Content Curator | Updated on - Mar 31, 2026

The Ph.D. in Microbiology (Part Time) at UPES, Dehradun is an advanced doctoral research program offered under the School of Health Sciences and Technology (SoHST), spanning a duration of 4 to 7 years. The program focuses on translational research in microbiology and immunology, covering areas such as microbial genomics and proteomics, host-pathogen relationships, T lymphocyte activation, drug discovery, antibiotic resistance, One Health, and the microbiome. The program fee is INR 1,00,000 per semester with no fee waiver for part-time scholars. The department has secured research grants exceeding INR 1 crore from prestigious bodies such as DST, FAPESP, and ICMR, and has active collaborations focused on Microbial Diversity in the North Himalayan Region for Infectious Disease and Epidemic Research. Admissions are conducted twice a year in January and July, making it an ideal choice for working professionals in healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and life sciences who wish to pursue doctoral research alongside their careers.

Admissions for the July 2026 intake are currently ongoing, with the application window open from March 10, 2026, and the last date to apply being June 1, 2026. The UPES Research Entrance Test (RET) is scheduled for June 10 and 11, 2026, followed by interviews in late July 2026 and session commencement in August 2026.

Key Points

The Part Time Ph.D. in Microbiology is designed for working professionals in healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and life sciences who wish to pursue doctoral research without leaving their employment.
The program covers cutting-edge research areas including microbial genomics, antibiotic resistance, One Health, microbiome research, and host-pathogen interactions.
The department has secured research grants exceeding INR 1 crore from DST, FAPESP, and ICMR, reflecting strong government and international research funding.
Faculty members have publications in high-impact international journals such as Scientific Reports and Human Molecular Genetics.
The program has active research collaborations focused on Microbial Diversity in the North Himalayan Region for Infectious Disease and Epidemic Research.
Candidates with valid UGC-NET, GATE, SET, GPAT, or CSIR qualifications are exempted from the UPES Research Entrance Test (RET).
Part-time PhD candidates must submit a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from their employer at the time of admission.
Note: As per the official UPES website, hostel accommodation is NOT provided for PhD scholars at the School of Health Sciences and Technology.

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Highlights
Fees
Admission
Scholarships
FAQs

UPES PhD Microbiology Fees

The Part Time Ph.D. in Microbiology at UPES carries a program semester fee of INR 1,00,000 per semester, with no fee waiver applicable for part-time scholars. Over the minimum duration of 4 years (8 semesters), the total tuition fee amounts to INR 8,00,000. In addition, candidates must pay a one-time registration fee of INR 31,300, a refundable security deposit of INR 20,000, and a thesis submission fee of INR 15,000 at the time of thesis submission.

Fee Components

Fee Component	Amount (INR)
Application/Entrance Exam Fee	1,750
Registration Fee (One Time)	31,300
Program Semester Fee (Per Semester)	1,00,000
Total Tuition Fee (8 Semesters - Minimum Duration)	8,00,000
Thesis Submission Fee (One Time)	15,000
Refundable Security Deposit	20,000
Total Fees (Excluding Refundable Deposit)	8,48,050

The security deposit of INR 20,000 is refundable (interest-free) upon completion of the program.
The application fee of INR 1,750 is non-refundable.
Part-time scholars do NOT receive any waiver on the program semester fee (INR 1,00,000 per semester).
Full-time scholars, in contrast, receive a 75% waiver, paying only INR 25,000 per semester.
If the program extends beyond the minimum duration (4 years), additional semester fees will apply at INR 1,00,000 per semester.
The maximum duration for part-time PhD is 7 years (14 semesters), which would result in a total tuition fee of INR 14,00,000.
Alumni of UPES are eligible for a 50% fee waiver on the Part Time Ph.D. program.
Hostel accommodation is NOT provided for PhD scholars at the School of Health Sciences and Technology as per the official UPES website.
Fee payment can be made via NEFT/RTGS/IMPS/Cash Deposit/Bank Gateway.

UPES PhD Microbiology Admission 2026

Admissions to the Part Time Ph.D. in Microbiology at UPES are conducted twice a year in January and July. The July 2026 intake is currently open with applications accepted from March 10, 2026. The selection process involves an online application, the UPES Research Entrance Test (RET), submission of a research proposal, and a personal interview conducted online via MS Teams. Candidates with valid UGC-NET/GATE/SET/CSIR/GPAT qualifications are exempted from the RET.

July 2026 Intake Important Dates

Event	Date
Application Start Date	March 10, 2026
Last Date to Apply	June 1, 2026
RET Exam	June 10 and 11, 2026
RET Result Declaration	June 27, 2026
Research Proposal Submission	After RET Result (Tentative: Early July 2026)
Interview Dates	July 28, 29 and 30, 2026
Final Selected Candidate List	August 12, 2026
Last Date for Fee Payment	August 17, 2026
Session Commencement	August 2026 (Tentative)

RET Exemption Exam Dates

Exam	Exam Date	Result Date
UGC-NET (Phase 1)	December 31, 2025 to January 7, 2026	February 4, 2026
UGC-NET (Phase 2)	June 2026 (Tentative)	July 2026 (Tentative)
GATE 2026	February 7, 8, 14 and 15, 2026	March 19, 2026
CSIR-NET	July 25, 26, 27, 2026 (Tentative)	September 4, 2026 (Tentative)
GPAT 2026	March 7, 2026	April 7, 2026

The dates mentioned above are tentative and subject to change.

Eligibility Criteria

Master's degree or equivalent in Microbiology, Life Sciences, Biotechnology, or a relevant discipline with a minimum of 55% marks (or equivalent grade) from a recognized university. SC/ST/OBC (non-creamy layer)/differently-abled candidates are eligible with 50% marks.
Candidates in the final semester of their postgraduate program are also eligible to apply and appear for the RET.
Part-time candidates must be employed and must submit a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from their employer at the time of admission.

Admission Process

Fill the online application form at the UPES PhD admission portal and pay the application fee of INR 1,750.
Appear for the UPES Research Entrance Test (RET) - a 3-hour online proctored test with 50 questions on Research/General Aptitude and 50 questions on domain-specific Microbiology (total 100 marks). Candidates with valid UGC-NET/GATE/SET/CSIR/GPAT scores are exempted from RET.
Shortlisted candidates (RET qualified or exempted) must submit a research proposal of approximately 1,000 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.
Receive the offer letter upon selection and pay the enrollment fee within the stipulated deadline.
Complete registration and attend orientation before commencement of session.

UPES PhD Microbiology Scholarships 2026

UPES offers limited but meaningful scholarship and financial support options for Part Time Ph.D. scholars in Microbiology. The most notable benefit for part-time scholars is the Alumni Scholarship, which provides a 50% fee waiver on the semester fee for UPES alumni. Additionally, employees and their family members associated with UPES can avail institutional scholarships. External fellowships such as UGC-JRF, CSIR-JRF, GPAT, and INSPIRE are also applicable and provide additional contingency grants.

Scholarship Benefits

Scholarship / Fellowship	Eligibility	Benefit
Alumni Scholarship	UPES alumni (graduated 2021 onwards) enrolled in Part Time Ph.D.	50% waiver on semester fee
Employee Ward Scholarship	Wards of UPES employees enrolled in Part Time Ph.D.	75% waiver on semester fee (1st year)
Employee Sibling Ward Scholarship	Sibling wards of UPES employees	50% waiver on semester fee (1st year)
Employee Spouse Scholarship	Spouse of UPES employees	50% waiver on semester fee (1st year)
UGC-NET JRF (External)	UGC-NET qualified with JRF	INR 37,000/month (initial) + contingency
CSIR-JRF (External)	CSIR-NET qualified with JRF	INR 37,000/month (initial) + contingency
INSPIRE Fellowship (External)	DST INSPIRE awardees	INR 35,000/month + INR 20,000/year contingency
GPAT Fellowship (External)	GPAT qualified candidates	As per government norms

The Alumni Scholarship is applicable for the full duration of the Part Time Ph.D. program, subject to maintaining a minimum CGPA of 8.0 with no backlogs and no disciplinary cases.
External fellowships (UGC-JRF, CSIR-JRF, INSPIRE, GPAT) are awarded by the respective government bodies and are independent of UPES institutional scholarships.
UPES also provides an additional contingency of INR 2,00,000 per year for scholars receiving external fellowships (JRF, INSPIRE, etc.) for purchase of consumables, conference participation, and experiments.
A student is eligible for only one institutional scholarship at a time; the highest applicable scholarship will be awarded.
All scholarship decisions are at the discretion of the University's Competent Authority and are subject to change.

UPES PhD Microbiology FAQs

Ques. Can I pursue the Part Time Ph.D. in Microbiology at UPES while working in a hospital or pharmaceutical company?

Ans. Yes, the Part Time Ph.D. in Microbiology at UPES is specifically designed for working professionals in healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and life sciences. The selection process (RET and interviews) is conducted online via MS Teams, so you are not required to visit the campus for admission. However, since Microbiology is a lab-intensive discipline, you may need to visit the campus for certain experimental work and research activities. It is advisable to discuss the extent of physical presence required with your prospective supervisor before applying.

Ques. Is hostel accommodation available for Part Time Ph.D. scholars in Microbiology at UPES?

Ans. No. As per the official UPES website for the School of Health Sciences and Technology, hostel accommodation is NOT provided for PhD scholars. Part-time scholars are expected to arrange their own accommodation if they need to visit the campus for research activities.

Ques. What are the key research areas available under the Part Time Ph.D. in Microbiology at UPES?

Ans. The program covers a wide range of research areas including microbial genomics and proteomics, host-pathogen relationships, T lymphocyte activation, drug discovery, antibiotic resistance (including novel combination drug therapies), One Health, microbiome research, microbial engineering for environmental remediation, and the impact of the microbiome on immunity and human health. The department also has active research collaborations focused on Microbial Diversity in the North Himalayan Region for Infectious Disease and Epidemic Research.

Ques. What is the minimum and maximum duration for the Part Time Ph.D. in Microbiology at UPES?

Ans. The minimum duration is 4 years and the maximum duration is 7 years for part-time scholars. This is longer than the full-time program (3 to 6 years), as part-time scholars are expected to balance their research with professional commitments.

Ques. Is there any fee waiver or fellowship available for Part Time Ph.D. scholars in Microbiology at UPES?

Ans. Part-time scholars do not receive any institutional fee waiver on the program semester fee (INR 1,00,000 per semester). However, UPES alumni enrolling in the Part Time Ph.D. are eligible for a 50% fee waiver. If you hold an external fellowship such as UGC-JRF, CSIR-JRF, GPAT, or INSPIRE, UPES provides an additional contingency grant of INR 2,00,000 per year for consumables, conference participation, and experiments.

Ques. What documents are specifically required for Part Time Ph.D. admission in Microbiology at UPES?

Ans. In addition to the standard documents (application form, photographs, 10th and 12th marksheets, graduation and post-graduation marksheets, NET/GATE/JRF/GPAT certificate if applicable, Aadhaar card, CV, Statement of Purpose, and research proposal of approximately 1,000 words), part-time candidates must specifically submit a Work Experience Certificate from their current employer and a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from their employer confirming that the employer has no objection to the candidate pursuing a part-time Ph.D. program.

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UPES Ph.D Microbiology: Fees 2026, Course Duration, Dates, Eligibility

Table of Contents

UPES PhD Microbiology Fees

Fee Components

UPES PhD Microbiology Admission 2026

July 2026 Intake Important Dates

RET Exemption Exam Dates

Eligibility Criteria

Admission Process

UPES PhD Microbiology Scholarships 2026

Scholarship Benefits

UPES PhD Microbiology FAQs

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