"PhD in Economics - with a full-time scholarship at DIW Graduate Center"

The German Institute for Economic Research (DIW Berlin) is one of the leading economic research institutes in Germany. We are an independent, non-profit institute involved in economic research, service and policy advice. In addition to working closely with universities in Berlin and Brandenburg, we are also active in international academic networks.

Doctoral Student in Economics: The DIW Graduate Center (GC) at the German Institute for Economic Research welcomes applications from highly qualified post-graduate students from around the world to enroll in its structured doctoral program in Economics.

The goal of the DIW Graduate Center is to provide outstanding doctoral students with a research environment and a training structure that will develop their talents in exemplary manner. It provides them to a deep understanding of economic and social processes while offering them the opportunity to apply their knowledge within the professional research environment of one of the leading economic think tanks in Germany.

The Graduate Center offers a 5-year program of in-depth training in Economics leading to a PhD from one of Berlin’s universities. The student will go through a high-level coursework curriculum and receive on-the-job training in DIW Berlin’s research departments. Student’s research should focus on theoretical and/or applied topics within Economics and related social sciences. Both the education and the research at the GC have a strong empirical component. Doctoral training also encourages funded internships at prestigious institutions such as the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and ministries, as well as research stays at renowned universities around the world.

After successfully completing the program students will have submitted a number of papers to refereed scientific journals. They will receive a certificate confirming participation along with a doctoral degree.

The DIW Graduate Center offers five years of funding with a standard stipend of 1,450 euros per month in the first year and a work contract in subsequent years. After completing the first year, doctoral students are assigned to the research departments of the institute. Research positions are offered depending on the volume of research projects under work.

Requirements: Applicants must hold a master’s degree or diploma in Economics in order to apply for the economic training program. An application during the course of studies is possible, provided that the degree is successfully completed before the program starts. Degrees from other related fields (such as civil engineering, statistics or quantitative social sciences) may also fulfill requirements for the program if the applicant has a sufficient background in Economics.

Applicants whose native language is not English must demonstrate English language proficiency unless they hold a degree from a university in an English-speaking country or can document at least one year of studies at an English-speaking university. Sufficient evidence for a good command of English is a high score on TOEFL or IELTS tests. Knowledge of German is not a necessary requirement for a successful application, but students are encouraged to learn and improve their skills.

Deadline of Application: January 15, 2026. Application procedure and further information: https://www.diw.de/en/diw_01.c.799242.en/application.html

Contact: Laura Starck, Applications Officer, DIW Graduate Center, Email: gradcenter@diw.de, Telephone: +49 30 89789-241