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Aalto Doctoral Programme in Business, Economics and Finance

Application period:

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The doctoral programme is offered by the School of Business, which is an inclusive, multicultural academic community with excellent students, faculty, and staff. Our faculty features internationally highly-regarded scholars, many of whom are world-leading experts in their field. All doctoral students are assigned dedicated supervising professor and thesis advisor, who guide their research and mentor their development as scholars and higher education professionals throughout the programme.

The programme offers doctoral training in 12 majors: Accounting , Business Law , Economics , Entrepreneurship , Finance , Information Systems Science , International Business , Logistics , Management Science , Marketing ,  Organization and Management , and Organizational Communication . The degree offered is Doctor of Science in Economics and Business Administration.

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What are doctoral studies like?

As a doctoral student, you are part of an international academic community. The doctoral research and studies develop you into an expert of your research topic and build your professional capacity.

Your path to doctoral studies at the School of Business

• Apply for a study right in our doctoral programme in December-January.
• You will receive the admission decision in February.
• If you are accepted as a full-time doctoral student, you will receive funding for the first two years of your doctoral studies from the School. 
• Your doctoral studies will start in the following autumn.

Before applying, please check below the eligibility requirements and qualifications.

Before applying

Prior to applying to the programme, it is advisable to familiarize yourself with the ongoing research in your department or unit of interest to identify potential supervising professors for your doctoral research. Consider reaching out to professors you envision collaborating with during your doctoral studies before submitting your application.

Please also note that when applying to the doctoral programme, you must identify a preliminary research topic for your doctoral thesis. Some majors also require a research plan.

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Basic information on doctoral studies

Objective of studies.

The purpose of the Aalto Doctoral Programme in Business, Economics and Finance is to equip its graduates for successful international careers in the world of higher education and academic research.

The programme provides doctoral students with the knowledge, skills, and capabilities that they need to succeed in demanding, high-level positions in universities, research institutions, think tanks, and other research organizations at regional, national, and supra-national levels.

The graduates of the doctoral programme will demonstrate:

• competence to carry out independent and original academic research
• deep and broad discipline-specific knowledge of their field of research
• mastery of the scientific research methods in their respective fields of research
• deep understanding of research ethics
• good project management skills
• enhanced pedagogical and academic leadership skills, and
• strong communication and interpersonal skills.

Degree structure

The School of Business Doctoral Degree consists of 60 ECTS credits in courses and the thesis. 

The curriculum of the Doctoral Programme in Business, Economics, and Finance consists of compulsory coursework (60 ETCS credits) and independent research leading to a doctoral dissertation in the student’s chosen field of study. The coursework comprises required and elective courses in basic research training and in the student’s chosen field of study. Specific degree requirements vary with the student’s chosen field of study.

Each doctoral student is assigned at least two dedicated dissertation advisors, who are responsible for guiding and mentoring the student throughout the doctoral dissertation process.

The teaching methods and pedagogical solutions used in the programme are many but are generally based on the philosophy and methods of learner-centered instruction. Learner-centered instruction emphasizes the importance of actively engaging students in the learning process, by encouraging and enabling them to take personal responsibility for setting learning goals, developing and choosing their own strategies for learning, as well as evaluating their own progress and learning outcomes.

Full-time and part-time studies

Information on full-time and part-time studies can be found here

Study language

Please see more information on language of the thesis and degree here

Funding and fees

Aalto Doctoral Programme in Business, Economics and Finance is free of tuition fees. Aalto University does not charge fees for enrollment to the University. Doctoral candidates are welcome to join the Aalto University Student Union. The membership of the Student Union is subject to an annual fee.

We consider full-time dedication to doctoral studies vital and therefore have launched a funding programme that covers all new students willing to study full-time on campus.

During the first and second year of studies, full-time doctoral students who make satisfactory progress in their studies and research are guaranteed annual gross income of €28 000 (approximately €25 000 after taxes), based on a combination of 50% employment contract and 50% personal grants. The employment contract provides students with occupational health care, paid annual leave and a pension contribution, a computer, and a communal working space with large screens and adjustable tables.

From the third year onwards, we expect our students to secure their funding from external sources. There are multiple financing sources for doctoral students in Finland.

International possibilities

We encourage and enable all of our doctoral students to present their work and build their networks in the key academic international conferences of their research area. Funding for travel and accommodation is usually provided if the conference participation is part of the student’s confirmed study plan.

We also encourage our students to gain international academic experience during their studies as visiting junior scholars at universities and research institutes abroad and to seek and secure employment abroad after graduation. Recently our graduates have landed excellent jobs as assistant professors in some of the best universities and business schools in the world.

Application instructions 2025

Admission is organised annually in December-January for studies starting in September.

Admission schedule 2025: Application period opens on 12 December 2024 at 09:00 (UTC+2) and closes on 9 January 2025 at 15:00 (UTC +2).

The GMAT or GRE test and language tests must be taken on 9 January 2025 at the latest.

Contact information

If you have a question that you cannot find the answer to in the application instructions, contact the doctoral programme's Doctoral Education Services at [email protected] . 

Who can apply?

Eligibility.

Please note that we cannot confirm the eligibility of an individual prospective applicant outside the actual application process. The eligibility is always assessed based on the degree certificates of the applicant and the educational system of the country of the degree awarding institution.

To be eligible for doctoral studies at the School of Business, applicants must

• have completed a relevant master’s degree awarded by a university;
• have completed a relevant master’s degree awarded by a university of applied sciences; or
• have completed a relevant study programme abroad which in the awarding country gives eligibility for the corresponding level of higher education, i.e. doctoral studies.

The university may require a student admitted to study for a doctoral degree to complete supplementary studies in order to acquire the knowledge and skills needed for the study programme.

In cases where the degree is incomplete at the time of application, the studies must be completed as follows:

• All coursework, including the thesis, must be completed no later than 29 August 2025
• Official graduation date must be no later than 24 November 2025

NOTE: Only studies included in an official transcript of records submitted with the online application form by the deadline (9 January 2025) can be taken into consideration in the evaluation. Updated transcripts or any studies completed after the deadline cannot be taken into consideration.

Degrees awarded outside Finland

Students holding a degree earned abroad are eligible for doctoral studies provided their degree gives them eligibility for corresponding higher education in the awarding country. As a rule, degrees earned abroad are recognised at Aalto University provided that they have required studies of at least four years, including a thesis similar to the master’s thesis, and that such studies in the view of the school equip the student with the skills and knowledge needed to pursue doctoral studies at the school. A general guideline for the recognition of European degrees is that the degree is a university degree combination earned in accordance with the Bologna Process principles (3+2 years).

Eligibility on the grounds of higher-education degrees with a structure differing from the abovementioned are considered on a case-by-case basis. In such cases, attention will focus particularly on how well the degree has prepared the applicant to pursue doctoral studies. 

Master’s degrees from Finnish universities of applied sciences

Applicants with a prior degree earned abroad and corresponding to a relevant Finnish master’s degree from a university of applied sciences are treated equally to those with master’s degree from a Finnish university of applied sciences

Admission groups and GMAT/GRE

Applicants are divided into two admission groups based on the degree that grants them eligibility to apply for the doctoral programme.

• ADMISSION GROUP 1: Master’s degree from a university in Finland Finnish universities are listed on the webpage of the Ministry of Education and Culture.
• ADMISSION GROUP 2: Master’s degree from a university of applied sciences in Finland or from a higher education institution abroad  

In admission group 2, all applicants are required to have taken either the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) or the Graduate Records Examination (GRE) .

For information on taking the tests and submitting the test scores, as well as the deadlines, see below.

Language requirements

To be eligible to apply, applicants to all majors must demonstrate proficiency in Finnish or  English with an Aalto University accepted proof of language proficiency.  If language  proficiency is proven by a language test score, the score must meet the minimum requirement set  by Aalto University.

Demonstrating proficiency in English with a language test

Recognised language tests and their minimum score requirements.

• IELTS  (Academic),IELTS UKVI Academic, IELTS online or IELTS Indicator:  6.5, and 6 for Writing ;
• TOEFL : iBT (Internet-based Test), or TOEFL iBT® Home Edition:  92, and 22 for Writing
• C1 Advanced (formerly known as Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English, CAE):  A, B or C
• C2 Proficiency (formerly known as Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English, CPE):  A, B, C or Level C1
• Pearson Test of English Academic  (PTE A), Pearson Test of English Academic UKVI or Pearson Test of English Academic Online (PTE Academic Online):  62, and 54 for writing
• The applicant completed the National Certificate of Language Proficiency YKI (English) issued by the Finnish National Agency for Education at the minimum proficiency level of 5 in all subtests (reading comprehension, writing, listening comprehension, and speaking). Subtests from different test sittings may be combined

No language tests other than those mentioned above are accepted.  If an applicant has taken several language tests, the best official score that is still valid and received by Aalto University by the deadline will be considered in the admissions. You cannot combine scores from different test dates (e.g.  TOEFL MyBest scores  is not accepted).

Period of validity of test results

IELTS, TOEFL and PTE test results are valid for two years from the date of the test. For 2025 admissions, these test results are valid if the test was taken on or after 1 December 2022. However, note that the ETS does not send TOEFL test results after they have expired! For the C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency test, only tests that can be verified online, i.e. tests taken after 2006, are accepted.

The language test must be taken by the end of the application period at the latest (9.1.2025).

For more information about language tests, refer to the websites of the test administrator:

• IELTS  (ielts.org)
• TOEFL  (ets.org)
• PTE Academic  (pearsonpte.com)
• C1 Advanced  (cambridgeesol.org)
• C2 Proficiency  (cambridgeesol.org)  

Submission of English test results

Only official reports of the language test are acceptable as proof of proficiency.

• For  IELTS  test, upload a PDF copy of the test report to your application form (if you have received it already). In addition, the electronic test report needs to be nominated to Aalto University in the test administrator's service. When booking the test, you can choose Aalto University as the Recognising Organisation to make your score available to Aalto University. If you have already taken the test, you need to contact your test centre and request the test administrator to send your electronic test report to Aalto University. See the instructions for sending IELTS results to nominated organisations (electronically) on the test administrator website. The results are verified from the test organiser.
• TOEFL  test results must be sent to Aalto University by the test administrator directly. Request your official score report to be sent from the test administrator to Aalto University reporting code  7364 ( Score Report Recipient ). A department code is not required (or you can choose any department). Make the reporting request early enough. The scores are available within 1 to 2 weeks of sending the score report request. Unofficial score reports sent by applicants will not be accepted.
• PTE  test scores are sent via the test administrator’s electronic service. Log in to your PTE account and send your results to Aalto University in the test administrator’s service. The test administrator notifies by email when the results have been sent to the university.
• For the  C1 Advanced  or  C2 Proficiency  language test, upload a PDF copy of the results report to your application form. Your test taker's ID number (e.g. ABC1234567), Reference number (e.g. 173YU0034522) and Statement of results number must be entered to the application form. In addition, log in to the language test administrator's service and submit your results to Aalto University. The results are verified electronically.

Please Note! It might take several weeks for the test providers to send the official test scores to Aalto University. Therefore, if you take the test close to the test deadline (9 January 2025), please attach your unofficial pdf score report to your application. Until we receive the official test scores from the test provider, your application is considered conditional.

Demonstrating proficiency in English with previous education

In addition to above-mentioned language tests, you can prove your language proficiency in English with the following ways:

• The  applicant  has  earned  a  degree  taught  in  Finnish,  Swedish  or  English  in  a  higher  education institution in Finland;
• The  applicant  has  earned  a  degree  in  an  English- medium  programme  at  a  higher  education  institution  in  an EU/EEA  country  or  in  one  of  the  following  countries  while  residing in the country: Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize,  Botswana,  Cameroon,  Canada,  Dominica,  Eritrea,  Eswatini,  Ethiopia,  Gambia,  Ghana,  Grenada, Guyana, Hong Kong, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Namibia,  New Zealand, Nigeria, the Philippines, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint  Vincent   and   the  Grenadines,   Sierra  Leone,  Singapore,   South  Africa,   Switzerland, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, the United Kingdom, the United States, Zambia, or Zimbabwe
• The  applicant has received their  secondary  education in  English  in  an  EU/EEA  coun try, Australia,  Canada,  New  Zealand,  South  Africa,  Switzerland,  the  United  Kingdom  or  the  United States while residing in the respective country;
• The applicant has completed the Aalto Executive Education MBA, EMBA or DBA degree;  or 
• Completed the CEMS Master in International Management.  
• The applicant submits an English- language test result in accordance with the information above.  

In points 1–3 of the above list, a minimum of one half of the degree must be completed in a country and  higher  education  institution  in  which the  student’s completed  studies  would  exempt the student  from  taking  an  English  proficiency  test.  The  language  of  the  degree  must  be  stated unambiguously  in  the  degree  certificate  or  its  appendix,  or  in  the  transcript  of  records  or  other official document issued by the awarding institution. If the degree was completed in more than one language, the appendix must indicate the amount of studies that were completed in English.

If you are exempt from taking an English language test based on a  higher education degree , upload scanned colour copies of your degree certificate and official transcript of study records in PDF format to your application form.

If you are exempt from taking an English language test based on  primary and secondary education  in English in a country listed above, upload a scanned colour copy of your school leaving certificate or secondary-school final certificate in PDF format to your application form. English as the language of instruction must be stated unambiguously on the certificate, if the degree is completed in an EU/EEA country, Switzerland or South Africa. If the language of instruction is not indicated on the certificate, upload another official document issued by the institution stating the language of instruction.

Demonstrating proficiency in Finnish

1. higher education degree or studies.

You can demonstrate proficiency in Finnish with a higher education degree or studies, if you have completed one of the following:

• an approved maturity essay in Finnish for a degree at a higher education institution in Finland.
• as part of a degree at a higher education institution in Finland, a language test in Finnish or language studies that serve to demonstrate proficiency in oral and written Finnish (as the second national language) with a grade of at least  Good .
• an academic thesis (or written final project) written in Finnish (at a higher education institution in Finland or abroad)
• a study module of at least 60 ECTS credits (or 35 older credits, i.e. ‘study weeks’) in the Finnish language as an academic subject (at a higher education institution in Finland or abroad)

Required documents

If the proof of proficiency in Finnish is the same higher education degree that you apply with in the Doctoral admissions, it is not necessary to upload an additional attachment to the "Language requirements" section of the application form. In this case, the degree documents are uploaded to the section "Application attachments". Tick "Higher education degree taught in Finnish to "Language requirement" on the application form.

If your proof of proficiency in Finnish is some other higher education degree, upload scanned colour copies of the degree certificate and transcript of records in PDF format to the upload attachment section of "Other higher  degree taught in Finnish".

2. Basic education and upper secondary school education

You can demonstrate Finnish proficiency with basic education or upper secondary school education, if you have one of the following:

• Basic education, an upper secondary school final examination or other examination conferring eligibility for higher education completed in Finnish.
• The certificate awarded for the studies referred to in the Basic Education Act (628/1998) or the Act on General Upper Secondary Education (629/1998; 714/2018), or studies corresponding to them, with a passing grade in Finnish in the subject of "mother tongue and literature" or the "Finnish as a second language and literature" syllabus
• passed an amount of studies equivalent to Finland’s basic education syllabus in the subject of Finnish through the Kulkuri School of Distance Education.

You can demonstrate language proficiency with any of the following studies (without having completed the whole matriculation examination):

• Finland's matriculation examination test of mother tongue and literature in Finnish or the ‘Finnish as a second language and literature’ test with a grade of at least approbatur (A);
• the test for Finnish as the second national language of Finland at the advanced syllabus level, as part of Finland’s matriculation examination, with a grade of at least eximia cum laude approbatur (E);
• the test for Finnish as the second national language of Finland at the intermediate syllabus level, as part of Finland’s matriculation examination, with a grade of at least laudatur (L).

Required document

Upload to the application form:

• Scanned colour copy in PDF format of your school leaving certificate, certificate of graduation or certificate of Finnish matriculation examination that includes the language grade.

3. International examinations

You can demonstrate your Finnish skills without having completed the whole matriculation examination, if you have one of the following:

International Baccalaureate (IB)  diploma with one of the following:

• Language A, A1 or A2 syllabus in Finnish with a grade of at least  2
• Language B syllabus in Finnish with a grade of at least  5

European Baccalaureate (EB)  diploma with one of the following:

• Language 1 (L1) or Language 2 (L2) syllabus in Finnish with an approved grade (a grade of at least 4.00, if the exam is completed before 2021, a grade of at least 5.00, if the exam is completed in 2021 or after)
• Language 3 (ONL) (L3, Other National Language) syllabus in Finnish with a grade of at least 8.00

Reifeprüfung (RP)  or  Deutsche Internationale Abitur (DIA)  diploma with one of the following:

• the written test in "Finnish as a mother tongue" with a minimum grade of 4
• the "Finnish as a second language" test at the CEFR level B2 with a minimum grade of 8
• Scanned colour copy in PDF format of your certificate or diploma that includes the language grade

4. Language test

You can demonstrate Finnish proficiency with one of the following language tests:

• National Certificate of Language Proficiency  (YKI) (Finnish) intermediate-level test at a proficiency level of at least 4 in all subtests (reading comprehension, writing, listening comprehension, and speaking). Alternatively, completing at least three of the subtests of an advanced-level test (proficiency levels 5 and 6). Subtests from different test sittings may be combined.
• Civil Service Language Proficiency Certificate  (Finnish) with a grade of at least Good on the written and oral component.
• A combination of National Certificate of Language Proficiency (YKI) and Civil service language proficiency certificate (VKT), if you have: completed the National Certificate of Language Proficiency (YKI) with proficiency level of at least 4 in the reading comprehension and writing subtests, plus the oral component of the Civil Service Language Proficiency Certificate with a grade of Good; OR completed the National Certificate of Language Proficiency (YKI) at a proficiency level of at least 4 in the listening comprehension and speaking subtests, plus the written component of the Civil Service Language Proficiency Certificate (VKT) with a grade of Good.

If you have received your test report, upload a scanned colour copy in PDF format of your test result to the application form.

For the Finnish language tests, a  certified paper copy  of the test result is required. The certified paper copy must be submitted by mail to [email protected] .

All material that you want to be considered in the application process should be in a language understood by the people evaluating applications. Generally, this means English or Finnish. If your documents are in some other language, you should contact your applied major’s professor beforehand.

The following appendices are required:

Copies of academic degrees

Copies of academic degree  earned with supplements and a certified transcript of courses taken (with English translations);

Scanned color copy of the original degree certificate *. Name the file according to format:  Degree-certificate-lastname-firstname.

*This document requirement does not apply to applicants with an incomplete degree. Their degree must be completed by 24 November 2025. If your degree is incomplete at the application phase, leave the upload attachment section for degree certificate blank.

*Applicants who have graduated with a Master's degree from Aalto University or Aalto’s predecessors are only required to submit their transcript of records, not their degree certificate.

• Scanned colour copy of the original  official transcript of study records. Name the fileaccording to format:  Transcript-lastname-firstname.
• If applicable, Diploma supplement must be included (graduates in all European countries taking part in the Bologna Process)

If your degree certificate and the official transcript of records are not in Finnish, Swedish or English, scanned colour copies of  authorised translations . The instructions for authorised translations are below (see "Translations"). Name the file according to format:  Translation-transcript-lastname.

If you have any  other higher education degrees  you wish to be taken into consideration in admissions, scanned colour copies of degree certificate and official transcript of records. If documents are not in Finnish, Swedish or English, scanned colour copies of  authorised translations  are requiredas well.

Aalto University School of Business reserves the right to request translations or originals of application documents.

Admission group 2: GMAT or GRE test score report

Admission group 2: Master’s degree from a university of applied sciences in Finland or from a higher education institution abroad. See more information on admission groups above. 

GMAT : The official test report must be sent directly by the test administrator to the Aalto University School of Business. The reports are sent by the test administrators electronically. At the test, applicants choose the higher education institution to which they want their test scores sent. Test scores need to be sent with the Aalto University School of Business GMAT program code,  C1N-9F-85 .

If you have taken the test earlier but not sent the results to Aalto, ask the test administrator to send your official results with the School of Business program code.

See the homepage of GMAT  (www.mba.com) for more information.  

GRE : The accepted exams are the GRE General Test and GRE Revised General Test. The GRE Subject Test is not acceptable. The official test report must be sent directly by the test administrator to the Aalto University. The test results are received electronically from the test administrators. The GRE test reporting code for Aalto University is  7364 .

If you took the test earlier but the test scores were not sent, ask the test administrator to send an Additional Score Report to Aalto University.

When converting the score, only the Verbal Reasoning Score and Quantitative Reasoning Score of the GRE test are taken into consideration. See the homepage of  GRE  (www.ets.org/gre) for more information.

Aalto University accepts also GMAT™ Online exam and GRE® General Test at home.

Language test report

A student copy of a  language test report  from a test taken no later than 9 January 2025. If the applicant’s score can be found in the test owner’s database before the closing of the application time, no student copy is required. Please note that it is not possible to be admitted conditionally pending the completion of a language test; the test must be taken before the closing of the application period.

For information on submitting the language tests, see above under "Language requirements"

Please feel free to use template of your own, there is no standardized form requirement.

Statement of purpose

A statement of purpose in English of 1000 words or less describing your motivation for PhD studies and your career objectives.

Academic work / research plan

Depending on the chosen major:

• research plan OR
• One selected independent academic work: Either a copy of your Master’s thesis, or another independent research output that you consider best representative of your work (In English or other language agreed with the School of Business admissions)

The research plan is free format, and you can follow the conventions of your research field.

More information on research plan

These majors require a research plan: International Business, Organization and Management, Entrepreneurship, Business Law, Organizational Communication, Marketing, Logistics, Accounting.

These majors require a selected independent academic work: Management Science, Information Systems Science, Finance, Economics.

Two (2) recommendation letters

Two (2) letters of recommendation, which the referee must send directly to  [email protected] .

Please note that referee can be from academia or from industry and that there is no template for the letter. It is applicants responsibility to contact the referees and instruct them to send the letters directly to  [email protected] .

Copy of a valid passport

Copy of a valid passport or an official government-issued identification card with photo and information on citizenship. Upload a copy only of the personal information page of the passport (not all pages). Name the file according to format:  Passport-lastname-firstname.

How to apply?

The application period for studies beginning in the autumn of 2025 runs from 12 December 2024 at 09:00 (UTC+2) to 9 January 2025 at 15:00 (UTC+2). The application consists of an electronic application form to which you need to upload a set of required application documents in PDF form. Late submission will not be evaluated and only complete applications will be processed.

On the application you will need to specify to which major you are applying to.

The GMAT or GRE test and language tests must be taken before the application deadline.

Submitting your application

Application (including its attachments in PDF form) are submitted through the electronic application system. The application will be closed on 9 January 2025 at 15:00 (UTC+2).

Read the information regarding eligibility to apply, application process as well as required documents carefully before filling out an application.

The link is open from 12 December 2024 at 09:00 (UTC+2) until 9 January 2025 at 15:00 (UTC+2)

Make sure that you have access to the email address which you use to apply until the application results have been published.

Evaluation process

Doctoral education services reviews your application and the required documents for the general eligibility requirements, i.e. check the authenticity of the documents, make sure that the application contains all the requisite documents and that the applicant fulfils the admission requirements. Incomplete or ineligible applications can will be rejected at this stage and professors will not process them.

Eligible applications are passed to the Departments for academic evaluation based on the major the applicant has specified on their application. Majors have a right to transfer the application to another major if they consider it to be a better fit. Applications will be evaluated by academic departments based on previous academic performance, research potential, motivation, performance in standardized tests and references. The academic assessment of the eligible applications is carried out based on the application documents and the applicants must be available for a potential interview.

The number of accepted applicants is based on academic evaluation of applicants, available funding, and supervisory capacity. Not all eligible applicants are offered admission, only the best applicants are admitted.

Based on the assessment of the academic evaluators, the Doctoral Programme Committee makes a proposal of admission or rejection to the Dean of the School Business. The Dean makes the formal decision on admission or rejection.

Admission results

Final admission results.

Results are published at the latest, Thu 20.2.2025

Appealing against the decision

The right of appeal means that the applicant has the possibility to request for rectification, if they believe that there has been an error in the decision-making process. In the appeal the applicant should specify the error. The right of appeal is not intended as means for receiving feedback or asking for further information about the application process. The admission decisions are based on the information the applicant has delivered to Aalto University by the given deadline. The letter of appeal is directed to the Dean of the School Business.

The letter of appeal must be submitted to the Registry of Aalto University within 14 days after the publication of the decisions:

Aalto University Registry P.O. Box 11000 FI-00076 Aalto Finland

or by by e-mail:  [email protected]

Visiting address Otakaari 1 B, Espoo.

Appeals will be processed as soon as possible after the appeal period has ended, but please take into account delays caused by the holiday season.

Accepting the study position

Successful applicants must inform the university about accepting the offered study place or the offer is cancelled. You will need to accept the offer in the application system and enroll to the first academic year at the same time. The acceptance is binding and cannot be changed. Detailed instructions will be sent to accepted applicants with the admission letter.

The study right of an accepted applicant is valid from on 1 August 2025. In practice studies start in September 2025.

From 1 August 2016 onwards applicants who have been given an offer of admission may accept  only one student place leading to a higher education degree in Finland  during one academic term (Universities Act 558/2009). Higher education degrees include bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees awarded by universities as well as degrees from universities of applied sciences.

An admitted applicant has to accept (or reject) the offered study place within 10 days of the date of the admission letter and enroll as an attending doctoral student. It is possible to enroll as a non-attending student in your first year of study only on grounds referred to in the Universities Act (Yliopistolaki 558/2009, Section 39), such as:

• military service referred to in the Conscription Act (Asevelvollisuuslaki 1438/2007), the Non-Military Service Act (Siviilipalveluslaki 1446/2007) or the Act on Voluntary Military Service for Women (Laki naisten vapaaehtoisesta asepalveluksesta 194/1995). Military service in other countries than Finland is not an acceptable reason for enrolment as a non-attending student;
• maternity, paternity or parental leave; or
• inability to start studies due to personal illness or injury.

If there you have any questions about admissions and application instructions or programme-specific inquiries, you can contact [email protected]

You may want to talk to the faculty in your preferred major before submitting an application. Please find below a list of the professors who are in charge of doctoral studies in their respective majors and whom you can contact (please look up email addresses in  https://people.aalto.fi/ ):

Departments and centres of the School of Business

Department of accounting & business law.

The Department of Accounting is one of the leading research faculties in the Nordic region.

Department of Finance

The Department of Finance at Aalto University School of Business is one of the leading finance departments in Europe.

Department of Management Studies

The Department of Management Studies offers a dynamic environment for scholarship and learning.

Department of Economics

The Department of Economics provides a comprehensive insight into the functioning of economies and the environment in which companies operate.

Department of Information and Service Management

The Department of Information and Service Management refers to the creative use of information and digital technology in business and the move from industrial to service dominant forms of production.

Department of Marketing

The Department of Marketing is a thriving and dynamic community of faculty, researchers, staff, and students. The department has earned international acclaim for its ambitious and rigorous research output. We are at the bleeding edge of marketing.

Center for Knowledge and Innovation Research (CKIR)

CKIR’s main research focus is on innovation ecosystems, ICT enabled service platforms and thus enabled new business dynamics.

Frequently asked questions

How often is the application process organized, is it the process same for all.

Anyone who is interested in doctoral studies at the Aalto University School of Business participates in the same application process. You may have financing of your own, another doctoral degree, you may be a citizen in Finland, Scandinavia or some other country. If you have already some scientific qualifications like relevant  publications, they can be considered in the admission process.

There are two admission groups, based on your previous degree. Read more about the admission groups and the requirements applied to them above.

Where can I find the application form?

A link to the application with instructions will be added to this website closer to the admission period. The form is electronic. The applicant scans and saves all appendices to the form, except referees' recommendation letters. 

How many recommendation letters are necessary?

Two. Referee should send the recommendation directly to the office of the Doctoral Programme via email. However, if you completed your master's degree at Aalto University School of Business and your pro gradu supervisor is a member of the School's faculty, recommendation letters many not be necessary but it is best to ask about this from the department.

How and when should I take measures to arrange my funding?

The funding arrangements are made when the admission process is over and we will contact the admitted students about the procedure.

Can I apply without a GMAT or GRE?

This depends on your admission group. Please read more above.

What is the admission rate to the doctoral programme?

We receive about 150-200 applications each year, and admit about 20-30 doctoral students. The admission rate varies from year to year so the previous years’ rates may not be relevant this time.

What is "selected academic work"?

“Selected academic work” which figures on the list of appendices should be chosen by the applicant. It can be a master’s thesis, if you graduated recently or have not graduated yet, or a research report or publication or some other piece of scientific work which you consider relevant in the application process.

When do I start my studies if I am admitted to the programme?

For the admission organised annually in December-January, the start of studies is in September.

What are the GMAT and GRE tests?

The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) and Graduate Records Examinations (GRE) are standardised tests that are administered in English and used internationally as one of the evaluation criteria for student admissions particularly in the field of business. The tests  measure analytic and linguistic skills as well as quantitative reasoning skills .

Aalto University does not organise GMAT or GRE test.  In questions concerning the tests, please contact the test organisers.

Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT)

The GMAT consists of four sections:

• Analytical Writing Assessment (one essay theme), 30 minutes
• Integrated Reasoning (12 questions), 30 minutes
• Quantitative (37 multiple-choice questions), 75 minutes
• Verbal (41 multiple-choice questions), 75 minutes

Aalto University considers only the  Total Score  when evaluating applicants for a doctoral programme in business and economics. Only the  Quantitative Section  and  Verbal Section  comprise the Total Score.  The Analytical Writing Assessment and Integrated Reasoning sections do not affect the Total Score and they are not considered in the admissions.  Applicants may opt to not do the Analytical Writing Assessment and Integrated Reasoning sections at all, if they wish.

For more information on the test, visit the test administrator’s website:  www.mba.com

Graduate Record Examinations (GRE)

The accepted exams are the GRE General Test and GRE Revised General Test. The GRE Subject Test is not accepted.

Structure of the GRE test:

• Verbal Reasoning: measures ability to analyse and draw conclusions from discourse; reason from incomplete data; identify author's assumptions and/or perspective; understand multiple levels of meaning, such as literal, figurative and author's intent, select important points; distinguish major from minor or relevant points; summarise text; understand the structure of a text, understand the meanings of words, sentences and entire texts; understand relationships among words and among concepts.
• Quantitative Reasoning: measures ability to understand quantitative information, interpret and analyse quantitative information, solve problems using mathematical models, apply basic mathematical skills and elementary mathematical concepts of arithmetic, algebra, geometry and data interpretation, includes real-life scenarios.
• Analytical Writing: measures ability to articulate complex ideas clearly and effectively, support ideas with relevant reasons and examples, examine claims and accompanying evidence, sustain a well-focused, coherent discussion, control the elements of standard written English.

For more information on the test, see  www.ets.org/gre .

GMAT or GMAT Focus edition?

Both are acceptable. In GMAT Focus edition Aalto considers the total score comprised by Quantitative Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning, and Data Insights.

Where can I take the GMAT/GRE test?

You can take both tests in any of hundreds of test centres around the world. Find a test centre closest to you on the test administrator’s website.

Can I prepare for the GMAT/GRE test?

You should carefully familiarise yourself with the test structure and contents before the test. The test organisations provide prepping software on their websites. Prep books are also available.

• For tips on how to prepare for the  GMAT  and free GMAT prep software, go to  www.mba.com .
• The  GRE  website has a  ‘Prepare for the Test’ section  and on that page, you can download the  Powerprep Software , which you can use to practise for the test.

When should I take the GMAT/GRE test?

Booking a test time and taking the test early enough is the applicant’s responsibility. Aalto University does not organize the test and cannot respond to any questions on sending the test scores.

Can I be exempted from the GMAT/GRE requirement?

Applicants applying in the admission group 2 cannot be exempted from the test. Your admission group is determined by the previous university degree you have completed.

How long is the GMAT/GRE test result valid?

GMAT and GRE test results are valid 5 years. In the 2025 admissions the oldest acceptable test date is 12 December 2019. Note! Chek with the test provider if they report test results taken over 5 years ago!

I have taken the GMAT/GRE test several times. Which score will be taken into account in the admission?

The best official score that is still valid and received by Aalto University will be considered in the admission. You cannot combine scores attained on different test dates. The date of completion of the GRE/GMAT test is marked on the electronic application form.

Translations

The application documents must be in Finnish, Swedish or English. If the original degree certificate or transcript of records was written in some other language, an official translation of the document must be submitted.

The translation is official if it has been done by the  higher education institution that awarded the degree  or by a  certified   translator (authorized translator) . The translations must have the certified translator’s stamp and signature.

In Finland, the Finnish National Agency for Education (www.oph.fi/en) maintains a  register  of authorized translators who are based in Finland.

I am Aalto School of Business graduate - do I have to take GMAT/GRE?

You belong to the admission group 1 and do not have to take GMAT/GRE.

• Published: 14.1.2020
• Updated: 15.11.2024

Doctoral Programme in Business Administration

The following major subjects are included in the Doctoral Programme in Business Administration:

• Business Administration (only PhD)
• Information Systems
• International Marketing
• Organisation and Management
• (Economics; no further admission, expires 31.12.2024)

Special criteria for admission to Doctoral Programme in Business Administration

In addition to the general criteria for admission to a doctoral programme at Åbo Akademi University, you are required to possess competences that are equivalent to a major subject in a Master’s degree.

In accordance with the Faculty Council’s decision, the research plan (max total 10.000 characters with spaces; not incl. references) must include the following:

• Abstract (max. one half A4 sheet)
• Background (theoretical and empirical relevance)
• Aim and objectives of the research
• Research methods and materials as well as risks and ethical considerations
• Implementation (timetable, preliminary plan of financing), research environment and list of references

You will find further information on the application process at Apply for Doctoral Studies .

Study plan for the Doctoral Programme in Business Administration

The Doctoral degree (240 credits) includes:

• Research studies (40 credits)
• Doctoral dissertation (thesis) (200 credits)

If you choose to complete your Licentiate degree (120 credits), this includes:

• Licentiate thesis (80 credits)

A Doctoral degree taken after a Licentiate degree only includes a Doctoral dissertation (thesis) (120 credits).

In the individual study plan (ISP), you must state the year in which you plan to complete your degree. The average length of time needed is 60 credits per academic year in full-time studies, amounting to 4 years in total. If you deviate from this schedule, you must provide an explanation for doing so.

Doctoral studies within the Doctoral Programme in Business Administration

The doctoral studies within the Doctoral Programme in Business Administration (40 credits) must support your thesis work. You are to plan your studies together with the supervisor. You may complete your studies at Åbo Akademi University or another university.

The faculty recommends that working life skills are included as part of the doctoral studies (equivalent to 10-20 credits). Working life skills consist of, for example, teaching and supervision work, pedagogical competences, communication, scientific writing, computer skills and language proficiency, and studies in university pedagogy.

Apply for doctoral studies

Here’s how to apply for doctoral studies at Åbo Akademi University: 1) Check to see whether you are eligible to apply for doctoral studies. You

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Doctoral studies

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Updated 1.3.2023