PhD Positions in Management, Economics and Law full scholarship, 100% English

One of the world's best business schools, HEC Paris is a leader in research and education in management sciences. We offer a unique portfolio of programs designed for a carefully selected student body. The HEC Paris PhD Program is designed for ambitious scholars seeking to shape the future of research and academia. We foster a culture of curiosity and collaboration, equipping you to explore new ideas, generate knowledge, and share it with the world. 

With a low student-to-faculty ratio, you benefit from personalized guidance and close supervision, working with faculty as both mentors and peers. From day one, you are immersed in intensive coursework and cutting-edge research, supported by generous resources and a vibrant network of researchers, corporate partners, and alumni. 

The program prepares you for a successful academic career, with a strong emphasis on research excellence and publications in top-tier journals. HEC Paris is consistently ranked among the world’s leading business schools — see our rankings.

We offer eight areas of specialization, leading to a PhD in Management, Economics, or Law and Regulation.

Join a program that positions you for academic excellence and connects you with the next generation of global scholars.

Positions available in the following research areas

For the 2027 September intake we look for 12 high potential candidates in the following fields:

• Accounting and Management Control
• Economics and Decision Sciences
• Finance
• Information Systems and Operations Management
• Law and Regulation*
• Management and Human Resources
• Marketing
• Strategy and Business Policy.

The Program

The HEC Paris PhD program is a full-time program designed to prepare students for academic careers. Success in academia requires deep expertise in a specific research field, strong training in research methods, and practical experience in data collection and analysis. Students also develop essential skills in writing and presenting papers, academic networking, and publishing research.

The program is structured in two phases:
•    Year 1-2: Research Master Phase
•    Year 3-5: Doctoral Studies Phase

Note that the Law and Regulation specialization offers a three-year track that starts directly with the doctoral studies phase.

Year 1-2: Research Master Phase

Coursework: During the first two years, students benefit from intensive coursework at the research frontier. Coursework includes: 

• Foundation courses in management and/or economics.
• Foundation courses in research methods,  including econometrics, statistics, machine learning, experimental design, and qualitative methods.
• Specialization courses that offer state-of-the-art training in the chosen areas of specialization. These courses represent the bulk of courses over the first two years.
• Elective courses.
• Professional development workshops on topics such as academic writing, research reproducibility, academic publishing, and pedagogy.
• Optional French language courses throughout the PhD program.

Research: From the first year, students start working on their research under the guidance of their advisor. Students write and defend:

• A Summer Paper at the end of Year 1.
• A Research Thesis at the end of Year 2.

Year 3-5: Doctoral Phase

During the doctoral studies phase, students work on their paper-based dissertation and may take additional courses. They present their research to a panel of faculty members from their department at least once a year to gather feedback and advice.

Conferences: Students are encouraged and supported to present their research at international academic conferences. The PhD program provides conference funding, including transportation, food, lodging, visa costs, and conference fees. On average, our students participate in two academic conferences annually.

Academic Visits: Most students also spend time as visiting scholars at top universities or business schools abroad. Our faculty has a strong network of co-authors who work at leading research institutions around the world. They leverage this network to help PhD students secure invitations for research visits ranging from a few weeks to a full academic year. These visits present a great opportunity for students to build their academic network, collaborate with renowned faculty, receive feedback on their research, and prepare for the job market. The PhD program supports students financially by offering an additional cost-of-living scholarship, return ticket, insurance, and visa fees. Institutions visited in recent years include HBS, MIT, Wharton, Columbia, Chicago U, LSE, and more. 

Job Market: We prepare students for the academic job market in their final year through dedicated training workshops, mock interviews, and practice job talks. The program also supports students' travel to job market events.

PhD Degree: Students defend their dissertation in the final year of the program. Depending on their area of specialization, they are awarded a PhD in Management, Economics, or Law and Regulation.

To resume, PhD students benefit from: 

• 100% tuition waiver
• Cost of living scholarship of €26000/year for up to 5 years
• Eight specializations at the frontier of management research
• Intensive course training in research methods
• Close supervision by research-driven HEC Paris Faculty members
• Full involvement in HEC Paris research activities (seminars, brown bags, conferences, workshops)
• Access to HEC Paris’ corporate network for data collection opportunities
• Research visit opportunities in the world’s best business schools with additional financial support
• Financial support for presentations in the leading academic conferences
• Support for job placement in top research institutions worldwide
• PhD student partners can also benefit from the HEC Paris career services to facilitate their integration into the local community and empower them to navigate the dynamic landscape of career opportunities in France.
• Assistance to find student housing on campus and in Paris (indicative rent: in the range of 600-800 euros per month, depending on the type of arrangement.

The program comprises two prestigious nationally recognized degrees: Research Master (Master en Sciences du Management) and HEC PhD Degree («Doctorat ès-sciences de gestion») accredited by the French Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation, in collaboration with the Institut Polytechnique de Paris (IPP) doctoral school n°626.

Scholarship and financing 

We are committed to providing the conditions that enable our students to pursue research at the highest academic level. This includes a five-year cost-of-living scholarship, full tuition waiver, and additional financial support for conference presentations, research visits, job market activities, and ad hoc research needs.

Who we look for - Qualifications

We are looking for high-potential, curious, and highly motivated candidates aiming for academic careers. Join our PhD program and become part of a vibrant community of researchers, students, corporate partners, and alumni. Benefit from close supervision and personalized guidance from world-class faculty. We welcome applications from candidates of all nationalities who:

• Hold a university degree (Bachelor or Master) or equivalent in any field (sciences, engineering, political science, etc). Note that the PhD in Law and Regulation requires university studies in the field of legal studies
• Are fluent in English
• Have an outstanding academic record
• Are highly motivated to study at one of the world's best research business schools.

How to apply 

Preparing an application for a PhD Program is a long process and may take time, not only to complete the online application, write your personal statement, but also to choose your referees. Preparing the GMAT or GRE test may also take time. A complete research proposal is not required to apply for the program. To give a maximum of chance for applicants to submit an outstanding and complete application, we have decided to hold two admissions sessions, one in January and one in April. There is no difference whether you apply in the first or second round.  

Two Application Rounds:

A complete application should include the following: 

• Degree certificate(s) or current enrollment certificate
• All official academic transcripts obtained in a higher education institution (Bachelor and Master if applicable) 
• Personal statement motivating your choice of pursuing a PhD 
• Résumé (CV)
• Optional Research material that may support your application (dissertation, paper, research work, ...)
• Management test score report: GMAT or GRE official test score report  
• English language proficiency test score report: TOEFL or IELTS (exemption for English natives and applicants who studied their university degree in English)
• 2 completed online reference forms from professors
• Proof of ID
• Non-refundable application fee of €60.

Only selected candidates will be invited for an interview.

Visit the PhD application web-pages here, or start directly your application here. 

Placement – an academic career in management research

HEC Paris accompanies the placement of its PhD graduates. Today, more than 95% pursue an academic career top institutions worldwide such as Columbia University, Bocconi, London School of Economics, London Business School, Princeton, MIT, University of Pennsylvania, ESCP Business School, ESSEC Business School, Cambridge University, University of Michigan, Hong Kong Polytechnic University and many more. Learn more about placement here.

In a nutshell: 

Position: PhD Positions in Management, Economics and Law, full scholarship, 100% English
Format: 5 years, full-time
Study language: English
Program structure: Phase I: course work (2 years). Phase II: dissertation (3 years)
Scholarship: €26000 for up to 5 years
Tuition: 100% tuition waiver for up to 5 years
Application deadlines:  January 4th, 2027, April 20th, 2027
Start of intake: Beginning of September 2027
Location of studies: HEC Paris, Jouy-en-Josas, France
About HEC: Welcome | HEC Paris
About the PhD Program: The HEC PhD Program
About HEC Faculty: Faculty and Research
About research at HEC Paris: HEC Media HUB dare

Contact

PhD Program
Email: [email protected]
Tel: +33 (0)1 39 67 94 51 - +33 (0)1 39 67 73 18