IIT Bhubaneswar admits PhD students through a round-the-year advertisement: the online application portal stays open throughout the year and applications are considered under four windows. For the current cycle the last date for the Window-3 cut-off is 31 October 2026, for the Spring session.
Applications are accepted in five categories – the Institute PhD Scholar category, which carries the MoE Institute Research Assistantship, sponsored scholars, joint M.Sc.-PhD students, Institute staff, and a PhD programme for working professionals. The application fee is Rs 500 and is exempt for female candidates.
IIT Bhubaneswar PhD admission 2026-27: quick facts
Quick facts2026-27
| Scholarship from | Indian Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar – PhD programme admitted through the round-the-year advertisement, with the MoE Institute Research Assistantship for Institute PhD Scholars |
| Last date to apply | 31 October 2026 for the Window-3 cut-off (Spring session); the Window-4 cut-off is 31 January 2027 and the portal stays open throughout the year |
| Official website | IIT Bhubaneswar PhD Round the Year advertisement (official website) |
IIT Bhubaneswar PhD admission windows and cut-off dates
| Window-1: 1 February to 30 April | Last date 30 April – Autumn session. Applicable only to the joint M.Sc.-PhD category (Category-3) |
| Window-2: 1 May to 31 July | Last date 31 July – Autumn session. Optional for departments |
| Window-3: 1 August to 31 October | Last date 31 October – Spring session |
| Window-4: 1 November to 31 January | Last date 31 January – Spring session. Optional for departments |
If a school, department or centre chooses not to consider applications received in Window-2, those applications are carried forward to Window-3, and the Window-3 cut-off applies. The same rule carries Window-4 applications into Window-1. Each school, department or centre completes the selection and admission process within one and a half months of the window’s last date.
PhD admission categories at IIT Bhubaneswar
| Category-1: Institute PhD Scholar | Receives the Institute Research Assistantship sanctioned by the Ministry of Education (MoE) and offered through the institute |
| Category-2: Sponsored PhD Scholar | Sponsored by an external organisation, by a Government of India doctoral fellowship (CSIR-UGC, DST-INSPIRE, DBT, ICMR and similar), by a sponsored research project at IIT Bhubaneswar, or under the Artificial Intelligence and High Performance Computing Research Centre (AHRC) |
| Category-3: Joint M.Sc.-PhD students | For joint M.Sc.-PhD students of IIT Bhubaneswar; considered only in Window-1 |
| Category-4: Institute Staff | For staff members of IIT Bhubaneswar |
| Category-5: PhD for working professionals | A no-objection certificate from the present employer is mandatory, and the selection is liable to be cancelled without it |
Scholars admitted under the external-organisation sponsorship receive no financial support from the Institute. Project-sponsored scholars draw their assistantship from the project’s personnel or manpower budget head, at an amount at least equal to that of an Institute PhD Scholar, and the project must have at least two more years of manpower budget from the date of enrolment.
Eligibility criteria for IIT Bhubaneswar PhD admission
| All engineering schools (Electrical and Computer Sciences, Infrastructure, Mechanical Sciences, Minerals Metallurgical and Materials Engineering) | M.Tech or ME or equivalent in an appropriate discipline with at least 60 percent marks or 6.5 CGPA, plus at least 60 percent marks or 6.5 CGPA in B.Tech or equivalent; OR B.Tech, BE or M.Sc or equivalent in an appropriate discipline with at least 70 percent marks or 7.5 CGPA, along with a valid GATE or CSIR-UGC NET qualification in an appropriate discipline |
| School of Humanities, Social Sciences and Management | At least 55 percent marks or 6.0 CGPA in a master’s degree in appropriate Humanities and Social Sciences disciplines, and at least 55 percent marks or 6.0 CGPA in all other examinations from Class 10 onwards, with a valid GATE or CSIR-UGC NET (LS) qualification in an appropriate discipline |
| School of Basic Sciences | At least 60 percent marks or 6.5 CGPA in a master’s or equivalent degree in appropriate disciplines, and at least 60 percent marks or 6.5 CGPA in all other examinations from Class 10 onwards, with a valid GATE or CSIR-UGC NET (LS) or JAM or JEST qualification |
| School of Earth, Ocean and Climate Sciences | At least 60 percent marks or 6.5 CGPA in a master’s or equivalent degree in appropriate disciplines; OR a B.Tech or BE or equivalent in an appropriate discipline with at least 70 percent marks or 7.5 CGPA. A B.Tech, BE or M.Sc degree holder must be GATE or CSIR-UGC NET (LS) or JAM or JEST qualified |
- A single relaxation of up to 5 percent marks or CGPA is permitted in one of the preceding examinations.
- Students of Centrally Funded Technical Institutes (CFTIs) admitted on the basis of JEE and pursuing a B.Tech, BE, integrated M.Tech, integrated M.Sc or another programme of at least four years’ duration are eligible for shortlisting if they have completed seven semesters or more with a CGPA of at least 8.0 and maintain a CGPA of at least 8.0 at graduation.
- Candidates with an M.Sc degree from IITs or IISc with a CGPA of at least 8.0 are also eligible under the CFTI provision. Such candidates need not be GATE or CSIR-UGC NET (LS) qualified, and CFTI students are eligible for the assistantship applicable to Category-1.
- Candidates sponsored by an external organisation must be in continuous service for at least three years in a government department or ministry, an established industrial research and development organisation, a recognised autonomous body or public undertaking, a recognised university or college, or an established industry.
How to apply for IIT Bhubaneswar PhD admission
- Open the online application portal linked from the round-the-year advertisement notice.
- Pay the non-refundable application fee – Rs 500 for General, General (EWS) and OBC candidates, Rs 250 for SC, ST and PwD candidates, and USD 50 for foreign nationals. The fee is exempt for female candidates, and is never refunded.
- Attach the no-objection certificate from the present employer in the prescribed format for the sponsored, Institute staff and working-professional categories. If the NOC is not ready, an undertaking that the NOC will be provided at the selection stage may be submitted instead.
- Submit the online form before the cut-off date of the window you are applying under – 31 October 2026 for Window-3.
- Explore the research areas published by the school you are applying to before choosing a department, and check the contact details for admission queries.
Selection process and contact details
- Each school, department or centre completes the selection and admission process within one and a half months of the last date for receipt of applications for that window.
- The list of shortlisted or selected candidates is published on the institute website – no postal intimation is sent.
- Admission queries: Academic Section, [email protected], phone 0674-713-4466.
- Technical queries about the online application form: ERP Team, [email protected], phone 0674-713-8608. Payment queries: Accounts Section, [email protected], phone 0674-713-4563. Helplines answer between 10:00 AM and 5:00 PM on working days.
Frequently asked questions
Applications are considered under four windows. The Window-3 cut-off is 31 October 2026 for the Spring session, and the Window-4 cut-off is 31 January 2027. The online portal stays open throughout the year.
Yes. Institute PhD Scholars under Category-1 receive the Institute Research Assistantship sanctioned by the Ministry of Education and offered through the institute. Sponsored scholars receive support from their sponsoring organisation, GoI fellowship or research project, and candidates sponsored by an external organisation receive no financial support from the institute.
Engineering schools require 60 percent marks or 6.5 CGPA in the master’s degree and in B.Tech, or 70 percent marks or 7.5 CGPA in a B.Tech, BE or M.Sc with a valid GATE or CSIR-UGC NET. The School of Basic Sciences and the School of Earth, Ocean and Climate Sciences require 60 percent marks or 6.5 CGPA, and the School of Humanities, Social Sciences and Management requires 55 percent marks or 6.0 CGPA. A single relaxation of up to 5 percent is permitted in one of the preceding examinations.
A valid GATE or CSIR-UGC NET qualification is required for candidates admitted on the basis of a B.Tech, BE or M.Sc degree, and the School of Basic Sciences also accepts JAM or JEST. Candidates with an M.Tech or ME degree, and CFTI students with a CGPA of 8.0 or above, are not required to be GATE or NET qualified.
Rs 500 for General, General (EWS) and OBC candidates, Rs 250 for SC, ST and PwD candidates, and USD 50 for foreign nationals. Female candidates are exempt from the application fee. The fee is non-refundable.
Yes. Category-5 is a PhD programme for working professionals, and Category-2 covers sponsored scholars. A no-objection certificate from the present employer is mandatory in these categories; without it, a provisional selection is liable to be cancelled.
Official links
- Notice – Admission into Ph.D. Programme (Round the Year Advertisement)
- Official advertisement PDF – Admission to Ph.D. Programme, Round the Year (17 pages)
- Online application portal (Window-3, Spring session)
- IIT Bhubaneswar PhD programme admission page
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