Preparing to Apply

Bocconi University offers the following PhD programs:

• PhD program in Business Administration and Management
  (four-year program; taught in English)
  • Short call  

  • Planned study program, 2026-2027 (cycle 42°)

     

• PhD program in Economics and Finance
  (four-year program; taught in English)
  • Short call 

  • Planned study program, 2026-2027 (cycle 42°)

     

• PhD program in Legal Studies
  (three-year program; taught in English)
  • Short call

  • Planned study program, 2026-2027 (cycle 42°)

     

• PhD program in Mathematics and Applications (NEW)
  (four-year program; taught in English)
  • Short call
  • Planned study program, 2026-2027 (cycle 42°)

• PhD program in Social and Political Science
  (four-year program; taught in English)
  • Short call

  • Planned study program, 2026-2027 (cycle 42°)

     

• PhD program in Statistics and Computer Science
  (four-year program; taught in English)
  • Short call
  • Planned study program, 2026-2027 (cycle 42°)
     

The enrollment of the qualified candidates (see Selection Criteria) takes place under one of the following conditions: 

1)         with Bocconi/TEF fellowship:

1.a      based on merit

or         

1.b      based on merit and financial conditions (see art. 11 of the Full Official Call)

2) with payment of tuition fees

3) with tuition waiver

PhD students are always required to pay the regional tax, as per current regulations (amount of regional tax: see art. 11).

Note that all PhD students are always required to pay the current annual regional tax of € 140, whose amount may be modified by law at a later date.

The allocation of places for the academic year 2026-27 is as follows: 

Besides Bocconi and TEF fellowships, there might be fellowships funded by external donors (private or public institution):

• In case of “non ad personam financing” (no specific topic required for research activities), the donor signs an ad hoc agreement with Bocconi; in such case the number of fellowships is increased before the publication of admission results; the external donor fellowship is managed as all other fellowships (the recipient pays no tuition fees; replacement is possible in case the candidate declines the offer);

• in case of “ad personam financing”, the candidate receives the financial support directly from the external donor (the recipient must pay tuition fees; replacement is not possible).

Applications can be submitted by candidates of any citizenship who:

• have completed or are completing their graduate studies and
• have at least a “proven” B2 (CEFR) level of competence in English.

Graduate qualifications accepted:

• Italian degrees: second level degrees (“laurea magistrale/specialistica, laurea magistrale a ciclo unico, laurea vecchio Ordinamento”);
• non-Italian degrees of equivalent level (eg. level 7 European Qualification Framework) recognised by the Admission Board.

The suitability of foreign qualifications is verified by the Admission Board in conformity with the applicable Italian and foreign rules, or in conformity with international treaties or agreements on the validity of qualifications for post-graduate education.

Competence in English must be shown by a recognized international English language certificate/test; in case of international test (TOEFL, IELTS) the result must be still valid (not expired).You will have to upload the English language certificate/test to the on-line application procedure (click here to check the list of recognized  international certificates/tests and the minimum scores required - at least a B2 (CEFR) level) or, if you do not have a recognized international certificates/tests, you will have to self-declare in the online application procedure that you:

- are an English native speaker
- attended a University program in English
- attended a secondary school program in English (please, upload the certificate)
- passed the internal English exam in a Bocconi degree program
- have other reasons (please, specify them).

Candidates whose Italian or non-Italian degree qualifications are still pending on the final application date can take part in the selection and will be admitted conditionally. 

They must be awarded the required degree qualifications by 31^st October 2026, or their enrollment will be void. Certifications of required qualifications must be produced by 10^th December 2026. 

PhD programs in Business Administration and Management, Economics and Finance and Statistics and Computer Science:

the assessment is based on a candidate’s:

• curriculum vitae (indispensable);
• academic records (indispensable);
• international graduate admission tests scores (GMAT or GRE);
• statement of purpose (indispensable);
• up to three reference letters*.

For the PhD programs in Economics and Finance and Statistics and Computer Science, the assessment criteria are as follows:

• a maximum of 50 points for the applicant’s curriculum vitae and academic records;
• a maximum of 10 points for GMAT/GRE;
• a maximum of 40 points for statement of purpose and reference letters.

For the PhD program in Business Administration and Management, the assessment criteria are as follows:

• a maximum of 50 points for the applicant’s curriculum vitae and academic records;

• a maximum of 15 points for GMAT/GRE;

• a maximum of 35 points for statement of purpose and reference letters.

PhD program in Mathematics and Applications:

the assessment is based on a candidate’s:

• curriculum vitae (indispensable);
• academic records (indispensable);
• statement of purpose (indispensable);
• up to three reference letters

And with the following criteria:

• a maximum of 60 points for the applicant’s curriculum vitae and academic records;
• a maximum of 40 points for statement of purpose and reference letters

The Admission Board may decide to conduct a brief online interview in order to get clarification about the student’s qualifications.

A minimum of 60 total points is required to be elegible for admission to all the above PhD programs.

PhD programs in Social and Political Science and Legal Studies:

the Admission Board will first evaluate the suitability of the applicants’ qualifications, and, after a first step of selection, the Board will interview some candidates in order to better assess their qualifications (second step of selection).

For the PhD program in Social and Political Science, the first step assessment is based on a candidate’s:

• curriculum vitae (indispensable);

• academic records (indispensable);

• international graduate admission tests scores (GMAT or GRE);

• statement of purpose (indispensable);

• up to three reference letters*.

The qualifications assessment criteria are as follows:

• a maximum of 50 points for the applicant’s curriculum vitae and academic records;

• a maximum of 10 points for GMAT/GRE;

• a maximum of 40 points for statement of purpose and reference letters.

The Admission Board will interview (online) candidates who have obtained at least 70 points in the qualifications assessment. 

The second step assessment is based on the online interview, whose maximum score is 40 points.

A candidate will be eligible for admission if he or she has obtained at least 70 points out of 100 in the qualifications assessment and at least 20 points out of 40 in the interview.

The purpose of the interview is to better assess candidates’ qualifications, discuss their statement of purpose; test their aptitude for the program, ascertain their proficiency in English. 

After completing the interviews, the Admission Board will rank the applicants.

For the PhD program in Legal Studies, the first step assessment is based on a candidate’s:

-      curriculum vitae (indispensable);

-      academic records (indispensable); 

-      statement of purpose (indispensable);

-      research proposal (indispensable);

-      up to three reference letters;

-      other relevant documents (e.g. thesis’ abstract, publications)*.

The qualifications assessment criteria are as follows:

• a maximum of 50 points for the applicant’s curriculum vitae and academic records;
• a maximum of 40 points for statement of purpose, research proposal and reference letters;
• a maximum of 10 points for other relevant elements.

The Admission Board will interview (online) candidates who have obtained at least 70 points in the qualifications assessment. 

The second step assessment is based on the online interview, whose maximum score is 30 points.

A candidate will be eligible for admission if he or she has obtained at least 70 points out of 100 in the qualifications assessment and at least 20 points out of 30 in the interview.

The purpose of the interview is to better assess applicants’ qualifications; discuss their research proposal (relevance, international approach, issues involved) and their publications, if any; test their aptitude for the program; ascertain their proficiency in English and other foreign languages (when only self-certified), and ascertain their competence in a subject of their choice, which is part of the PhD curriculum.

After completing the interviews, the Admission Board will rank the applicants. 

*Please note that financial support by external donors is not included in the assessment criteria, therefore it does not contribute to increasing the score in the ranking for admission results. 

A wide range of information is needed in order to assess the applicants' strengths and potential for academic success. In particular, the following elements are considered:

• Personal curriculum: Full CV (education, work experience, language skills, study/work abroad, other relevant skills and experiences);
• Academic records: transcript of exams and certification of undergraduate (6 EQF) and graduate (7 EQF) degrees awarded and final grade (if any); if the graduate program has not been completed*, an enrollment document with the full study plan, the exams taken and the grades achieved;
• International Graduate Admission Tests scores: Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) or Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) with date and results. These tests are not relevant for the PhD in Legal Studies. IMPORTANT: date of the test: not before 3 October 2020; GMAT/GRE score reports must be uploaded by the candidates in the online procedure: score reports sent to Bocconi University by GMAC Customer Service (GMAT) and ETS (GRE) are not accepted;
• Statement of purpose: short description (max 1200 words) of your motivation for enrollment in Bocconi PhD programs, your research interests and professional goals; only for the PhD in Legal Studies: short description (max 1200 words) of your motivation for enrollment in Bocconi PhD program and of your professional goals;
• Reference letters: up to three reference letters uploaded by referees appointed in the on-line application procedure. Referees can be academic (first best) or non-academic (second best);
• Research proposal (only for the PhD in Legal Studies): detailed description of research proposal coherent with one of the curricular disciplinary
• Other relevant documents (maximum five) (only for the PhD in Legal Studies): e.g. abstract of the thesis, publications, other programs attended, etc.
  
  *Applicants who have not achieved a degree are allowed to apply, but they must obtain the degree by 31 October 2026 or their enrollment will be void.

All documents have to be in English, except for those regarding the academic records, which can be in Italian, and publications, which can be in any language.

In order to close the application and be evaluated, the following documents (sections: personal details, language requirements, academic records, statement of purpose, research proposal) are strictly required:

• Personal CV;
• Documentary evidence of English language competence (except English native speakers): international certification/test, university or high school studies in English, …;
• Academic records;
• Statement of purpose;
• Research proposal (only for the PhD in Legal Studies);
• Copy of the international passport;
• Passport format photo.

Documents of the remaining sections (e.g. GRE/GMAT) contribute to increasing your score in the final ranking, but they are not indispensable. 

You have to apply exclusively through the on-line application procedure which is available here from 3 October 2025. The deadline for submitting the application is 15 January 2026 at 23:59 CET (5 February 2026 at 23:59 CET for Statistics and Computer Science). This deadline is not negotiable.

In order to complete your application, you will have to:

• register in order to obtain Personal ID and password; please note that Bocconi students already have the required credentials;
• enter the information in the spaces provided;
• upload some documents;
• submit the application.

For technical issues, please contact our Help Desk at: phdhelpdesk@unibocconi.it 

Should you need information about data and/or documents you need to submit, please contact phdadmission@unibocconi.it

Applicants are ranked according to merit. 

The ranking of each public competition is published on Admission Results a.y. 2026-27 in compliance with data privacy laws (privacy is guaranteed).

For the PhDs in Business Administration and Management, Economics and Finance, Statistics and Computer Science, Mathematics and Applications:

By 16th March 2026 each candidate will receive a personal email at the address provided during the online application, informing them about the outcome of their application. 

Using their ID and password, candidates will be able to access the online procedure, for further information, including:

• if their status is “with fellowship”, “with tuition waiver” or “with payment of tuition fees”: points awarded, ranking and financial conditions;
• if their status is “in the waiting list”: points awarded and ranking;
• if their status is “not admitted”: points awarded.

For the PhDs in Social and Political Science and Legal Studies:

Admission to the interview:

by 20 February 2026 you will receive a personal e-mail to the address you provided on your on-line application in which you will be informed about your admission to the interview.
You will be able to access the on-line procedure by using your ID and password and find more information, in particular:

• if you have been admitted to the interview: points awarded and ranking;
• if you have not been admitted to the interview: points awarded.

Final ranking: 

By 16th March 2026 each candidate will receive a personal email at the address provided during the online application, informing them about the outcome of their application. 

Using their ID and password, candidates will be able to access the online procedure, for further information, including:

• if their status is “with fellowship”, “with tuition waiver” or “with payment of tuition fees”: points awarded, ranking and financial conditions;
• if their status is “in the waiting list”: points awarded and ranking;
• if their status is “not admitted”: points awarded.

Bocconi PhD Programs Handbook (https://www.unibocconi.eu/phds) gives detailed information about:

1)  fellowships, merit-based tuition waivers (granted for some PhD programs only) and tuition fees;

2)  financial aid for PhD students, PhD candidates and fellows (remuneration for research assistantship and teaching assistantship/teaching; budget for study and research activities; financial support after completion of the last official year and for job market placement, …).

In particular:

1)  With reference to fellowships, merit-based tuition waivers and tuition fees:

Bocconi/TEF merit-based fellowships (see art. 2, 1.A of the present Call) are awarded to the best ranked students, in relationship to the number of available fellowships. 

The fellowship amounts to € 27,000 for the first year and € 23,000 for the subsequent years (2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th for BA&M, EC-FIN, MATH, SPS and STAT-CS; 2^nd, 3^rd for LS only). 

Fellowships are renewed in the following years if the requirements to be admitted to the following year are met.

Income from the fellowship is tax free.

The amount of the fellowship is subject to INPS contributions (INPS = National Social Security Institute).

Part of contributions are covered by the University (currently 23.35%) and part by the student (currently 11.68%).

The amount of the student fellowship is gross; the part of contributions covered by the student is directly deducted from each monthly gross installment of the fellowship and transferred to INPS.

For study and research activities abroad (at least one-month, full months only) authorized by the PhD Program Director, the fellowship is increased by 50% of € 16,243 (ministerial amount) in proportion to the duration of the stay abroad and for a maximum total period of 12 months (saved exceptional cases provided for by the law).

Fellowships based on merit and financial conditions (art. 2, 1.B of the present Call) are managed by ISU Bocconi, as per DPCM (Italian Prime Minister Decree) 9^th April 2001, without prejudice to further modifications. Applications shall be sent to ISU Bocconi following the 2026-2027 public competition instructions, which will be published at: http://www.unibocconi.eu/isu

Tuition fees for students without fellowship and without tuition waiver amount to:

4-year PhD program: € 15,000 for year 1 and 2 and € 5,000 for year 3 and 4 to be settled as follows:

First and second year:

Third and fourth year:

3-year PhD program (LS only): € 15,000 for year 1 and € 5,000 for year 2 and 3 to be settled as follows:

First year:

Second and third year:

Bocconi University will not refund the tuition fees paid by students who enrolled and then withdrew; tuition fees will be refunded only to enrolled students who replace a withdrawn student who had been awarded a fellowship or a merit-based tuition waiver. 

2)  With reference to financial aid:

PhD students can supplement their income with part-time remunerated work for the university; in particular:

• research assistantship from the second year (as an exception, during the first year, subject to Dean’s approval);

• teaching assistantship /teaching from the second year.

These activities must be authorized in advance by the PhD Director, as students are primarily committed to their PhD research and activities. 

Moreover:

• all PhD students (with and without fellowship) are granted a research contract (minimum 7,000 € and maximum, based on merit, 17,000 €; gross amount) to cover the “PhD candidate period” (from the end of the last year to thesis dissertation).

  -    in compliance with Italian law, all PhD students (with and without fellowship) are provided with an annual budget (1,650 € per year) for “study and research activities” (the use of the budget is always subject to the Program director approval). 

         The 1^st year budget is earmarked to the acquisition of a laptop that will be given to the student as of the start of the 2^nd year (no return at PhD conferral). 

         The budget of the following years is meant to allow the purchase of services and goods to support study and research activities.

• all PhD students (with and without fellowship) are offered by the PhD School a financial support for placement (i.e. travel expenses to relevant events and workshops). The PhD School offers training and procedural support to be successfully placed on the job market (Academia). PhD students are given the opportunity to attend conferences to present their papers, meet scholars of other universities and participate in job markets events. 

• PhD students are also covered by Health Insurance Policy provided by Bocconi which includes accidents occurring in work-related activities at Bocconi and while travelling (the travel must be previously authorized by the Program Director).

All PhD students (with fellowship, with tuition waiver and paying students) are required to pay the current annual regional tax of € 140, whose amount may be modified by law at a later date. 

Please carefully read the Full Official Call in order to get detailed information about the set of rules and guidelines to apply for the PhD you are interested in. Read Annex 1 carefully, as it provides detailed information on each PhD program offered by Bocconi University. 

• Download the Full Official Call for the PhD programs of Bocconi University

1. How and when do I apply?

You have to apply exclusively through the on-line application procedure which is available here  from 3 October, 2025. The deadline for submitting your application is 15 January 2026 at 23:59 CET (5 February 2026 at 23:59 CET for the PhD program in Statistics and Computer Science and the PhD program in Mathematics and Applications). This deadline is not negotiable.

Detailed information about the on-line application procedure can be found in the website section Submitting your application - Bocconi University

You may apply to more than one PhD program using the same ID and password. However, a separate online application must be submitted for each program. The application is free.

2. What are the requirements for application?

• Applications can be submitted by candidates of any citizenship who:
  have completed or are completing their graduate studies and
• have at least a “proven” B2 (CEFR) level of competence in English

Graduate qualifications accepted:

• Italian degrees: second level degrees (“laurea magistrale/specialistica, laurea magistrale a ciclo unico, laurea vecchio Ordinamento”)
• non-Italian degrees of equivalent level (eg. level 7 European Qualification Framework) recognized by the Admission Board

Your competence in English must be demonstrated by a recognized international English language certificate or test. In case of international test (TOEFL, IELTS) the result must be still valid (not expired).You will have to upload the English language certificate/test to the online application procedure (click here to check the list of recognized  international certificates/tests and the minimum scores required - at least a B2 (CEFR) level) or, if you do not have a recognized international certificates/tests, you will have to self-declare in the online application procedure that you (one of the option):

- are an English native speaker
- attended a University program in English
- attended a secondary school program in English (please, upload the certificate)
- passed the internal English exam in a Bocconi degree program
- have other reasons (please, specify them)Applicants whose required Italian or non-Italian degree qualifications are still pending at the time of the application deadline may participate in the selection process for all PhD programs and will be conditionally admitted. The degree must be awarded by 31 October 2026; otherwise, enrollment will be cancelled. Proof of the qualification must be submitted by 10 December 2025.For more information about the application requirements, see the section Requirements.

3. What are the selection criteria?

Read carefully Art.6 of the Full Call for Application and/or see the section above Selection criteria. 

4. What are the documents for the selection?

Each PhD program may require different documents to be uploaded.
The detailed list of documents required for the evaluation of admission to each PhD program, including information on which documents are mandatory, and which are optional, is provided in Annex 1 of the Full Call for Applications.

Please note that all documents must be in English, except for academic records (which may be in Italian) and publications (which may be in any language).

Below is a general overview of the documents that might be required during the application process (details on mandatory and optional documents are specified in Annex 1 of the Full Call for Applications):

• Please note that all documents must be in English, except for academic records (which may be in Italian) and publications (which may be in any language).Below is a general overview of the documents that might be required during the application process (details on mandatory and optional documents are specified in Annex 1 of the Full Call for Applications):"Personal curriculum: Full CV (education, work experience, language skills, study/work abroad, other relevant skills and experiences);Academic records: transcript of exams and certification of undergraduate (6 EQF) and graduate (7 EQF) degrees awarded and final grade (if any); if the graduate program has not been completed*, an enrollment document with the full study plan, the exams taken and the grades achieved;
• International Graduate Admission Tests scores: Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) or Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) with date and results. These tests are not relevant for the PhD in Legal Studies. IMPORTANT: date of the test: not before 3 October 2020; GMAT/GRE score reports must be uploaded by the candidates in the online procedure: score reports sent to Bocconi University by GMAC Customer Service (GMAT) and ETS (GRE) are not accepted;
• Statement of purpose: short description (max 1200 words) of your motivation for enrollment in Bocconi PhD programs, your research interests and professional goals; only for the PhD in Legal Studies: short description (max 1200 words) of your motivation for enrollment in Bocconi PhD program and of your professional goals;
• Reference letters: up to three reference letters uploaded by referees appointed in the on-line application procedure. Referees can be academic (first best) or non-academic (second best);
• Research proposal (only for the PhD in Legal Studies): detailed description of research proposal coherent with one of the curricular disciplinary fields
• Other relevant documents (maximum five) (only for the PhD in Legal Studies): e.g. abstract of the thesis, publications, other programs attended, etc.
  
  *Applicants who have not achieved a degree are allowed to apply, but they must obtain the degree by 31 October 2026 or their enrollment will be void.

In order to close the application and be evaluated, the following documents (sections: personal details, language requirements, academic records, statement of purpose, research proposal) are strictly required:

• Personal CV;
• Documentary evidence of English language competence (except English native speakers): international certification/test, university or high school studies in English, …;
• Academic records;
• Statement of purpose;
• Research proposal (only for the PhD in Legal Studies);
• Copy of the international passport;
• Passport format photo.

Documents of the remaining sections (e.g. GRE/GMAT) contribute to increasing your score in the final ranking, but they are not indispensable. 

5. How will I be informed about the final result of my application?
Applicants are ranked according to merit. 

The ranking of each public competition is published on https://www.unibocconi.it/en/programs/phd/admissions in compliance with data privacy laws (privacy is guaranteed).

By 16^th March 2026 each candidate will receive a personal email at the address provided during the online application, informing them about the outcome of their application.

You will be able to access the on-line procedure using your ID and password, accessing more information, in particular:

• if your status is “with fellowship”, “with tuition waiver” or “with payment of tuition fees”: 
  points awarded, ranking and financial conditions;
• if your status is “in the waiting list”:
  points awarded and ranking;
• if your status is “not admitted”: points awarded.

Please read carefully the Full Call for Applications— art. 8 – of the PhD you are interested in for detailed information about the organization of the ranking.

6. Can I get financial support if I am admitted?

Bocconi PhD Programs - Handbook (https://www.unibocconi.it/en/about-us/organization/schools/phd) gives detailed information about:

1. fellowships, merit-based tuition waivers (granted for some programs only) and tuition fees;
2. financial aid for PhD students, PhD candidates and fellows (remuneration for research assistantship and teaching assistantship/teaching; budget for study/research activities; financial support after completion of the last official year and for job market placement,...).

In particular:

A. With reference to fellowships, merit-based tuition waivers and tuition fees:

Bocconi/TEF merit-based fellowships (see Places and financial conditions) are awarded to the best ranked students, in relationship to the number of available fellowships.

The fellowship amounts to € 27,000 for the first year and € 23,000 for the subsequent years (2nd, 3rd, 4th for BA&M, EC-FIN, MATH, SPS and STAT-CS; 2nd, 3rd for LS only). Fellowships can be renewed in the following years if the requirements to be admitted to the following year are met.

Income from the fellowship is tax free.

For study and research activities abroad (at least one month, full months only) authorized by the PhD Program Director, the fellowship is increased by 50% of € 16,243 (ministerial amount), in proportion to the duration of the stay abroad and for a maximum total period of 12 months (saved exceptional cases provided for by the law).

The fellowship amount is subject to INPS contributions (INPS = National Social Security Institute). A portion of the contributions is covered by the University (currently 23.35%) and a portion by the student (currently 11.68%)

The amount of the student fellowship is gross; the student’s share of contributions is deducted directly from each monthly gross instalment and transferred to INPS..

All PhD students (with fellowship, with tuition waiver and paying students) are required to pay the current annual regional tax of € 140, whose amount may be modified by law at a later date. 

Fellowships based on merit and financial conditions are managed by ISU Bocconi (Student Assistance and Financial Aid Center), as per DPCM (Italian Prime Minister Decree) 9 April 2001, without prejudice to further modifications. Applications shall be sent to ISU Bocconi following the 2025-2026 public competition instructions, which will be published at: www.unibocconi.eu/isu

Tuition fees for students without fellowship and without tuition waiver amount to:

•  € 15,000 for year 1 and 2 and € 5,000 for year 3 and 4 for the PhDs in Business Administration and Management, Economics and Finance, Social and Political Science, Statistics and Computer Science, Mathematics and Applications;
• € 15,000 for year 1 and € 5,000 for year 2 and 3 for the PhD in Legal Studies

B. With reference to financial aid

PhD students may work part time and be paid for the following activities:

• research assistantship from the second year (as an exception, during the first year, subject to Dean’s approval);
• teaching assistantship /teaching from the second year.

These activities must be previously authorized by the PhD Director, as students are above all committed to their PhD research and activities. 

For other information about the other types of the financial aid, see the section Financial matters and carefully read art.11 of the Full Call for applications.

7. Are housing facilities provided for PhD students?
Yes. Please find here some information about housing options provided to Bocconi students.

8. I am an international student, where can I find information about the visa and residence permit?

Information about how to apply for a student visa and afterwards how to apply for the residence permit are available on the dedicated section of the website To do for international students