Ph.D. Admissions | IIT Delhi Abu Dhabi
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Ph.D. Admissions

Ph.D. at IIT Delhi - Abu Dhabi

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Overview

Admissions to the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) programs at IIT Delhi - Abu Dhabi are open to highly qualified candidates with a strong academic background in engineering or science. Selection is carried out through a multi-stage process based on eligibility criteria, written examination (where applicable), and interview(s).

Admission Process

Candidates are encouraged to apply for the program irrespective of their preference for the registration mode. The multi-stage admission process consists of the following:

Once a candidate is selected, their entitled scholarship or fee waiver will be considered separately on an individual basis.

Eligibility Criteria & Admission Process

1. Qualifying Degree

Candidate can be considered for the program if she/he has any one of the following qualifications:

  • Master's degree of minimum two years duration in the concerned discipline with a minimum GPA of 6.00 (on a 10.00 point scale), or 2.40 (on a 4.00 point scale), or aggregate marks of 60% (or equivalent);
  • Bachelor's degree of minimum 4-year duration in the concerned engineering or science discipline with a minimum GPA of 7.00 (on a 10.00 point scale), or 2.80 (on a 4.00 point scale), or aggregate marks of 70% (or equivalent);
  • Bachelor's degree of 3-year duration, and a Master's degree in the concerned discipline of minimum 2-year duration, with a minimum of 7.00 (on a 10.00 point scale), or 2.80 (on a 4.00 point scale), or aggregate marks of 70% (or equivalent).

The above GPA/marks requirement is the Institute minimum. Higher GPA/marks requirements may be used during the actual shortlisting of applicants.

2. English Language Proficiency

Candidate can be considered for the program if she/he has any one of the following proofs of English language proficiency:

  • Proof that the medium of instruction has been English throughout the duration of the qualifying degree(s) (point 1);
  • Minimum qualification in Standardized English Tests: 6.0 in IELTS, or 550 in TOEFL (or any other equivalent standardized test);
  • In case the candidate does not have any of the above two at the time of application, she/he may still apply and will be provisionally admitted. Such a candidate will have 180 days (6 months) from the date of registration to furnish such proof.

3. Standardized Test & Work Experience Requirements

Candidates need to appear in standardized technical assessment test, like the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE), or a similar test conducted by IITD-AD. Requirements are as follows

Candidate applying for full-time registration with the IITD-AD scholarship:

  • If the candidate has earned a Bachelor's degree of a minimum of 4 years' duration and a master's degree of 2 years, no GATE is required.
  • If the candidate has a minimum of 2 years of work experience after completing a qualifying degree, such as a 4-year bachelor's or a 3-year Bachelor's followed by 2 years of master's (point 1), no GATE is required. However, a qualification in the written examination conducted by IITD-AD is required.
  • If the candidate has a qualifying degree, such as a 4-year bachelor's or a 3-year Bachelor's followed by 2 years of master's and work experience of less than 2 years, then
    • If the candidate (any nationality) has earned her/his qualifying degree (point 1) from India, then they should have a minimum GATE score of 350 (this requirement is waived for candidates whose qualifying degree is from a Centrally Funded Technical Institute (CFTI), and have a graduation GPA/marks of 8.00 (on a 10.00 scale) or 80%);
    • If the candidate (any nationality) has earned her/his qualifying degree (point 1) from any country other than India, then she/he has to appear and qualify in the IITD-AD written examination.

Candidate applying under full-time sponsored category (no IITD-AD scholarship):

  • Minimum 2 years of work experience after completion of a qualifying degree (point 1) is required;
  • GATE score requirement or IITD-AD written test qualification is waived;
  • Sponsorship letter from the employer is required.

Candidate applying under part-time category (no IITD-AD scholarship):

  • Minimum 2 years of work experience after completion of qualifying degree (point 1), required (1 year required for an IITD-AD employee);
  • GATE score requirement or IITD-AD written test qualification is waived.
  • No objection letter from the employer is required.

4. Final Selection Interview

Final selection will be done through an oral interview (which may have multiple rounds). The interview committee may seek recommendation letters from the referees in arriving at its final decision.

Statement of Purpose (SoP)

Candidates can choose up to three Ph.D. projects from the provided list. Candidates applying in the Full-Time (with Sponsorship) and Part-Time registration modes can also propose their own Ph.D. project based on the need and relevance of their industry.

The candidates must submit a Statement of Purpose, with the following sections:

  1. Why do you wish to pursue a Ph.D. program at IIT Delhi - Abu Dhabi? What are your expectations from the campus and the academic program, if selected? (maximum 200 words)
  2. In the order of priority for each Ph.D. project (select up to three of the listed projects), write a summary of a maximum of 400 words addressing the following questions:
    1. What is your understanding of the Ph.D. problem selected, and what approach would you adopt to research the problem?
    2. How do your background and interests make you a suitable candidate for working on this Ph.D. project?

Documentation Requirement

*In case a Sponsorship Certificate/Letter or a No Objection Certificate (NOC) is not available at the time of application or interview, you may provide an undertaking stating that the same would be submitted at the time of admission, if selected.

Key Dates at Glance

Date Activity
May 25, 2026 Launch of online application portal
July 5, 2026 Last date for submission of online application
July 10, 2026 Shortlisting of applicants and further communication
July 19, 2026 Date of the written test (where applicable)
Venue: IIT Delhi (Delhi campus) / IIT Delhi - Abu Dhabi Campus
(More venues can be added based on the number of applications from a particular country)
July 20 - July 24, 2026 Range of dates for the interview
July 28, 2026 Declaration of the result and communication of offers
July 31, 2026 Deadline for acceptance of the offer by the candidate
August 19, 2026 Registration and orientation of the incoming Ph.D. students

Contact Us

For any queries related to Ph.D. admissions, please contact:

Email: pgadmissions@iitdabudhabi.ac.ae
Phone: +971 2 495 8510