The University of Zurich Department of Economics is offering pre-doctoral research fellowships for aspiring PhD candidates, specifically targeting applicants from low- and middle-income countries or those with a refugee/asylum seeker background. The Pre-Doctoral Program – Global Talent Common Application is designed to provide recent graduates with hands-on research experience, mentorship, and preparation for future doctoral studies in economics or related quantitative social sciences.

Pre-doctoral fellows will work closely with professors in the department, supporting research activities such as brainstorming, literature reviews, project management, data analysis, and academic writing. The position is a full-time, in-person commitment, with 70% of time dedicated to research and 30% to on-the-job learning. Fellows will join a vibrant community and receive mentoring from faculty members, including Professors Sandro Ambühl, Lorenzo Casaburi, Ana Costa-Ramon, David Dorn, Thomas Graeber, David Hémous, Mathias Hoffmann, Ronak Jain, Dina Pomeranz, Hans-Joachim Voth, David Yanagizawa-Drott, and Ulf Zölitz.

Applicants must have completed a bachelor’s or master’s degree within the last five years, with strong grades in economics or another quantitative social science field. Required skills include strong math abilities, proficiency in STATA, R, or Python, and fluency in English. Candidates must submit 1-3 recommendation letters from academic referees. Additional qualifications such as knowledge of causal inference, prior research experience, high GRE Quant scores, or completion of MITx MicroMasters courses are considered a plus.

Eligibility is restricted to those who grew up in low- or lower-middle income countries (per World Bank classification), first-generation university students from upper-middle income countries, or individuals with a refugee/asylum/forced migration background. No prior Swiss work permit is required. The application process is rolling, with the next deadline on January 31, 2026, and recommendation letters due by February 7, 2026.

To apply, candidates should prepare all required documents (CV, transcripts, referee details) and submit them via the Global Talent Common Application form. For further inquiries, applicants can contact [email protected]. This opportunity is ideal for those seeking to gain research experience and prepare for a PhD in economics, statistics, or mathematics at a leading European institution.