IIT Madras PHD Admission 2026, Apply Link, Departments, Exam Date

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The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM) has officially released the notification for the July 2026 research admission on February 2, 2026, and candidates should apply on the official website in a timely manner, as the closing date for PhD admission is March 30, 2026.

IIT Madras PhD Admission 2026

IIT Madras PhD Admission 2026 is an admission process is open for various categories including Regular (HTRA), External, and Project-based scholars. Candidates are advised to read the research brochure carefully to understand the specific departmental requirements before submitting their forms. As the application process is online, candidates are advised to apply for PhD Admission from the official website only.

IIT Madras PhD Admission 2026: Overview

The admission cycle for the academic year 2026-2027 follows a strict schedule that candidates must follow. Below is a summary of the important dates and highlights for the IIT PhD Admission July 2026 session:

Event	Important Dates
Notification Release Date	February 02, 2026
Online Application Starts	November 11, 2025
Last Date to Apply	March 30, 2026 (5:00 p.m.)
Written Test / Interview	Communicated via email by the departments
Academic Session Starts	July 2026
Notification	PhD Eligibility Criteria Detailed Notification

Important Dates for IIT Madras PhD Admission

Candidates who want to apply for IIT Madras PhD should remain updated by visiting official website of IIT Madras regularly. Following are the important dates which is important for PhD Admission:

Activation of Online Application Portal: November 11, 2025.
Last date to submit Online Application: March 30, 2026, by 5:00 p.m.
Intimation of Test/Interview Window: Communicated by respective departments to shortlisted candidates via email.
Written Test/ Interview Window: Dates are updated on specific departments websites.
Commencement of Academic session: July 2026.

IIT Madras PhD Apply Link

Candidates must submit their applications exclusively through the online mode as no hard copies will be accepted. The application link is available on the official research portal. Below is the apply link for IIT Madras PhD Admission for your convenience:

Apply link for IIT Madras PhD Admission 2026

How to Apply for IIT Madras PhD Admission 2026

Candidates who want to take admission in the PhD programme in IIT Madras have to submit an application form online on the official website of IIT Madras. Before Candidates should keep their scanned academic documents ready. Follow these steps to complete your application:

Register Online: Visit the portal at https://research.iitm.ac.in/ and create your login credentials.
Fill details: Complete the form with your personal, academic and professional information.
Upload documents: Upload scanned copies of your marksheets, GATE/NET scorecards, and category certificates.
Pay fee: Pay the non-refundable application fees(Rs. 1000 for GN/OBC male and Rs. 500 for female/SC/ST/PwD).
Submit & Print: Submit the form and take a printout for future reference during the interview.

IIT Madras PhD Admission 2026 Eligibility Criteria

The eligibility Criteria for IIT Madras PhD Admission 2026, vary depending on the research area and the category of the applicant. Below are the Minimum Educational Qualification required to apply for IIT Madras PhD Admission 2026:

Stream	Minimum Educational Qualification
Engineering	Master’s in Engineering/Technology or 5-year Dual Degree with a good record.
Sciences	Master’s in Sciences with a valid GATE/UGC-JRF/NET/CSIR-JRF score.
Humanities	Master’s degree in a relevant discipline AND qualifying UGC-NET/JRF/GATE.
Management	MBA/Master’s degree with a valid CAT/GATE/UGC-JRF score.
Direct PhD	B.Tech/B.E. from CFTI with CGPA greater than or equal to 8.0

Age Limit of IIT Madras PhD Admission 2026

The official brochure does not specify any upper age limit for PhD Admission in IIT Madras . However, Candidates must ensure that they meet the minimum eligibility and educational requirements of the institute.

Departments for IIT Madras PhD Admission 2026

IIT Madras has released the admission notification for a wide variety of departments, such as traditional engineering disciplines to specialized research areas. Exact number of seats is not notified in the notification but seats vary on basis of availability of Faculty. Following are the departments for which IIT Madras has released the PhD Admission Notification:

Faculty/Stream	Available Departments
Engineering	Aerospace, Applied Mechanics & Biomedical, Biotechnology, Chemical, Civil, Computer Science & Engineering, Electrical, Engineering Design, Mechanical, Metallurgical & Materials, Ocean Engineering .
Sciences	Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics.
Interdisciplinary	Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, School of Interdisciplinary Studies (SIDiS).
Humanities & Management	Humanities and Social Sciences, Management Studies.

IIT Madras PhD Admission Selection Process

The selection process of IIT Madras for PhD Admission is rigorous and focuses on both academic merit and research potential.

Shortlisting: Departments set specific criteria based on GATE scores and UG/PG marks.
Written Test/ Interview: Shortlisted candidates are called for a departmental test and/or a personal interview.
Final Recommendation: The Departmental Selection Committee recommends names to the Chairman based on the overall performance.

IIT Madras PhD Stipend 2026

Scholars admitted under the Regular Half -Time Research Assistantship (HTRA) are eligible for financial assistance:

First two years: Rs. 37000/- per month.
Next three years: Rs. 42000/- per month (upon progress review).
Additional Benefits: Scholars are also eligible for HRA as per the Government of India norms.

IIT Madras PHD Admission 2026