All about Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode PhD Fellowship – Amount, Objectives, Eligibility, Application Process, Selection Procedure and Documents Required
- What is the Fellowship for PhD at IIM Kozhikode?
- Objectives of the Fellowship for PhD at IIM Kozhikode
- Eligibility & Financial Support
- How to Apply for the PhD Fellowship at IIM Kozhikode
- Documents Required
- Selection Process
- Importance of the Fellowship for PhD at IIM Kozhikode
- FAQs
What is the Fellowship for PhD at IIM Kozhikode?
The PhD Fellowship at the Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode (IIMK) refers to the fully funded financial support offered to a scholar while enrolled in the institute’s Doctoral Programme in Management (PhD), also referred to as the Fellow Programme in Management (FPM).
A full-time, fully funded residential doctoral programme, each admitted scholar receives monthly stipends, accommodation and research-related expenses. Scholars are all fully supported in a fellowship designed so that they may devote their time exclusively to high-quality research, unfettered by financial burden, while advancing through the coursework, comprehensive exam, and research/stage of thesis writing.
Objectives of the Fellowship for PhD at IIM Kozhikode
IIM Kozhikode has a fellowship programme with the following aims:
- To facilitate academic excellence by offering researchers the chance to pursue full-time, impactful research without financial pressure.
- To attract and retain talented researchers that encourage and impact global management scholarship.
- To ensure sustained academic development linking financial benefits to milestones, such as successful completion of the comprehensive examination and the approved thesis proposal defence.
- To build a residential academic community that will support peer-to-peer learning and faculty engagement across disciplines.
Eligibility & Financial Support
Eligibility Criteria
Candidates need to fulfill the following academic qualifications as per the IIM Kozhikode admission policies in 2025 to be qualified to apply for admission to the PhD fellowship:
Post-Graduate Qualification:
- A post-graduate degree or its equivalent in any discipline (M.A., M.Com., M.E., M.Phil., M.Sc., M.Tech., MBA, MCA, etc.) with at least 55% marks aggregate (or its equivalent grade).
Professional Qualification:
- A professional qualification such as CA, ICWA, or CS, along with a bachelor’s degree with at least 50% aggregate Marks (or its equivalent).
A Four-Year Bachelor’s Degree:
- A 4-year / 8-semester bachelor’s degree with at least 75% marks aggregate (or its equivalent grade).
Relaxation:
- A 5% relaxation (or equivalent) in the minimum eligibility marks is available to candidates belonging to SC / ST / PwD / NC-OBC / EWS.
Final Year Students
- Candidates appearing for the final examinations also can apply. However, they must complete all requirements for their qualifying degree by June 30, 2025, and submit the final certificates by December 31, 2025.
- (For CA/ICWA/CS candidates, the course must have been completed at the time of application.)
Benefits and Financial Support
IIM Kozhikode offers one of the most competitive financial packages of all providers in management studies in India. Monthly Fellowship / Stipend:
- ₹ 42,000 per month for the first and second year,
- ₹ 45,000 per month after passing the Comprehensive Examination,
- ₹ 50,000 per month after Thesis Proposal Defence.
- Performance-Based Awards: Exceptional scholars may get more merit-based financial rewards.
- Additional Support: While the home page mentions stipend only, several official verified sites report that IIMK provides:
- Free/subsidized accommodation within campus,
- Contingency and travel/conferences grants for research,
- The fellowship package lasts through the duration of doctoral education, subject to satisfactory academic performance.
How to Apply for the Fellowship for PhD at IIM Kozhikode
The application procedure for the IIM Kozhikode PhD program which includes the fellowship is processed entirely online through an official application portal of the institute.
How to apply:
Step 1: Visit the Official Portal: The applicant can find the online application form located in the official IIM Kozhikode PhD admissions page. Official Link
Step 2: Select Areas of Specialization: Candidates can apply to one or two academic areas of specialization. Candidates applying to two areas must indicate the primary area and secondary area in the application form.
Step 3: Complete the Application Form: Complete the application form with accurate personal, academic, and test specific information.
Step 4: Pay Application Fee: The application fee is non-refundable and may be paid online via the payment link on the form:
- ₹ 1,000 for one academic area
- ₹ 1,500 for two academic areas
Step 5: Upload Documents: There are formats to upload all certificates, academic transcripts, and test score sheets.
Step 6: Submit Before the Deadline:
- Application Opens: approx around November
- Application Deadline: approx around February- March
- Interviews (Tentative): approx around April-May
- Interview Location: IIM Kozhikode Campus
Once the application is submitted, there is an intimation process for shortlisted candidates. Successful candidates will receive offers of admission and automatic benefits from fellowship packages.
Documents Required
When applying, candidates must submit the following items:
- Academic Records / Degree Awards (Bachelor’s, Master’s or equivalent).
- Years of valid test scores (CAT / GMAT / GRE / UGC-NET / GATE).
- Statement of Purpose (SOP) or brief research proposition.
- Updated CV / résumé.
- Category certificate (SC/ST/OBC/EWS/PwD) if applicable.
- Identity proof (Aadhaar / Passport), most recent photograph.
- Once admitted: bank details and hostel registration documents for stipend disbursement.
Selection Process
The process for the selection of a fellowship is undertaken in the same manner as the admissions process for entering the PhD program:
- Eligibility & Screening: All applications are evaluated based on educational qualifications as well as test scores.
- Shortlisting: The shortlisting will be done by academic areas, using the application and research interest to evaluate the candidates.
- Interview/Presentation: Candidates are assessed on their research potential, motivation, and fit within the academic areas in which faculty members work.
- Final Admission Offer: Once candidates are selected for admission, they are automatically considered for fellowship support.
- Continuance Criteria: Stipend support will increase after all candidates have completed their Comprehensive Exam as well as their Thesis Proposal Defence.
Importance of the Fellowship for PhD at IIM Kozhikode
The PhD Fellowship is critical to developing and enhancing the research ecosystem at IIM Kozhikode:
- Allows scholars to do full-time research without worrying about finances.
- Facilitates the consistency of academic advancement via funding milestones.
- Promotes collaboration and interdisciplinary research in a residential community.
- Enhances IIMK’s reputation among a select group of business schools worldwide through its research outcomes.
- Aids the development of future management scholars and educators in India.
FAQs
Q1. What is the monthly stipend for IIM Kozhikode PhD scholars?
Ans. ₹42,000 per month in years 1 & 2; ₹45,000 after comprehensive examination; ₹50,000 after thesis proposal defense.
Q2. Are PhD scholars accommodated?
Ans. Hainam, IIM Kozhikode offers on-campus accommodation (or equivalent accommodation support) for full-time scholars.
Q3. Are tuition/programme fees waived?
Ans. This programme is called “fully financially supported,” which generally would include tuition and related academic fees waived. Scholars should check the final admission brochure for updated details.
Q4. How long is the fellowship duration?
Ans. The fellowship continues for the entire duration of the PhD, as long as the scholarship progresses satisfactorily and passes milestones,
Q5. Can foreign nationals apply?
Ans. The financial support specifically mentions Indian students; international students should search the admission brochure for applicable terms and conditions.
Q6. What happens if the scholar does not complete the comprehensive exam on time?
Ans. In part, delaying the milestone could delay the timeline to the next stipend scale.
Conclusion
At IIM Kozhikode, the PhD Fellowship reflects the institute’s seriousness in developing a research culture of global standards. The Fellowship enables scholars to excel in research and academia through full funding, structured mentorship, and incentives tied to milestones. The Fellowship continues to be one of India’s most competitive and respected doctoral fellowships in management education, and put IIM Kozhikode in a position as a global leader in doctoral education and research excellence.
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