIRE/CSIR-NET-JRF qualified candidates receive an additional INR 2 lakh per year for scholastic purposes (subject to university policy).
The RET for School of Liberal Studies and Media includes subjective components, unlike other schools where it is fully objective.
Research proposals for the School of Liberal Studies and Media must be approximately 2,200 words (compared to 1,000 words for other schools).
Students have opportunities to present research at international seminars and conferences, with the program emphasizing global scholarly exchange.
The program is structured around empirical, data-driven, and action-based research methodologies with a focus on praxis.

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Highlights
Fees
Admission
Scholarships
FAQs

UPES PhD(Liberal Arts) Fees

The Ph.D. program at UPES is structured with a semester-based fee of INR 1 lakh. Full-time scholars benefit from a 75% waiver on the program semester fee, effectively paying INR 25,000 per semester. Over the minimum duration of 6 semesters (3 years), the total program fee for a full-time scholar amounts to INR 1,50,000. Additional one-time charges include a registration fee of INR 31,300 and a refundable security deposit of INR 20,000. A thesis submission fee of INR 15,000 is payable at the time of thesis submission.

Fee Components

Fee Component	Amount (INR)
Program Semester Fee (per semester, before waiver)	1,00,000
75% Waiver for Full-Time Scholars	-75,000 per semester
Effective Semester Fee (Full-Time)	25,000
Total Program Fee - 6 Semesters (Full-Time, minimum 3 years)	1,50,000
Registration Fee (one-time)	31,300
Refundable Security Deposit (one-time)	20,000
Thesis Submission Fee (one-time, at thesis stage)	15,000
Application Fee (non-refundable)	1,000
Total Fees (Full-Time, excluding hostel, including all one-time charges)	2,17,300
Hostel Fee (optional, triple-sharing, per year)	1,83,000

The security deposit of INR 20,000 is refundable (interest-free) at the time of program completion or exit.
The application fee of INR 1,000 is non-refundable.
Hostel accommodation is optional and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Hostel fee is for the Bidholi/Kandoli campus (triple-sharing with common washroom). An additional refundable hostel security of INR 10,000 is charged at the time of registration.
If the PhD extends beyond 3 years (6 semesters), additional semester fees at INR 25,000 per semester (full-time) will apply.
Fee payment is accepted via NEFT/RTGS/IMPS/Cash Deposit/Bank Gateway.

UPES PhD(Liberal Arts) Admission 2026

Admissions to the Ph.D. in Liberal Studies and Media at UPES are conducted twice a year - for the January intake and the July intake. The July 2026 intake is currently open with applications accepted until June 1, 2026. The selection process involves the UPES Research Entrance Test (RET), submission of a detailed research proposal (approximately 2,200 words for this school), and an online interview conducted via MS Teams. Candidates with valid UGC-NET/GATE/SET/GPAT/CSIR/INSPIRE qualifications are exempted from the RET.

UPES PhD Liberal Studies and Media Admission Dates

Event	Date
Application Opens	March 10, 2026
Last Date to Apply	June 1, 2026
RET Exam	June 10-11, 2026
RET Result Declaration	June 27, 2026
Research Proposal Submission	(Approx.) Early July 2026
Online Interview Booking/Scheduling	(Approx.) Mid-July 2026
Interviews	July 28, 29 and 30, 2026
Interview Result Declaration	August 12, 2026
Last Date to Pay Fee	August 17, 2026
Orientation and Registration	(Approx.) August 22-25, 2026
Commencement of Session	(Approx.) August 27, 2026

UGC-NET Exam Dates

Event	Date
UGC-NET Phase 1 Registration	October 7, 2025
UGC-NET Phase 1 Exam	December 31, 2025 - January 7, 2026
UGC-NET Phase 1 Result	February 4, 2026
UGC-NET Phase 2 Registration (Tentative)	April 1, 2026
UGC-NET Phase 2 Exam (Tentative)	June 2026
UGC-NET Phase 2 Result (Tentative)	July 2026

Note: UGC-NET qualified candidates (JRF/NET) are exempted from the UPES RET. GATE/SET/GPAT/CSIR/INSPIRE qualified candidates are also exempted.

The dates mentioned above are tentative and subject to change.

Eligibility Criteria

Master's degree or equivalent in a relevant discipline with a minimum of 55% marks (or equivalent grade) from a recognized institute (applicable for both full-time and part-time).
Candidates with a 4-year undergraduate degree with a minimum of 75% marks or 7.5 CGPA (on a 10-point scale) are also eligible for full-time admission, subject to additional conditions including a high-quality research publication from the bachelor's project.
Candidates must meet the minimum academic eligibility as notified by UGC from time to time.

Admission Process

Fill the online application form at the UPES PhD portal and pay the non-refundable application fee of INR 1,000.
Appear for the UPES Research Entrance Test (RET) - exempted for UGC-NET/GATE/SET/GPAT/CSIR/INSPIRE qualified candidates.
Shortlisted candidates (RET qualified and exempted) submit a research proposal of approximately 2,200 words to phd@upes.ac.in.
Book an online interview slot through the link shared by the university.
Appear for the online interview conducted via MS Teams (no campus visit required).
Receive offer letter upon selection; pay the enrolment fee by the specified deadline.
Attend orientation on campus and commence the session.

UPES PhD(Liberal Arts) Scholarships 2026

UPES offers a robust scholarship and fellowship ecosystem for PhD scholars, making the program financially accessible. Full-time scholars automatically receive a 75% waiver on the semester fee and a monthly fellowship, significantly reducing the financial burden. Additional scholarships are available for alumni, employees' wards, and sports achievers.

Scholarship Details

Scholarship / Fellowship	Amount / Benefit	Eligibility
UPES PhD Fellowship (Full-Time)	INR 25,000/month during coursework; INR 30,000/month after coursework clearance (up to 3 years)	All full-time PhD scholars (100 seats)
INSPIRE/CSIR-NET-JRF Scholastic Grant	INR 2,00,000 per year	INSPIRE/CSIR-NET-JRF qualified candidates
Semester Fee Waiver (Full-Time)	75% waiver on program semester fee (INR 25,000 effective per semester)	All full-time PhD scholars
Alumni Scholarship	50% fee waiver on Part-Time PhD program fee	UPES alumni (graduated 2021 onwards)
Employee Ward Scholarship	75% on semester fee (Tuition + Academic Service)	Wards of UPES employees (regular/confirmed)
Employee Sibling Ward Scholarship	50% on semester fee	Wards of siblings of UPES employees
Employee Spouse Scholarship	50% on semester fee	Spouses of UPES employees
Vijay Scholarship (Sports)	35%-100% on tuition fee	National/International level sports achievers

The PhD fellowship is available for 100 full-time scholars and is subject to the university's policy. Continuation after 3 years is based on performance.
The INSPIRE/CSIR-NET-JRF grant of INR 2 lakh per year is subject to the university's discretionary policy and may be changed/cancelled.
Alumni scholarship for Part-Time PhD requires renewal based on a minimum CGPA of 8.0 with no backlogs and no disciplinary cases.
A student is eligible for only one type of scholarship at a time (except Academic Performance Scholarship from 2nd year onwards, which can be clubbed).
All scholarships are subject to the university's prevailing policy and the decision of the Competent Authority is final.

UPES PhD(Liberal Arts) FAQs

Ques. Is the UPES RET compulsory for PhD admission in Liberal Studies, or can I get an exemption?

Ans. Candidates who hold a valid UGC-NET (JRF or NET), GATE, SET, GPAT, CSIR, or INSPIRE qualification are exempted from the UPES Research Entrance Test (RET). However, all candidates - whether RET-qualified or exempted - must submit a research proposal and appear for the online interview. For the School of Liberal Studies and Media specifically, the RET includes subjective components, unlike other schools where it is fully objective.

Ques. What is the word limit for the research proposal for the PhD in Liberal Studies at UPES, and what should it cover?

Ans. The research proposal for the School of Liberal Studies and Media must be approximately 2,200 words - significantly longer than the 1,000-word requirement for other UPES schools. It should outline your proposed research topic, research questions, methodology, theoretical framework, and relevance to contemporary issues. The proposal is submitted via email to phd@upes.ac.in after clearing the RET or if you are exempted.

Ques. Do I need to visit the UPES campus for the PhD interview?

Ans. No. The interview is conducted entirely online via MS Teams. You are not required to visit the campus for the interview. However, orientation (after selection and fee payment) is held on campus in Dehradun.

Ques. What disciplines can I pursue a PhD in under the Liberal Studies and Media school at UPES?

Ans. The School of Liberal Studies and Media at UPES offers PhD programs in Economics, Political Science, English Literature, Psychology, History, Journalism and Mass Communication, and Communication. The program is interdisciplinary in nature, and research is organized around seven core problem areas: Citizenship, Education, Environment, Gender, Health, Technology, and Urbanisation.

Ques. How much will I actually pay as fees for the full-time PhD at UPES, given the fellowship and fee waiver?

Ans. Full-time PhD scholars receive a 75% waiver on the semester fee, bringing it down from INR 1 lakh to INR 25,000 per semester. Over the minimum 3-year (6-semester) duration, the total program fee is INR 1,50,000. Additionally, you receive a monthly fellowship of INR 25,000 during coursework and INR 30,000 after clearing coursework (for up to 3 years), which effectively offsets the fee and living expenses significantly. One-time charges include a registration fee of INR 31,300, a refundable security deposit of INR 20,000, and a thesis submission fee of INR 15,000.

Ques. What career options are available after completing a PhD in Liberal Studies from UPES?

Ans. A PhD in Liberal Studies and Media from UPES opens pathways to academic careers such as assistant professorships and post-doctoral positions at universities in India and abroad. Graduates can also pursue research-based consultancy, data-driven roles in industries, positions in NGOs, think tanks, and international organizations, and administrative services at central and state levels (subject to age and experience criteria). The program's emphasis on interdisciplinary and praxis-oriented research also prepares scholars for policy research and public-facing roles.