Honorary Doctorate vs. PhD: Key Differences Explained

The highest academic degree that a candidate can achieve is a PhD or Doctor of Philosophy. The program involves a lot of research, hard work, and thinking deeply about the problem. The goal of the problem is to add something new to their field of study. After years of research and study, the candidate earns the doctoral degree, which holds a lot of prestige and honor. 

An individual can earn this honor and prestige through a PhD or an honorary doctorate. 

Let’s take a closer look at what the honorary doctorate and the PhD each represent

What is an online Honorary Doctorate degree? 

An online honorary doctorate is regarded as the highest symbolic award given by top universities. This honorary award is an opportunity for those individuals who have made an exceptional contribution to society. Individuals don’t require any coursework, exams, or research to get the honorary award. Individuals from various backgrounds, such as social workers, leaders, or public figures, can be nominated to receive the award. Applicants can apply to the university online. Candidates can earn the “Dr.” title immediately after an online interview.

There are universities through which interested and eligible students can receive their honorary doctorate degree online. The European Institute of Management and Technology (EIMT) is one of the top universities that provides an honorary doctorate degree online to eligible individuals.

Key Highlights of Honorary Doctorate Online

• The honorary Doctorate award doesn’t require any educational requirements, like coursework or research.
• Candidates do not need to enroll in any regular courses.
• Individuals will earn the ‘Dr.’ title after they have been selected based on an interview. 
• Get awarded by top universities through ceremonies or convocation
• Get acknowledged for your contributions in your field
• Be a role model for other students.

Eligibility to Get an Online Honorary Doctorate

Individuals must meet the following criteria to get an online honorary doctorate:

• Individuals do not need to have a specific educational qualification
• Applicants don’t need to submit any sort of dissertation or exam to get the honorary PhD degree. 
• The degree solely depends on the interview of the candidate. 
• Candidates who have made exceptional contributions to a specific field. 
• Individuals who have demonstrated leadership in important causes for societal change. 
• Individuals must have a strong reputational background in both personal and public life. 

The following are the requirements of the European Institute of Management and Technology (EIMT)  to achieve an online honorary doctorate degree:

Indicators	Online Honorary Doctorate
Proven Contributions made for society and community	Required
Impact on National and International Scale	Required
Recognized Qualities of Leadership and Innovation	Required
Sustained Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals	Required
Commitment to Ethical Standards	Required

What is a PhD?

A PhD, which stands for Doctor of Philosophy, is considered the highest degree in any specialization. A  PhD is a regular full-time program for a duration of about 3 to 6 years. Students receive a doctoral degree at the end of their program after submitting the coursework, viva, exams, and interviews. Candidates who wish to pursue a doctorate need to appear for entrance exams, followed by a university interview.  

Eligibility for PhD

Students need to meet the following criteria to be admitted to the PhD program:

• Candidates who have a master’s degree with a minimum of 55% or above.
• Applicants must have done their masters from a recognized university
• Students who are enrolled in a 4-year graduation program can also apply for a PhD. 

Key differences between an Honorary degree and a PhD

An online honorary doctorate is a prestigious award given to those candidates who have made extraordinary or significant contributions to their field of study. The eligible candidates need to fill out the nomination form on the official website of the university they wish to apply to. Candidates must check the eligibility criteria before applying to the university. The candidates will receive their online honorary doctorate and a ‘Dr’ title soon after they are selected, following an interview.  

On the other hand, a PhD is an academic degree, where the student needs to enroll in any university and complete their program of 3 to 6 years, approximately, to receive their doctoral degree, followed by exams, viva, dissertation, and interviews. At the end of the program, they will receive their ‘Dr.’ title, which is generally a long academic journey. 

There are a lot of differences between an online honorary doctorate and a PhD. Here is a list of differences for students' better understanding.

Key differences between an honorary doctorate and a PhD:

Particulars	Honorary Doctorate	PhD
Formal Qualification	NO	YES
Report & Thesis	NO	YES
Coursework	NO	YES
Credits Transfer	NO	YES
Viva	NO	​​​​​​​YES
Interview	​​​​​​​YES	​​​​​​​YES
Dissertation	NO	​​​​​​​YES
Years of Experience	NO	​​​​​​​YES

An online honorary doctorate degree is a prestigious award only given to those candidates who are deserving and who have contributed to their field. The award is generally provided by the university to which they have applied through convocations or ceremonies. 

However, a PhD is considered the highest academic degree one can obtain. Students need to enroll in a university to get their doctoral degree and need to complete their coursework, viva, and examinations to earn the ‘Dr’ title. Eligible students can apply to universities, as the European Institute of Management and Technology (EIMT) is one of the top institutions from which they can get the award. 

Earn your Honorary Doctorate from a foreign university

Eligible candidates can receive their online honorary doctorate from foreign universities. The main difference between receiving an honorary doctorate from a foreign university and an Indian university is- 

The Indian universities or institutions do not offer the option to the eligible candidates to nominate themselves to receive such an award. The Indian Institutes themselves nominate the eligible candidates. However, foreign institutions like the European Institute of Management and Technology (EIMT) offer the chance to eligible individuals to fill out the nomination forms for themselves. The European Institute of Management and Technology (EIMT) is an accredited university by numerous organizations, including Campus Switzerland and the International Association of Language Centers. The candidates may get wider career opportunities upon receiving the honorary award. 

Who can benefit from this program?

This program is designed for individuals who are- 

Senior Leaders:

• Those who enhance strategic thinking and management expertise to lead divisions and initiatives effectively.
• Those who develop advanced governance and decision-making skills to guide others in the field.

 Professionals Seeking Growth:

• Enhance leadership and strategic thinking for greater organizational impact.
• Gain expertise in international business, cross-cultural management, and global market dynamics.

Entrepreneurs and Innovators:

• Master the skills to identify opportunities, build partnerships, and drive organizational growth.
• Strengthen strategies and operations to achieve sustainable business growth and scalability.

Academics and Researchers

• Researchers who contribute innovative ideas and research. 

Learners:

• Those who want to contribute to academics for both personal and professional growth.

The application process for Honorary PhD

There is no admission process for an Honorary PhD online. However, for reference, here is the nomination process of the European Institute of Management and Technology (EIMT).

• Application submission- Students need to register on the official website of the University after checking the eligibility criteria of the university/institution. 
• Upload documents- To complete the application form, individuals must provide the required documents. 
• Nomination fee- Applicants need to pay a certain amount as an application fee on the university portal 

After filling out the application form, individuals are nominated based on the following criteria:

• Nomination Form Review: The candidate’s application will be reviewed by the University to determine whether they meet the University’s eligibility criteria or not. 
• Welcome call: If the candidate meets all the criteria, they will get a welcome call from the University regarding the interview date and time. 
• Interview: As the nomination is totally based on the interview, candidates will have to be prepared for a detailed interview, which will take approximately 1 to 1.15 hours.  
• Selection: Based on the interview, the applicants will be selected to be awarded an honorary PhD digitally or through convocations, based on the student's choice. 

Course duration of the honorary degree

Unlike a regular PhD program, an honorary degree doesn’t have any course duration. This program doesn’t require the candidates to enroll in any coursework. They are selected for the award just based on their interview, which is 1 to 1.15 hours. 

Honorary degree program fees 

The honorary degree program doesn’t have a standardised fee structure. However, for innovations and research perspectives, a donation of up to 6,50,000 is welcome. The amount can vary depending on the candidate's achievements and interview.

How will students receive their Honorary award?

Selected students will receive an E-degree by email within 30 days. Individuals will receive the hard copy of their certificates along with a cover letter to the candidate’s respective address within 60-90 days. 

Indian personalities who have received the honorary award

Here is the list of Indian celebrities who have received the honorary award:

• President Pranab Mukherjee
• Dr Manmohan Singh
• N Chandrababu Naidu
• Amitabh Bachchan 
• Shahrukh Khan
• Javed Akhtar
• Akshay Kumar 
• Sharmila Tagore
• Shilpa Shetty
• Shabana Azmi
• Lata Mangeshkar
• Preity Zinta

Entrance exams for PhD

Students are selected for a PhD through entrance examinations like UGC NET, CSIR NET, or GATE, depending on the student’s specialization. The entrance exam scores determine eligibility for fellowship through a Junior Research Fellowship, Assistant Professor, or PhD. 

Clearing an entrance exam doesn’t mean the candidate got admission into any university for their PhD. After getting their scores, students need to apply to the university where they wish to pursue their PhD. The students are selected for the program based on their scores and interview. 

Requirements for PhD

Indicators	PhD
Entrance exam	Required
VIVA	Required
Interview	Required
Coursework	Required
Thesis	Required
Dissertation	Required
Exams	Required

PhD Program Fees

Candidates who are interested in higher education, like a PhD, need to appear for an entrance exam followed by the steps required to be admitted to the university of their choice.

Usually, for a PhD program, there is no fixed fee structure. Students who qualify for a Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) are eligible to receive a fellowship that usually takes care of their tuition fees. Candidates who qualify for Assistant Professor or PhD need to pay a certain amount as their tuition fees. The tuition fees vary accordingly, depending on the subject and university.