Top 10 Universities Offering Honorary Doctorate Degrees

An honorary doctorate is a symbolic award that is given to a candidate for making an outstanding contribution to their specific field or course. This program is not the same as a traditional PhD, and the candidate does not need to do any research. After receiving this award, they can add the Dr. title to their name. In India, many universities nominate candidates for this degree, but in foreign countries, you can nominate yourself for an Honorary Doctorate.

In this ever-evolving world, everybody wants to grow in their career as well and wants to create a better future for themselves. So it is recommended that they should do the courses that will boost their career, and one of the best programs that you can enroll in is an online Honorary Doctorate. The candidate can nominate themself for an online Honorary Doctorate, but this course is not available in India. However, many foreign Universities will offer this program that will also be valid in India. One of the top-ranked universities is EIMT, and you can nominate yourself for an Honorary Doctorate. 

Candidates Who Receive an Honorary Doctorate in Different Countries

India’s Top 10 Universities that give Honorary Doctorate Degrees 

Various prestigious universities in India honor candidates with honorary doctorate degrees. A university will award this honorary degree to an individual who has made an exemplary contribution to society or academia. In this blog, we are going to provide detailed information on the top ten universities in India that award honorary doctorate degrees.

• Delhi University:  Delhi University, also known as the University of Delhi, was established in 1922 by an Act of the Central Legislative Assembly. In 2024, the university is ranked 6th by the National Institutional Ranking Framework. Delhi University awards honorary doctorates in various disciplines such as arts, science, and social sciences. The university has awarded honorary doctorates to many notable people, such as Amitabh Bachchan, Sheila Dikshit, and many more.
• Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU): JNU is well-known as a politically aware university with a solid reputation for academic excellence and, in the past, has even awarded honorary doctorates to those regarded as pursuing JNU’s educational goals regarding social justice, public policy, and the humanities.
• Banaras Hindu University (BHU): BHU is a temple of learning in eastern India and awards honorary degrees to those who journey the Society of India’s incredible achievements, particularly about Sanskrit, Culture, Arts, and science.
• Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi: As a very technical institution, IIT Delhi has awarded honorary doctorates to people outside engineering backgrounds, notably scientists, technocrats, and government policy makers.
• University of Calcutta: The University of Calcutta is older than almost all universities in Asia and can boast of a strong tradition of honoring poets, Nobel laureates, Economists, and political thinkers with honorary degrees.
• Aligarh Muslim University (AMU): AMU recognizes people for this honour who have made a difference to education, science, Islamic studies, and national service. The honorary degree tradition here demonstrates its multicultural history. 
• Panjab University: Panjab University has presented honorary degrees to people recognized as freedom fighters, artists, and politicians, who have made substantive contributions to society in India. 
• University of Mumbai: Like most other top universities, Mumbai University grants honorary doctorates to people who have made distinguished contributions, primarily in the areas of the arts, cinema, business, and social reform. 
• Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore: IISc grants honorary doctorates infrequently but usually grants honorary doctorates in cases of high esteem in relation to scientists, or Nobel Laureates, or those who also developed technological innovation that is named for the increasing world knowledge. 
• Osmania University: A key institution in South India, Osmania University has now honored ignoble public service, law, culture, and contributors from abroad, and those contributors from India.

Why Do Universities Award Honorary Doctorates?

Honorary doctorates are more than ceremonial distinctions; they are symbolic manifestations of gratitude from the academic platform to world changers. Honorary doctorates are an opportunity for universities to further their prestige and encourage students to aim for accomplishments beyond traditional forms of assessment.

Things to Consider

The tradition of granting honorary doctorates in India is adapting to contemporary theory, values, and the purpose of granting qualifications beyond the simple value of a degree achieved through the absence of a program of study and qualification, and is extending to reflect inclusive values and the interdisciplinary value of work. Honorary degrees, whether of freedom fighters, entrepreneurs of technology, international statesmen, or cultural luminaries, reflect India as a society that values knowledge in any of its forms.

Top 10 International Universities that give Honorary Doctorate Degrees 

Several universities award Honorary Doctorate degrees to candidates for their meaningful contribution towards the respective subject and society. The correct guidance regarding the top 10 universities awarding the Honorary Doctorate to the candidate is discussed in this blog.

• Harvard University: As the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States of America, it has a long history of awarding honorary degrees on its commencement exercises. The university has awarded world leaders like Winston Churchill and Nelson Mandela, and also great thinkers like Stephen Hawking.
• University of Oxford: The university confers honorary degrees upon individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to science, literature, politics, and the arts. Encaenia is one of the oldest and most ritualistic traditions in academia which is observed by the University of Oxford.
• University of Cambridge: Cambridge bestows honorary degrees during its annual graduation. Its century-old practice of recognizing excellence includes Nobel laureates, monarchs, and global campaigners.
• University of Tokyo: Japan's top-ranked university honors individuals who contribute extremely important contributions towards education, peace, and scientific development on a global scale. Its honorees often consist of global diplomats and scientists.
• University of Toronto: As one of Canada's top universities, U of T awards honorary degrees to individuals from a broad range of disciplines in line with the country's multicultural tradition and excellence in scholarship.
• University of Edinburgh: With its global reach, Edinburgh recognizes achievement across all fields, from literature to international health to climate science.
• ETH Zurich: World-renowned science and technology university ETH Zurich only confers honorary doctorates primarily on the top leaders in engineering, mathematics, and natural sciences.
• National University of Singapore: NUS confers honorary doctorates on individuals who have made prominent public service, innovation, and regional development contributions.
• University of Melbourne: Melbourne, one of the Southern Hemisphere's best universities, recognizes people for their efforts in the arts, scholarship, and humanitarian work.
• University of Cape Town: UCT awards those who personify the values of social justice, innovation, and African development. A number of influential people receive Honorary Doctorates from this university.

DATA AND BENEFITS OF HONORARY DOCTORATE DEGREES

Benefit Category	Description	Supporting Data / Examples
Recognition & Prestige	Enhances the individual’s profile as a leader, innovator, or influencer in their field.	Universities often award them to Nobel laureates, entrepreneurs (e.g., Oprah Winfrey, Elon Musk), artists (e.g., Taylor Swift), and social activists.
Global Credibility	Builds international credibility and academic validation, especially useful in diplomacy, philanthropy, or thought leadership.	Recipients are often invited to international panels, conferences, and diplomatic events.
Career and Business Advantages	Boosts authority in business or leadership roles, aiding in public speaking, branding, and consulting.	Surveys show CEOs and public figures with honorary doctorates are more likely to be invited for keynote speeches and media appearances.
Financial Opportunities	Increased speaking fees, book deals, or new consulting opportunities.	Motivational speakers with honorary degrees often command 2x higher speaking fees
Platform for Advocacy	Empower the recipient to promote causes with academic legitimacy.	E.g., Malala Yousafzai received multiple honorary degrees that helped amplify her voice in education reform.
Networking & Influence	Builds access to academic, corporate, and philanthropic networks.	Honorary degree ceremonies include elite attendees, offering high-value networking opportunities.
Inspirational Symbol	Acts as a role model to youth, especially those from underrepresented communities.	Many universities cite inspirational impact as a reason for granting honorary degrees.
Legacy & Historical Footprint	Establishes a formal record of the recipient’s contributions in the university archives.	Their names are listed in graduation books, alumni records, and university honors.

What Are the Benefits of an Honorary PhD?

In a meritocratic society, recognition can be given in numerous ways. An honorary doctorate, or honorary PhD, is regarded as prestigious by a university. But what is an honorary PhD, and what does it mean?

It might be granted to a philanthropist, artist, scientist, politician, or social justice activist, but an honorary doctorate is a recognition and a degree of respect for someone. It is different from the type of recognition and commitment to scholarship that an earned PhD embodies. A person who has achieved all their requirements for a PhD has learned for decades and worked hard to acquire it, and is worthy of the title. An honorary doctorate, however, remains esteemed because of the social and cultural prestige surrounding it.

What Is an Honorary PhD?

The degree of Honorary Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is awarded by a University or other colleges and/or universities to an individual who has made significant contributions in an area of study or to society as a whole. An Honorary PhD is not the same as an earned PhD, as the recipient does not have to attend classes, defend a dissertation, or meet any other academic requirements. Honorary PhDs are typically awarded at university graduation to an individual's university community, and carry the same formal regalia and recognition as earned degrees. 

For purposes of publication, please leave off PhD, Dr., Honorary, and just refer to the PhD.

Symbolic Value of Recognition

The most tangible benefit of receiving an honorary PhD is the value of recognition. To have been awarded an honorary doctorate means to have received public acknowledgment by a legitimate academic body. The individual has made a groundbreaking contribution to the world, regardless of the fact that this may have occurred outside of formal academia.

For instance:

• A business executive can be given an honorary doctorate for economic contribution and innovation.
• An artist can be awarded for changing culture and supporting true social narratives.
• A humanitarian could be celebrated for many decades of work among neglected communities.
• It can establish credibility, legitimize lifetimes of work, and attach an honored academic title to a name.
• Personal and Professional Prestige: Having an honorary doctorate is highly esteemed. The honorarium is listed on a roll call of successful previous recipients, usually Nobel Prize winners, presidents, CEOs, and global leaders.

Career Benefits

• An Enhanced Reputation: This will likely enhance your professional reputation in public speaking, publishing, and looking towards consulting.
• Career Enhancement: It is not a terminal degree, but having the title "Dr."  before your name will increase your opportunities in the areas of leadership, media, and philanthropy. 
• Speaking Engagements: Honorary degree recipients are typically asked to give keynote talks for conferences, universities, and international conferences.
• Board Memberships and Advisory Roles: Organizations are frequently looking for counsel, values, and influence from honorary degree recipients.
• The honorary PhD does not offer the same privileges as an earned doctorate in higher education and eligibility to academic tenure, but it provides cultural capital that opens doors in various areas.
• Emotional and Moral Validation: In addition to public recognition and professional status, an honorary doctorate offers a rich and deep emotional and psychological validation. 

For Recipients Without Formal Education

The majority of honorary PhD holders did not experience a traditional school path. Some didn't even graduate from college. For them, the honorary doctorate is a highly individualized validation of an alternate form of intelligence, entrepreneurial spirit, creativity, or social consciousness.

• Increased Influence and Legacy: One of the advantages of receiving an honorary PhD in the long term is increasing one's platform and influence. Being affiliated with a highly renowned university adds further credibility to the activities of the recipient in the future and often raises visibility in the media.
• Opportunities to Make a Difference: Receiving an honorary PhD is at times the beginning of a mutually fulfilling relationship between the individual and the organization. 
• Inspiring Future Generations: Honorary doctorate stories typically inspire others. They provide good examples of people who got things done through vision, guts, and service. For student viewers, an honorary PhD will often be more motivating than a standard university lecture. It shows that success is not always a straight line and that good work, in whatever guise, will eventually be rewarded.

There is confusion about honorary and earned doctorates.

These consider the necessity for honesty and transparency in awarding honors. The institution must adopt strict standards in selecting awardees so that credibility and the significance of the degree are not undermined.

Yet, when responsibly and with diligence bestowed, an honorary PhD remains one of the most powerful ways to recognize human excellence in all its forms. 

Keep In Mind

An Honorary PhD is more than a formal title it is a profound symbolic statement of appreciation, standing, and public contribution. Regardless of use in conferring a career of service, to dignify public discourse, or to inspire future generations, the benefits of granting an honorary doctorate are numerous and they extend far into the future.

From increased credibility and personal fulfillment to global influence and potential for payback, the honorary PhD is an intersection of the academy and the wider world. It recognizes not just what one understands, but what one has achieved and the long-lasting impact one has had on humanity.

Key Takeaways

• An Honorary PhD recognizes non-professional achievements in society, culture, science, or causes humanitarian.
• It brings public recognition, professional status, and increased authority.
• Though not a degree earned, it provides emotional and moral support.
• Honorary doctorates create bridges between recipients and institutions, frequently resulting in long-term partnerships.
• Although sometimes criticized, when they are given ethically, they are a concrete manifestation of influence in the real world.

If you ever have an honorary PhD bestowed upon you, keep this in mind: it is not just a personal privilege; it is a beacon, lighting the way on the trail you've cut for others to follow.

Things to Consider

Honorary doctorate degrees are more than symbolic; they represent an institution's recognition of an individual’s extraordinary impact on society. These top universities uphold the tradition of celebrating innovation, compassion, and leadership that transcends academic achievement.

However, you can also nominate yourself for the Honorary Doctorate Degree, but this is not available in India but you can apply for this program in foreign universities. Different universities offer Honorary Doctorates, and one of the most prestigious institutions is EIMT University. Once you nominate yourself, the university will check your educational background and conduct an interview. After that, you will get an Honorary Doctorate that will be valid in India and other countries as well.