Get PhD in Norway Scholarship Starting 2027 at BI Norwegian Business School

BI Norwegian Business School offers an attractive route for international students seeking a funded PhD in Norway, with doctoral candidates employed by the school and receiving financial support during their studies. For applicants planning to begin in 2027, BI’s PhD funding model is particularly important because students cannot self-fund a PhD at BI; applicants must have an approved funding arrangement.

The doctoral programme is designed for research-oriented candidates interested in areas such as economics, finance, accounting, marketing, leadership and organisation, strategy, entrepreneurship and innovation, communication, and data and decision science.

Scholarship Detail	Information
Institution	BI Norwegian Business School
Location	Oslo, Norway
Degree	PhD
Study format	Full-time
Duration	Four years
Funding	Funded PhD position
Tuition fees	No tuition fees
Employment	PhD candidates are employed by BI
Teaching	25% of the programme
International applicants	Applications welcomed worldwide
Main funding routes	Open scholarship, research-project scholarship, Industrial PhD

BI states that its PhD programme is a four-year full-time programme that includes 25% teaching responsibilities. It also states that there are no tuition fees, but applicants must have funding because self-funded PhD study is not permitted.

What Does the BI Norway PhD Scholarship Cover?

The funding arrangement is one of the strongest features of the BI doctoral programme.

BI describes its PhD positions as fully funded scholarships with a monthly salary, with candidates temporarily employed by BI and receiving financial support for four years.

For example, BI’s Economics PhD information states that candidates are hired as full-time employees on an initial four-year contract. The programme also provides benefits including health insurance, full parental leave and participation in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund.

This means that prospective applicants should understand the opportunity as a funded doctoral employment position, rather than simply a conventional scholarship that pays tuition.

Who Can Apply for the BI PhD Programme?

BI welcomes applications from candidates around the world and reports that its PhD programme includes students from approximately 20 nationalities.

Applicants generally need to satisfy the academic requirements established for doctoral admission.

According to BI’s current entry requirements, applicants must normally:

Hold a Master of Science (MSc) or comparable degree
Have a relevant academic background in business, economics or an area corresponding to a BI PhD specialisation
Have a minimum B grade average on the five-point scale
Hold a master’s degree containing thesis work of approximately 15–30 ECTS
Demonstrate an adequate level of academic and English-language proficiency
Provide GRE or GMAT results when specifically required by an announcement.

BI’s doctoral regulations similarly state that applicants normally need a five-year master’s degree, with an average mark of B or better.

Is an MBA Enough for Admission?

Applicants should pay particular attention to this requirement.

BI explicitly states that an MBA degree does not fulfill the requirements for admission to its PhD programme.

Therefore, candidates should carefully compare their master’s qualification with BI’s academic requirements before applying.

BI PhD Specialisations

BI currently offers doctoral research across eight areas:

1. Accounting

The Accounting specialisation provides advanced research training focused on research at the frontier of accounting.

2. Economics

The Economics PhD develops researchers capable of conducting high-quality scientific research using economic theory and advanced econometric methods.

3. Finance

The Finance specialisation focuses on intensive theoretical and empirical research in finance.

4. Communication

This specialisation develops research skills for investigating communication theories, technologies and practices.

5. Leadership and Organisation

The programme prepares researchers to contribute to research and practice in leadership and organisational studies.

6. Marketing

The Marketing PhD is designed for candidates interested in advancing marketing theory and research.

7. Strategy, Entrepreneurship and Innovation

This specialisation covers strategic management, entrepreneurship, innovation and related research areas.

8. Data and Decision Science

BI also offers doctoral research in Data and Decision Science, providing another option for candidates with strong quantitative, analytical or data-oriented research interests.

How Is the BI PhD Funded?

BI identifies three main funding routes for its doctoral programme.

Open PhD Scholarship

BI-funded open scholarships are announced annually, beginning around September.

These positions are not tied to one predetermined research project. Instead, the proposed PhD research must fit within one of BI’s available specialisations, and an academic faculty member must have compatible research interests and be able to supervise the candidate.

This route can therefore be particularly interesting for applicants who already have a strong research idea but want to develop it within BI’s research environment.

PhD Scholarship Linked to a Research Project

BI also advertises doctoral positions connected to specific research projects.

In this situation, the candidate’s research and dissertation must be closely connected to the advertised project. Applicants are generally encouraged to contact the relevant faculty involved in the project if they are interested.

These opportunities are announced at different times rather than according to one single annual deadline.

Industrial PhD

The third route is an Industrial PhD, conducted in cooperation between BI and business or industry.

Candidates considering this route need funding and confirmation from their employer, after which they can contact BI for further information. BI notes that Industrial PhD candidates have the same educational requirements and participate in a full-time doctoral programme.

Can International Students Apply?

Yes. BI explicitly welcomes applications from candidates from around the world and says that its PhD programme currently has approximately 20 different nationalities.

The key issue for an international applicant is therefore not nationality alone but whether the candidate satisfies the academic, language and funding requirements associated with the particular PhD announcement.

Can You Apply Without IELTS?

This requires some clarification.

The general BI entry requirements state that applicants need adequate English proficiency. Applicants whose native language is English, who hold a qualifying master’s degree from a Nordic institution, or who have a qualifying master’s degree where the language of tuition was English may be considered to meet the English requirement.

Other applicants must generally provide either TOEFL or IELTS unless an exemption applies.

BI currently lists these standard minimum scores:

IELTS: 6.5
TOEFL: 575 for the written test
TOEFL: 233 for the computer-based test
TOEFL: 90 for the internet-based test.

However, BI also notes that requirements can vary by announcement and that exemptions may be granted for certain applicants.

Therefore, the claim that the BI Norway PhD Scholarship is automatically available “without IELTS” to everyone would be misleading. Applicants should check the specific vacancy and determine whether their previous English-medium education qualifies for an exemption.

Does BI Require GRE or GMAT?

Potentially.

BI states that GRE or GMAT may be required in particular cases, depending on the application announcement.

The university does not establish one universal minimum GRE/GMAT cutoff for every PhD applicant. Its current guidance says a good score is generally considered to be around the 85th percentile or higher, although there is no minimum cutoff for a file to be reviewed.

Applicants should therefore read the specific vacancy carefully rather than assuming that every PhD application requires the same test.

Documents Required for the BI PhD Application

BI’s current application guidance says that a PhD application should contain:

Master’s degree certificate
Master’s academic transcripts
Other relevant certificates and transcripts
Curriculum vitae
Verification document
At least two recommendation letters from relevant employers or tutors demonstrating the applicant’s research skills.

Depending on the specific vacancy, applicants may also be asked to submit:

Publications
Other documented research activities
A writing sample
GRE/GMAT results
TOEFL/IELTS results
Other documents specified in the announcement.

How to Apply for a BI Norway PhD Scholarship Starting in 2027

Applicants should not treat this as a single general scholarship application.

BI states that PhD applications are made when funding is available through an open scholarship, a research-project scholarship or an Industrial PhD arrangement. Announcements are published with BI’s vacant positions.

Step 1: Identify Your Research Area

First, determine which BI specialisation best matches your academic background and research interests.

Step 2: Check the Available PhD Vacancy

Look for a current BI PhD scholarship or research-funded doctoral vacancy.

BI’s funding page makes clear that if no PhD scholarship is listed under the relevant vacancies, there may be no available scholarship at that particular time.

Step 3: Check the Specific Requirements

Read the announcement carefully for:

Academic qualifications
Research area
Required documents
English-language requirements
GRE/GMAT requirements
Research proposal or writing sample requirements
Application deadline

Step 4: Prepare Your Academic Documents

Make sure your master’s certificate and transcripts clearly demonstrate the qualification and grades required by BI.

Step 5: Prepare a Strong Research Profile

For a research-intensive PhD, applicants should clearly demonstrate their ability to conduct independent academic research.

A strong application should connect the applicant’s academic background, research interests and proposed doctoral work to the advertised specialisation or research project.

Step 6: Submit the Application Online

BI requires PhD applications to be submitted electronically through the relevant online application form. It specifically warns applicants not to submit applications by email or use the wrong application form.

Do You Need to Find a Professor Before Applying?

Not necessarily.

This depends on the funding route.

For open scholarships, BI says that a faculty member must share the applicant’s research interests so that appropriate supervision can be provided. However, BI also makes clear that admission is made by BI Norwegian Business School rather than by an individual faculty member.

For research-project scholarships, applicants are usually not required to find a supervisor before applying, although BI encourages candidates to contact faculty members involved in the project if they are interested.

What Is the Duration of the BI PhD?

The BI doctoral programme is structured around a four-year admission and employment period.

BI describes the programme as four years of full-time study, with 25% teaching responsibilities.

BI’s regulations explain that the doctoral education itself is structured as three years of full-time study plus one year of work obligation, resulting in a four-year admission period.

Why Consider a PhD at BI Norwegian Business School?

BI is a strong option for candidates seeking a research career in business and related disciplines.

The school states that its PhD is designed to prepare graduates for careers at top universities and research institutions, while candidates work under the supervision of internationally recognised BI faculty.

The programme also provides an international research environment, with doctoral candidates from multiple nationalities.

For candidates interested in an academic career, the combination of doctoral research, teaching responsibilities and research-group participation can provide valuable preparation for future university positions.

Important Note About the 2027 Intake

The phrase “starting 2027” should not be interpreted as meaning that one single BI PhD scholarship has a universal 2027 deadline.

BI operates several funding routes, and vacancies are advertised separately. Open scholarships are announced annually, while research-project positions can appear at different times.

Consequently, prospective 2027 applicants should monitor BI’s official vacancy announcements rather than relying on a generic deadline copied from another scholarship website.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the BI Norwegian Business School PhD fully funded?

BI offers funded PhD positions and states that candidates receive financial support, with PhD candidates temporarily employed by BI. There are no tuition fees, and self-funded PhD study is not permitted.

Can international students apply for the BI PhD?

Yes. BI welcomes applications from around the world and currently reports approximately 20 nationalities represented in its PhD programme.

How long is the BI PhD programme?

The programme is structured as a four-year full-time doctoral programme, including 25% teaching responsibilities.

What master’s degree do I need?

Applicants normally need an MSc or comparable degree relevant to one of BI’s PhD specialisations, with a minimum B average and master’s thesis work.

Can I apply with an MBA?

BI explicitly states that an MBA does not fulfill its PhD admission requirements.

Can I apply without IELTS?

Some applicants may qualify for an English-language exemption, particularly where their qualifying master’s degree was taught in English. Other applicants generally need IELTS or TOEFL unless an exemption is granted.

Are there tuition fees?

BI states that there are no tuition fees for its PhD programme. However, applicants must have funding and cannot self-fund their PhD studies.

What fields can I study?

Current BI PhD specialisations include Accounting, Economics, Finance, Communication, Leadership and Organisation, Marketing, Strategy, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, and Data and Decision Science.

Final Takeaway

The BI Norwegian Business School PhD scholarship route starting in 2027 is a particularly interesting option for international candidates with strong master’s-level academic records and research interests in business, economics, finance, management and related disciplines.

Rather than operating as a conventional tuition-only scholarship, BI’s model combines doctoral study with funded employment. The university states that PhD candidates receive financial support for four years, there are no PhD tuition fees, and self-funded doctoral study is not permitted.

Candidates planning for 2027 should begin preparing their academic documents, research profile, recommendations and language evidence early, while monitoring BI’s official vacancies for the specific funded PhD positions that become available.

Official BI Norwegian Business School PhD information: BI PhD Programme

Official BI PhD scholarships and funding: BI PhD Scholarships and Funding

Official BI PhD entry requirements: BI PhD Entry Requirements

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