How to Apply for PhD After Bachelors

How to Apply for PhD After Bachelors?

Edited By Prabhjyot Kaur | Updated on Mar 25, 2025 02:30 PM IST

How to apply for PhD in USA after bachelor degree? The major question that a candidate asks is, 'Can we do PhD after graduation?' The answer is, Yes. One can do PhD after bachelor degree in USA. Candidates seeking admission to PhD programme in USA must have a bachelors degree of at least 4 years. Several universities in USA, UK, Canada, Germany, and Australia offer direct entry to PhD programmes. USA is the most preferred study abroad destination for international students planning to seek admission to PhD after bachelor's in USA. Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Yale University and others are some of the top universities offering PhD after bachelor's in USA.

This Story also Contains

Can Students Apply for PhD After Bachelors in USA?
What is a Combined MS and PhD degree?
How to Apply for PhD After Bachelors in USA?
Top Reasons to Pursue PhD After Bachelors 2025
Eligibility Criteria for PhD After Bachelors
Admission Process for PhD After Bachelors
Top Countries for PhD After Bachelor's Abroad 2025
Top Global Universities to Pursue PhD 2025

How to Apply for PhD After Bachelors?

However, there are certain requirements that one must know on how to get admission in PhD/ pursue PhD programme after bachelors in USA. To study in USA, students are required to have exceptional academic excellence, involvement in extra-curriculars, and standardised test scores, along with English language proficiency.

Read the full article to know how to apply for PhD after bachelors in USA.

Can Students Apply for PhD After Bachelors in USA?

Can I do PhD after graduation? Can I do PhD after BA? Is it possible for a Direct PhD after B.Tech? Or Can I apply for direct PhD after graduation? These are a few common questions that a candidate asks for if they want to pursue PhD after graduation. While it is not the norm, there are quite a few universities in USA that allow students to opt for a PhD after bachelor’s. However, when applying for PhD after bachelors, candidates must know that some of these universities do not let students skip their master's degree altogether. In fact, in most cases, the master’s program is clubbed with the PhD. So, can you do PhD after bachelors? Yes, you can!

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What is a Combined MS and PhD degree?

While some universities in USA let students apply for a PhD after bachelor’s, it is, however, a combined master's and PhD programme. Therefore, a student gets a master's degree on his way to a PhD degree. Universities usually have a coursework and then students can pursue their research programme.

PhD Duration: The average course duration for combined PhD degree vary from 5-7 years, which includes 2-3 years of coursework and 2-3 years for research. For more information, students must visit the official website of the selected university.

Top universities for PhD after bachelor’s in USA

University	Minimum requirement
Massachusetts institute of technology	A bachelor's degree (or equivalent)
Harvard University	A bachelor's degree (or equivalent)
California Institute of Technology (Caltech)	A bachelor's degree (or equivalent)
Princeton University	A bachelor's degree (or equivalent)
Yale University	A bachelor's degree (or equivalent)

Note: If students want to do a PhD after bachelor's in USA, they must remember that the admission requirements for international students vary by the course of study and university chosen by an individual. When applying for a PhD degree after a bachelor’s degree, applicants must ensure that they have a strong application because they will be competing for a place in a PhD programme with candidates who may have a master's degree. Candidates must also note that not all the programmes offered by the US universities cover combined MS and PhD, and hence, students must check the official websites of the universities for more information.

Do check these out:

Study in Canada	Study in Australia
Study in Europe	Study in Germany
Study in UK	Study in New Zealand

How to Apply for PhD After Bachelors in USA?

Often, students have this misconception that applying for PhD after bachelors is not possible. Students with this mentality often wonder that can you get a PhD without a Master or not. Yes, they can but they need to apply rightly. The application process of how to apply for PhD in USA after bachelor degree is similar to applying for any other degree in the university. The application can be sent online through the university website, but before checking about how to apply for PhD, the candidates need to check a few requirements for PhD.

Admission Requirements for PhD after Bachelors 2025

The entry requirements for a combined MS and PhD program are similar to that of a doctorate, as most applicants for the combined program would not have an advanced degree or journal publications. Admission to a combined degree can also be very competitive with most universities accepting just 3-4 candidates in a session. PhD after bachelor's in USA has some admission requirements that candidates need to follow anyhow.

Strong GPA: Candidates must have an excellent grade point average (GPA) to qualify for the programs. Students from other boards can find the equivalent of the GPA to assess their eligibility.

Entrance Exams: Candidates are required to have a high standardised test score. Students from non English speaking countries must also provide language proficiency scores. Some of the tests that are required for admission to PhD are:

Letter of Recommendation (LOR): One of the most important elements for admission to direct PhD programmes is a letter of recommendation. The letter of recommendation is an independent assessment of a candidate's potential. Most universities require at least two to three recommendation letters. It is advisable for students to have letters of recommendation written by either their professors or employees

Statement of Purpose (SOP): The statement of purpose is another important element of the application package for admission to direct Ph.D. programs in the USA. It reflects the student's commitment to the Ph.D. program and goals in his life.

Resume: At the Ph.D. level, many universities would require the student to submit a resume along with the application. The resume should contain the candidate's basic information like date of birth, academic qualifications, achievements and details of any previous work in his area of interest.

Research projects: It is always helpful if the aspirant has the Ph.D. as an elective subject in the final year of their bachelor’s. Also, one can get additional points if the application is accompanied by any research or journal publications or any projects in the related field.

Interview: Most of the universities for PhD in the USA offering direct PhD hold a separate interview round for the aspirants. As in most cases, the Ph.D. interviews are conducted by invitation only. The questions are general as well as specific to the subject the candidate wants to pursue.

Top Reasons to Pursue PhD After Bachelors 2025

Saves Time: Pursuing a PhD is a long time-consuming process and commitment for years. So combining a master's with PhD does not totally skip the master's duration but enables to study without a break period.
Early chance for Teaching: While continuing this PhD, students can work as assistant professor lecturers at a young age. Candidates can enjoy the benefits of teaching and learning at the same time.
Expertise in the Field: Rather than focusing time only on the theoretical learning of masters, the candidates get an early chance to research and get experts in their chosen field.

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Eligibility Criteria for PhD After Bachelors

To be eligible for a PhD programme, you would generally require a Master's degree in the relevant field or a 4-year Bachelor’s degree. Nevertheless, the eligibility criteria may differ based on the university and the specific programme. The common eligibility criteria for PhD after bachelor degree is mentioned below:

Degree: A Master's degree from a relevant discipline with minimum marks percentage (typically 55% or equivalent CGPA) or a four-year bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 7.5cgpa.

Entrance Exam: Passing a national-level entrance test such as UGC-NET, CSIR-NET, GATE, or a university-level entrance test.

Research Aptitude: Showcasing ability to undertake independent research.

Letter of Recommendation: Strong recommendation letters from academic or professional people.

Statement of Purpose: A brief and concise statement of purpose showing your interests and objectives.

Relaxations for Reserved Categories:

SC/ST/OBC: Candidates of these categories might have relaxed eligibility criteria, i.e., lower percentage requirement.

PWD: Persons with Disabilities could also have certain different eligibility criteria and relaxations.

Admission Process for PhD After Bachelors

The process of application is done over time and starts months prior to the class commencement. The universities have two principal intakes referred to as the fall intake and winter intake for international students to start their academic journey.

Gather all your documents such as SOPs, essays, certificates, and LORs and exam scores such as IELTS, TOEFL, GRE, GMAT, etc.
Comply with all the deadlines for applications and initiate the application process for accommodation, students visa, and scholarships/student loans.
Accept the offer letter and get to meet your faculties, college classmates, and roommates virtually.
Get your visa approved and fly to your dream university.

Top Countries for PhD After Bachelor's Abroad 2025

Now that we know how to get into PhD after bachelors, or PhD after Graduation, students must know the some of the top countries for PhD after bachelor's abroad. Apart from USA, there are many abroad countries that offer admission to students looking for PhD after bachelors. The University of Oxford, University of Chicago, and The University of Cambridge are among the top universities known for their PhD degree abroad. A list of top countries offering PhD after bachelor's are mentioned below:

List of 14 Countries Offering PhD After Bachelor’s 2025

UK	Germany
Canada	Australia
France	Japan
Hong Kong	South Korea
Netherlands	Singapore
Switzerland	New Zealand
China	Ireland

Top Global Universities to Pursue PhD 2025

Deciding a PhD university is one of the crucial steps for international students as the right university can make a visible difference in the education quality, research opportunities, experience, career opportunities, and many more. Here are the top 10 universities in the world as per QS and THE World University Rankings 2025.

10 Best Universities in the World for PhD 2025 by THE:

Top PhD Universities	THE WUR 2025
University of Oxford	1
Massachusetts Institute of Technology	2
Harvard University	3
Princeton University	4
University of Cambridge	5
Stanford University	6
California Institute of Technology	7
University of California, Berkeley	8
Imperial College London	9
Yale University	10

Top 10 PhD Universities in the World Based on QS World University Rankings 2025:

Top PhD Colleges	QS WUR 2025
Massachusetts Institute of Technology	1
Imperial College London	2
University of Oxford	3
Harvard University	4
University of Cambridge	5
Stanford University	6
ETH Zurich	7
National University of Singapore	8
University College London	9
California Institute of Technology (Caltech)	10

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is the average cost of doing a PhD program in the USA?

The cost of a PhD program varies between universities. The average cost can be between 12,000 to 150,000 USD per year depending on the program or the university. In addition, living expenses can be anywhere between 20,000 to 40,000 USD per year.

2. What are the scholarship options available for PhD students?

International students have access to numerous scholarship options when pursuing a PhD program in the USA. They can also apply for assistantships, financial aid and work while studying to reduce their tuition cost for a PhD program.

3. What is the duration of a PhD program in the USA?

The average length of a PhD program is between 4 to 6 years. This includes coursework, research projects and dissertation.

4. What are the fully funded Phd programs in USA for international students?

Many PhD courses in top universities will be provided with fully-funded scholarships in USA. Few of the PhD programs in USA which are fully funded are: PhD in Business at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, PhD in Anthropology at the University of Chicago, PhD in Chemical Engineering at Cornell University, etc. h

5. How to apply for Phd abroad?

To apply for a PhD, the candidates must have completed a bachelor's or master's degree, along with good GRE scores and English proficiency test scores.

6. How many years for PhD after bachelor's?

Based on the course program the PhD duration after bachelors will be varying from 5 years to 7 years.

7. Can you do PhD after bachelors?

Yes, there are many universities abroad that accept PhD admissions on the bachelor's education qualification. This criterion can change depending on the university and course so it is suggested the candidate to check the admission requirements of each course they wish to apply for. However, most of these courses integrate the PhD along with a master's. Here the candidate will complete both the master's and PhD in one go.

8. How long does it takes to get a PhD after a bachelor's degree?

The integrated PhD courses that can be applied after completion of a bachelor's, have a course duration of 4 to 7 years. However, these courses also include the master's for 1 to 2 years in the initial phase of their degree.

9. Can I skip Masters and do PhD?

It is possible to pursue a PhD without a Master’s degree. However, it depends upon several factors such as your individual background, the field of study you wish to pursue, the duration of the PhD program, and the geographical location. It is to be noted that the specific requirements for admission may differ from country to country.

10. Can I complete PhD in 2 years?

It usually requires several years of focused study and research to obtain a PhD, usually lasting from 4 to 7 years or even longer. Nevertheless, there exist accelerated programs that enable exceptional students to finish their PhD in a shorter duration, usually within 1-2 years. Such programs usually require students to have already accomplished a substantial amount of pertinent coursework and research at the undergraduate and/or master's level.

11. What is the average salary of a PhD graduate?

The average annual salary for a PhD holder in India is approximately Rs. 24 lakhs. Nevertheless, this figure may vary depending on the employer, industry, and location of work.

12. What is the direct entry option from bachelors to PhD?

Students who have successfully completed their eighth semester of their Bachelor's degree program (or are awaiting their results) and have achieved a minimum CGPA of 7.5/10 or an equivalent percentage are eligible to apply for direct admission to the Ph.D. program.