PhD in Social and Political Science

Call for Applications

The Ph.D. in Social and Political Science is a modern and rigorous 4-year full-time program designed to prepare highly motivated candidates for careers in academia or research within the fields of political economy, political science, demography, public management and administration, or sociology. This program is open to students who exhibit a strong aptitude and enthusiasm for research. It offers a variety of elective courses tailored for specialization within one of the mentioned fields.

In the initial two years, students will acquire cutting-edge theoretical and methodological skills that will inform their specialization. They will also choose a topic area that aligns with their interests and the expertise of our faculty. In the second year, students are required to complete a research paper with the guidance of one of our faculty members. The third and fourth years are dedicated to conducting research that will serve as the foundation for their doctoral dissertations.

Throughout their time in the program, students will have the opportunity to engage with the latest research presented by renowned scholars in the field. Additionally, they can explore exchanges and internships with leading policy institutes worldwide.

QUALIFICATIONS: 

Applications can be submitted by candidates of any citizenship who:

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

For the PhD in Social and Political Science, the PhD School offers:

• a maximum of 6 places with a fellowship
• 1 place with payment of tuition fees 

Fellowships amount to € 27,000 gross per year for four years. Students with fellowship are exempt from the payment of tuition fees for the duration of the four-year program.  

Tuition fees for students without a fellowship or tuition waiver amount to € 15,000 for year 1 and 2 and € 5,000 for year 3 and 4. 

For more detailed information, please see the full official call published on the website by clicking the Apply button above.

For more detailed information about our program, please visit the website here. 

APPLICATION PROCEDURE: 

To apply for our PhD program, only our online application procedure must be used.

Applications are due by 18 January 2027. 

The Admission Board will first evaluate the suitability of the applicants’ qualifications, and, after a first step of selection, the Board will interview some candidates to better assess their qualifications (second step of selection). 

The first step assessment is based on a candidate’s: 

• Personal curriculum (mandatory): full CV
• Academic records (mandatory): transcript of exams and certification of undergraduate and graduate degrees awarded and final grade (if any); if the graduate program has not been completed, an enrollment document with the full study plan, the exams taken and the grades achieved
• International Graduate Admission Tests scores: Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT)
• Statement of purpose (mandatory): short description (max 1200 words) of candidate’s motivation for enrollment in a Bocconi PhD program, his/her research interests and professional goals
• Reference letters: up to three reference letters uploaded by referees appointed in the online application procedure (not mandatory but strongly encouraged) 

The Admission Board will interview (online) candidates who have obtained at least 70 points out of 100 in the qualifications assessment.

The second step assessment is based on the online interview, whose maximum score is 50 points.

A candidate will be eligible for admission if he or she has obtained at least 70 points out of 100 in the qualifications assessment and at least 25 points out of 50 in the interview. 

Please consult our website for complete details of our application procedure. Click the Apply button above to access.

For more information about the program, please feel free to contact phdadmission@unibocconi.it