Last Updated on December 14, 2022
The Berlin School of Economics welcomes highly qualified post-graduate students from around the world to enroll in one of its structured PhD tracks in Economics, Accounting, Finance, or Management.
The call for applications for an intake into the program in October 2021 is open from November 15, 2020 to February 15, 2021. Please note that applications sent outside the official application period and applications sent via email will not be considered for evaluation.
BSE Application Portal
Before starting your application, please read the information below:
Detailed requirements
Application schedule
Application documents
Scholarships & fees
FAQ
Detailed requirements
Applicants should have a Master’s in Economics or Business Studies and have performed exceptionally well in their studies. Applicants from related fields (such as Industrial Engineering, Statistics, or quantitative social sciences) may also fulfill the admission requirements if they have a sufficient background in Economics or Business Studies.
All applicants must provide GRE General Test scores with their application. Most successful applicants score at or above the 90th percentile in the quantitative section of the GRE General Test.
Applicants whose native language is not English must demonstrate English language proficiency, unless they hold a degree from a university in an English-speaking country or can document at least one year of studies at an English-speaking university. Sufficient evidence for a good command of English is a high score in the “Test of English as a Foreign Language” (TOEFL) or the “International English Language Testing System” (IELTS). As a rule of thumb, successful applicants will score at or above 7.0 (IELTS) or 95 (Internet-based TOEFL).
Applicants with a Bachelor’s degree are eligible to apply for the program if they also apply for a Master’s program offering a fast track option. For detailed information, see our FAQ section.
Knowledge of German is not a necessary requirement for a successful application, but students are encouraged to learn and improve their skills.
In addition, evidence of creativity and inclination toward research will be taken into consideration. Please note that it is not necessary to find a supervisor before applying to the BSE.
Application schedule
Application start: November 15, 2020
Application deadline: February 15, 2021
Please note that applications may only be sent during the application period via our application portal. Applications sent outside of this application period via email will not be considered.
Application documents
As part of the online application procedure, you will be asked to upload the following documents:
- Motivation letter (max. 2 pages): this should state your motivation for applying to the program and should include a short outline of your major research interests;
- Detailed curriculum vitae (without photograph);
- Copies of academic transcripts and other certificates;
- GRE scores (institution code 3853);
- For business applications, GMAT scores (see FAQs for more information); and
- IELTS or TOEFL scores, if applicable.
Note that in addition to these documents, you will need to have two academic letters of recommendation. When providing contact information of your referees, fill in your referee’s official institution email adress and their personal webpage.
The application is to be completed in English, incomplete applications will not be considered.
Scholarships & fees
There are no tuition fees. PhD students will receive funding for the expected length of the program – four years. For the course phase, a stipend of 1,200 Euro per month is provided; funding during the research phase is normally provided through employment at one of the BSE’s member institutions. Funding for the research phase is conditional on having fulfilled the Performance Criteria.
Note that the universities charge a semester fee of approximately 300-350 Euros per semester. This provides access to public transport in Berlin at no additional cost and other benefits.
