We encourage outstanding students with a Master's degree in economics or related subjects such as mathematics, statistics, business administration, accounting and finance to apply for admission.

The Call for Applications – Fall 2026 Intake is open.

The application deadline is 15 January 2026 (24:00 CET). Interviews will take place in Halle on 27 and 29 January 2026 and decisions will be communicated shortly after.

About the IWH Doctoral Programme in Economics

The IWH Doctoral Programme in Economics (IWH-DPE) is a rigorous structured four-year PhD programme with a two-year course phase.

In the first year, students are expected to complete a sequence of courses in microeconomics, macroeconomics, and econometrics. In the second year, specialized courses are offered in the chosen field of the student. After completion, doctoral students are equipped with strong economic foundations and have a broad overview of various economic research areas.

IWH provides an excellent environment for students with interests in economic policy, who want to enter the international academic job market. All doctoral students are allocated to one of the four research departments (Financial Markets – Laws, Regulations and Factor Markets – Macroeconomics – Structural Change and Productivity) and work closely with leading senior researchers in their field from day one of the programme.