Content Curator | Updated on - Mar 30, 2026

The Ph.D. (Humanities and Social Science) program at IIT Goa (Indian Institute of Technology Goa), Ponda, Goa, is a full-time, on-campus doctoral research program offered through the School of Humanities and Social Sciences (SHSS). The program spans a minimum of 3 years and typically up to 5-6 years. Research areas span postcolonial literature, globalization, gender studies, economic and social disparity, development economics, macroeconomics, applied econometrics, computational social sciences, sociolinguistics, language policy and planning, and language endangerment. The total program fees are approximately Rs. 1.69 Lakhs (excluding hostel), making it highly affordable. Admission is based on UGC-NET/GATE (Economics) qualification followed by a written test and/or interview. The program is valued for the IIT brand, interdisciplinary research environment, generous fellowship support, and the quality of life in Goa.

Admissions for the Autumn Semester 2026-27 are expected to open around late March 2026 (tentative, based on the academic calendar which mandates advertisement release by March 26, 2026). The Spring Semester 2025-26 admission cycle has been completed, with the list of provisionally selected/waitlisted candidates already announced. Candidates are advised to monitor the official IIT Goa PhD admissions page regularly for the latest notifications.

Key Points

The School of Humanities and Social Sciences (SHSS) at IIT Goa is a young, dynamic school with faculty engaged in interdisciplinary research.
PhD admissions in the HSS stream are primarily in Economics; research areas include Macroeconomics, Environmental Economics, and Development Economics.
For the Autumn 2025-26 cycle, the Institute TA category seats in Economics were open only for SC/ST/OBC-NCL candidates.
Qualifying exam requirement: UGC-NET/GATE in Economics, or UGC-JRF qualification.
Part-time PhD option is available for working professionals employed in relevant organizations.
The institute supports conference travel: up to Rs. 50,000 for national conferences and Rs. 1,50,000 for international conferences for TA scholars.

Official Link:

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Highlights
Fees
Admission
Scholarships
FAQs

IIT Goa Ph.D. HSS Fees

The Ph.D. (Humanities and Social Science) program at IIT Goa is highly affordable, with total academic fees for the entire program (approximately 5 years / 10 semesters) amounting to around Rs. 1.69 Lakhs. The fee structure includes a one-time admission fee of Rs. 9,600, a tuition fee of Rs. 2,500 per semester, and per-semester charges of approximately Rs. 18,800. Hostel accommodation is optional and charged separately at nominal rates for PhD students.

Fee Structure

Fee Component	Amount (INR)
One-Time Admission Fee	9,600
Tuition Fee (per semester)	2,500
Per Semester Charges (Institute fees, etc.)	18,800
Total Per Semester (Academic)	21,300
Total Academic Fees (10 semesters approx.)	2,13,000
Hostel Seat Rent (per semester, optional)	2,000
Hostel Establishment Charges (per semester)	3,000
Electricity and Water Charges (per semester)	4,000
Mess Security Deposit (one-time, refundable)	1,000
Mess Fees (per semester, approx.)	18,000
Total Hostel + Mess (per semester, approx.)	28,000
Total Fees (Academic only, ~5 years)	~Rs. 1.69 - 2.13 Lakhs

The mess security deposit of Rs. 1,000 is refundable at the time of leaving the hostel.
Hostel accommodation is not mandatory; students may opt for off-campus accommodation in Ponda.
Mess charges are approximate and subject to revision based on actual consumption.
Application fee: Rs. 100 for female/SC/ST/PwD candidates; Rs. 200 for all other candidates (non-refundable).
Fee payment is accepted only through the designated IIT Goa payment portal (managed by Billdesk).
No EMI option is available; fees are payable at the beginning of each semester.

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IIT Goa Ph.D. HSS Admission 2026

IIT Goa conducts PhD admissions twice a year - for the Autumn Semester (July) and the Spring Semester (January). The Spring 2025-26 admission cycle has been completed. For the upcoming Autumn 2026-27 cycle, applications are expected to open around late March 2026, based on the academic calendar which mandates the advertisement to be released by March 26, 2026.

Admission Schedule

Event	Tentative Date
Advertisement / Notification Release	By March 26, 2026
Start of Online Application	Late March 2026 (approx. March 29, 2026)
Last Date to Submit Online Application	Late April 2026 (approx. April 28, 2026)
Shortlist Announcement (Written Test/Interview)	May 2026 (communicated via email)
Written Test / Interview	May-June 2026
Provisional Selection List	June 2026
Commencement of Autumn Semester Classes	July 2026 (approx. July 24, 2026)

Entrance Exam Dates

Exam	Key Dates	Remarks
GATE 2026	Exam: Feb 7, 8, 14, 15, 2026; Result: March 19, 2026	GATE in Economics accepted for HSS stream
UGC NET (Economics)	June 2026 session expected; notification in May 2026	UGC-NET/JRF in Economics accepted; conducted by NTA

The dates mentioned above are tentative and subject to change.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must hold a Master's degree in Science, Arts, Social Sciences, or equivalent with minimum 60% marks or CPI 6/10 (55% or CPI 5.5/10 for SC/ST candidates).
Applicants must have qualified UGC-NET/GATE in Economics, or hold a UGC-JRF award in the relevant stream.
UGC-NET/JRF qualified candidates are especially encouraged to apply.

Admission Process

Step 1: Apply online through the IIT Goa PhD admission portal (iitgoa.ac.in/phd-admissions/) within the notified dates.
Step 2: Pay the non-refundable application fee (Rs. 100 for female/SC/ST/PwD; Rs. 200 for others) via NEFT/RTGS/UPI.
Step 3: Shortlisted candidates are invited via email for a written test and/or interview.
Step 4: An offer letter is sent to provisionally selected candidates based on the written test/interview performance.
Step 5: Confirm the seat by completing document verification and fee payment.
Step 6: Waitlisted candidates may receive an offer if provisionally selected candidates decline.

IIT Goa Ph.D. HSS Scholarships 2026

IIT Goa PhD (Humanities and Social Science) scholars are eligible for multiple fellowship and scholarship schemes. Under the Institute TA category, scholars receive a monthly stipend as per MoE guidelines. Additional support is available through UGC-JRF and other government fellowship schemes. Conference travel grants further support research activities.

Fellowship Details

Fellowship / Scholarship	Amount	Eligibility
Institute Teaching Assistantship (TA)	Rs. 37,000/month (Years 1-2); Rs. 42,000/month (Years 3-5)	Admitted under Institute TA category; as per MoE guidelines
UGC-JRF / SRF	Rs. 37,000/month (JRF); Rs. 42,000/month (SRF)	Candidates with valid UGC JRF award
Prime Minister's Research Fellowship (PMRF)	Rs. 70,000/month (Years 1-2); Rs. 75,000/month (Year 3); Rs. 80,000/month (Years 4-5) + Rs. 2 Lakh/year research grant	Highly competitive national fellowship; direct or lateral entry
National Conference Travel Support	Up to Rs. 50,000 per conference (up to 2 conferences)	All Institute TA scholars
International Conference Travel Support	Up to Rs. 1,50,000 per conference	All Institute TA scholars

Fellowship amounts are as per MoE/Government of India guidelines and are subject to revision.
Candidates admitted under the Sponsored or Self-financed category do not receive any fellowship from the institute.
Part-time PhD students do not receive any fellowship or assistantship from IIT Goa.
Fellowship is contingent on satisfactory academic progress and performance reviews.
Note: For the Autumn 2025-26 cycle, Institute TA seats in Economics (HSS) were reserved for SC/ST/OBC-NCL candidates only; seat availability may vary each cycle.

IIT Goa Ph.D. HSS FAQs

Ques. What subjects/disciplines are covered under the Ph.D. (Humanities and Social Science) at IIT Goa?

Ans. The SHSS at IIT Goa primarily offers PhD research in Economics. Research areas include Macroeconomics, Environmental Economics, Development Economics, monetary economics, applied econometrics, and computational social sciences. The school also has faculty with expertise in postcolonial literature, gender studies, sociolinguistics, and language policy, though PhD openings in these areas depend on faculty availability each cycle.

Ques. Is the PhD in Humanities and Social Science at IIT Goa open to all categories, or are there category-specific restrictions?

Ans. Seat availability varies by admission cycle. For the Autumn 2025-26 cycle, the Institute TA category seats in Economics (HSS) were open only for SC/ST/OBC-NCL candidates. General/EWS candidates may apply under the JRF or self-financed categories. Candidates should check the specific admission brochure for each cycle to confirm category-wise seat availability.

Ques. What qualifying exam is required for PhD (HSS) admission at IIT Goa?

Ans. For the Humanities and Social Science stream, IIT Goa requires candidates to have qualified UGC-NET/GATE in Economics, or hold a UGC-JRF award. Unlike the science and engineering streams where JEST/CSIR-NET are also accepted, the HSS stream specifically requires Economics-related qualifications.

Ques. Can a candidate with a background in English Literature or Sociology apply for PhD (HSS) at IIT Goa?

Ans. While the SHSS faculty has expertise in literature, gender studies, and sociolinguistics, PhD openings are primarily advertised in Economics. Candidates from other humanities disciplines may apply if specific openings are advertised in their area. It is advisable to check the admission brochure for each cycle and contact the department directly at academic_query@iitgoa.ac.in to confirm available research areas.

Ques. How is the research environment at IIT Goa's School of Humanities and Social Sciences?

Ans. The SHSS at IIT Goa is a young, growing school with faculty engaged in interdisciplinary research. The school plans to undertake cutting-edge interdisciplinary research in collaboration with other schools within IIT Goa and external institutions. Being part of an IIT provides access to strong computational resources, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and a rigorous academic environment, which is particularly beneficial for quantitative social science research.

Ques. When does IIT Goa typically release the PhD (HSS) admission notification for the Autumn semester?

Ans. Based on the academic calendar and past trends, IIT Goa typically releases the PhD admission advertisement for the Autumn semester by late March (the academic calendar mandates release by March 26). Applications usually open around March 29 and close by late April. Classes for the Autumn semester commence around July 24. Candidates are advised to regularly check the official IIT Goa PhD admissions page at iitgoa.ac.in/phd-admissions/ for the latest notifications.