An honorary doctoral degree is often awarded in recognition of one’s life experiences.
This means that the degree is bestowed as an honor rather than through the completion of certain academic requirements. Those who are honored with this title often do not have any prior connection to the award-giving institution.

. They are often given to those who have either made contributions to a certain field, or more commonly as a “thank you” to those who have made large donations to the institution. Some famous examples of Honorary Doctors are Microsoft founder Bill Gates, the Italian opera signer Luciano Pavarotti, and Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar, to name a few.

Honorary Doctorate Degree List

Depending on the achievement, schools may present different types of honorary doctorate degrees. Some schools may offer only a Doctor of Philosophy degree, while others bestow a degree based on the accomplishments of the recipient. A few examples include:

• Doctor of Humane Letters, acknowledging the academic distinction
• Doctor of Laws, awarded to professionals in the field of law
• Doctor of Science, recognizing revolutionary scientific research and discovery
• Doctor of Fine Arts, conferred primarily to musicians, actors, architects, and artists