Bonn Graduate School of Economics BGSE

What Bonn Graduate School of Economics BGSE does

The Bonn Graduate School of Economics (BGSE) is a combined MSc/PhD program within the Department of Economics at the University of Bonn (Universität Bonn), a public state university in Germany. The program recruits top international students through an annual application cycle (November 15 to January 15) and delivers instruction entirely in English across five research areas: Microeconomic Theory, Management and Applied Microeconomics, Financial Economics, Macroeconomics and Public Economics, and Econometrics and Statistics. The structure comprises a two-year MSc phase followed by a three-year PhD phase, with doctoral students receiving grants to cover living expenses; no tuition is charged.

BGSE's core offering is a single integrated doctoral program, supported by an embedded research ecosystem that includes eight Clusters of Excellence at the University of Bonn, research training groups (RTG 2281), Collaborative Research Center Transregio 224, the ECONtribute Cluster of Excellence, the Haussdorff Center for Mathematics, and Bonn-based research institutes such as IZA and the Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods. BGSE is a founding partner of the European Doctoral Program (EDP) and maintains student exchange agreements with UC Berkeley and Yale. The program markets itself through its website, the annual Manchot Lecture series, research environment info sessions, and job market candidate publications.

As a publicly funded academic department, BGSE's revenue model is non-commercial: operations are funded through German federal and state higher education budgets, Excellence Initiative grants, and sponsor contributions (Juergen Manchot Stiftung, Bonner Universitätsstiftung). The go-to-market is community-led, leveraging the university's research reputation, faculty credentials, and job market placement record. The "customer" base is dual-sided: incoming doctoral students (applicants) and downstream academic and institutional employers (universities, central banks, consultancies). In 2025/26, placements included Boston University, University of Mannheim, University of Bonn, the Federal Reserve Board, the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, De Nederlandsche Bank, and the German Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development.

Name

Bonn Graduate School of Economics BGSE

Legal name

Bonn Graduate School of Economics (BGSE) - Department of Economics, University of Bonn

Website

https://bgse.uni-bonn.de

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

BGSE is the doctoral program within the Department of Economics at the University of Bonn, offering a combined MSc/PhD in economics taught in English. It recruits top international students through an annual cycle and places graduates at leading universities, central banks, and research institutions worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Graduate Economics Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Finance, Accounting & Economics Schools (EDAHAHAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Degree-Level Scholarships (Undergrad/Masters/PhD/Postdoc) (EDAIAOAE), Research Grants, Fellowships & Stipends (International) (EDAIAOAJ)

Keywords

• Graduate economics education
• Doctoral economics program
• Academic research training
• MSc PhD economics
• Economic research degrees

Headquarters

HQ city

Bonn

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Doctoral Program (Public University): As a constituent part of the University of Bonn (a public university), BGSE's operations are funded through public higher education funding. Doctoral students receive grants to cover living expenses. There are no tuition fees mentioned for the program, making it publicly funded academic education.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Bonn Graduate School of Economics delivers a combined MSc/PhD program in economics, taught entirely in English, with a two-year MSc phase followed by a three-year PhD phase. Doctoral students receive grants covering living expenses and engage in research across five areas: Microeconomic Theory, Management and Applied Microeconomics, Financial Economics, Macroeconomics and Public Economics, and Econometrics and Statistics. The program includes international exchange opportunities at UC Berkeley and Yale and is a founding partner of the European Doctoral Program.

Product overview

The Bonn Graduate School of Economics (BGSE) offers a single unified academic program: a combined MSc/PhD degree in economics. The program integrates a two-year Master of Science phase followed by a three-year doctoral phase, providing rigorous coursework and research training across five research areas. The BGSE maintains academic exchange partnerships with universities including UC Berkeley and Yale University.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Combined MSc/PhD Program in Economics An integrated Master of Science and Doctoral degree program in economics delivered entirely in English, spanning five research areas (Microeconomic Theory, Management and Applied Microeconomics, Financial Economics, Macroeconomics and Public Economics, and Econometrics and Statistics). Doctoral students receive grants covering living expenses, gain access to shared office space for collaboration, and may participate in exchange semesters at UC Berkeley or Yale. Designed for international students aiming for academic or research-oriented careers.

Quantifiable outcome

• QS World Ranking: Top 50 globally in Economics (2026), improved by 11 places; Top 25 worldwide in academic reputation
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• European Doctoral Program (EDP)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerBGSE is a founding partner of the European Doctoral Program (EDP), establishing collaborative doctoral education in economics across European institutions.
• UC BerkeleycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBGSE has established an exchange program with UC Berkeley, allowing doctoral students to spend their first PhD year at the partner institution. Featured in student testimonials as a valued international collaboration.
• Yale UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBGSE has established an exchange program with Yale University for doctoral student exchanges and collaborative research.
• Universität BonnflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerBGSE is an integral part of the Department of Economics at the University of Bonn, leveraging the university's infrastructure, research centers, and excellence status.
• Research Training Group 2281: The Macroeconomics of Inequality, BonncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative research training group focused on the macroeconomics of inequality, providing additional research opportunities for BGSE doctoral students.
• Collaborative Research Center Transregio 224coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative research center providing BGSE students with access to interdisciplinary economics research.
• ECONtribute: Märkte & Public PolicycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCluster of Excellence focused on markets and public policy, providing research collaboration opportunities for BGSE faculty and students.
• Haussdorff Center for MathematicsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMathematics research center at University of Bonn, providing interdisciplinary collaboration opportunities in mathematical economics and quantitative methods.
• Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBonn-based Institute of Labor Economics providing research collaboration and academic network opportunities for BGSE students.
• Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods, BonncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrestigious research institute providing BGSE students with access to cutting-edge research in collective goods and behavioral economics.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• MIT Department of Economics: MIT Economics offers a top-five global PhD program in economics with full funding. It competes directly with BGSE for top international doctoral talent and for placement of graduates into leading academic and central-bank positions.
• Stockholm School of Economics: SSE is a top Nordic graduate program in economics with strong placement at European universities and central banks. It overlaps with BGSE in recruiting international students and producing research-oriented economists for European institutions.
• UC Berkeley Department of Economics: Berkeley's economics PhD program is a top-tier global program and an existing exchange partner of BGSE. Both compete for and complement each other in placing graduates at leading universities and policy institutions.
• Toulouse School of Economics: TSE is one of Europe's leading economics graduate schools with full funding and strong research focus on theory and econometrics — directly overlapping BGSE's strengths. It is a primary European peer competing for the same continental and international applicant pool.
• Harvard Department of Economics: Harvard Economics is a perennial top-ranked PhD program with strong placement at leading universities and central banks — the type of institution BGSE graduates target. It is one of BGSE's primary competitors for elite international doctoral candidates.
• Yale Department of Economics: Yale's economics PhD program is a top global program and a current exchange partner of BGSE. Both target elite international students and compete for placements at top academic departments and central banks.
• CEMFI: CEMFI in Madrid is a leading European graduate program in economics and finance offering fully funded master's and PhD tracks. Its international student body and research portfolio make it a direct competitor to BGSE for top European and international applicants.
• London School of Economics — Department of Economics: LSE runs one of the world's leading economics PhD programs, recruiting top international students with full funding in a manner directly comparable to BGSE. Both compete for the same elite international applicant pool and target placement at top academic institutions and central banks.
• Stanford Department of Economics: Stanford's economics PhD program is one of the most elite globally, with full funding and research strengths overlapping BGSE's micro theory, macroeconomics, and econometrics. It competes directly for top PhD applicants and faculty recruitment.
• University of Chicago Kenneth C. Griffin Department of Economics: Chicago's economics PhD program is widely regarded as a global leader, with deep theoretical and empirical traditions overlapping BGSE's research areas. It draws from the same international applicant pool and competes for placement of graduates at elite institutions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bonn-graduate-school-of-economics-bgse

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Bonn Graduate School of Economics BGSE