Finding a PhD program that is affordable, along with finding one that has a low acceptance rate and is from a highly regarded university; it’s some pretty high standards to meet. Not only this but you need to do it in record time so you’re not left waiting around for years!

Are you a student trying to find out about the direct phd in usa? If so, then you’ve come to the right place. Find out all the information you need on direct phd in USA, universities offering phd without masters in usa, phd universities in usa and so on right here on Collegelearners.com. You can also learn about the latest findings on direct phd in usa.

direct phd in usa

A PhD usually involves students engaged independently in original and significant research in a specific field or subject prior to the production of a publication-worthy thesis. By undertaking a PhD, you will become an expert, possibly an international expert, in your chosen field. A doctorate is the highest academic degree that can be awarded by a university. In Germany, studying for a doctorate means working intensively on a specific subject or research project over a long period of time. The duration of the doctorate also varies. Three to five years is typical. If you decide to take a doctorate, you can choose between different forms of study.

PhD after Bachelors– The USA continues to maintain its stronghold as far as the most preferred study abroad destination is concerned as students from across the world apply to various programmes in its universities annually. Universities in the USA offer international students a wide scope for research in their subject of interest. The USA attracts a large number of foreign students wishing to pursue PhD as the country invests a lot in research and development.

The USA holds an edge over several countries in a way that its universities offer PhD programme to students wishing to pursue PhD in USA soon after their Bachelor’s degree. What’s more, many of these universities offer students to get a Master’s degree enroute a PhD degree.

Can you apply for PhD after Bachelors in USA?

While it is not a norm, there are quite a few universities in the USA which allow students to opt for PhD after Bachelors. However, what needs to be known here is that some of these universities do not let you skip Masters altogether. In fact, in most cases, your Masters programme is clubbed with the PhD.

What is a combined MS and PhD degree?

While some universities in the USA let you apply for PhD after Bachelors, it is, however, a combined Masters and PhD programme. Therefore, a student gets a Master’s degree on his way to a PhD degree. Therefore, the Masters programme goes on for 2-3 years and thereafter the student can continue with his PhD studies. Interestingly, some universities automatically confer a Master’s degree upon admission while some others may require the aspirant to take a few extra credits of coursework to lead to the Master’s degree. 

Top universities in the US which offer PhD after Bachelor’s degree:

University	Minimum requirement	Duration (average)
MIT	A bachelor’s degree (or equivalent)	5 Years (2 years coursework and minimum 3 years for research)
Harvard	A bachelor’s degree (or equivalent)	6 years ( 1-2 years in coursework and rest for research)
Caltech	A bachelor’s degree (or equivalent)	Around 5 years
Princeton	A bachelor’s degree (or equivalent)	Around 5 years (2 years coursework)
Yale	A bachelor’s degree (or equivalent)	6 -7 years (3-3 years coursework)
University of Chicago	A bachelor’s degree (or equivalent)	–
University of Pennsylvania	A bachelor’s degree (or equivalent)	5-6 years (10-year limit)
Columbia University	A bachelor’s degree (or equivalent)	5 years
John Hopkins University	A bachelor’s degree (or equivalent)	6 years
Cornell University	A bachelor’s degree (or equivalent)	–

(Not all the programmes offered by the US universities cover combined MS and PhD. Check the individual sites of the universities for more information)

How to apply for PhD after Bachelor’s degree?

The entry requirements for a combined MS and PhD programme is similar to that of a Doctorate, as most applicants for the combined programme 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.

Factors regarding PhD after Bachelors admission:

1.  Strong GPA – Candidates need to have excellent Grade Point Average to qualify for the programmes. Students from other boards can find the equivalent to the GPA to assess their eligibility.

2.  Standardised test scores – Candidates have to score very high points in the standardized scores. Here the student will be asked to submit test scores.

GRE: GRE is mandatory for almost all PhD programmes, including management studies, after Bachelors in the USA. In case of doctoral programmes, most students are required to present GRE subject scores of the course as well.

GMAT: GMAT is taken for admission to management studies. Business schools offering PhD in business management accept GMAT score for admission into a wide range of PhD programs in management.

TOEFL: TOEFL is an English proficiency test for students from non-native English speaking countries. For international students, a high TOEFL score is a must for admission to PhD courses.

IELTS: IELTS is also accepted for international students’ admission to PhD programmes. Like TOEFL, it is also an English proficiency test for students from non-native English speaking countries. IELTS test measures a candidate’s English language command in four different parameters- Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking.

3. 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

4. Statement of Purpose (SOP): The Statement of Purpose is another important element of the application package for admission to direct PhD programme in the USA. It reflects the student’s commitment for the PhD programme and goals in life. 

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

6. Research Projects: It is always helpful if the aspirant had the PhD as an elective subject in the final year of Bachelors. Also, one can get additional brownie points if the application is accompanied with any research or journal publications or any projects in the related field 

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

phd universities in usa

PhD in USA is currently pursued by around 20% of Indians studying in the country. Popular PhD courses in USA include PhD in Business Analytics, PhD in Management, PhD in Computer Science. However, what distinguishes it from other countries is that you don’t need a master’s degree to enroll for a PhD program. This is also why the PhD duration in USA is longer than in Canada. Students enrolled in US universities have 10 years to complete their doctoral thesis, despite the fact that the course duration is 6 years.

Compared to Canada and UK, the cost of PhD in USA is high with the average annual cost adding up to 60 lakhs. Most of the USA universities like Stanford, Harvard and Caltech offer students fully funded doctoral programs. Students can also indulge in part-time jobs in USA and research work that will offer them stipends of 15,000 USD to 30,000 USD. A PhD in USA with a stipend is a great opportunity to cover tuition fees and most of the living expenses. Under the conditions of your F-1 student visa, you can work on-campus for up to 20 hours a week during term time and full-time during the holidays.

PhD in USA: Top Universities

Some of the top universities offering PhD in USA with rankings and fees are tabulated below:

S.No.	University	QS World University Rankings 2022	Fees (INR/Year)
1.	Massachusetts Institute of Technology	#1	6.31 lakhs
2.	Stanford University	#3	41.16 lakhs
3.	Harvard University	#5	38.6 lakhs
4.	California Institute of Technology	#6	41.19 lakhs
5.	University of Pennsylvania	#13	29.35 lakhs
6.	Yale University	#14	34.63 lakhs
7.	Columbia University	#19	49.97 lakhs
8.	Princeton University	#20	42.44 lakhs
9.	University of Michigan	#23	18.94 lakhs
10.	John Hopkins University	#25	34.29 lakhs- 49.25 lakhs
11.	Northwestern University	#30	14.61 lakhs
12.	University of California, Berkeley	#32	4.33 lakhs
13.	University of California, Los Angeles	#40	24.90 lakhs
14.	New York University	#42	38.59 lakhs
15.	Duke University	#52	9.45 lakhs
16.	The University of Arizona	#268	25.46 lakhs

universities offering phd without masters in usa

A frequently asked question is, “do I need a master’s to get an online PhD? The answer is: not necessarily. Yes, many PhD programs require applicants to have master’s degrees already, but some don’t. No GRE PhD programs include those from Walden University, Capella University, Northcentral University, and others. Do I need a master’s to get an online PhD? While it is recommended to first have a master’s degree, it’s not always a requirement. No GRE PhD programs exist and many students have found them to be worthwhile to further their careers in a shorter period of time. It makes sense that many students are interested in getting their academic education done as fast as possible so that they can move on to higher-paying, more fulfilling jobs that much sooner.

Everyone knows that often, the most rigorous part of earning a PhD is researching, writing, and defending a dissertation. But is it possible to get a doctorate degree online no dissertation? That would certainly reduce the stress of a PhD program. The short answer is that yes, there are various programs available, such as Ed. D. PhD programs listed here, that don’t require students to complete dissertations. Doctorate degree online no dissertation programs do exist, but students must proceed with caution, and make sure they are properly accredited before applying.

The commonly accepted course of study is to achieve bachelors, masters, and then a PhD degree. But there are universities offering PhD without masters programs. Northeastern University, Walden University, the University of Bridgetport, and others are universities offering PhD without masters. There are also dual Masters and PhD degree programs for students who want to maximize their time and effort. These are rigorous programs that require an intense time committment, but students graduate with both masters and doctoral degrees much sooner than they would if they were to pursue the degree programs separately. There are often also significant cost savings when masters and doctoral degrees are achieved simultaneously.

PhD programs without GRE or GMAT aren’t very common, but they do exist. Northcentral University offers various accredited PhD programs without GRE or GMAT requirements. Depending on your area of interest and specialty, you may want to consider applying. Many people assume that they’ll need to follow the traditional path of obtaining a master’s degree before pursuing a PhD, but that’s not always required. PhD programs without masters degree programs exist and often save candidates plenty of time, effort, and money. Pursuing a master’s degree first is the usual path, but many people choose to chart their own path by applying to PhD programs without masters degree.