PhD Scholarships - Strategy, Entrepreneurship & Innovation

BI Norwegian Business School, the Department of Strategy and Entrepreneurship is currently inviting applications for new doctoral scholarships, start date August 2025. The PhD specialization in Strategy, Entrepreneurship and Innovation focuses on developing doctoral students' theoretical knowledge and methodological skills required to become successful researchers in the area of strategic management, innovation, and entrepreneurship. We encourage applications from students with a strong background in disciplines such as economics, business administration, and organizational and behavioral sciences. The ideal candidate is interested in pursuing an academic career in research and teaching, and has strong communication and analytical skills. We welcome research interests and project proposals in areas such as competitive strategy and business models, international strategy, corporate structures and governance, entrepreneurship, innovation, knowledge-based strategy and strategic leadership and processes, alliances and M&As, as well as organizational design.

The Department of Strategy and Entrepreneurship is currently home to about 50 faculty and 18 PhD students. The Department is highly international (currently including 13 nationalities) with PhDs from some of the world’s best business schools (Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, Maryland, among others). Research from the department has been published in top journals including Administrative Science Quarterly, Academy of Management Journal, Management Science, Strategic Management Journal, and Journal of International Business Studies.

The department hosts research centers in Healthcare, Construction, and Ocean Industries, which sponsor and provide data supporting faculty research, workshops and seminars. The doctoral program is an important element of the department’s research agenda and of BI’s vision of being one of the leading business schools in Europe. The selected candidates will be working closely with faculty and have the opportunity to collaborate on research projects. Their place of work will be at the BI Norwegian Business School in Oslo.

Eligible applicants must have completed a Master of Science degree with thesis work, a Research

Master/M.Phil degree, or a comparable degree relevant for the specialization in Strategic Management by the early autumn of 2025, with a grade point average of B or higher.

Final year Master of Science students are encouraged to apply.

Accepted applicants will be offered close supervision and follow-up by the research faculty.

The four-year scholarships are currently NOK 572 800- per year (will be adjusted during 2025). The positions provide for automatic membership in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund (Statens Pensjonskasse). The scholarships require 25% of the teaching responsibilities of a full time professor position. PhD candidates will have their place of work at BI Norwegian Business School in Oslo, Norway.

Additional information about the doctoral programme, admission requirements and the application can be obtained from the Doctoral Administration at BI Norwegian Business School (Email: phd@bi.no) and the department’s website.

You are required to upload the following with your application:

• Certificate of a Master of Science degree or equivalent, including transcripts of grades
• Certificate of a bachelor’s degree or equivalent, including transcript of grades A Diploma Supplement or a similar document describing in detail the study and grade system and the rights for further studies associated with the obtained degree. Other relevant certificates and transcripts.
• A project proposal (5-10 pages including topic, proposed method, schedule)
• CV Letters of recommendations from relevant employers/tutors providing evidence of your skills as a researcher (a minimum of 2 letters)
• Certificates from previously completed courses at the doctoral level, if requesting approval of these for the PhD program at BI Norwegian Business School (see section 2 in our PhD Regulations). Approval form can be found here: Approval form
• A complete list of all publications and/or other documented relevant activities
• Signed verification document. Template to be found here: Verification document
   
• Applicants must take either TOEFL or IELTS. The minimum standards for test scores acceptable for admission are:
  • TOEFL – a total score of 575 points for the written test or 233 for the computer-based version or 90 points on the internet based test
  • IELTS – a score of 6.5

Exemptions are made for applicants:

• whose native language is English
• who have two years or more of higher education where the language of instruction was English
• from a country which is a member of the EU/EEA and/or the Council of Europe/UNESCO- Cepes, who have English as the first foreign language taken over a period of at least 7 years in primary school, secondary school and upper secondary education.

Under certain circumstances, applicants may request a waiver for the TOEFL or IELTS when applying for admission. To request a TOEFL/IELTS waiver, the applicant must submit a waiver form.

TOEFL / IETLS scores must be from within the last two years. The codes for BI Norwegian Business School are as follows: GMAT 0529, TOEFL 0529, GRE 7365. For IELTS we accept copies as long as the TRF number is visible.

Faculty appointments and promotions approved after 1. August 2025 will have Norwegian language requirements, as stated in the national regulations. Research fellows must document language proficiency in Norwegian at minimum A2 level or complete the equivalent of 15 ECTS in Norwegian during the employment period.

Please note that all documents must be uploaded in the electronic application. Documents may not be submitted by e-mail. Furthermore, note that any documents forwarded after the application deadline will not be considered. Exceptions will only be made for students who are completing their Master’s Degree in 2025 and do not have a final certificate when applying. Please note that you will not be able to revise your application once it has been submitted.

Candidates may, at a later stage, be asked to forward further information and/or be called in for an interview.

Candidates who are accepted for the program, must provide a more detailed progress plan with milestones and courses for the four years of study.