PhD in Economics

Key Facts

• Select two areas of specialization within the broad field of applied economics
• Access to a broader pool of available doctoral thesis supervisors and an opportunity to participate in VEGC PhD conferences, PhD seminars, and research seminars

Programme Structure

Core courses

• Advanced Microeconomics
• Advanced Macroeconomics
• Advanced Econometrics
• Advanced Labor Economics
• Psychology and Economics
• Financial Economics

Admission requirements

Academic requirements

• GPA — 3.3

English requirements

• Duolingo English Test — 130
• TOEFL® iBT — 100 (or 5 on the new TOEFL iBT 1-6 score, CEFR-aligned, equivalent to the 0-120 score)
• PTE Academic — 76
• IELTS — 7

General requirements

• Master’s degree or equivalent in economics or a related field, such as mathematics or statistics, with a GPA of 3.33 or higher.
• GRE is waived for CEU Master of Arts in Economics, Data and Policy students, applying for the program.
• A solid foundational knowledge of the core subjects (microeconomics, macroeconomics and econometrics) from your previous master’s level program.
• Upload an updated CV or resume, including a publication list if available.

Student Insurance via Studyportals Partner

Make sure to cover your health, travel, and stay while studying abroad. Even global coverages can miss important items like Additional medical costs, Repatriation, Liability etc. Make sure your student insurance covers your needs.

Studyportals partnered with Aon to provide you with the best affordable student insurance, for a carefree experience away from home.

Starting from €0.53/day, free cancellation any time.

Remember, countries and universities may have specific insurance requirements. To learn more about how student insurance work at Central European University (CEU) and/or in Austria, please visit the Student Insurance Portal.

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in AUD and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International

International tuition fees apply to students who are not citizens or permanent residents of the study country. In some regions, like the EU/EEA, or under certain agreements, students from partner countries may also pay domestic fees.

Non-residents: 27,353 AUD / year ≈ 17,000 EUR / year

EU/EEA

European Economic Area tuition fee is applicable to the students from EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

EU/EEA Nationals: 27,353 AUD / year ≈ 17,000 EUR / year

Additional Details

• Doctoral programs (first 18 months): 17,000 EUR
• Doctoral programs after comprehensive examination: 5,500 EUR

Living costs

Vienna

Austria

1,385-2,142 AUD / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

Scholarships Information

Below you will find PhD’s scholarship opportunities for Economics.

In order for us to give you accurate scholarship information, we ask that you please confirm a few details and create an account with us.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

• Academic Achievement Award for First-Year Doctoral Students — Grant 500 EUR — Deadline 15 Jan 2027 — Merit-based — Central European University (CEU), Vienna, Austria
• Award for Advanced Doctoral Students — Grant 800 EUR — Deadline 15 Jan 2027 — Merit-based — Central European University (CEU), Vienna, Austria
• Winter School Grant — Grant 1500 EUR — Deadline 07 Nov 2026 — Central European University (CEU), Vienna, Austria
• Fulbright U.S. Student Program — Grant Various benefits — Deadline 07 Oct 2026 — U.S. government
• Summer courses of Lectures for Institutes of Languages from the University — Grant Various benefits — Deadline Anytime — Merit-based — OeAD, Austria's Agency for Education and Internationalisation
• ServiceScape Scholarship — Grant 1000 USD — Deadline 30 Nov 2026 — ServiceScape
• ACES Scholarships — Grant 3500 USD — Deadline 15 Nov 2026 — ACES Education Fund
• Erasmus+ - Grants for study mobility — Grant Various benefits — Deadline Not specified — Merit-based — OeAD, Austria's Agency for Education and Internationalisation
• ELES-Scholarship (Ernst-Ludwig-Ehrlich-Studienwerk) — Grant 1550 EUR — Deadline 31 Oct 2026 — Austria’s Agency for Education and Internationalisation
• Ernst Mach Grant for studying at an Austrian University of Applied Sciences — Grant 1300 EUR — Deadline 01 Feb 2027 — OeAD, Austria's Agency for Education and Internationalisation
• Erasmus+ - Grants for study mobility in Austria — Grant Various benefits — Deadline Not specified — OeAD, Austria's Agency for Education and Internationalisation
• $1,500 Annual Video Contest Scholarship — Grant 1000 USD — Deadline 31 Oct 2026 — Merit-based — IvyPanda
• Voice Talent Online Scholarship — Grant 1000 USD — Deadline 01 Mar 2027 — Voice Talent Online
• Dream Chaser Scholarship — Grant 1000 USD — Deadline 13 Jan 2027 — Merit-based — Salvado Law
• Ernst Mach Grant - ASEA-UNINET — Grant 1300 EUR — Deadline 01 Mar 2027 — Merit-based — OeAD, Austria's Agency for Education and Internationalisation
• Scholarship for students with disabilities — Grant 3000 USD — Deadline 31 Dec 2026 — Need-based — Anonymous Hope Fund
• Ernst Mach Grant - Worldwide — Grant 1300 EUR — Deadline 01 Feb 2027 — OeAD, Austria's Agency for Education and Internationalisation
• Semester grant and grant for short-term stays of the "Aktion" Austria-Czech Republic — Grant 1300 EUR — Deadline 15 Oct 2026 — Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research of the Republic of Austria
• Grants of the Leopold Figl Foundation for students with residence in Lower Austria — Grant Various benefits — Deadline 31 Dec 2026 — Need-based — Leopold Figl Foundation
• Ernst Mach Follow-Up Grant — Grant 715 EUR — Deadline 31 Mar 2027 — OeAD, Austria's Agency for Education and Internationalisation
• 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