PhD Studentship - Mathematics and Applications

Bocconi University

Call for Applications

The PhD Program in Mathematics and Applications at Bocconi University is a newly established four-year program taught in English. It is a strategic initiative that builds on the Department of Decision Sciences’ internationally recognized faculty, vibrant research environment, and Bocconi University’s mission to foster interdisciplinary innovation. The Department has a strong tradition in both pure and applied mathematics, with several faculty members holding prestigious ERC grants.

For the PhD in Mathematics and Applications, the PhD School offers four fellowships fully funded by Tech Europe Foundation (TEF)

Curriculum and timeline

The first year provides rigorous core training at the heart of Mathematical Analysis—bringing students quickly to the research frontier and enabling them to launch a substantive research agenda—and is complemented by electives that may cover other areas of mathematics or, depending on their interests, economics, finance, statistics, or machine learning. The second year completes this preparation, offering a view toward applications and providing advanced, research-oriented courses, also taught by visiting professors. The program is structured accordingly: research begins in the first year and develops progressively thereafter. Years three and four are devoted fully to research and thesis writing, with opportunities for international research visits and exchanges.

In addition to a strong core in cutting-edge Mathematical Analysis, the program offers distinctive opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration in economics, finance, decision theory, and computer science, in line with Bocconi’s tradition in the social sciences.

Faculty and visiting scholars

The faculty includes internationally acknowledged researchers in Mathematical Analysis, Applied and Computational Mathematics, Decision Theory, and Mathematical Finance. The program also benefits from authoritative visiting professors who deliver short monographic courses on frontier topics.

Careers

The PhD in Mathematics and Applications is designed for highly motivated students aiming for first-rate research careers in academia, research institutes, and quantitative roles in industry and finance, as well as strategy consulting, operation research, optimization, and AI/ML labs.

Admission profile

Highly qualified and motivated candidates with MSc degrees in Mathematics, Computer Science, Physics, Economics, Data Science, Engineering, or related areas are encouraged to apply.

Student support.

The PhD School’s tutors and Career Service are available to support candidates during the application process and students throughout their studies.

Applications can be submitted by candidates of any citizenship who:

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

The assessment is based on a candidate’s:

• Curriculum Vitae (mandatory);
• Academic Records (mandatory);
• Statement Of Purpose (mandatory);
• Up to three reference letters (not mandatory)

Please consult our website for complete details of our application procedure (via the ‘Apply’ button above).

Applications are due by 5 February 2026.

For more information about our program, please visit the website here or feel free to contact phdadmission@unibocconi.it