Content Curator | Updated on - Mar 31, 2026

The Ph.D. (Fashion Design) Full Time program at Manipal University Jaipur (MUJ) is a research-focused doctoral program offered under the Department of Fashion Design, Faculty of Science, Technology and Architecture (FoSTA). The program has a minimum duration of 3 years and a maximum of 6 years, with scholars required to be present on campus full-time. The annual fee is Rs. 30,000 (payable till final thesis submission), with a one-time registration fee of Rs. 10,000, making the total cost approximately Rs. 1,00,000 over the minimum duration. Admissions are conducted twice a year (July and January batches) through a university-level entrance test and interview. The program is popular among aspiring fashion researchers, design educators, and industry professionals seeking to contribute original knowledge in areas such as sustainable fashion, textile innovation, fashion history, consumer behaviour, and design pedagogy.

Admission for the January 2026 batch is now closed (results were declared in January 2026). The next admission cycle is expected to be the July 2026 batch, with applications likely to open around June 2026, based on the previous year's schedule. Candidates are advised to monitor the official MUJ PhD page at jaipur.manipal.edu/research-phd.php for the July 2026 notification.

Key Points

The Department of Fashion Design at MUJ is one of the few departments in India offering a dedicated Ph.D. in Fashion Design, with both full-time and part-time options.
The department has strong industry collaborations with leading fashion houses including Manish Malhotra, Tarun Tahiliani, Rahul Mishra, Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail, Arvind Fashions, and others.
Scholars have access to state-of-the-art facilities including a Sewing Lab, Pattern Making Lab, CAD Lab (with Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, CorelDRAW), and a Textile Design Lab with CNC machines and 3D printing capabilities.
Full-time scholars are eligible for the Dr. Ramdas Pai Scholarship (monthly stipend up to Rs. 45,000/month) and conference presentation support of up to Rs. 30,000.
Scholars with UGC-NET/JRF, CSIR-NET/JRF, GATE, SLET, or M.Phil. qualifications are exempted from the university entrance examination.
The department has received recognition including the Best Professor in Fashion Design award at the Dewang Mehta National Education Awards for its faculty.

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Highlights
Fees
Admission
Scholarships
Ranking
FAQs

MUJ Ph.D. (Fashion Design) Fees

The Ph.D. (Fashion Design) Full Time program at MUJ has a simple and transparent fee structure. The key recurring charge is the Annual Fee of Rs. 30,000, payable each year until the final thesis is submitted. A one-time non-refundable Registration Fee of Rs. 10,000 is charged at the time of admission. Over the minimum duration of 3 years, the total program cost works out to Rs. 1,00,000.

Fee Components

Fee Component	Amount (INR)
Registration Fee (one-time, non-refundable)	10,000
Annual Fee (per year, till thesis submission)	30,000
Annual Fee for Minimum Duration (3 years x Rs. 30,000)	90,000
Total Fees (Registration + Annual for minimum duration)	1,00,000
Hostel Fees - Double Occupancy (per year, optional)	1,74,050
Hostel Fees - Triple+Double Occupancy (per year, optional)	1,57,220

The Registration Fee of Rs. 10,000 is non-refundable.
Annual fees are payable each year until the final thesis is submitted.
If the scholar takes longer than the minimum duration, additional annual fees will apply.
For Foreign/NRI scholars: Registration Fee is USD 300 and Annual Fee is USD 1,100.
Hostel accommodation is optional.
Hostel fees shown are for the academic year 2026-27 and are subject to change.
A refundable security deposit of Rs. 24,250 is applicable if hostel accommodation is availed.
Fees can be paid via Demand Draft drawn in favour of 'Manipal University Jaipur' payable at Jaipur.

MUJ Ph.D. (Fashion Design) Admission 2026

MUJ conducts Ph.D. admissions twice a year - in July and January. The selection process involves a written entrance test (conducted online) followed by an interview of shortlisted candidates. The January 2026 batch admission cycle has been completed. The July 2026 cycle is expected to follow a similar timeline as the July 2025 cycle.

MUJ Ph.D. Admission Schedule

Event	January 2026 Batch (Completed)	July 2026 Batch (Tentative)
Call for PhD Applications	December 8, 2025	June 2026 (Tentative)
Last Date to Apply	December 27, 2025	June 2026 (Tentative)
PhD Entrance Test (Online)	January 5, 2026	July 2026 (Tentative)
Interview of Shortlisted Candidates	January 6-8, 2026	July 2026 (Tentative)
Declaration of Results	January 9, 2026	July 2026 (Tentative)
Fee Submission and Document Verification	January 16, 2026	July 2026 (Tentative)
Last Date of PhD Registration	January 20, 2026	July 2026 (Tentative)
PhD Course Work Starts	January 21, 2026	July 2026 (Tentative)

Relevant Entrance Exam Dates

Exam	Registration Period	Exam Date	Result Date
GATE 2026	Aug 28 - Oct 13, 2025	Feb 7, 8, 14, 15, 2026	March 19, 2026
UGC-NET Phase 1 (Dec 2025)	Oct 7 - Nov 7, 2025	Dec 31, 2025 - Jan 7, 2026	February 4, 2026
UGC-NET Phase 2 (Jun 2026)	Apr 1 - May 1, 2026 (Tentative)	June 2026 (Tentative)	July 2026 (Tentative)
CSIR-NET (Jul 2026)	May 1 - May 21, 2026 (Tentative)	July 25-27, 2026 (Tentative)	September 2026 (Tentative)

Note: Candidates who have qualified UGC-NET/JRF, CSIR-NET/JRF, GATE, SLET, or M.Phil. are exempted from the MUJ PhD Entrance Examination. UGC-NET Visual Arts (Subject Code 29) is relevant for Fashion Design research scholars.

The dates mentioned above are tentative and subject to change.

Eligibility Criteria

Candidates must hold a Master's degree from a UGC-recognized institution with a minimum of 55% marks or a CGPA of 5.5 on a 10-point scale.
A candidate may register for Ph.D. in a department relevant to their field of study (Fashion Design or related design disciplines).
Candidates holding a qualifying degree from foreign universities must have their equivalence determined by the Directorate of Research (DoR) at MUJ.

Admission Process

Apply online at admissions.jaipur.manipal.edu during the application window.
Appear for the MUJ Ph.D. Entrance Test (online mode) - exempted if UGC-NET/JRF, CSIR-NET/JRF, GATE, SLET, or M.Phil. qualified.
Shortlisted candidates are called for a personal interview conducted by the department.
Results are declared, followed by fee submission, NOC submission, and document verification.
Final registration and commencement of coursework.

MUJ Ph.D. (Fashion Design) Scholarships 2026

MUJ offers the prestigious Dr. Ramdas Pai Scholarship exclusively for full-time Ph.D. scholars, making the Full Time Ph.D. in Fashion Design financially attractive for deserving candidates. The scholarship provides a monthly stipend that increases each year, supporting scholars throughout their research journey. Additionally, full-time scholars can claim up to Rs. 30,000 for presenting their research at Scopus/WoS-indexed conferences.

Scholarship Details

Scholarship	Eligibility	Amount	Duration
Dr. Ramdas Pai PhD Scholarship	Full-time Ph.D. scholars (eligible for this program)	Rs. 35,000/month (Year 1), Rs. 40,000/month (Year 2), Rs. 45,000/month (Year 3)	Maximum 3 years
Conference Presentation Support	Full-time scholars presenting at Scopus/WoS-indexed conferences	Up to Rs. 30,000 (one-time)	Once during program duration
Scholarship for Differently-Abled Students	All programs, 40-75% disability	20% fee waiver on annual tuition fee	Per year (with CGPA >= 7.5)
Scholarship for Differently-Abled Students	All programs, >75% disability	50% fee waiver on annual tuition fee	Per year (with CGPA >= 7.5)
Scholarship for Wards of Martyrs of Defence Personnel	All programs	20% fee waiver on annual tuition fee	Per year (with CGPA >= 7.5)
Scholarship for Wards of Single Mother	All programs	20% fee waiver on annual tuition fee	Per year (with CGPA >= 7.5)

A total of 20 Dr. Ramdas Pai Scholarships are awarded per academic year (10 per semester) across all full-time PhD scholars of MUJ.
Scholars with CSIR/UGC NET-JRF, DBT/ICMR JRF, or those engaged in EMR projects as JRF/SRF/RA/Project Fellow are not eligible for the Dr. Ramdas Pai Scholarship.
All scholarship applications must be submitted through the proper channel.
A student may apply for only one scholarship per academic session.
Scholarship continuity requires maintaining a CGPA of 7.5 or above each year without any backlogs.

Manipal University Jaipur Ph.D Fashion Design Ranking

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#35 out of 70 in Top Private Colleges in India 2025

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MUJ Ph.D. (Fashion Design) FAQs

Ques. Is Ph.D. in Fashion Design a rare offering in India, and why should one choose MUJ for it?

Ans. Ph.D. in Fashion Design is indeed a niche offering in India, with very few universities providing a dedicated doctoral program in this discipline. MUJ stands out due to its strong industry collaborations with top fashion houses like Manish Malhotra, Tarun Tahiliani, and Rahul Mishra, its well-equipped labs (Sewing, Pattern Making, CAD, Textile Design), and a faculty that has received national recognition. The department's research focus spans sustainable fashion, textile innovation, and design pedagogy.

Ques. What kind of research topics can one pursue in Ph.D. (Fashion Design) at MUJ?

Ans. Scholars can pursue research in areas such as sustainable and eco-friendly fashion, textile design and innovation, fashion history and cultural studies, consumer behaviour in fashion, digital fashion and CAD-based design, fashion retail and merchandising, and design pedagogy. The research topic is finalized in consultation with the assigned supervisor.

Ques. Can someone with a B.Des degree directly apply for Ph.D. in Fashion Design at MUJ?

Ans. No. The minimum eligibility for Ph.D. at MUJ is a Master's degree with at least 55% marks or a CGPA of 5.5 from a UGC-recognized institution. Candidates with a B.Des degree must first complete a Master's program (such as M.Des or M.A. in Fashion Design or related field) before applying for the Ph.D.

Ques. Is the Dr. Ramdas Pai Scholarship available for Ph.D. (Fashion Design) Full Time scholars?

Ans. Yes, full-time Ph.D. scholars in Fashion Design are eligible to apply for the Dr. Ramdas Pai Scholarship. The scholarship provides a monthly stipend of Rs. 35,000 in Year 1, Rs. 40,000 in Year 2, and Rs. 45,000 in Year 3. However, only 20 scholarships are awarded per academic year across all full-time PhD scholars of MUJ, so selection is competitive.

Ques. How does the MUJ Ph.D. (Fashion Design) admission process work for candidates who already hold a UGC-NET qualification?

Ans. Candidates who have qualified UGC-NET/JRF are exempted from the MUJ Ph.D. Entrance Test. They can directly appear for the interview round. UGC-NET Visual Arts (Subject Code 29) is the most relevant subject for Fashion Design research scholars. After clearing the interview, the process involves fee submission, document verification, and final registration.

Ques. What is the minimum and maximum duration of the Full Time Ph.D. in Fashion Design at MUJ, and what happens if a scholar cannot complete within the minimum duration?

Ans. The Full Time Ph.D. at MUJ has a minimum duration of 3 years and a maximum of 6 years. If a scholar cannot complete the thesis within 3 years, they continue to pay the annual fee of Rs. 30,000 each year until the thesis is submitted, up to a maximum of 6 years. Extensions beyond 6 years are subject to university regulations and require special approval.