The program has five phases and can be completed in four years.
- Course Work, Research Projects and Workshops
- Ph.D. Qualifying Examination
- Progress Seminars
- Thesis Proposal
- Thesis Work

The objective of the coursework is to impart scholarship and to equip the student with the latest developments in the discipline, including the tools of research. In the first year the student takes 8 courses. They consist of Seminar Courses, Inter-disciplinary Courses, and Research Methods. The course work paves the way to develop Doctoral Thesis Work. The performance of the students in each stage is assessed by means of continuous evaluation throughout the semesters.

Candidates who don't possess an MBA degree, but possessing PG in any allied disciplines, have to attend first year MBA courses as a prerequisite to proceed to the Ph.D. Program.

Graduation (any discipline) with 50% and above marks with English as a medium of instruction
AND
Post Graduation in Management (Full time) with specialization in Marketing, Finance, Human Resource Management and Operations from an UGC approved University with 55% and above marks);
OR
Post Graduation (Full-time) in Economics/Commerce/Psychology/Sociology/PublicAdministration/Statistics/Mathematics/or in an allied discpline from a UGC recognized University in India or abroad with 55% and above marks. Candidates who are offered admission are required to under take the first year MBA courses as a prerequsite to continue in the Ph.D program.
OR
Professional qualification like CFA/CA/CWA/CS with 55% and above marks.

Candidates seeking admission to Ph.D. Program in Management (Full time/ Part time) offered by IBS Hyderabad have to appear for IBSAT 2025.

IBSAT is conducted by The ICFAI Foundation for Higher Education (deemed-to-be University under Section 3 of UGC Act 1956), for students seeking admission to the MBA / Ph.D. programs of IBS, Hyderabad. IBSAT 2025 is an aptitude test based on Computer Based Test (CBT) format. The test is of 2 hours duration.

Scores from 2023 onwards of GMATTM / CAT / NMAT by GMACTM/XAT are accepted in place of IBSAT 2025.

IFHE Alumni, MPhil Degree holders and UGC NET qualified candidates are exempted from IBSAT 2025.
IBSAT 2025 detail.

The candidates who qualify on the basis of IBSAT / GMATTM / CAT / NMAT by GMACTM/XAT are called for Selection Process at IBS Hyderabad in March 2026. The final selection is based on performance in Micro Presentation and a technical cum Personal Interview along with past academic performance.

All the Ph.D. students who have been offered admission have to a pay Rs. 40,000 towards admission fee.

The fee for the 4 year Ph.D. Program (Full time/Part time) is Rs. 1.20 lakhs per annum. The semester fee of Rs. 60,000 per semester is waived off for the full time students, subject to satisfactory academic performance.

Part time Ph.D. students will have to pay a semester fee of Rs. 60,000 per semester for 8 semesters/4 years.

The full time Ph.D. students will be paid stipend of Rs. 25,000 per month in the first year. It would be increased to Rs. 35,000 per month subject to passing the Ph.D. qualifying examination and is further increased to Rs. 40,000 per month subject to successful defense of the Ph.D. proposal up to the completion of four years of Ph.D. Program or completion of Ph.D Thesis, whichever is earlier.