BITS Pilani PhD Admissions 2024 are open. The institute is now accepting applications for admission to the July - August session of BITS Pilani PHD program. The last date to apply for the program is April 29, 2024. The institute will release the shortlist for Written test and interview on May 06, 2024. 

BITS Pilani campus offers PhD program in 13 specailizations and candidates with a BE/ ME/ MTech or quilent degree are eligible for admission. The admission to PhD course will be based on the entrance examination and interview conducted by BITS Pilani. The students with M.Phil. / M.E. / M.Tech. or with National level fellowships like CSIR NETJRF, DBT-JRF, UGC NET-JRF etc. are exempted from BITS Pilani Written test. However, all candidates need to appear for Personal Interview. BITS Pilani offers PHD program in both online and offline modes. 

BITS Pilani PhD Dates

Activity Date
Admission Portal Open March 01, 2024
Last date for submission of application April 29, 2024
Declaration of shortlisted candidates for written test and interview May 06, 2024
Written test and/or interview date (at a BITS Pilani campus) To be Announced
Announcement of admission offers To be Announced
Last date for fee payment To be Announced
Reporting at the BITS Pilani campus July 25, 2024
Orientation July 26- July 27, 2024
Course registration August 01, 2024
Beginning of classwork August 02, 2024

BITS Pilani PhD Eligibility

The eligibility requirements for BITS Pilani PHD Admission is given below:

  • M.E./M.Tech./M.Pharm./MBA/M.Phil. or an equivalent Degree with a minimum of 60% aggregate in the qualifying examination
  • M.Sc./B.E./B.Pharm. or an equivalent degree with a minimum of 60% aggregate in the qualifying examination
  • For admissions to Humanities and Social Sciences, candidates with an M.A. degree and a minimum of 55% aggregate may apply. For part-time applicants, a minimum of one year experience in the related field of study is required.

BITS Pilani PhD Selection Criteria

BITS Pilani PHD Admission are entrance based. For admission the institute conducts entrance test and interview. The students with M.Phil. / M.E. / M.Tech. or with National level fellowships like CSIR NETJRF, DBT-JRF, UGC NET-JRF etc are exempted from BITS Pilani Written test. However, all candidates need to appear for Personal Interview. 

BITS Pilani PhD Entrance test is conducted in 2 parts. For Biological Sciences/Chemistry/Mathematics/Physics Test-I will be common to all disciplines and Test-II will be discipline specific.

  • Test 1 will consist of 30 multiple-choice type questions from General Science, Quantitative Reasoning & Analysis and Research Aptitude.
  • The duration of Test – I will be 1 hr.
  • Each correct answer will be awarded 2 marks while 0.5 marks will be deducted for every wrong answer.

Further for Humanities & Social Sciences/Economics departments, The format of BITS Pilani Entrance Test -1 is given below and test 2 will be subject specific. 

Component Number of Questions Time (Minutes)
Reading Comprehension (2 Passages) 5 Questions for each passage (10 questions in total) 20
Logical Reasoning 10 questions 20
Analytical Reasoning 10 questions 15
General Awareness 10 questions 15

Check BITS Pilani PHD Entrance Test Structure

BITS Pilani Financial Assistance

BITS Pilani offers Financial assistance to the PhD Students, check below:

  • Full-time PhD students at BITS Pilani will be eligible for an Institute fellowship of INR 34,000 or INR 37,000 per month in the first year based on their qualifications at the time of admission.
  • Students admitted with M.E./M.Tech./M.Pharm./MBA/M.Phil. or an equivalent Degree are eligible to receive an Institute fellowship of INR 37,000.
  • Students admitted with M.Sc./B.E./B.Pharm. or an equivalent degree are eligible to receive an Institute fellowship of INR 34,000.

Note: Every PPhD full time student is required to undertake 8 hours (per week) of work as assigned to him/her by the institute.

BITS Pilani PHD Admission: How to Apply?

The step wise application process for BITS Pilani PhD Program is given below:

Step 1: Aspirants need to visit https://www.bitsadmission.com/phdmain.aspx and register.

Step 2: Fill in the required details and pay the application fees of INR 2600. 

Step 3: Choose the preferred campus, the capus preference can’t be changed once the application is submitted. 

Step 4: Take a printout of the application form for future reference. 

BITS Pilani PhD FAQs

Ques. What is the eligibility criteria for PhD programs at BITS Pilani?

BITS Pilani requires a Master's degree (M.E., M.Tech., M.Phil., MBA, etc.) in a relevant field with a minimum of 60% marks. They also consider B.E./B.Tech./B.Pharm. degrees with a minimum of 60% for certain programs. 

Ques. How does the PhD application process work at BITS Pilani?

The application process involves submitting an online application form along with transcripts, research proposal, and letters of recommendation. Shortlisted candidates are then called for an interview. The application process is online and the application fees for the application is INR 2600. 

Ques. Can I get financial assistance for a PhD at BITS Pilani?

Yes, BITS Pilani offers various fellowship programs for PhD students. The details of BITS Pilani FInancial assistance is given below:

  • Full-time PhD students at BITS Pilani will be eligible for an Institute fellowship of INR 34,000 or INR 37,000 per month in the first year based on their qualifications at the time of admission.
  • Students admitted with M.E./M.Tech./M.Pharm./MBA/M.Phil. or an equivalent Degree are eligible to receive an Institute fellowship of INR 37,000.
  • Students admitted with M.Sc./B.E./B.Pharm. or an equivalent degree are eligible to receive an Institute fellowship of INR 34,000

Ques. What is the typical duration for a PhD program at BITS Pilani?

The expected time to complete a PhD thesis is ten semesters (excluding summers) from the qualifying exam. Extensions for a maximum of four semesters are possible under special circumstances. 

Ques. Is there an option for part-time PhD programs at BITS Pilani?

Yes, BITS Pilani also offers part-time PhD programs. The part time PhD program of BITS Pilani is fully sponsored by the the employer of the applicant.