IIM Lucknow offers a full-time, residential Ph.D in management that takes 4.5 years, in 11 areas from Finance to Business Sustainability. The programme began in 2000. 41 scholars joined in 2026, and NIRF 2026 data lists 117 full-time scholars on the rolls. There is no tuition fee: the only fee is the INR 1,000 application fee, or INR 500 for SC and ST. Every resident Indian scholar gets a fellowship of INR 35,000 a month in years 1 and 2, about INR 4.2 LPA, which rises to INR 40,000 after the comprehensive exam. You need a valid CAT, GATE, GRE, GMAT or JRF score, and each area picks its scholars through its own test and interview. NIRF placed the institute #5 in management in 2025.
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Course Duration | 4.5 Years |
| Number of Ph.D Specialisations | 11 |
| Admission Through | CAT, GATE, GRE, GMAT or JRF score, then area test and interview |
| Minimum Eligibility | Master's with 55%, or B.E. or four-year degree with 75% |
| Total Fees | INR 1,000 |
| Hostel + Mess | Free semi-furnished hostel room |
| Scholarship Available | Fellowship of INR 35,000 a month, then INR 40,000 |
| Median Package 2025 | Not published for the Ph.D |
| Placement Rate 2025 | Not published for the Ph.D |
| NIRF Management Rank | #5 in 2025 |
You pay IIM Lucknow only INR 1,000, the application fee, or INR 500 if you are SC or ST. The tuition fee is INR 0 for resident Indian scholars, and the hostel room is free. If you apply with CAT, the CAT 2026 fee of INR 2,700 goes to the CAT body, not to the institute. NRI and foreign scholars pay the tuition fee and get no fellowship.
| Fee head | Amount | How it is charged |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | INR 1,000 | One time, when you apply |
| Application fee, SC and ST | INR 500 | One time, when you apply |
| Tuition fee | INR 0 | Waived for resident Indian scholars |
| Hostel room | INR 0 | Free, semi-furnished |
| CAT 2026 registration fee | INR 2,700 | Paid to the CAT body, only if you use CAT |
| Total you pay the institute | INR 1,000 | Application fee only |
The 2027 notice is expected in Oct 2026, and the last date to apply in Feb 2027. Interviews are expected in Apr 2027 and classes in Jun 2027. These estimates follow the 2026 cycle, when forms closed on 16 Feb 2026 and interviews ran on 6 and 7 Apr 2026.
| Event | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Ph.D 2027 notice and online application open | Oct 2026 | Tentative |
| Last date to apply | Feb 2027 | Tentative |
| Test score screening by each area | Feb 2027 | Tentative |
| Shortlist for the area test and interview | Mar 2027 | Tentative |
| Area test and selection interview | Apr 2027 | Tentative |
| Final selection result | Apr 2027 | Tentative |
| Offer and seat allotment in your area | May 2027 | Tentative |
| Acceptance fee, last date | May 2027 | Tentative |
| Reporting and document check | Jun 2027 | Tentative |
| Classes start | Jun 2027 | Tentative |
You need a Master's degree with 55%, or a B.E. or four-year degree with 75%, in any subject. SC and ST applicants need 50% and 70%. You also need 55% in every public exam from Class 10, and a test score from the last two years. An IIM PGP with CGPA 6 needs no test score.
| Requirement | What you need |
|---|---|
| Master's degree | 55% in any subject (50% for SC and ST) |
| B.E. or four-year degree | 75% (70% for SC and ST) |
| CA, ICWA or CS | 55%, with a B.Com as your first degree |
| IIM PGP | Two-year full-time PGP with CGPA 6 or 60%; no test score |
| Class 10 onward | 55% in every public exam |
| Test score | CAT, GATE, GRE, GMAT or JRF, from the last two years |
| Age | 55 or younger on 30 June of the joining year |
You apply online, name a first and a second area, and pay the application fee. Each area shortlists on your test score and profile, then holds its own test, interview or both. The offer names one area, and you cannot change it after you join. In 2026, 8 scholars with an IIM PGP joined straight into year 2.
| Step | What you do |
|---|---|
| Apply online | Fill the form, name two areas in order and pay the fee. |
| Get shortlisted | Each area reads your test score and profile; only shortlisted names get an email. |
| Area test and interview | A written area test, a technical interview or both. |
| Accept the offer | Pay the acceptance fee by the date in your offer letter. |
| Join in June | Year 1 is common coursework; IIM PGP graduates may join in year 2. |
Marketing took the most new scholars in 2026, 10 of the 41, and Finance and HR took 6 each. Finance and HR also have the most scholars on roll, 21 each. There are no fixed seats: each area admits as many as it finds fit. Every area name below opens its own course page.
| Area | Joined in 2026 | On roll | Alumni listed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Sustainability | 2 | 3 | None yet |
| Operations and Supply Chain Management | 3 | 11 | 12 |
| Agri-Business Management | 1 | 6 | None yet |
| Communication | 1 | 2 | None yet |
| Decision Sciences | 3 | 10 | 2 |
| Economics and Business Environment | 4 | 12 | 5 |
| Finance and Accounting | 6 | 21 | 7 |
| Human Resource Management | 6 | 21 | 7 |
| Information Technology and Systems | 2 | 10 | 15 |
| Marketing Management | 10 | 20 | 9 |
| Strategic Management | 3 | 14 | 14 |
| All 11 areas | 41 | 130 | 71 |
All 11 areas take the same four routes: a Master's with 55%, a B.E. with 75%, CA, ICWA or CS with 55%, or an IIM PGP with CGPA 6. The institute publishes no cutoff score for any test. Each area sets its own shortlist, test and interview.
| Route | Areas it opens | What decides the seat |
|---|---|---|
| Master's with 55% | All 11 | Test score, then the area test and interview |
| B.E. or four-year degree with 75% | All 11 | Test score, then the area test and interview |
| CA, ICWA or CS with 55% and B.Com | All 11 | Test score, then the area test and interview |
| IIM PGP with CGPA 6 | All 11 | No test score; the area review and interview |
NIRF 2026 data lists 21 full-time Ph.D graduates in the last year, and the institute's alumni list names 71 past scholars. There is no pay figure for the Ph.D. Most alumni on the list now teach at business schools, and a few work at firms such as KPMG, Infosys and ISRO. You may look for a job only after your thesis goes for external review.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Pay figures | Not published for the Ph.D |
| Full-time graduates, last NIRF year | 21 |
| Full-time scholars on roll, NIRF 2026 data | 117 |
| Alumni on the institute list | 71 |
| Where alumni work | Business schools, plus KPMG, Infosys, ISRO and NABARD |
The fellowship is the biggest support: INR 35,000 a month in years 1 and 2 and INR 40,000 from year 3, for up to 4.5 years. You also get a contingency grant of INR 10,000 a year, then INR 15,000, and INR 50,000 once for a computer. Only resident Indian scholars get these.
| Scholarship | Who can get it | Amount or waiver |
|---|---|---|
| Fellowship | Every resident Indian scholar | INR 35,000 a month, INR 40,000 from year 3 |
| Contingency grant | Every resident Indian scholar | INR 10,000 a year, INR 15,000 in years 3 and 4 |
| Computer grant | Every resident Indian scholar | INR 50,000, once |
| Conference grant | Scholars after the thesis proposal | INR 1,40,000 to INR 1,60,000 in all, by CGPA |
| Application fee concession | SC and ST applicants | INR 500 instead of INR 1,000 |
NIRF placed IIM Lucknow #5 in management in 2025, and Collegedunia ranks it #5 in management for 2026. The institute also holds AACSB and AMBA accreditation. NIRF counts Ph.D graduates in its outcome score, so this programme feeds the rank.
| Ranking body | Year | Rank or grade |
|---|---|---|
| NIRF, Management | 2025 | #5 |
| Collegedunia, Management | 2026 | #5 |
| AACSB | Current | Accredited |
| AMBA | Current | Accredited |
The hostel room costs INR 0 for every Ph.D scholar, and the family health cover is INR 1,00,000. Married scholars can live on campus with a spouse and children. The institute pays back the premium for that family cover.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Hostel room | INR 0 for a semi-furnished room |
| Married scholars | Campus rooms for spouse and children |
| Family health cover | INR 1,00,000 cover with the premium paid back |
| Campus | Prabandh Nagar, off Sitapur Road, Lucknow |
You spend two years on coursework and 2.5 years on the thesis. Year 1 is common for every area, with a summer research task at the end. Year 2 brings area courses, a dissertation and the comprehensive exam. Then you defend a thesis proposal and write the thesis.
| Stage | What you do |
|---|---|
| Year 1 | Common courses for every area, then a two-month summer research task |
| Year 2 | Area courses, a dissertation and the comprehensive exam |
| Year 3 | Thesis proposal, a seminar and a thesis committee |
| Years 4 and 4.5 | Thesis work, submission and defence |
The 2027 calendar is not out. These estimates hold for every area.
Source: IIM Lucknow Ph.D admission page, 2026 schedule.
This is the full 4.5-year cost, and it is the same for every area.
Source: IIM Lucknow Ph.D admission page; CAT 2026 notice.
Pick your route and marks range. Ranges change with the route.
IIM Lucknow publishes no cutoff score for CAT, GATE or any other test. Each area draws its own shortlist, so ask the Ph.D office which tests your area takes before you apply.
Answer two questions to see what you get in any area.
Each chip below says which answer blocked the scheme.
Short answers to what applicants ask before they apply.
This page is AI assisted and human verified.
Comments
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No, IIM Lucknow Noida campus does not offer the same courses as the main campus. The Noida campus focuses on programs designed for working professionals, while the main campus offers a wider range of programs including full-time options.