Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions:

Your are only talking about Track B and C, but what about Track A?
The Faculty of Economics, Business Administration and IT at the University of Zurich explicitly encourages potential doctoral students to apply to Track B or C (structured doctoral programs).
The Track A doctoral program is reserved for those students who (i) already work closely with a particular professor in the Faculty in a specific research field and (ii) who do not aim at an academic career. Any applicant who has not been explicitly asked to join the Track A doctoral program by a Faculty member will not be considered for the Track A program.

Can the PhD program be completed online or by distance learning?
No, distance learning is not possible. The Master courses (Track C) as well as the doctoral courses, advanced doctoral courses and seminars (Track B and C) do require physical attendance of the students.

Is the program full time or part-time?
The program is full time. Both tracks (B and C) of the PhD programs in Business Administration and Management & Economics strive to provide a top research education with the explicit aim of preparing talented researchers for an academic career. Therefore we recommend students to do the PhD in a full time program

Are there opportunities for scholarships?
So far we do not offer scholarships. Students are responsible for their own funding; however, there is only a small tuition fee and for financing opportunities see www.gsb.uzh.ch/financing.

Do I have to find a supervisor for my PhD-dissertation before applying to the program?
No. You apply for the program first. A supervisor will be decided upon after the course work is finished.

Do you offer a career placement upon graduation?
No, there is no career placement for PhD graduates. However, all graduates from our school have still been very successful on the job market in the past. Nonetheless the University of Zurich does offer a career service.

Is there a shortcut in the application process, if I’m already a PhD student at another university and want to transfer to the GSB-UZH?
No, there are no shortcuts. The application process is the same for all applicants.

Will I be granted some credits for PhD courses I have taken within a previous PhD program?
No transfers are permitted for core courses. Electives who meet certain quality criteria may be transferred upon formal request after the core courses have been finished. For a possible transfer of credits you have to hand in a request with a full set of information on the course at pruefungsdelegierter[@]oec.uzh.ch.

I hold a Master’s degree which was taught in English. Do I still need a language proof?
Unless your Master’s degree is from a university in an English speaking country and was totally taught in English, you still need a language proficiency proof.

Application Process:

Should I send my transcript in a closed envelope singed by my university? No, this is not necessary in a first step. A copy of your original transcript will be sufficient for the application. If admission is granted, original documents certified by your home university must be provided in due course.

Should my tests (TOEFL, IELTS test, GMAT or GRE) be send in officially from the test provider or I can hand in a copy of them?
For the application at the GSB-UZH a copy of your exam results will be sufficient. If admission is granted you have to hand in original documents.

What is the institutional code for the exams (TOEFL, IELTS test, GMAT or GRE)?
So far, the GSB-UZH has no institutional code. Keep checking for updated information.