PhD / Doctorate •

Degree

Dr rer pol (PhD) with integrated MSc in Economics (specialisation economic research)

Course location

Bonn

Teaching language

• English

Languages

All courses are taught in English.

Full-time / part-time

• full-time

Programme duration

9 semesters or more

Beginning

Winter semester

Application deadline

15 January for the following winter semester
For details on the application process and scholarships, visit: http://www.bgse.uni-bonn.de .

Tuition fees per semester in EUR

None

Combined Master's degree / PhD programme

Yes

Joint degree / double degree programme

No

Description/content

The Bonn Graduate School of Economics (BGSE) offers a two-stage graduate programme that combines demanding courses with early individual research in a supportive and intellectually demanding environment. Students finish the two-year course phase with a Master's degree specialised in economic research (MSc in Economics with a specialisation in Economic Research) and the three-year dissertation phase with a doctoral degree (PhD equivalent). Outstanding (top 10%) students holding a Bachelor's or Master's degree in economics or related fields (e.g., mathematics, statistics, business administration, accounting, and finance) are encouraged to apply for admission. The application portal opens mid-November and the deadline for the programme that starts in October is 15 January. All BGSE activities are conducted in English. Grants are available. Our student body benefits from an excellent faculty and numerous collaborative research activities. BGSE alumni have excellent career prospects in academia and beyond.

The programme is especially designed for highly qualified students with a strong interest in quantitative economic research.

Course organisation

The programme consists of a course phase (12 courses up to the fourth semester) and a dissertation phase (three years). The MSc Economic Research offers graduate-level courses in microeconomics, macroeconomics, and econometrics. With this comprehensive training, you will then be able to choose from a variety of advanced courses, especially courses that cover topics and subjects at the current research frontier. Moreover, you will participate in one of the five weekly workshops, learn about our faculty's research projects, and meet advanced doctoral students and renowned guests. In your fourth semester, you will write your Master's thesis. This will be the starting point for your first PhD research paper.

Even if you have already completed a Master's degree with a less research-oriented focus, you will enrol in the MSc Economic Research as the coursework, early participation in the weekly workshops, and thesis are an integral part of the PhD programme. This structure also offers you the opportunity to receive a second Master's degree as well as a doctoral degree in the course of a combined graduate programme. After the successful completion of the MSc Economic Research programme, you can jump straight into research and will be offered a grant for another three years. During these years of doctoral studies (dissertation phase), you will interact with other doctoral students, post-docs, faculty, and international guests in weekly seminars, reading groups, and summer schools. You will present your research projects in our workshops as well as at conferences abroad, and you will write the papers that will become part of your thesis. In addition to state-of-the-art training at the frontier of economic research, we offer an array of further training for a broader set of soft skills, e.g. training in presentation skills, project management, writing, or networking. Towards the end of your doctoral studies, you will benefit from our intense job market coaching, and you will proceed to a promising career as our many alumni have done in the past.

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A Diploma supplement will be issued

No

International elements

• Language training provided
• Training in intercultural skills
• Projects with partners in Germany and abroad
• International guest lecturers
• Integrated/optional study abroad unit(s)
• International comparisons and thematic reference to the international context

Integrated/optional study abroad unit(s)

Our students benefit from a set of international exchange programmes. They can visit our partners in Europe (e.g. in Barcelona, Copenhagen, Florence, Leuven, Paris, Prague, Rotterdam, Toulouse) or overseas (e.g. UC Berkeley, Yale).

Integrated internships

None

Teaching/work obligations or opportunities

We encourage our students to apply for teaching assistantships at our department in order to gain valuable teaching experience (after finishing the course phase).

Special promotion / funding of the programme

• Other (e.g. state level)

Course-specific, integrated German language courses

No

Course-specific, integrated English language courses

No

Tuition fees per semester in EUR

None

Semester contribution

The University of Bonn is a public university, meaning that it does not charge tuition fees. However, all students must pay the so-called social contribution (semester fee) of about 330 EUR per semester. It includes among other things a student transit pass for public transport and a statutory accident insurance.

Costs of living

Compared to the rest of Europe, living in Germany is slightly above the EU average. The cost of living for students in Bonn is around 900 EUR to 1,000 EUR, with rent accounting for the largest share.

Funding opportunities within the university

Yes

Description of the above-mentioned funding opportunities within the university

From the very beginning of the MSc Economic Research programme, we can offer grants to our students (currently 1,465 EUR/month). Travel funds are available during the dissertation phase to support doctoral students in presenting their work at conferences.

Academic admission requirements

Outstanding (top 10%) students with a Bachelor's or Master's degree (or equivalent) in economics or related fields such as mathematics, statistics, business administration, accounting and finance are encouraged to apply for admission to the BGSE.

The application must be submitted online at http://www.bgse.uni-bonn.de .

The following documents are required:

GRE score report (General Test Format; GRE quantitative score must be at least 160)

TOEFL or IELTS (if required)

two confidential letters of recommendation (sent by professors to BGSE)

letter of motivation

CV

academic transcripts

APS certificate (for applicants with a degree from China, India or Vietnam; included with the application or once they receive an offer)

Please see our website for detailed explanations on the required documents in order to submit them correctly.

Language requirements

English language proficiency:

• TOEFL or IELTS score report if English is not your native language or if the language of instruction of your previous degree was not English (the curriculum must have been taught exclusively in English).

Minimum requirements:

• TOEFL iBT score of at least 100 with at least 23 in each of the four sections
• IELTS Academic score of at least 7.0 (minimum per section: reading 6.5; listening 6.5; writing 7.0; speaking 6.5)

Application deadline

15 January for the following winter semester
For details on the application process and scholarships, visit: http://www.bgse.uni-bonn.de .

Submit application to

https://www.bgse.uni-bonn.de

Possibility of finding part-time employment

Positions as teaching assistants are available to doctoral students in the advanced/dissertation stage of the programme.

Accommodation

The "Studierendenwerk" (student union) organises accommodation for students of the University of Bonn. Capacity is limited and students have to apply online at https://www.studierendenwerk-bonn.de/en/accommodation/ . For further support, contact the BGSE office (e-mail: info.bgse@uni-bonn.de ). International students receive support in finding accommodation by the BGSE office and are contacted in due time.

Structured research and supervision

Yes

Research training / discussion

Yes

Career advisory services and programmes for future professionals

Our doctoral candidates benefit from an intense (academic) job market coaching . They participate in workshops on academic presentation skills and once a year, faculty invites all job market candidates to a job market training with a series of mock interviews.

The Bonn Graduate Center (BGC) offers additional training and orientation for doctoral candidates.

Support for international students and doctoral candidates

• Visa matters

General services and support for international students and doctoral candidates

We assist international students in numerous ways, for example:

• finding a place at a student dorm for the first year
• assistance with university related formalities

International students can use the many activities and course offerings of the International Office of the university and the Welcome Center. International PhD students can enrol in German classes on different language levels that are offered by our department as well as by the International Office. The International Club organises student orientation activities, film nights, excursions, visits to companies, and concerts as well as parties at the end of each semester. Student associations cover a broad range of topics, from cultural activities to politics and religion. Some of the student associations are focused on individual cultures or countries, and some of them promote intercultural relations.

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