The IIM Trichy PhD is a full-time Doctoral Programme in Management designed for students who want to pursue a career in the field of research and academia. The duration of the program is five years, with the maximum time limit being seven years. During the initial 18 months, the students would cover general management, advanced subjects in the area of their specialization, research fundamentals, and methodologies, and earn at least 54 credits.

The PhD Program at IIM Trichy is offered in several specializations: Marketing, Finance & Accounting, Strategy, Economics & Public Policy, Operations Management, Information Systems & Analytics, and Organizational Behavior & Human Resource Management. Emphasis is placed on developing sound research skills under the guidance of highly qualified faculty with a majority holding PhDs from premium institutions such as IIMs, IITs, or foreign universities.

Eligibility criteria include a Master's degree with at least 60% marks or an equivalent qualification in the form of professional degree courses, such as CA, ICWA, and CS, along with specified percentage criteria. Admission is taken based on competitive test results such as CAT, GMAT, GRE, IIMB Test, and UGC-JRF. The institute offers a supportive research environment with state-of-the-art facilities consisting of a Learning Resource Centre and specialized labs for academic growth.