Stockholm Business School, Stockholm University
If you’re looking for a fully funded PhD in Europe, here’s an excellent option to consider: Stockholm Business School (SBS) at Stockholm University is hiring PhD students for multiple research areas starting 1 September 2026. These are paid doctoral employments (fixed salary), not tuition-fee scholarships—so you join as a doctoral employee while completing your PhD.
SBS is one of the larger departments at Stockholm University (about 150 employees and ~3,500 students), with teaching and research focused on accounting, finance, management, and marketing.
Open PhD positions (Start: 1 September 2026)
1) PhD in Business Administration — Accounting (1 position)
Research in the Accounting Section includes financial accounting, auditing, management accounting, and more—this call especially welcomes candidates interested in financial accounting, auditing, or management accounting.
2) PhD in Business Administration — Management & Organization (1 position)
This section focuses on people and power in organizations and how organizations relate to their environments. Topics mentioned include organizational ethics and sustainability, leadership and AI, hybrid office arrangements, strategic/technological change, and more.
3) PhD in Business Administration — Marketing (2 positions)
The Marketing Section is recruiting two PhD students to work on marketing research focused on marketing strategy and/or consumer behavior in a circular economy and digitalization era, with themes including AI and technology adoption (via the CIRDIM research group).
4) PhD in Finance (1 position)
Finance research areas include asset pricing, corporate finance, financial econometrics, market structure, financial stability, sustainable finance, household finance, and international finance. Applicants may also choose a Monetary & Finance track connected to a Stockholm University center.
Funding & employment benefits (what “fully funded” means here)
These PhD roles are offered as fixed-term doctoral employment under Sweden’s Higher Education Ordinance. The employment corresponds to 4 years of full-time doctoral education, and may include up to 20% department work (teaching/research/admin) to a limited extent. Salary is listed as fixed salary.
Eligibility (important)
You must meet both general and subject-specific entry requirements by the deadline. Examples stated in the ads include:
- General requirement: typically a second-cycle degree (Master’s) or equivalent.
- Business Administration (Accounting/Management/Marketing): at least 90 credits in business administration (or equivalent), including an independent work/thesis of at least 15 credits.
- Finance: at least 90 credits in finance (or equivalent), including a thesis of at least 15 credits.
Extra note (Finance): It’s mandatory to submit a valid GRE General Test score through ETS (department code 0008).
Deadline & how to apply
- Application deadline: 1 February 2026
- Apply via Stockholm University’s recruitment system (each ad has a “Login and apply” button).
- SBS also shares vacancies via its “Work with us” page. (Stockholm University)
Tips to improve your chances
- Write a focused research plan. Selection criteria emphasize your research plan quality, ability to formulate research problems, and scholarly/methodological maturity.
- Show clear fit. For example: Accounting topics should be clearly connected to accounting; Marketing proposals should connect to circular economy/digitalization/AI themes.
- Don’t leave documents to the last week. International transcripts, references, and (for Finance) GRE reporting can take time.
Official vacancy pages
Management & Organization (Business Administration):
https://su.varbi.com/en/what%3Ajob/jobID%3A883290/
Accounting (Business Administration):
https://su.varbi.com/en/what%3Ajob/jobID%3A883373/
Marketing (Business Administration):
https://su.varbi.com/en/what%3Ajob/jobID%3A883231/
Finance:
https://su.varbi.com/en/what%3Ajob/jobID%3A883414/
SBS “Work with us” page:
https://www.su.se/english/divisions/stockholm-business-school/about-the-department/work-with-us
Disclaimer: This post is a synopsis based on information available on the official pages. Requirements may change—always confirm details on the opportunity provider’s website before applying. (academixplore.com)