Frequently asked questions
How do I apply?
-
Application
deadline for each
winter term (starting in October) is April 30;
-
Please
fill out our online
application form (we do not accept any documents sent by email);
-
To
complete the application form you will be required to upload your
CV, motivation letter, degrees, transcripts of records, as well as a
proof of English language proficiency;
-
You
also need to indicate the names, positions and institutions of two
academic referees;
-
We
need to receive the two letters of recommendation directly sent to
us by the professors (per post or from their official email
addresses);
-
In
order to facilitate the process both for our admission committee and
your referees, we provide the following form
for a letter of recommendation.
How do I finance my studies?
The opportunities to get an internally
organized financial support are very limited. Therefore we strongly
recommend all our candidates to seek for external funding prior to
their application to the programme. An excellent starting point for
international students is offered by the German Academic Exchange
Service. We also recommend you to visit the Graduate Center's website. Application options for any scholarships offered by
the programme will be made available in our online application platform.
Do I meet the general requirements?
Application is open to students from any nationality holding a Master's degree in Economics or equivalent. Applications may also be accepted from graduates with degrees in fields like business administration, social sciences, mathematics, engineering, or physics. Should your scholarship application require a confirmation of your general eligibility, please contact us for further details.
What are the language proficiency requirements of the programme?
The programme is entirely taught in English. Furthermore, candidates must be able to write and formulate themselves scientific articles which are publishable. Therefore, a proof of English language proficiency is required (TOEFL, IELTS, Cambridge etc.). In case you have written your Master thesis in English, you may submit it as a proof of your language proficiency.
The TOEFL test score should be 550 or equivalent, e.g. IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL IBT 79.
Do I need a GRE/GMAT test?
We do not require a GRE/GMAT test score from our applicants. If you already have attended the test, you may nevertheless upload your certificate under „additional documents“.
(When) do I have to submit my research proposal?
You do not need to submit a research proposal upon application (but may do so if you wish to). You will have to submit it by the end of the first year of your studies.
I need an early admission
Since this is a structured PhD programme, supervisors are only assigned after the first year of studies is completed. Our professors do not give any supervision commitments before the competitive admission round in spring each year is finished. An early admission is therefore not possible.
I have an unlisted question
We are happy to hear it! office.phd@economics.uni-kiel.de