IWH Doctoral Programme in Economics (IWH-DPE) Call for Applications – Fall 2025 Intake

The IWH Doctoral Programme in Economics (IWH-DPE) is a structured programme with a two-year course phase and full funding for four years. We were rated among the top 20 PhD programs according to the INOMICS Handbook 2024 and equip our PhD graduates with a rigorous economic training and comprehensive research insights. The IWH provides an excellent environment for students with an interest in economic policy who wish to enter the international academic job market or research-intensive policy institutions as indicated by our placements, for example at universities, central banks, and ministries.

PhD candidates join one of the four research departments, are supervised by dedicated supervision teams, work closely with leading senior researchers in their field from day one of the programme, and receive mentoring from experienced peers. Information on the topics that prospective students can specialise in within each of the four departments can be found on our website.

We cooperate with the Central-German Doctoral Program in Economics (CGDE); doctoral degrees are awarded by our local and international partner universities, depending on the supervisor(s).

We encourage outstanding students with a master degree in economics or related fields, such as mathematics, statistics, business administration, accounting, and finance, to apply for ad­mis­sion. The deadline for applications is 15 January 2025 (24:00 CET). Interviews will take place in Halle on 4-6 February 2025 and decisions will be communicated shortly after. The following information is required for an application:

• Personal details
• Letter of motivation:  Explain your goals, career plans, and motives to apply to the IWH-DPE. Discuss your study plans, areas of interest, and which department you prefer. Your statement should be written in English and should not exceed 500 words.
• Certificates and transcripts: Certificates and transcripts: An English or German transcript including courses, grades, and awarded degrees is required, degree certificates alone are insufficient. If you have not yet completed your current degree, attach a provisional transcript.
• Letters of recommendation: Two recommendations from faculty members that describe your academic ability and potential should be uploaded to our application portal. The following documents may be submitted:
• GRE: Applicants are encouraged, but not required, to submit their GRE scores. Ask the Educational Testing Service (ETS) to report your test scores using the DI code: 4051.
• Writing sample: Submit, e.g., a paper you have written during your studies in English.
• Any additional information relevant to your application.

Further information on the programme is available at our IWH-DPE website. Please apply online for the position 2025-03 via our application site by 2025-01-15

Contact persons:

Programme Director: 
Professor Michael Koetter, Ph.D. (Tel +49 345 7753 727, michael.koetter@iwh-halle.de)

Programme Manager: 
Dr Andrej Drygalla (Tel +49 345 7753 812, andrej.drygalla@iwh-halle.de)