Key information
Duration
- Full-time
- 36 months
- 3-4 years
- Part-time
- 72 months
- 6-8 years
Start dates & application deadlines
- Starting September 2026
- Apply anytime.
We accept applications for PhD study throughout the year and we can offer varied start dates.
Language
English
TOEFL iBT: 95
IELTS: 7
Delivered
On Campus
Campus Location
- Belfast, United Kingdom
Disciplines
Overview
The Economics PhD programme from the Queen's University Belfast has a particular interest in game theory and economic history. Aside from gaining close research advice and direction from their supervisors and other academics in the group, research students benefit from attending courses and tailor-made reading groups to complete their background preparation in economics.
Queen's Business School prides itself on research-led teaching and offers its research students experience as teaching assistants in a variety of undergraduate courses. Students regularly attend the School's various seminar series, which attract leading academics from around the world. Students also present their work at these events, gaining invaluable advice and preparation for the academic job market.
Registration is on a full-time or part-time basis, under the direction of a supervisory team appointed by the University. You will be expected to submit your thesis at the end of three years of full-time registration for PhD, or two years for MPhil (or part-time equivalent).
Career opportunities
The School has a proven track-record of placing its PhD graduates in tenure-track research and teaching posts at top universities in the UK and elsewhere.
Programme Structure
Associated Research:
- Institutional and relational economics
- Social networks Strategic formation of coalitions and networks
- Banking crises
- Crime and conflict
- Political economy
- Methodology and history of economics
- Behavioural and experimental economics
Admission requirements
Academic requirements
- GPA: Upper Second Class
English requirements
- TOEFL iBT: 95
- IELTS: 7
Other requirements
General requirements
- Normally a UK 2.1 Honours degree (or equivalent qualification acceptable to the University) and a UK Master's degree in a relevant discipline with a final result of 60% (or equivalent qualification acceptable to the University).
Tuition Fees
Tuition fees are shown in AUD and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.
- International (Applies to you) — Non-residents: 42,306 AUD / year (≈ 22,500 GBP / year)
Living costs
Belfast, United Kingdom
1,055-1,668 AUD / month
The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.
Scholarships Information
Below you will find PhD's scholarship opportunities for Economics.
Available Scholarships
- Queen's University/China Scholarship Council PhD Scholarships — Grant, Various benefits, Deadline: Not specified (Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom)
- Queen's Loyalty Scholarship — Grant, Various benefits, Deadline: Not specified (Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom)
- Queen's Family Scholarship — Grant, Various benefits, Deadline: Not specified (Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom)
- Queen's Business School Scholarship For Latin America — Grant, 6000 GBP, Deadline: Anytime (Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom)
- Queen's Business School Scholarship for Middle East and North Africa — Grant, 6000 GBP, Deadline: Not specified (Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom)
- Queen's Business School Awards — Grant, 6000 GBP, Deadline: Anytime (Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom)
- Queen's Business School Scholarship For South East Asia — Grant, 6000 GBP, Deadline: Anytime (Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom)
- The Queen's Business School Scholarship for South East Asia Scholarship For South Asia — Grant, 6000 GBP, Deadline: Not specified (Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom)
- Queen's Business School Scholarship For North America — Grant, 6000 GBP, Deadline: Not specified (Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom)
- Fulbright U.S. Student Program — Grant, Various benefits, Deadline: 07 Oct 2026 (U.S. government)
- Erasmus+ - Grants for study mobility — Grant, Various benefits, Deadline: Not specified (OeAD, Austria's Agency for Education and Internationalisation)
- ACES Scholarships — Grant, 3500 USD, Deadline: 15 Nov 2026 (ACES Education Fund)
- ServiceScape Scholarship — Grant, 1000 USD, Deadline: 30 Nov 2026 (ServiceScape)
- Scholarships for PhD Students — Grant, 19000 GBP, Deadline: Not specified (Junhua Li)
- Boustany Astronomy PhD Scholarship — Grant, Various benefits, Deadline: 28 Feb 2027 (Boustany Foundation)
- Amberscholar Scholarship — Grant, 6000 USD, Deadline: 31 Jan 2027 (Amber Scholar)
- Voice Talent Online Scholarship — Grant, 1000 USD, Deadline: 01 Mar 2027 (Voice Talent Online)
- $1,500 Annual Video Contest Scholarship — Grant, 1000 USD, Deadline: 31 Oct 2026 (IvyPanda)
- Dream Chaser Scholarship — Grant, 1000 USD, Deadline: 13 Jan 2027 (Salvado Law)
- Scholarship for students with disabilities — Grant, 3000 USD, Deadline: 31 Dec 2026 (Anonymous Hope Fund)
- Commonwealth Shared Scholarship – University Bids — Grant, 22500 GBP, Deadline: Not specified (UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO))
- Grants of the Leopold Figl Foundation for students with residence in Lower Austria — Grant, Various benefits, Deadline: 31 Dec 2026 (Leopold Figl Foundation)
- The Annual IELTS from 6 to 9 Scholarship — Grant, 1500 USD, Deadline: Not specified (IELTS from 6 to 9)
- Tobacco Harm Reduction Scholarship Programme — Grant, 12000 USD, Deadline: 11 Jan 2027 (The Tobacco Harm Reduction Scholarship Programme)