Content Curator | Updated on - Mar 31, 2026

The Ph.D. in Petroleum Engineering at UPES (University of Petroleum and Energy Studies), Dehradun, is a full-time, research-intensive doctoral program offered under the School of Advanced Engineering. UPES was originally established as a petroleum and energy-focused university, making this one of its most distinguished and industry-aligned doctoral offerings. The program spans a minimum of 3 years and a maximum of 6 years, combining rigorous coursework with original research in areas such as enhanced oil recovery, reservoir characterization, production optimization, data analytics in oil and gas, well stimulation, produced water treatment, and environmental impact assessment. The program fee is INR 1,00,000 per semester, with full-time scholars receiving a 75% waiver, bringing the effective fee to INR 25,000 per semester. Admission is through the UPES Research Entrance Test (RET), with exemptions available for UGC-NET/GATE/CSIR/INSPIRE qualified candidates.

As of March 2026, the January 2026 intake session has already commenced (session began February 16, 2026). The next upcoming intake is the July 2026 batch. Based on the July 2025 admission cycle, the tentative dates for the July 2026 intake are: applications expected to open by April-May 2026, last date to apply around June 1, 2026, RET exam around June 11, 2026, and session commencement expected in late August 2026. Candidates are advised to monitor the official UPES PhD admissions portal at phd.upes.ac.in for confirmed dates.

Key Points

UPES was founded as the University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, making the PhD in Petroleum Engineering one of its most specialized and industry-connected programs.
The program is offered under the UPES School of Advanced Engineering, ranked 42nd in Engineering by NIRF 2024.
Full-time PhD scholars are eligible for a monthly stipend of INR 25,000 during coursework and INR 30,000 thereafter, for up to 3 years from session commencement.
Candidates with valid INSPIRE or CSIR-NET-JRF fellowships receive an additional INR 2,00,000 per year as a contingency/scholastic grant from UPES.
Research areas span enhanced oil recovery (EOR), reservoir characterization, well stimulation, production optimization, data analytics in oil and gas, produced water treatment, and environmental impact assessment.
The program integrates cutting-edge technologies including AI and ML into petroleum engineering research for innovative solutions.
The curriculum is curated by academic and industry experts, ensuring alignment with the latest advancements and challenges in the oil and gas sector.
UPES has 51 faculty members listed among the top 2% researchers globally as per the Stanford University list (2025).
Scholars benefit from international collaborations, exchange programs, joint research initiatives, and funding to attend global conferences and workshops.
The program follows UGC PhD Regulations 2022, ensuring national academic recognition of the degree.

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Highlights
Fees
Admission
Scholarships
Ranking
FAQs

UPES PhD Petroleum Engineering Fees

The Ph.D. in Petroleum Engineering at UPES carries a program semester fee of INR 1,00,000 per semester. Full-time scholars benefit from a 75% waiver, making the effective fee INR 25,000 per semester. Over the minimum 6-semester (3-year) duration, the total effective fee for full-time scholars is INR 1,50,000, while the gross fee (before waiver) totals INR 6,00,000 for 6 semesters. A one-time refundable security deposit of INR 20,000 is also applicable at the time of registration.

Fee Structure

Fee Component	Per Semester (Gross)	Waiver (Full-Time)	Per Semester (Effective - Full Time)
Program/Tuition Fee	INR 1,00,000	75%	INR 25,000
Refundable Security Deposit (one-time)	-	-	INR 20,000 (one-time)
Total Fees (6 Semesters / 3 Years - Full Time, after waiver)	INR 6,00,000	-	INR 1,50,000 + INR 20,000 (security)

The 75% fee waiver is applicable for the full tenure of the PhD program for full-time scholars only.
The refundable security deposit of INR 20,000 is interest-free and returned upon program completion as per university norms.
Application fee of INR 1,000 is non-refundable and payable at the time of form submission.
Hostel facility is optional and not mandatory. Hostel fees (for AY 2026-27) are as follows:
Bidholi Campus: INR 1,83,000/year (triple sharing, common washroom) or INR 2,32,000/year (double sharing, attached washroom - Girls only)
Kandoli Campus: INR 1,83,000/year (triple sharing, common washroom) to INR 2,20,000/year (triple sharing, attached washroom with AC - Girls only)
An additional interest-free refundable hostel security of INR 10,000 is applicable.
Fee payment is semester-wise as per the university's payment schedule; no EMI option is officially mentioned.
All scholarships are payable as per the university's policy and are subject to change.

UPES PhD Petroleum Engineering Admission 2026

Admissions to the Ph.D. in Petroleum Engineering at UPES are conducted twice a year - for the January intake and the July intake. The selection process involves an online application, the UPES Research Entrance Test (RET) (exempted for UGC-NET/GATE/CSIR/INSPIRE/SET/GPAT qualified candidates), submission of a research proposal, and an online interview conducted via MS Teams. The January 2026 session has already commenced; the next cycle is the July 2026 intake, for which tentative dates are based on the July 2025 pattern.

July 2026 Intake Dates

Event	Tentative Date (July 2026 Intake)
Application Portal Opens	April 2026 (tentative)
Last Date to Apply	June 1, 2026 (tentative)
RET Exam	June 11, 2026 (tentative)
RET Result Declaration	June 27, 2026 (tentative)
Submission of Research Proposal	July 5, 2026 (tentative)
Online Interview Booking/Scheduling	July 15, 2026 (tentative)
Interviews (Online - MS Teams)	July 28, 29 & 30, 2026 (tentative)
Interview Result / Offer Letters	August 12, 2026 (tentative)
Last Date to Pay Fee	August 17, 2026 (tentative)
Registration Date	August 22, 2026 (tentative)
Orientation	August 25, 2026 (tentative)
Commencement of Session	August 27, 2026 (tentative)

Entrance Exam Dates

Exam	Exam Date	Result Date	Remarks
GATE 2026	February 7, 8, 14 & 15, 2026	March 19, 2026	Valid GATE score (PE - Petroleum Engineering) exempts from RET
UGC-NET (Phase 1)	December 31, 2025 - January 7, 2026	February 4, 2026	Qualified candidates exempted from RET
UGC-NET (Phase 2)	June 2026 (tentative)	July 2026 (tentative)	Qualified candidates exempted from RET
CSIR-NET	July 25-27, 2025 (last held)	September 2025	Valid score exempts from RET
INSPIRE Fellowship	Ongoing (DST)	-	INSPIRE awardees exempted from RET

The dates mentioned above are tentative and subject to change.

Eligibility Criteria

Candidates must hold a Master's degree or equivalent in a relevant discipline (Petroleum Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Applied Petroleum Engineering, or allied fields) with a minimum of 55% marks or equivalent grade from a recognized university.
A relaxation of 5% (from 55% to 50%) is applicable for SC/ST/OBC (non-creamy layer)/Differently-abled candidates as per UGC norms.
Candidates with a 4-year Bachelor's degree (e.g., B.Tech in Petroleum Engineering or Chemical Engineering) are also eligible for full-time admission, provided they have a minimum of 75% marks or 7.5 CGPA, along with a minimum of 75% in the UPES written test and interview, and preferably at least one research publication from their undergraduate project work in a peer-reviewed journal.

Admission Process

Fill the online application form at phd.upes.ac.in and pay the non-refundable application fee of INR 1,000.
Appear for the UPES Research Entrance Test (RET) - a 3-hour online proctored test (100 marks: 50 marks Research/General Aptitude + 50 marks Domain-specific). Candidates with valid UGC-NET/GATE/CSIR/INSPIRE/SET/GPAT scores are exempted.
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 offer letter upon selection and pay the enrollment fee by the stipulated deadline.
Complete registration and attend orientation on campus.

UPES PhD Petroleum Engineering Scholarships 2026

UPES offers a robust financial support ecosystem for PhD scholars in Petroleum Engineering, combining institutional fee waivers, monthly stipends, and national fellowship top-ups. Full-time scholars automatically receive a 75% waiver on the program semester fee, and up to 100 scholars per batch are awarded a monthly fellowship. UPES alumni enrolling in the part-time PhD program are eligible for a 50% fee waiver. Given UPES's strong industry ties with oil and gas companies, scholars may also benefit from industry-sponsored research grants and project funding.

Scholarship Details

Scholarship / Financial Support	Amount / Benefit	Eligibility
Full-Time PhD Fee Waiver	75% waiver on program semester fee (effective fee: INR 25,000/semester)	All full-time PhD scholars
Monthly Stipend (Coursework Phase)	INR 25,000 per month	Selected full-time scholars (up to 100 per batch)
Monthly Stipend (Post-Coursework)	INR 30,000 per month	Selected full-time scholars (up to end of 3 years)
INSPIRE/CSIR-NET-JRF Contingency Grant	INR 2,00,000 per year (scholastic/research purposes)	Candidates with valid INSPIRE or CSIR-NET-JRF fellowship
Alumni Scholarship (Part-Time PhD)	50% fee waiver on part-time PhD program fee	UPES alumni (graduated 2021 onwards)
Employee Ward Scholarship	75% waiver on semester fee (Tuition + Academic Service)	Wards of UPES employees enrolled in part-time PhD
Employee Spouse Scholarship	50% waiver on semester fee	Spouses of UPES employees enrolled in part-time PhD

All scholarships and fellowships are payable as per the university's policy and are subject to change at the university's discretion.
The monthly stipend and fee waiver are applicable for the full tenure of the PhD program (subject to satisfactory progress).
The INSPIRE/CSIR-NET-JRF contingency grant of INR 2,00,000 per year is in addition to the university's fee waiver and stipend.
The university reserves the right to withdraw or modify fellowship amounts based on performance and policy updates.
Candidates are advised to confirm scholarship details at the time of admission offer.

UPES Ph.D Petroleum Engineering Ranking

Collegedunia Ranking

#87 out of 762 in India 2025

#4th in Uttarakhand

NIRF Ranking

#43 out of 300 in India 2025

#2nd in Uttarakhand

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UPES PhD Petroleum Engineering FAQs

Ques. What makes the PhD in Petroleum Engineering at UPES unique compared to other universities?

Ans. UPES was originally established as the University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, making it one of the few universities in India with a dedicated focus on petroleum and energy education. The PhD in Petroleum Engineering benefits from deep industry partnerships with major oil and gas companies, a curriculum co-designed by academic and industry experts, and research areas directly aligned with real-world challenges such as enhanced oil recovery, reservoir characterization, and production optimization. The integration of AI and ML into petroleum research further distinguishes the program.

Ques. What research areas can I pursue under the PhD in Petroleum Engineering at UPES?

Ans. The program covers a broad spectrum of research domains including enhanced oil recovery (EOR), reservoir characterization and modeling, well stimulation and completion, production optimization, data analytics in oil and gas, produced water treatment, environmental impact assessment, carbon capture and storage, geothermal energy, unconventional resources, and sustainable energy solutions. The interdisciplinary approach allows scholars to work at the intersection of petroleum engineering and emerging technologies.

Ques. What is the actual fee I will pay as a full-time PhD scholar in Petroleum Engineering at UPES?

Ans. As a full-time PhD scholar, you receive a 75% waiver on the program semester fee of INR 1,00,000, making your effective fee INR 25,000 per semester. Over the minimum 3-year (6-semester) duration, the total program fee comes to INR 1,50,000. A one-time refundable security deposit of INR 20,000 is also payable at registration. If selected among the 100 fellowship scholars, you additionally receive a monthly stipend of INR 25,000 (during coursework) and INR 30,000 (post-coursework).

Ques. Is the UPES RET exam mandatory for PhD admission in Petroleum Engineering, or can I get an exemption?

Ans. The RET (Research Entrance Test) is mandatory for most candidates. However, if you hold a valid score in UGC-NET, GATE (PE - Petroleum Engineering paper), CSIR-NET, INSPIRE Fellowship, SET, or GPAT, you are exempted from the RET. Exempted candidates directly proceed to the research proposal submission and interview stages. This is particularly relevant for candidates from chemical or petroleum engineering backgrounds who have cleared GATE.

Ques. Can a working professional from the oil and gas industry pursue a PhD in Petroleum Engineering at UPES?

Ans. Yes, UPES offers both full-time and part-time PhD programs in Petroleum Engineering. Working professionals from the oil and gas industry can opt for the part-time PhD, which carries a program semester fee of INR 1,00,000 per semester (no fee waiver for part-time). The part-time option allows industry professionals to leverage their practical experience in their research while continuing their careers. The interview process is conducted entirely online via MS Teams, making it accessible for working professionals.

Ques. What career opportunities are available after completing a PhD in Petroleum Engineering from UPES?

Ans. Graduates can pursue roles as Research and Development Engineers in educational institutions, government research bodies, or private enterprises. Industry-specific opportunities include positions as exploration and production (E&P) specialists, reservoir engineers, production optimization consultants, and data analytics experts in oil and gas companies. Government roles in regulatory agencies and policy-making bodies are also available. Additionally, graduates can contribute to the growing field of sustainable energy, working on carbon capture, geothermal energy, and unconventional resource development.