Content Curator | Updated on - Mar 31, 2026

The Ph.D. in Renewable Energy (Part Time) at UPES School of Advanced Engineering, Dehradun is a doctoral research program designed for working professionals who wish to pursue advanced research in renewable energy while continuing their employment. The program spans 3 to 5 years and covers core areas including solar, wind, bioenergy, hydropower, and geothermal energy, along with interdisciplinary coursework in energy policy, economics, environmental science, and advanced engineering. Unlike the full-time mode, part-time scholars pay the full program fee of INR 1 lakh per semester without any fee waiver, and are not eligible for the monthly fellowship. The program is offered under the School of Advanced Engineering and is also accessible through the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research and Innovation (CIDRI). UPES is ranked 46th among Indian universities by NIRF 2024 and holds a NAAC 'A' grade, making it a credible institution for doctoral research in the energy domain.

Admissions to the Ph.D. program at UPES are held twice a year - in January and July. The January 2026 intake has already commenced (session began February 16, 2026). The next upcoming intake is July 2026, for which applications are expected to open around May 2026 based on the previous year's pattern (last date to apply was June 1, 2025 for July 2025 intake). Part-time candidates follow the same admission process as full-time candidates, including the RET exam (unless exempted) and interview. Candidates are advised to monitor the official UPES PhD portal at phd.upes.ac.in for the July 2026 intake notification.

Key Points

The Part Time PhD in Renewable Energy is specifically designed for working professionals in the energy, engineering, or related sectors who wish to pursue doctoral research alongside their careers.
Part-time scholars are not eligible for the monthly fellowship (INR 25,000-30,000/month) or the 75% fee waiver that is available to full-time scholars.
The program fee for part-time scholars is the full INR 1 lakh per semester, with no waiver applicable.
Part-time admission is available only for candidates with a Master's degree; candidates with only a 4-year Bachelor's degree are not eligible for the part-time mode.
Candidates holding UGC-NET/GATE/SET/GPAT/CSIR/INSPIRE qualifications are exempted from the UPES Research Entrance Test (RET).
The Electrical Cluster at UPES has a dedicated Renewable Energy Lab with facilities for solar photovoltaic systems, bio-fuel, fuel cells, battery testing, and charge-controlling units, along with software tools like MATLAB, Power-Factory, PSCad, and ETAP.
UPES alumni enrolling in Part-Time PhD programs are eligible for a 50% fee waiver on the semester fee under the Alumni Scholarship.

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Highlights
Fees
Admission
Scholarships
Ranking
FAQs

UPES PhD (Renewable Energy) Part Time Fees

The Ph.D. (Renewable Energy) Part Time program at UPES carries a program fee of INR 1 lakh per semester, with no fee waiver applicable for part-time scholars. Over a minimum 6-semester (3-year) duration, the total program fee amounts to INR 6 lakhs. A one-time refundable security deposit of INR 20,000 is also applicable at the time of registration. Part-time scholars should factor in the full fee outgo as there is no fellowship income to offset costs.

Fee Components

Fee Component	Amount
Program/Tuition Fee (per semester)	INR 1,00,000
Refundable Security Deposit (one-time)	INR 20,000
Application Fee (one-time, non-refundable)	INR 1,000
Total Fees (for 6 semesters / 3 years - Part Time)	INR 6,21,000

Part-time scholars do not receive any fee waiver; the full INR 1 lakh per semester is payable.
The refundable security deposit of INR 20,000 is returned upon completion/exit from the program as per university norms.
The application fee of INR 1,000 is non-refundable under any circumstances.
UPES alumni are eligible for a 50% fee waiver on the semester fee under the Alumni Scholarship (applicable for alumni who graduated from 2021 onwards).
Employee wards of UPES staff are eligible for a 75% scholarship on the semester fee for Part-Time PhD programs.
Fee payment is semester-wise as per the university's payment schedule.
If any taxes/levies are charged by Central/State authorities, the same shall be borne by the student.

UPES PhD (Renewable Energy) Part Time Admission 2026

Admissions to the Ph.D. (Renewable Energy) Part Time program at UPES are conducted twice a year (January and July intakes). The January 2026 batch has already commenced. For the upcoming July 2026 intake, applications are expected to open in May 2026 based on the July 2025 cycle pattern. The selection process is the same as for full-time candidates - a Research Entrance Test (RET) followed by an interview. Candidates with UGC-NET/GATE/SET/GPAT/CSIR/INSPIRE qualifications are exempted from the RET.

UPES PhD Admission Dates

Key Timeline	Tentative Date (July 2026 Intake)
Application Portal Opens	May 2026 (Tentative)
Last Date to Apply	June 1, 2026 (Tentative)
RET Exam	June 11, 2026 (Tentative)
RET Result Declaration	June 27, 2026 (Tentative)
Research Proposal Submission	July 5, 2026 (Tentative)
Online Interview Booking/Scheduling	July 15, 2026 (Tentative)
Online Interviews	July 28-30, 2026 (Tentative)
Interview Result Declaration	August 12, 2026 (Tentative)
Last Date to Pay Fee	August 17, 2026 (Tentative)
Orientation Date	August 25, 2026 (Tentative)
Commencement of Session	August 27, 2026 (Tentative)

Relevant Exam Dates

Exam	Registration Period	Exam Date	Result Date
UGC-NET (Phase 2)	Apr 1 - May 1, 2026 (Tentative)	Jun 1, 2026 (Tentative)	-
GATE 2026	Aug 28 - Oct 13, 2025	Feb 7-8, 14-15, 2026	Mar 19, 2026
CSIR-NET	May 1 - May 21, 2026 (Tentative)	Jul 25-27, 2026 (Tentative)	Sep 4, 2026 (Tentative)

Note: Candidates who have already qualified UGC-NET/GATE/SET/GPAT/CSIR/INSPIRE are directly exempted from the RET and can proceed to the research proposal and interview stage.

The dates mentioned above are tentative and subject to change.

Eligibility Criteria

Master's degree or equivalent in a relevant discipline (Engineering, Energy, Physics, Environmental Science, etc.) with a minimum of 55% marks or equivalent grade from a recognized institute.
Part-time admission is available only for Master's degree holders; candidates with only a 4-year Bachelor's degree are not eligible for the part-time mode.
Final-semester postgraduate students are also eligible to apply and appear for the RET, subject to completion of their PG program before registration.

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 with 100 marks (50 marks General/Research Aptitude + 50 marks Domain-specific). Candidates with UGC-NET/GATE/SET/GPAT/CSIR/INSPIRE qualifications are exempted.
Shortlisted candidates (RET-qualified and exempted) submit a research proposal of approximately 1,000 words to phd@upes.ac.in.
Book and appear for an online interview conducted via MS Teams.
Receive offer letter upon selection; pay the enrolment fee by the specified deadline.
Attend orientation on campus and commence the session.

UPES PhD (Renewable Energy) Part Time Scholarships 2026

While part-time PhD scholars at UPES do not benefit from the fellowship and fee waiver available to full-time scholars, there are specific scholarships available for certain categories of part-time candidates. UPES alumni and employee wards/spouses can avail significant fee concessions. The program remains financially accessible for professionals who can leverage these targeted scholarships.

Scholarship Benefits

Scholarship / Financial Benefit	Amount	Eligibility	Duration
Alumni Scholarship	50% fee waiver on semester fee	UPES alumni (graduated 2021 onwards) enrolled in Part-Time PhD	Full tenure of PhD program
Employee Ward Scholarship	75% on semester fee (Tuition + Academic Service fee)	Wards of UPES employees enrolled in Part-Time PhD	Full tenure
Employee Sibling Ward Scholarship	50% on semester fee	Sibling wards of UPES employees enrolled in Part-Time PhD	Full tenure
Employee Spouse Scholarship	50% on semester fee	Spouses of UPES employees enrolled in Part-Time PhD	Full tenure
Annual Contingency Grant (External JRF/INSPIRE)	INR 2,00,000 per year	INSPIRE/CSIR-NET-JRF qualified scholars	For consumables, international conferences

Part-time scholars are not eligible for the monthly fellowship (INR 25,000-30,000/month) or the 75% program fee waiver available to full-time scholars.
The Alumni Scholarship requires the candidate to have graduated from UPES from 2021 onwards and meet the admission eligibility criteria.
Renewal of scholarships is subject to satisfactory academic performance, no disciplinary action, and minimum CGPA of 8 per year.
A student is eligible for only one type of scholarship at a time; the highest applicable scholarship will be awarded.
All scholarship decisions are at the discretion of the University's Competent Authority.

UPES Ph.D. Renewable Energy Ranking

Collegedunia Ranking

#94 out of 370 in India 2025

#4th in Uttarakhand

NIRF Ranking

#36 out of 125 in India 2025

#3rd in Uttarakhand

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UPES PhD (Renewable Energy) Part Time FAQs

Ques. What is the key difference between the Full Time and Part Time PhD in Renewable Energy at UPES?

Ans. The primary differences are in fee structure and fellowship eligibility. Full-time scholars receive a 75% fee waiver (effective fee: INR 25,000/semester) and a monthly fellowship of INR 25,000-30,000. Part-time scholars pay the full INR 1 lakh per semester with no waiver and are not eligible for the fellowship. Additionally, part-time admission is only available for Master's degree holders, while full-time admission also accepts candidates with a 4-year Bachelor's degree (with 75% marks). The research and coursework requirements are the same for both modes.

Ques. Can a working professional in the renewable energy industry pursue this Part Time PhD while continuing their job?

Ans. Yes, the Part Time PhD is specifically designed for working professionals. The program allows candidates to continue their employment while pursuing doctoral research. The interview and coursework interactions are conducted online (via MS Teams), and the research can be aligned with the candidate's professional work in the energy sector. However, candidates must be able to dedicate sufficient time to coursework, research, and dissertation work alongside their professional responsibilities.

Ques. Is the RET exam mandatory for Part Time PhD applicants at UPES?

Ans. The RET (Research Entrance Test) is required for all applicants unless they hold a valid qualification in UGC-NET, GATE, SET, GPAT, CSIR, or INSPIRE. Exempted candidates can directly proceed to the research proposal submission and interview stage. The RET is a 3-hour online proctored test (100 marks: 50 General/Research Aptitude + 50 Domain-specific) conducted on the Codetantra platform.

Ques. Are UPES alumni eligible for any fee concession on the Part Time PhD in Renewable Energy?

Ans. Yes, UPES alumni who graduated from 2021 onwards are eligible for a 50% fee waiver on the semester fee under the Alumni Scholarship for Part-Time PhD programs. This reduces the effective semester fee from INR 1 lakh to INR 50,000. The scholarship is subject to maintaining a minimum CGPA of 8 per year, no disciplinary cases, and passing every semester without backlogs.

Ques. What is the minimum duration of the Part Time PhD in Renewable Energy at UPES?

Ans. The minimum duration of the PhD program at UPES (both full-time and part-time) is 3 years, and it can extend up to 5 years. The program involves mandatory coursework in the first two years (22-25 credits as suggested by the School), followed by research and dissertation work. Part-time scholars typically take longer to complete the program given their professional commitments.

Ques. What research areas are available under the Part Time PhD in Renewable Energy at UPES?

Ans. The Part Time PhD in Renewable Energy covers a broad spectrum of research areas including solar photovoltaic systems, wind energy, bioenergy, hydropower, geothermal energy, energy storage systems, smart grid integration, energy policy and economics, and environmental impact of renewable energy systems. The program is also available under the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research and Innovation (CIDRI) for candidates interested in cross-disciplinary research combining renewable energy with sustainability, AI/ML, or advanced materials. Scholars can align their research with their professional expertise and industry experience.