PhD in Finance: Course Fees, Admission 2026, Syllabus, Top Colleges, Career Scope

The duration of PhD in Finance is the same as other PhD courses, i.e. three years and an extension of up to two years is given to candidates by most of the universities. Candidates can complete the course within five years. The course can either be pursued in full-time or part-time mode but by no means can be pursued in distance mode. PhD is a professional degree that requires investment of time for primary and secondary research activities.

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PhD Courses

PHD in Finance is a doctoral course. If you want to get into research. You can pursue this course after a relevant PG. It is all about in-depth knowledge of finance principles, operations and the chosen topic for research.

Experience is not mandatory. Though it strengthens your resume. It will help you relate to the curriculum even more. It will give you insights into this field. This course is ideal for you if you want to become a professor or a researcher.

PhD demands great dedication from the students.  The eligibility is to have a PG degree from a recognised university in Finance like MBA Finance or MCom Finance. Hope this helps!!!

Few Entrances to pursue PhD in Finance are CAT, XAT, GMAT, UGC-NET, GATE and CSIR-NET. 
Many institutes and universities conduct their own written test. Some universities also conduct interviews before finalizing candidates and granting them admission to the course. 

The GATE 2026 official notification and information brochure has been released.  

Documents required for GATE 2026 registration

• Recent passport-sized photographs
• Scanned signature (as per the specifications)
• Updated valid ID, such as Aadhar card, PAN Card, Driving License, voter ID, etc.
• Category certificate (if applicable).

Hope it helps!

You can, but that completely depends on your research topic and institute. Some areas, like engineering,  have a more defined path and resources, helping you finish in four years. Humanities can be more flexible and research-driven in other case, making it taking longer than usual.

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PhD Course Admission

You need to complete Master's in order to pursue Ph.D. If you are very much interested in the subject and want deep knowledge and looking for some research based work then Ph.D is a good option. Mainly, teaching and research work profiles are suited after Ph.D. 

No, along with government universities, private universities, private MBA/Finance colleges and B-schools also offer PhD in Finance courses. Government universities are not the only ones that provide Ph.D. programs in finance; private universities and even some foreign colleges do as well.

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Government Universities Offering PhD in Finance

Private Universities Offering PhD in Finance

Apart from the IIMs, the top colleges in India that provide PhD in Finance are mentioned in the table below for your reference:

Some options are 

• Professor/Associate Professor across various universities.
• Consultant across various fields such as Business Management, Investment,
• Banking, Finance, Business Strategy, Product Development, etc
• Research Associates across various government and not-for-profit research organizations.

An MBA followed by PHD in Finance is an impressive qualification. Salaries differ based on skills, location and employer. Some of the average figures are:

• Entry-Level: INR 8 LPA - 15 LPA
• Mid-Level: INR 15 - 30 LPA
• Senior-Level: 30 - 60 LPA

Hope it helps!

PhD in most of institutes in India is minimum two year duration course. PhD is awarded in your area of subject based on research. Some students are able to complete PhD is two year but majority take 3 to 4 years to complete PhD.  

The "usefulness" of a course depends - 

If you want to get into research or become a lecturer and professor, then you should go for PHD in finance. If you want to get into corporate or managerial roles, then go for an MBA in Finance.