IISER Mohali Admission 2026: Fees, Eligibility, and Admission Process

Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Mohali, commonly known as IISER Mohali, was established in 2007 as one of the seven IISERs set up by the Government of India. The institute offers research-focused science education through its BS-MS Dual Degree, Integrated MS-PhD and PhD programmes. IISER Mohali has six academic departments covering Biological Sciences, Chemical Sciences, Mathematical Sciences, Physical Sciences, Earth and Environmental Sciences, and Humanities and Social Sciences.

IISER Mohali admission rules vary by programme. Admission to the 5-year BS-MS Dual Degree is conducted exclusively through the IISER Aptitude Test (IAT). For 2026, IISER Mohali has 275 BS-MS seats. Candidates seeking admission to the Integrated MS-PhD and PhD programmes must meet programme-specific academic and national-level qualification requirements before appearing in screening tests, interviews or other selection stages prescribed by the concerned department.

The IISER Mohali admission process generally includes online registration, application submission, entrance test or screening, shortlisting, counselling or interview, seat allocation and fee payment. For BS-MS admission, the central IISER admission process is coordinated through the IISER admissions portal, while postgraduate research admissions are announced separately by IISER Mohali. Candidates should follow the respective admission notification for eligibility, important dates, application requirements and selection criteria.

IISER Mohali Admission Courses Offered

IISER Mohali offers 3 major academic programmes for students interested in science education and research. The 5-year BS-MS has 275 seats for the 2026 admission cycle, while the Integrated MS-PhD and PhD programmes follow department-wise eligibility and selection rules.

The BS-MS programme is a fully residential 5-year programme. Students study a common science curriculum in the first year and later select pre-majors and a major subject. The Integrated MS-PhD combines coursework with research, while the PhD programme is focused on advanced research.

IISER Mohali Admission Eligibility 2026

The eligibility criteria differ across the 3 IISER Mohali programmes. For BS-MS admission, candidates must have completed Class 12 or an equivalent examination with the required science subjects and appear for IAT 2026. Integrated MS-PhD and PhD applicants need relevant undergraduate or postgraduate qualifications, depending on the programme and department.

IISER Mohali Admission Eligibility for BS-MS

For the 2026-27 BS-MS admission cycle, candidates must have passed Class 12 or an equivalent examination with the required science subjects. Admission to IISER Mohali is exclusively through IAT 2026.

The IAT 2026 brochure specifies the eligibility conditions, subject requirements and other admission rules. Candidates should refer to the official brochure for category-wise requirements and qualification details before applying.

IISER Mohali Admission Eligibility for Integrated MS-PhD

The Integrated MS-PhD programme is offered in Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics. Candidates generally need a Bachelor's degree in Science or a related area with at least 60% aggregate marks or a CGPI of 6.0.

Additional qualifications accepted for screening may include national-level examinations such as NBHM, JEST, DST-INSPIRE/KVPY, IIT JAM and GATE, depending on the discipline and admission notification.

IISER Mohali Admission Eligibility for PhD

PhD eligibility is department-specific. Candidates may be required to hold a Master's degree, B.Tech, B.E., MBBS, M.Tech or an equivalent qualification with the prescribed marks or CPI.

The 2026 PhD notification also allows eligible 4-year BSc/BS Honours with Research graduates meeting the prescribed academic requirement to apply. National-level qualifications such as CSIR-UGC-JRF, ICMR-JRF and DBT-JRF are accepted, while some departments also consider qualifications such as GATE, JEST, GPAT or ICAR-NET.

Candidates must therefore refer to the specific department's eligibility criteria instead of assuming that one entrance examination applies to every PhD programme.

IISER Mohali Admission Process for BS-MS

The BS-MS admission process has 5 key stages, from IAT registration to final seat acceptance. For 2026, IISER Mohali's BS-MS admission is conducted exclusively through IAT, followed by the central IISER counselling and seat allocation process.

The 2026 BS-MS admission cycle included multiple rounds of seat allocation. Candidates who received and accepted a seat had to complete the required online and institute-level formalities within the deadlines specified by the IISER admissions authority.

For the 2026 cycle, reporting for candidates with frozen seats was scheduled for August 31, 2026, followed by orientation on August 31 and September 1.

IISER Mohali Admission Process for Integrated MS-PhD

The Integrated MS-PhD admission process is conducted separately by IISER Mohali. Candidates first need to meet the academic eligibility requirements for their selected discipline.

Eligible candidates are shortlisted based on the qualifications and screening criteria specified in the admission notification. Shortlisted candidates are then required to appear for the institute's prescribed selection stage, which may include a screening test and interview.

The 2026 Integrated MS-PhD programme has 20 seats across Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics. Candidates should apply separately through the IISER Mohali admission notification and follow the dates announced by the institute.

IISER Mohali Admission Process for PhD

PhD admission is conducted through separate department-wise notifications. Candidates must first identify the department and research area for which they meet the eligibility requirements.

After online application, IISER Mohali shortlists eligible candidates according to the criteria specified in the respective notification. The selection process can include screening based on academic qualifications and national-level examination credentials, followed by a departmental interview or other prescribed assessment.

The 2026 PhD notification covers research areas across Biological Sciences, Chemical Sciences, Physical Sciences, Mathematical Sciences, Earth and Environmental Sciences, and Humanities and Social Sciences.

Candidates selected after the final stage must complete document verification, admission formalities and fee payment within the deadline announced by IISER Mohali.

IISER Mohali Admission Documents Required

Candidates need to upload or produce documents based on the programme and admission stage. The exact list can vary between BS-MS, Integrated MS-PhD and PhD admissions.

Candidates should keep both original documents and valid copies ready for verification. Category and other certificates must follow the format and validity requirements specified by the admission authority.

IISER Mohali Admission Seats 2026

IISER Mohali has 275 seats for the BS-MS Dual Degree programme in the 2026 admission cycle. This is an increase from the 270 BS-MS seats listed for IISER Mohali in the 2025 IAT admission cycle.

The Integrated MS-PhD programme has 20 seats for 2026 across Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics. PhD seats are announced separately and can vary according to departmental requirements and available research positions.

IISER Mohali Admission Fees 2026-27

The IISER Mohali fee structure varies by programme and semester. For the BS-MS programme, the first-semester fee for 2026-27 is INR 67,483. This amount includes tuition, hostel-related charges, registration and other applicable institutional fees.

The first-semester amount should not be treated as the total 5-year programme fee. The fee varies by semester because of one-time charges and other components.

For PhD students, the 2026 fee structure lists a total of INR 51,438 for the applicable initial fee components, including caution money, one-time charges, annual charges and semester fees. The amount should not be treated as the total cost of the entire PhD programme because fees are charged according to the applicable academic period.

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