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IISER Kolkata PhD Admission 2026 is open for candidates across multiple disciplines. The institute invites applications for the PhD programme for the Autumn Semester 2026. The application portal closes on 7 May 2026 and interviews are scheduled in June. Read this article for all details on eligibility, dates, fees, Interview Schedule and selection process.
IISER Kolkata PhD Admission 2026 Notification
IISER Kolkata has officially released the PhD Admission 2026 notification for the Autumn Semester. The notification covers PhD programmes across eight disciplines offered at the institute. Candidates must read the department-wise eligibility criteria carefully before applying. All details and updates are available on the official portal at apply.iiserkol.ac.in/phd. Below is the IISER Kolkata PhD Admission Notification PDF:
IISER Kolkata PhD Admission 2026: Overview
The table below gives a quick snapshot of the IISER Kolkata PhD Admission 2026. Candidates should go through this overview carefully before starting the application process. It covers all the basic but important details about the PhD programme. Reviewing this table helps avoid confusion while filling out the application form.
| IISER Kolkata PhD Admission 2026: Overview | |
|---|---|
| Particular | Details |
| Institute | Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata (IISER Kolkata) |
| Programme | PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) – Biological Sciences (DBS) |
| Semester | Autumn Semester 2026 |
| Application Mode | Online only |
| Application Fee (General/EWS/OBC-NCL) | Rs. 200 (non-refundable) |
| Application Fee (SC/ST/PwD) | Rs. 100 (non-refundable) |
| Application Portal Opens | 08 March 2026 |
| Application Portal Closes | 7 May 2026 |
| Official Website | www.iiserkol.ac.in |
| Notification | Download Notification PDF |
IISER Kolkata PhD Seats
IISER Kolkata offers PhD seats across eight disciplines under various departments. The number of seats is limited and depends on faculty availability and fellowship positions. Candidates must check the advertisement carefully as not all faculty labs are open for admission. The discipline-wise PhD research areas available for IISER Kolkata 2026 are listed below.
| IISER Kolkata PhD Seats | |
|---|---|
| Department | Research Areas Available |
| Biological Sciences (DBS) | Biophysics, Disease Biology, Neurobiology, Plant Biology, Ecology, Synthetic Biology, Computational Biology and more |
| Chemical Sciences | As per department advertisement |
| Computational and Data Sciences | As per department advertisement |
| Earth Sciences | As per department advertisement |
| Humanities and Social Sciences | As per department advertisement |
| Mathematics and Statistics | As per department advertisement |
| Physical Sciences | As per department advertisement |
| Space Sciences (CESSI) | Not advertising for PhD in Autumn 2026 |
Apply Link for IISER Kolkata PhD Admission 2026
The IISER Kolkata PhD Admission 2026 application portal is active and open for submissions. Candidates must apply only through the official portal to ensure their application is valid. The Apply Link for IISER Kolkata PhD Admission 2026 is given below:
Apply Link for IISER Kolkata PhD Admission 2026
Steps to Apply for IISER Kolkata PhD Admission 2026
Candidates must complete the IISER Kolkata PhD application entirely through the online portal. Every section of the form must be carefully reviewed before making the final submission. The step-by-step process to apply for IISER Kolkata PhD 2026 is listed below.
- Visit the official portal: http://apply.iiserkol.ac.in/application
- Read the department-wise eligibility criteria carefully before filling the form.
- Keep a soft copy of your photograph ready in JPG or PNG format.
- Fill in all personal, academic, and fellowship details carefully and correctly.
- Select your potential PhD supervisor from the list given in the advertisement only.
- Upload all required documents in the prescribed format and file size.
- Pay the application fee online and download the confirmation receipt.
- Take a printout of the completed application and bring it signed to the interview.
IISER Kolkata PhD Application Fee
Candidates must pay the application fee to complete the IISER Kolkata PhD 2026 form. The fee is non-refundable and must be paid through the online payment mode available.The application fee details for IISER Kolkata PhD Admission 2026 are given below.
| IISER Kolkata PhD Application Fee | |
|---|---|
| Category | Application Fee |
| General / EWS / OBC-NCL | Rs. 200 (non-refundable) |
| SC / ST / PwD | Rs. 100 (non-refundable) |
| Payment Mode | Online (via application portal) |
| Refundable? | No – Non-refundable |
IISER Kolkata PhD Eligibility Criteria
Candidates must check the eligibility criteria carefully before submitting the IISER Kolkata PhD application. The minimum qualification required is a Master’s degree or equivalent with 55% marks. The IISER Kolkata PhD Eligibility Criteria for 2026 are summarised in the table below:
| IISER Kolkata PhD Eligibility Criteria | |
|---|---|
| Criterion | Details |
| Qualifying Degree | Master’s degree or B.E./B.Tech./M.Tech./MBBS or equivalent |
| Minimum Marks | 55% marks or equivalent grade in qualifying degree |
| 4-Year Bachelor’s Degree | 75% marks required with own fellowship (CSIR/UGC etc.) |
| SC / ST / OBC-NCL / EWS / PwD Relaxation | 5% marks relaxation in eligibility criteria |
| National Exam Required | CSIR-JRF (Cat I) / UGC-JRF (Cat I) / DBT-JRF-A / ICMR-JRF / DBT-BINC-JRF / Rajiv Gandhi Fellowship / equivalent |
| Fellowship Validity | Must be valid on 31 December 2026 |
| Final Year Candidates | Eligible to apply; admission will be provisional |
| Disciplines Offered | Biological Sciences, Chemical Sciences, Computational and Data Sciences, Earth Sciences, HSS, Mathematics and Statistics, Physical Sciences, Space Sciences |
IISER Kolkata PhD Admission 2026 Important Dates
Candidates must keep track of all key dates related to IISER Kolkata PhD Admission 2026. Missing any deadline may lead to disqualification from the entire admission process. All important dates for IISER Kolkata PhD Admission 2026 are listed in the table below.
| IISER Kolkata PhD Admission 2026 Important Dates | |
|---|---|
| Event | Date |
| Application Portal Opens | 8 March 2026 |
| Application Portal Closes | 7 May 2026 |
| Shortlist Publication | 14 – 22 May 2026 |
| DBS PhD Interview Dates | 2 June, 3 June and 9 June 2026 |
| Selection Interview Window | 29 May 2026 – 19 June 2026 |
| Publication of Interview Results | By 25 June 2026 |
| Pre-Registration Portal Opens | 29 June 2026 |
| PhD Registration Date | 29 July 2026 |
IISER Kolkata PhD Selection Process
Candidates are selected through a structured shortlisting and interview process at IISER Kolkata. The department sets additional shortlisting criteria based on academic records and research experience. The complete IISER Kolkata PhD 2026 selection process is explained in the points below.
- Stage 1: All applications are screened based on academic merit, subject specialisation, and research area.
- Stage 2: Shortlisted candidates are published on the official website and intimated by email.
- Stage 3: Shortlisted candidates appear for an in-person interview at IISER Kolkata, Mohanpur campus.
- Online interview requests may be considered on a case-by-case basis at the supervisor’s discretion.
- Candidates must bring two sealed recommendation letters in prescribed format to the interview.
- No TA, DA, or accommodation is provided by the institute for attending the interview.
Final selection is based on interview performance and the selected list is approved by the Director.
IISER Kolkata PhD Admission 2026 Interview Schedule
Shortlisted candidates will be informed about the interview through the official website and email. The department prefers in-person interviews held at the Lecture Hall Complex, Mohanpur campus. Online interview requests are considered only on a case-by-case basis at the supervisor’s discretion. The complete IISER Kolkata PhD Admission 2026 interview schedule is given in the table below.
| IISER Kolkata PhD Admission 2026 Interview Schedule | |
|---|---|
| Event | Date |
| Shortlist Publication | 14 – 22 May 2026 |
| Selection Interview Window | 29 May 2026 – 19 June 2026 |
| DBS PhD Interview Date 1 | 2 June 2026 (Tuesday) |
| DBS PhD Interview Date 2 | 3 June 2026 (Wednesday) |
| DBS PhD Interview Date 3 | 9 June 2026 (Tuesday) |
| Publication of Interview Results | By 25 June 2026 |
| Pre-Registration Portal Opens | 29 June 2026 |
IISER Kolkata PhD Stipend
All selected PhD students at IISER Kolkata receive a monthly fellowship after registration. The fellowship amount depends on the funding agency and the candidate’s fellowship category. The fellowship details for IISER Kolkata PhD students 2026 are given in the table below.
| IISER Kolkata PhD Stipend | |
|---|---|
| Fellowship Mode | Approximate Monthly Stipend |
| CSIR-JRF / UGC-JRF | Rs. 37,000 (JRF); Rs. 42,000 (SRF) – as per DST norms |
| DBT-JRF-A / ICMR-JRF / DBT-BINC-JRF | As per respective funding agency norms |
| Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship | As per UGC norms |
| Institute-Funded PhD Fellowship | As per IISER Kolkata institute norms |
Documents Required for IISER Kolkata PhD Admission 2026
Candidates must arrange all required documents before starting the online application. Submitting incomplete or unclear documents may result in rejection of the application form. The complete list of documents required for IISER Kolkata PhD Admission 2026 is given below.
- High school leaving certificate and mark sheets (attested copies)
- Mark sheets and certificates of all examinations from secondary level onwards
- Bachelor’s degree mark sheets for all semesters or years (attested copies)
- Master’s degree mark sheets for all semesters or years (attested copies)
- Valid fellowship award letter or admit card with result (CSIR/UGC/DBT/ICMR or equivalent)
- Two recommendation letters in prescribed format in sealed envelopes
- Signed hard copy of the completed application form
- Photo identity proof (government-issued)
- Proof of age (government-issued document)
- Passport-size photograph in JPG or PNG format (for online application)
- Migration certificate from previous university (provisional admission if unavailable)
- Date of birth certificate (original for verification; photocopy for submission).



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