PhD Research Fellowships in Economics

Job description

3-5 PhD Research Fellow positions (SKO 1017) for the PhD programme are available at the Department of Economics.

The appointments are for a period of 4 years with 25% teaching and administrative duties. PhD Research Fellows will automatically be admitted to the Faculty of Social Sciences' PhD programme and benefit from the Faculty’s organized research training.

One position is funded by the Norwegian Centre for International economics and requires that the candidate’s research interests and project proposal are related to international economics and/or development economics.

The remaining positions are not linked to specific topics or research projects. Applications from candidates in all fields of economics are encouraged, in particular in fields where the department has a strong research base and supervision capacity.

Qualification requirements

Proven academic record: The PhD candidate must hold a 2-year Master's degree (including master’s dissertation) or an equivalent qualification in economics. Please note that accounting, auditing, business, marketing or management do not count as economics. Candidates completing their Master's degrees (or equivalent) in the spring semester 2026 before August 1, 2026, may apply.

Candidates who have already completed economics courses at the postgraduate level in econometrics, microeconomics and/or macroeconomics will have a distinct advantage in the ranking of candidates, but strong candidates who lack this background may also be accepted and will be required to take such courses as part of the PhD programme. Candidates with a degree from another institution than the University of Oslo will need to document qualifications based on detailed course descriptions and syllabuses.

Candidates who have completed a PhD program in Economics, will not be accepted. 

Candidates who have already been accepted to a PhD program in Economics must inform about this.

Candidates from institutions that do not use ECTS grades must include an official conversion of their grades to ECTS grades.

GRE test: For candidates with education from an institution outside the European Economic Area/the European Union, the UK or Switzerland a recent score from the general GRE test is required as part of the documentation of qualifications. Please add UiO as a recipient of your GRE test using our institutional code 0756. In addition, you must scan and upload a copy of your test result to the application portal. The Department of Economics does not accept the GMAT tests to substitute the GRE.

Proof of proficiency in English: A good command of English is required of all applicants. Students must document their proficiency in English by taking either TOEFL- or IELTS-test. For information about score requirements, see Requirements for admission to the PhD programme in Economics. Applicants are waived from TOEFL/IELTS if you are a native English speaker, have a qualifying Master’s degree from a Nordic school or you have a qualifying Master’s degree where the language of tuition was English.

It is expected that the candidate will contribute to a high standard of collegiality and the Department’s working environment. Residence in or close to Oslo is expected.

For further information, please visit the Faculty of Social Sciences’ homepage for the PhD programme: Applying for a PhD fellowship at the Faculty of Social Sciences

We offer

• Salary NOK 555 000 to 601 000 per annum depending on qualifications.
• A comprehensive course curriculum.
• Supervision by one or two academic supervisors.
• A stimulating and international research environment with multiple research groups and seminar series.
• A friendly and inclusive workplace allowing for a good work-life balance.
• Access to Norway’s excellent public services and welfare schemes, including generous parental leave provisions and affordable and accessible childcare (including the university’s kindergartens).
• Fellows will be provided with their own office space and will have access to all the facilities of the department.

Evaluation of the application

We seek highly motivated candidates with an excellent background in economics. When evaluating the application, emphasis will be given to the applicant's proven academic record, the project proposal and the applicant’s academic and personal prerequisites to carry out the project.

Emphasis will moreover be placed on how the project fits the research strategy of the Department of Economics and supervision capacity. For further information, please see detailed guidelines for the project proposal. Relevant applicants will be invited to an interview.

How to apply

The application must include:

• Application letter
• Project proposal of 5-10 pages
• CV (summarizing education, positions and academic work)
• Copies of (both) transcripts with ECTS conversion and diplomas 
• List of relevant publications and other academic work
• Research papers, including master's dissertation. Where research work is co-authored, the contribution of the candidate should be indicated
• Letters of recommendation may be included in the application but are not required. Letters of recommendation can also be sent via email to Kristina Huglen (see email address below). 

Important documents in other languages than English or Scandinavian must be translated into one of these languages. Applications without sufficient documentation will not be considered.

Application with attachments must be submitted via our recruitment system Jobbnorge, click "Apply for the position".

Inclusive worklife and diversity at UiO

Inclusion and diversity are a strength. The University of Oslo has a personnel policy objective of achieving a balanced gender composition. Furthermore, we want employees with diverse professional expertise, life experience and perspectives.

If there are qualified applicants with disabilities, employment gaps or immigrant background, we will invite at least one applicant from each of these categories to an interview.

We hope that you will apply for the position. 

More information about gender equality initiatives at UiO can be found here.

General information

Applicant lists can be published in accordance with Norwegian Freedom of Information Act § 25. When you apply for a position with us, your name will appear on the public applicant list. It is possible to request to be excluded from this list. You must justify why you want an exemption from publication and we will then decide whether we can grant your request. If we cannot, you will hear from us.

Please refer to Regulations for the Act on universities and colleges chapter 3 (Norwegian),  Guidelines concerning appointment to post doctoral and research posts at UiO and Regulations for the degree of Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) at the University of Oslo.

The University of Oslo has a transfer agreement with all employees that is intended to secure the rights to all research results etc.