The PhD specialisation

NHH is pleased to announce openings in the PhD specialisation in Finance. Candidates admitted to the PhD programme will receive the title of PhD Research Scholar.

The Department of Finance has 22 faculty members, two-thirds of whom are international. Research at the department spans all major fields of finance, including corporate finance, asset pricing and market microstructure. Faculty regularly publish in the top academic journals and are one of the leading finance groups in Europe. The department has an active research seminar series featuring invited top scholars and an internal brown bag seminar series. It hosts the Center for Corporate Finance, which is rated excellent by the Norwegian Research Council, and the more recent Center for Asset Management.

The PhD specialisation in Finance gives PhD students the theoretical knowledge and methodological skills necessary to become successful researchers. It combines a one-year intensive course portfolio with ample time to do research and write a dissertation. PhD students work closely with their thesis advisors and receive feedback by presenting their research in internal seminars. The department offers a stimulating research environment and encourages PhD students to participate in its many research activities. We have a strong record of placing graduates in international academic institutions. Research and conference travels are strongly encouraged and funding for these purposes is usually available. The Department of Finance is well connected internationally and is a member of the Nordic Finance Network. Many of our PhD students spend a semester or a year abroad visiting another university. The PhD specialisation in Finance, which has a total of 10 to 12 PhD students, is an important part of the department’s research environment. 

Start date: August 2025

The PhD programme

The PhD programme at NHH is a four-year fully-funded programme, which combines an intensive course component with research and relevant work experience, preparing the school’s graduates for scholarly positions at recognised international institutions and positions in knowledge-intensive institutions and firms outside of academia. Former PhD graduates have been hired by renowned institutions such as Harvard University, The University of Sydney’s Business School, University of Amsterdam, Tilburg University, Hanken School of Economics, Norwegian universities and business schools, as well as in the government, banking, finance and consulting industries.

The PhD research scholars will be included in a highly stimulating and rewarding research environment, working closely with faculty members and other PhD research scholars at the school. PhD research scholars participate actively in faculty and research seminars, as well as in workshops. NHH also provides funding for research stays abroad to build a wider network and strengthen the research of the PhD research scholar. As part of the position, the PhD research scholars allocate 25% of their time to teaching and/or research assistance responsibilities. They also receive pedagogical training. The place of work is in Bergen at NHH, where the PhD research scholars will have their own office space at their department.

The PhD programme gives preference to applicants who address research problems that fit the research interests of the department and available resources for supervision. As the school aspires gender balance and diversity, female applicants will be given preference if applicants are otherwise equally qualified.

The annual salary for the PhD research scholar position will be NOK 550 000 (equivalent to approximately EUR 46 780 or USD 49 410) pr. August 2025. For particularly well-qualified applicants, a higher salary may be considered. Thereafter annual adjustment of minimum 3%. The salary ensures a fair standard of living in Norway and is subject to Norwegian taxes and benefits, including public health care benefits and pension savings.

The city of Bergen offers a mild coastal climate and hosts rich opportunities for culture and outdoor activities, as well as a family-friendly environment. To explore the city, go to visitnorway.com.

Application requirements

General requirements:

Applicants must meet the eligibility requirements for the PhD programme. You are required to upload the following documents with your application in Jobbnorge:

• Certificate of a Master of science degree or equivalent (please include transcripts of grades). You need to have completed your master’s degree prior to the starting date for the position. If you have not completed your degree when applying for the position, please attach an overview of the courses and grades that you have completed so far
• Certificate of a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent (please include transcripts of grades) 
• Other relevant certificates or transcripts (e.g. courses completed at the PhD level)
• If the issuing authority of grades and degrees does not use the ECTS grading scale, please include an official description of the applied grading scale system
• Statement of purpose describing your motivation for applying this position (250-300 words)
• A research proposal (2000-4000 words). The research proposal should describe the aims, research questions, and motivation of the proposed research. Please note that your research proposal is tentative and often needs adjustments after your acceptance into the programme
• Curriculum vitae
• A list of all publications and/or other documented research activities 

Please upload the documents in separate files, not combined in one single file.

Specific requirements:

The Department of Finance requires you to demonstrate adequate level of academic skills (unless you are exempt). We accept the GMAT or GRE test to measure your academic skills. 

When applying, you are required to upload a copy of your unofficial test scores in Jobbnorge before the deadline. If you are shortlisted, NHH will ask you to give us access to your official test scores without delay.

You are waived from the GMAT or GRE tests if you hold a qualifying master’s degree from a Nordic institution.

For more detailed information about the tests and their minimum scores, please visit our webpage: Admission to the PhD programme | NHH. You may also contact us at phd@nhh.no

Letters of recommendation and contact details of references:

Letters of recommendation and/or contact details of references may strengthen your application, but they are not mandatory. If you choose to include letters of recommendation, the references should send their letter of recommendation in PDF format directly to hr-phd@nhh.no by latest 15 January 2025. Contact details of references may be included in Jobbnorge when you apply. 

General information

For more information on the PhD programme and the submission procedure, please consult the NHH PHD website. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Please note that applicants for the PhD research scholar position do not need to apply separately for admission to the PhD programme.

The state labour force shall reflect the diversity of Norwegian society to the greatest extent possible. People with immigrant backgrounds and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply for the position.

In accordance with §25 (2) of the Freedom of Information Act, note that the list of applicants may be made public even if the applicant has requested not to have his/her name entered on the list of applicants. The applicant will be notified if his/her request is not respected.

For questions and inquiries about the NHH PhD programme, please contact phd@nhh.no.

Applications must be submitted through the Jobbnorge online portal. To open the application, please click ‘Apply for this job’. For English version, go to the menu at the top right side.

Application deadline: 15 January 2025