PhD Position in Finance: Corporate Finance and Corporate Governance at KU Leuven
KU Leuven is advertising a
fully funded PhD position in Finance
(ref.
BAP-2026-282
) within the
Department of Accounting, Finance & Insurance
in Leuven, Belgium. The project sits in
corporate finance
and
corporate governance
, with research directions including executive compensation and managerial incentives, capital structure, investment and payout policy, corporate disclosure and financial reporting, sustainable finance and ESG regulation, banking and financial markets, and firm-level effects of regulation.
The position is embedded in a strong international research group and a structured doctoral program in Business Economics. The successful candidate will receive a full-time PhD scholarship (paid position), an initial 12-month contract renewable up to 4 years, and access to PhD training, seminars, conferences, and an international research environment.
Eligibility is aimed at candidates who have completed or will complete by
September 2026
a master’s degree in
Finance
,
Economics/Econometrics
,
Business Economics/Business Engineering
, or another quantitative field such as
mathematics
,
statistics
,
physics
, or
computer science
. Applicants should show strong academic performance, interest in academic research, good English communication skills, and a quantitative/analytical mindset.
Application materials mentioned in the post include a CV, research statement, academic transcripts, GRE/GMAT (recommended), and proof of English proficiency (TOEFL/IELTS recommended). The deadline is
8 June 2026
. Questions can be directed to Prof. dr. Florian Hoffmann and Prof. dr. Arnt Verriest at KU Leuven.