BI Norwegian Business School is ranked as Norway’s #1 business school and one of the best in Europe. With more than 20.000 students, 1000 employees and 300.000 alumni, it is also one of the largest and most influential business schools in Europe. BI is considered the main provider of business education in Norway, offering a diverse and comprehensive portfolio of bachelor’s, master’s, PhD and executive study programmes and courses. Our different partnerships and collaborations with leading Norwegian and international companies, organisations and institutions further enhance the quality of our study programmes. Towards 2030, BI aims to deliver knowledge that truly makes a difference through world-class research and outstanding learning experiences, giving businesses the knowledge to succeed and people the opportunity to build meaningful careers.
PhD Candidates in Economics
BI Norwegian Business School offers a four-year Ph.D. Programme with specialization in Economics, which trains students to engage in high quality scientific research, making use of economic theory and state of the art econometric methods. The Department of Economics has a strong research-oriented faculty working within microeconomic theory, macroeconomics, econometrics, labour economics, natural resource and energy economics, political economics, industrial organization, and international and development economics. The department hosts five research centres; Centre for Monetary Economics (CME), Centre for Research in Economics and Management (CREAM), Centre for Applied Macro and Petroleum Economics (CAMP), Centre for Experimental Studies and Research (CESAR), and Centre for Applied and Theoretical Econometrics (CATE).
The doctoral programme is an important element in the department’s research excellence strategyand in BI’s vision to become one of the leading research business schools in Europe. The selectedcandidates will join a group of talented and ambitious PhD candidates at the department that work inclose collaboration with faculty members. PhD students are expected to participate actively in researchseminars and workshops. The place of work will be at BI Norwegian Business School in Oslo.
A PhD from BI can be a gateway to prestigious academic positions at universities and researchinstitutions around the world. We encourage and support our candidates in the international jobmarket. Recent graduates of BI's PhD specialization in economics have been hired by, among others, Sciences Po, University of Chicago, Católica Lisbon School of Business & Economics, University of Oslo, European Central Bank.
Eligible applicants must have completed a Master of Science degree with thesis work, a ResearchMasters/M.Phil degree, or a comparable degree relevant for the specialization in Economics by thetime the programme starts in early autumn of 2026, with a grade point average of B or higher. An MBAdegree does not fulfill the requirements for admission. The four-year scholarship is set according tothe Norwegian State Salary Scale, and currently pays NOK 572.800 annually. The position is linked toThe Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund (Statens Pensjonskasse). The scholarship involves 25%work obligation. BI Norwegian Business School is an equal opportunity employer. We encouragewomen to apply for the positions.
Applications must be submitted electronically by using the "Send Application" button on the right-hand side of this announcement. Paper or e-mail applications will not be accepted. You are requiredto submit the following electronically together with your application:
Background Information:
• A short personal statement describing your research interests and potential researchprojects. Please also include BI Department of Economics faculty members (faculty list isavailablehere) that you may be interested in working closely with should you be admitted to the PhD program.
• Curriculum Vitae (CV).
Letters of Recommendation:
• We require a minimum of two (preferably three) letters of recommendation from peoplethat can comment on your research potential. These should be emailed directly to us bythe letter writers rather than uploaded by you. However, you must include the names ofyour letter writers in your application. Please arrange with the people submittingrecommendation letters to email their recommendations to phd.economics@bi.no by theapplication deadline.
Academic Transcripts:
• Certificate of a Master of Science degree or equivalent, including transcript of grades.
• Certificate of a Bachelor degree or equivalent, including transcript of grades.
• A Diploma Supplement or a similar document describing in detail the study and gradesystem associated with the obtained degree.
• Signed transcript verification document (to be found here). (Please note that this document should be uploaded with your application and not sent to your university. We will use the document to request an official transcript if you are considered for admission to the program and check for any discrepancy with the transcript you uploaded.)
Test Scores:
• GRE General/GMAT test score: All applicants, except those who hold a master’s degreefrom an institution inside the European Economic Area/the European Union orSwitzerland, must submit results from GMAT or the GRE General test. Note that we needscores for the Verbal, Quantitative and Analytical Writing sections of the GRE General orGMAT to consider your application. Incomplete sections or partial scores are not sufficientto consider your application
• TOEFL/IELTS test score: Applicants whose native language is not English must take eitherTOEFL or IELTS. To be considered for admission, applicants must have a minimum TOEFLscore of 575 (written test)/233 (computer-based test)/90 (internet-based test) or a IELTSscore of 6.5. In some cases, applicants can request a waiver from TOEFL/IELTS bysubmitting a waiver form here together with the application. As a general rule,exemptions are made for applicants:
o who have two years or more of higher education where the language of instructionwas English.o from a country which is a member of the EU/EEA and/or the Council ofEurope/UNESCO-Cepes who have English as the first foreign language taken overa period of at least 7 years in primary school, secondary school and uppersecondary education.
• We accept scanned copies of test scores. TOEFL/IELTS scores must be from within the lasttwo years. For scanned IELTS scores, the TRF number must be visible. In case of sendingofficial score reports from the test center, you can use the following codes for BINorwegian Business School:
o TOEFL/GMAT: 0529.o GRE: 7365.
Additional documents:
• In addition, you may upload the following documents:
o A writing sample that documents relevant research activities (e.g. a Master’s thesis oracademic paper).
• Certificates from previously completed courses at the doctoral level, if requestingapproval of these for the PhD programme at BI Norwegian Business School (see section 2in our PhD Regulations). If you have taken any courses at PhD level please complete thefollowing form (maximum 18 ECTS).
All documents, apart from the recommendation letters, must be uploaded in the electronic applicationand may not be submitted by e-mail or on paper. Furthermore, note that any documents forwardedafter the application deadline will not be considered. Exceptions will only be made for students whoare completing their master’s degree in 2026 and do not have a final certificate when applying. Pleasenote that you will not be able to revise your application once it has been submitted.
Candidates may, at a later stage, be asked to forward further information and/or be called in for aninterview. Candidates who are admitted to the programme must provide a more detailed progressplan with milestones and courses for the four years of study.
Additional information about the doctoral programme and admission requirements can be obtainedfrom the doctoral administration at BI Norwegian Business School. E-mail: info@bi.no.
