Who is the youngest PhD holder in the US?
Asked by: Lesley Hegmann | Last update: January 21, 2026Score: 4.7/5 (48 votes)
A Chicago teenager walked in her university's commencement program after making history for earning a doctorate degree at the age of 17. Dorothy Jean Tillman II celebrated the rare accomplishment, describing commencement week as “surreal” and “full of reflection and inspiration”, in a post to Instagram.
What is the youngest age you can get a PhD?
There are no age restrictions on a doctoral degree.
Who is the youngest doctor to get a PhD?
The youngest person to be awarded a PhD is the German child prodigy Johann Heinrich Friedrich Karl Witte (born 10 July 1800; better known simply as Karl Witte), who received his doctorate from the University of Giessen, Germany, on 10 April 1814 at the age of 13 years 283 days.
Who is the 17 year old who graduated with a PhD?
Dorothy Jean Tillman graduated from Arizona State University (ASU) on Monday, May 6, after earning her doctoral degree in integrated behavioral health, according to Good Morning America.
Who got her masters degree at 14?
Dorothy Tillman isn't your average teen who is looking forward to high school- in her case, at just 14 she's already graduated. Instead, this summer Tillman received her Master's degree from Unity College in Unity, Maine!
Top 5 Youngest PhD Holders In History
Who is the person with 7 PhDs?
I use my superhuman strength to save people too. When I am not the Hulk, I am Bruce Banner, a renowned scientist, physicist, and medical doctor with seven Ph. D.s. I specialise in Gamma Radiation and created the serum that made me the Hulk.
What's the fastest someone has completed a PhD?
A select group of students complete their PhDs in two years, while a tiny number of elite students can get it done in 12 months. It's hard to overstate how rare and impressive this is, but it is always a possibility. The key to a fast-track PhD is building up a strong academic CV before you even start.
Can you get a PhD without a Masters?
In short, yes, you can get a PhD without a Master's. But it's not that simple and often requires preparation since Bachelor's to Master's to PhD is the most common progression in higher education.
Who is the youngest doctor in the USA?
SALT LAKE CITY - Dr. Bala Ambati at the John A. Moran Eye Center at the University of Utah still holds a world record no current doctor can hope to touch, because they can't go back in time. He was only 17 years old when he earned his M.D., the youngest person ever.
Who is the youngest PhD professor in the world?
Alia Sabur. Alia Sabur (born February 22, 1989) is an American materials scientist. She holds the record for being the world's youngest professor.
Who is the youngest person in the world to earn a PhD?
The youngest person to be awarded a PhD is the German child prodigy Johann Heinrich Friedrich Karl Witte (born 10 July 1800; better known simply as Karl Witte), who received his doctorate from the University of Giessen, Germany, on 10 April 1814 at the age of 13 years 283 days.
What is the difference between PhD and doctorate?
degrees are doctorates, not all doctorates are PhD. s. As explained above, the term “doctorate” encompasses a broader range of disciplines beyond traditional academic and research-focused areas. In contrast, a PhD. is a specific type of doctorate that is tied closely to academia and academic research.
What is the best age to start PhD?
Ideally, someone who is interested in pursuing a PhD would be between 25 and 35 years of age due to the fact that they will likely be more mature and able to better manage the rigors of graduate school.
Who is the youngest person to get a PhD at Harvard?
Eugenie de Silva (pictured), who started reading for her PhD at Leicester aged 15, has become the youngest person to graduate from Harvard University.
What is the earliest PhD ever?
According to Keith Allan Noble (1994), the first doctoral degree was awarded in medieval Paris around 1150. The doctorate of philosophy developed in Germany as the terminal teacher's credential in the 17th century (circa 1652).
What is the age limit for PhD in USA?
A. No, in general, there is no age limit for pursuing a PhD in the USA. The university curriculum of the USA does not discriminate against students based on their age, gender, race or nationality. However, certain scholarships determine the age limit for their application process.
How many PhDs are billionaires?
At least 35 of America's billionaires are PhDs. As academic jobs become scarce, doctorates should get down to business | Fortune.
Who is the man with 5 PhDs?
The most educated man in the world he is from Sierra Leone 🇸🇱 his name is Dr Abdul Karim Bangura.
Does anyone have 2 PhDs?
People get a second or a third PhD (a third is extremely uncommon) if they are upgrading their research skill-set. Sometimes people upgrade with an additional PhD within their previous area of research. The PhD they have is from another geographic location that is unrecognized in another geographic location.
Is 55 too old to start a PhD?
Many people mistakenly believe that graduate programs have age limits or a bias against older applicants. PhD programs do not have age caps for eligibility (nor do master's programs), and most universities welcome qualified applicants of all ages who will benefit from the program's academic training mission.
Who is the oldest person to become a doctor?
Dr Atomic Leow Chuan Tse obtained his medical degree in 2015 from the University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Romania when he was 66, according to Singapore's Book of Records. The following year, he passed a licensing exam which allows him to practice medicine in Europe.
Is 40 too old for PhD?
In summary, you're never too old to do a PhD
Ultimately, don't let your age stop you doing a PhD.