PhD General Call Aarhus BSS Winter 2026

Aarhus BSS Graduate School invites applications for admission to the PhD programme.

Aarhus BSS encompasses a wide range of academic disciplines and outstanding research environments within the fields of business and social sciences. Approximately 200 students are enrolled across the Graduate School's PhD programmes, with about 60 new students from around the world entering each year. The school offers international and high level PhD programmes that qualify you for a career both within academia as well as the private and public sector.

A number of PhD positions are available within the following areas of business and social sciences:

• Management
• Economics and Business Economics
• Law
• Political Science
• Psychology
• Business Development and Technology

To access the application form, click on the relevant link above.

Place of work

• Department of Management: Universitetsbyen 61-63, DK-8000 Aarhus C
• Department of Economics and Business Economics: Universitetsbyen 51, DK-8000 Aarhus C
• Department of Law: Bartholins Allé 16, DK-8000 Aarhus C
• Department of Political Science: Bartholins Allé 7, DK-8000 Aarhus C
• Department of Psychology: Bartholins Allé 11, DK-8000 Aarhus C
• Department of Business Development and Technology: Birk Centerpark 15, DK-7400 Herning

Formal requirements

You can read more about how to apply in the application guide and find the rules and regulations of the PhD education here.

The following criteria are decisive in the assessment of the candidates:

• the applicant’s academic qualifications (assessed on the basis of the qualifying degree)

• the quality and relevance of the project proposal

• the applicant’s level of academic aptitude and assessed ability to complete the project within the framework of the PhD programme

You can read more about the assessment procedure and committees appointed by the dean here. 

Applicants are very much encouraged to supply documentation as to how they rank compared to their class (both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees). This may for example be in the form of a letter from your University stating either how you rank as an individual student compared to other students the year you graduated ("ranks as no. 6 out of 111" or "ranks as among the best 8 percent") or if that is not possible, general information from your University as to how grades were distributed in the year of your graduation, will be appreciated.

Please note that Aarhus BSS Graduate School reserves the right to evaluate the applications on the basis of the documentation received before deadline, and you will not necessarily be asked for further documentation. Furthermore, Aarhus BSS Graduate School reserves the right to reject application that do not comply with the limitations as stated in the application guide (see link above).

Terms of enrolment

PhD students at Aarhus BSS Graduate School are always enrolled at one of the six PhD programmes. It is not a prerequisite for admission to a PhD program to have an educational background within the specific program. What matters is that the PhD project is relevant to the program. Relevant professional experience may also serve as an additional qualification when assessing applicants. The enrolment happens in accordance with the Ministerial PhD Order no. 1124 of 19 September, 2025 and the terms stated in the Rules and Regulations for the PhD programmes at Aarhus BSS Graduate School. Both can be found here.

Terms of employment

If you are offered employment at Aarhus University in connection with enrolment in the 3-year scheme, the appointment is made in accordance with the Memorandum on Job Structure for Academic Staff at Danish Universities as well as the circular on the Collective Agreement for Academics Employed by the State (in Danish). The job content and qualification requirements are described in further detail in the Ministerial Order on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Universities.

You can read more about the structure of the PhD education here.

Aarhus University’s ambition is to be an attractive and inspiring workplace for all and to foster a culture in which each individual has opportunities to thrive, achieve and develop. We view equality and diversity as assets, and we welcome all applicants.

Aarhus University
Aarhus University is an academically diverse and research-intensive university with a strong commitment to high-quality research and education and the development of society nationally and globally. The university offers an inspiring research and teaching environment to its 39,000 students, including 1,800 PhD students, and 8,000 employees, and has an annual revenues of EUR 884 million. Learn more about the PhD programmes at Aarhus University at www.phd.au.dk.