IIM Bangalore offers a fully-funded doctoral research programme across 11 management specializations including Finance and Accounting, Economics, Marketing, and Strategy. The five-year full-time programme admits scholars for rigorous on-campus research with internationally published faculty. All admitted scholars receive a tuition fee waiver and a monthly fellowship of INR 52,000. Entrance is through an in-person GMAT, GRE, or the IIMB Test conducted on campus.
📋 Admission Status: Applications are currently open. Last date to apply is 22 January 2027.
Key Points
- IIMB conducts its own on-campus entrance test so candidates do not need an existing GMAT or GRE score to apply.
- A start-up grant of INR 80,000 is disbursed in Year 1 for research materials and domain-specific software.
- Travel grants of up to INR 4,40,000 fund conference presentations at national and international venues.
- The N.S. Ramaswamy Pre-doctoral Fellowship provides a one-year preparatory track before formal doctoral enrolment.
IIM Bangalore Ph.D Fees 2026
IIM Bangalore charges no tuition fees for any admitted doctoral scholar. The programme is fully funded across all 11 research areas: Decision Sciences, Economics, Entrepreneurship, Finance and Accounting, Information Systems, Management Communication, Marketing, Organizational Behaviour and HRM, Production and Operations Management, Public Policy, and Strategy.
| Financial Support Component | Amount |
|---|
| Tuition Fee (all specializations) | Full Waiver (INR 0) |
| Monthly Fellowship | INR 52,000 per month |
| Start-up Grant (Year 1) | INR 80,000 |
| Contingency Grant (Years 2 to 5) | INR 30,000 per year |
| Conference Travel Grant | Up to INR 4,40,000 |
- Fees are subject to revision. Verify with iimb.ac.in before admission.
IIM Bangalore Ph.D Admission 2026
Important Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|
| Application Portal Opened | July 2026 |
| IIMB Test Round 1 | October 2026 |
| Application Deadline | 22 January 2027 |
| IIMB Test Round 2 | 01 February 2027 |
| Area Tests and Interviews | February to March 2027 |
| Offer Letters Released | March 2027 |
| Programme Begins | May 2027 |
- IIMB Test takers pay a non-refundable fee of INR 1,200.
- Online GMAT and GRE taken at home are not accepted.
The dates mentioned above are tentative and subject to change.
Eligibility Criteria
- Master’s degree applicants: Minimum 55% marks or equivalent CGPA.
- Bachelor’s degree-only applicants: Minimum 65% marks or equivalent CGPA.
- Valid in-person GMAT or GRE (tests after 22 January 2021) or IIMB Test score required.
Admission Process
- Register on the IIMB doctoral admissions portal and submit academic documents, research statement, and test scores.
- Shortlisted candidates appear for an area-specific written test conducted by the specialization faculty panel.
- Candidates who pass the written test attend a faculty interview with the area panel.
- Offer letters are released in March for the batch beginning in May.
IIM Bangalore Ph.D vs Other Colleges
Here is how IIM Bangalore Ph.D compares with doctoral programmes at peer institutions on fellowship, exams, and ratings.
| College | Fees | Exams | Cutoff | Salary | CD Rating |
|---|
| IIM Bangalore | Full waiver + INR 52,000/month | GMAT, GRE,
IIMB Test | Not Disclosed | Not Disclosed | 4.6/5 |
| IIM Ahmedabad | Full waiver + INR 48,000 to 58,000/month | CAT, GMAT, GRE,
GATE, UGC-NET JRF | Not Disclosed | Not Disclosed | 4.8/5 |
| IIM Calcutta | Full waiver + INR 42,000 to 50,000/month | CAT, GMAT, GRE,
GATE, UGC-NET JRF | Not Disclosed | Not Disclosed | 4.4/5 |
| IIM Mumbai | 1.75 L total | CAT, GRE, GMAT,
GATE, UGC-JRF | Not Disclosed | Not Disclosed | 4.3/5 |
✓ Opt for this if
- You want an academic or research career at a globally recognised management institution.
- You need a fully-funded programme with competitive monthly stipend and campus housing.
- You do not have a GMAT or GRE and prefer the IIMB on-campus test route.
- You plan to publish in top-ranked management journals under IIM Bangalore faculty mentorship.
✗ Skip if
- You hold a strong CAT or GATE score, as IIM Bangalore does not accept these for its PhD.
- You want a corporate or industry career after your doctorate rather than an academic position.
- You cannot commit to a full-time minimum five-year programme in Bangalore.
IIM Bangalore Ph.D Scholarships 2026
All admitted doctoral scholars receive a comprehensive fellowship package at IIM Bangalore. The package includes a monthly stipend, research grants, and travel funding for the full duration of the programme.
| Fellowship / Grant | Amount | Eligibility | Deadline |
|---|
| Doctoral Fellowship (Monthly Stipend) | INR 52,000 per month | All admitted scholars | From enrolment |
| Start-up Grant | INR 80,000 | All scholars (Year 1) | At enrolment |
| Contingency Grant | INR 30,000 per year | All scholars (Years 2 to 5) | Annual |
| Conference Travel Grant | Up to INR 4,40,000 | Scholars presenting at conferences | Per travel proposal |
- Milestone-based incentives are available for completing key programme milestones on schedule.
- External awards such as UGC fellowships may additionally apply for qualifying scholars.
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Comments
Found 2 Comments
It is unlikely that IIM Bangalore would launch an IPM programme anytime soon, although talks are still going on.
IIM Bangalore PGP BA is a 2 year duration course. The admission to the Domestic students in provided on the basis of CAT scores followed by interview. The admissions to the international students are done on the basis of GMAT/ GRE scores followed by Interview round. The PGP BA students have to reside in hostel. There are a total of 73 seats offered in the course.