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Admissions information.

The program is internationally oriented and aims at attracting the best students from Switzerland and abroad. Applicants need to have a Master of Science in Finance or Economics or a degree deemed to be equivalent by the Admission Committee. Please click on the "Apply Now" link given at the bottom of this page to apply to the SFI PhD program in Finance. This will bring applicants to an online application platform.

During the online application process, applicants will be asked to enter their personal data, enter the details of their academic background, answer a few questions, attach required (list given below) documents, and send a request to a minimum of two referee(s) to submit the recommendation letters. Applicants need to ensure that the following information and documents are ready with them, as once the applicant has reviewed and submitted the application in the last step, the application process is completed and the applicant will no longer have the possibility to modify the submitted data or the possibility to revisit the submitted application.

1. Personal Data:

• Marital status
• Nationality

2. Academic background details:

• Highest degree and previous degrees
• Institution / University
• Enrolled (years)
• Best possible grade 
• Worst possible grade
• Degree date
• Major subject(s)

3. Documents and Attachments:

• Curriculum vitae
• Degree certificates
• Transcript of records
• Proof of payment of application fee
• GMAT / GRE score (required for Zurich, optional for others)  It is required for applicants with master degrees from non-Bologna states or with master degrees in fields other than economics, finance or business administration. Standardized tests cannot be waived and scores must be no older than five years. Scores for tests taken after the deadline will not be considered in our evaluation. Please refer here ).
• Additional documents like relevant certifications
• Master thesis or research article
• Proof of English proficiency (required for St. Gallen, optional for others) Please refer here .

4. Project and Questionnaire:

• How did your academic path lead you to apply to a PhD program in Finance?
• What are your main research interests? If already defined, briefly describe the research project you propose to undertake and the subject of the thesis.
• What are your long-term professional goals? How do you think a doctoral program can contribute achieving career objectives?
• Which faculty members' research is of most interest to you? (required for Zurich and St. Gallen, optional for others) Please refer here for the faculty list.
• What is your level of fluency in English – reading, writing, and speaking?

5. Referees:

• Please name two referee(s) who will be contacted and asked to upload a letter of recommendation. Please make sure that you indicate the correct contact details. Referee(s) may have access to your submitted documents and profile information.
• Once you have submitted your application, you will get a login to the PhD recruiting tool in order to monitor the status of your reference requests. You will be able to name additional referees if referees decline the request to submit a letter of recommendation. Submitted letters are kept confidential; they are not made available to you.

An official translation in English must be attached to all documents written in a language other than English (except French for Léman, German for Zurich and St. Gallen, and Italian for Lugano).

Applications are reviewed by the Admission Committee, composed of finance professors from the Swiss Finance Institute. Admissions will be decided on a competitive basis. Applicants will, generally, receive a response to their application within four weeks after closure of the application deadline. There are two rounds of candidate selections. Complete application files via the online platform should be received by January 15th and March 31st. Courses start in September.

The number of yearly admissions will typically not exceed thirty students over the four campuses so as to keep the program small and guarantee personal interactions between students and faculty. If you are admitted to the program, you will further have to register at the local University.

Financial Information

Students are required to register as a PhD student at the university to which they have been admitted. They are also required to pay university PhD tuition fees wherever applicable (see the partner university websites for more information). All students in the Swiss Finance Institute PhD program are offered either fellowships or teaching or research assistantships by partner universities.

Application Fee

Application fee payment must be made by using a credit card via PayPal (no PayPal account is required). The application fee is USD 120 to apply to the SFI PhD program in Finance, irrespective of the number of campuses selected. There is currently no application fee waiver. There is no refund for applications that are not selected.

If you live in a country which does not support PayPal, please contact us at [email protected] .

Apply to SFI PhD program in Finance

Register here: https://phdapplication.sfi.ch/position/4390912   In case of any queries, please contact at [email protected] .

Swiss Finance Institute - Geneva

University of Geneva 42, Bd du Pont d`Arve CH-1211 Geneva 4

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Would you like to pursue a doctorate at the Research Institute for International Management (FIM-HSG)?

The ultimate objective of FIM research is to contribute to leading international academic journals and, as an intermediary step, to present findings at prominent international academic conferences (e.g. Academy of Management, Academy of International Business). All FIM researchers, including doctoral students, are expected to contribute to this objective. This ambition guides the choice of dissertation topics at FIM and has major implications for the choice of research methods.

Research at FIM is mostly of an empirical nature. Doctoral researchers typically collect data on Swiss and/or German firms in order to identify the determinants and/or consequences of specific international strategic or organisational choices, corporate governance features, or performance patterns. Most of the research conducted at FIM is of a quantitative nature, using advanced statistical techniques to analyse large datasets, although in selected cases qualitative approaches may be followed.

Doctoral researchers at FIM are expected to function as a team. This means that doctoral students are expected to interact closely, comment on each others’ research design and progress, and contribute to the wider FIM research agenda. This way, by the time a doctoral student starts to write his/her thesis, (s)he will have gained substantial research experience. This approach implies that doctoral students are not expected to carry out fully independent projects. Most doctoral researchers at FIM at the same time have a position as an assistant.

Ultimately, a dissertation project at FIM may take somewhat longer than at certain HSG Institutes. The average duration at FIM is three years.

We are receiving many requests to act as a thesis supervisor. As a result, acceptance of new doctoral students will be based on the following criteria: overall quality of the candidate; proximity of research interests to FIM research; potential to publish results in leading (especially academic) journals; and potential to build up promising new areas of competence.

If the above sounds interesting to you, we look forward to hearing from you.

For further information, please contact us .

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This program page was last updated on 12 February 2024. Some details may have changed since then. Please check the University of St.Gallen website or the University of St.Gallen page for current opportunities.

Graduate Program in Economics and Finance (GPEF) - Fully funded Ph.D. Positions

12 february 2024, phd programs, regular fees: 629 chf, international fees : 1079 chf, start date: september 2024 duration of the program: 4-5 years class size: 8-10 students, dr. mirela keuschnigg.

For full consideration, please submit your application by 31 January 2024 for a start in fall 2024. Thereafter, applications may still be accepted subject to availability of free positions.

The Graduate Programme in Economics and Finance (GPEF) at the University of St. Gallen is inviting applications for its

Fully funded Ph.D. Positions - (Economics, Econometrics, or Finance)

The GPEF offers a structured Ph.D. programme tailored towards a high-quality and internationally oriented education in economics, econometrics, and financial research. Graduates are regularly selected for very reputable academic and non-academic positions. The University of St. Gallen is one of the most renowned universities in the fields of finance, economics, and business in Europe. 

Successful candidates have acquired (or are about to complete) a master’s degree in economics, econometrics, finance, or a related field with excellent grades, and have a strong motivation to conduct own research. They can choose to enrol either in the PhD programme in Economics & Econometrics (PEcon) or PhD Programme in Finance (PiF), starting fall semester 2024. Ph.D. students are funded through teaching and research assistant positions with very competitive salaries. We offer a vibrant research community and financial support to research activities.

For details on vacancies and the application process and admission requirements , please visit our Admission  website: •     PEcon (Economics and Econometrics) & Research Assistant Positions Intake Fall 2024 •     PiF (Finance) & Research Assistant Positions Intake Fall 2024

For full consideration, please submit your application by 31 January 2024. 

For further information please contact [email protected] (Dr. Mirela Keuschnigg).

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• You have a master's degree in economics, finance, quantitative methods or a related field with very good grades and want to pursue a PhD in Economics and Econometrics (current master students who will finish their degree before June 30 may also apply).

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“The PhD Programme in Economics and Econometrics, PEcon, prepares students to pursue an academic career or to take up an applied research position in a central bank, an international policy institution or in the private sector”

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St Gallen Finance PhD

Economist 7b10

Giod? No Giod? Any Eurobros with some perspective on this? How is industry placement in Geneva/Zurich/Frankfurt?

Economist 8a96

Good, but the Swiss hate foreigners. Learn some Switzerdütsch before going there.

Speak slowly after me: Chu-chi-chäscht-li. Chu-chi-chäscht-li. Chu-chi...

Yeah, head about Swiss Xenophobia...

Any inputs on academic and industry placements? Is the hiring unfriendly to foreigners, or is that something that one experiences only with shop attendants?

Economist cf0c

BS on the xenophobia. Switzerland has a far higher proportion of foreign-born than any other European country except Luxembourg, Swiss universities have huge foreign student populations, and it all runs pretty smoothly. Anti-immigration feelings in France and UK are much nastier than in Switzerland. Don't let questionable stories involving a US tv personality determine anything. -- irate as f**k Swissbro

btw I bet ef44 is German. Yes, some people are getting irate at the vast numbers of Germans fleeing their failed state and moving to Switzerland (logical move) but then constantly complaining when things are not like in Germany. As for Schwiizerdütsch, well it is our language, and the average Swiss is far more able and far more willng to speak good English with a guest than your average German, confirmed.

btw I bet ef44 is German. Yes, some people are getting irate at the vast numbers of Germans fleeing their failed state and moving to Switzerland (logical move) but then constantly complaining when things are not like in Germany. As for Schwiizerd�tsch, well it is our language, and the average Swiss is far more able and far more willng to speak good English with a guest than your average German, confirmed.

Bruno detected.

Economist e415

There are actually two different finance PhD programs at the University of St. Gallen (PiF and PEF), which one are you referring to? In terms of reputation and networking you will not find a better university than the University of St. Gallen to get an industry job in Geneva, Zurich, or Frankfurt. That said, however, you should make sure that your German or French language skills are good enough by the time you complete your degree. If not, you will restrict the number of job options considerably (which is independent of the university you choose). Apart from that, I believe your hiring experience will not be worse than elsewhere. If you would like more precise answers in terms of industry placement, ask more precise questions.

I was referring to the PEF. I just checked the PiF out, it seems to be a program they are launching in September 2013.

By industry options, I was referring to hedge funds/corporate finance consulting gigs.

If you consider academia, the PEF program comes closer to what to you find in the US. The PiF program replaces the PhD in management (PMA) "with specialization in finance" program. If the PiF continues in that tradition, it will be less quantitative and maybe easier/faster to complete than the PEF.

A degree from St. Gallen will definitely help. A master's degree (MBF, MiQE/F) together with some relevant internships would be more efficient though.

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Master in Banking and Finance (MBF)

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In the fields of financial markets, financial institutions, corporate finance and quantitative methods, the M.A. HSG in Banking and Finance (MBF) offers high-quality education in both theory and practice. It prepares you for a successful career start with banks, consulting agencies, insurance companies and the finance departments of non-financial corporations, both in Switzerland and abroad.

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With a challenging curriculum, the MBF offers a high-quality Master's programme that prepares you for a successful career start with banks, insurance companies, consulting agencies and the finance departments of non-financial corporations, both in Switzerland and abroad. According to the Financial Times Ranking 2022 survey, 100% of the MBF graduates have a job offer just three months after graduation. The MBF programme also opens the door for leading academic Ph.D. programmes around the world.

With the 8th place in the global Financial Times Masters in Finance Ranking 2023, the MBF programme has been ranked among the top finance programmes and ranks number one in Switzerland and the German speaking world. Furthermore, the University of St. Gallen is consistently ranked among the top business schools in Europe.

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The MBF programme has a clear and flexible structure. All the compulsory courses take place in the first semester and provide a solid basis for the core electives in the second and third semester. The choice of elective courses is wide, with subjects ranging from asset management to corporate finance and sustainable finance. All of our students participate in a research seminar off-campus and write a research-based Master's thesis.

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The MBF is equally focused on theory and application. We are convinced that sound theoretical and methodological fundamentals are essential for graduate education in finance. However, we also put strong emphasis on the practical application of this theoretical knowledge. The content of the MBF programme is also considered to be highly relevant for the curricula of the CFA and CAIA programmes.  

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Located close to Zurich in the heart of Europe, St. Gallen offers a close connection to an international financial centre as well as various leisure opportunities nearby. In addition, we are able to offer an international experience with our diverse faculty and exchange opportunities in our network of more than 200 partner universities around the globe.

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