Financial Matters

Bocconi PhD Programs - Handbook (https://www.unibocconi.eu/phds) gives detailed information about:
 

1. fellowships, merit-based tuition waivers (granted for some programs only) and tuition fees;
2. financial aid for PhD students, PhD candidates and fellows (remuneration for research assistantship and teaching assistantship/teaching; budget for study/research activities; financial support after completion of the last official year and for job market placement, ...). 
    

In particular: 
 

1)  With reference to fellowships, merit-based tuition waivers and tuition fees:

Bocconi merit-based fellowships (see Places and financial conditions) are awarded to the best ranked students, in relationship to the number of available fellowships.

Bocconi merit-based fellowships amounts to € 27,000 for year 1 and € 23,000 for year 2 and 3 for the PhD in Legal Studies; year 2, 3 and 4 for all other PhD programs. 
Fellowships can be renewed in the following years if the requirements to be admitted to the following year are met.
 

For study and research activities abroad (at least one month, full months only) authorized by the PhD Program Director, the fellowship is increased by 50% of € 16,243 (ministerial amount), in proportion to the duration of the stay abroad and for a maximum total period of 12 months (saved exceptional cases provided for by the law).
 

Income from the fellowship is tax free. 

The amount of the fellowship is subject to INPS contributions (INPS = National Social Security Institute).
Part of contributions are borne by the University (currently 23,35%) and part by the student (currently 11.68%).
The amount of the student fellowship is gross; the part of contributions borne by the student is directly deducted from each monthly gross installment of the fellowship and transferred to INPS.
 

All PhD students (with fellowship, with tuition waiver and paying students) are required to pay the current annual regional tax of € 140, whose amount may be modified by law at a later date. 
 

Fellowships based on merit and financial conditions are managed by ISU Bocconi (Student Assistance and Financial Aid Center), as per DPCM (Italian Prime Minister Decree) 9 April 2001, without prejudice to further modifications. Applications shall be sent to ISU Bocconi following the 2025-2026 public competition instructions, which will be published at: www.unibocconi.eu/isu

Tuition fees for students without fellowship and without tuition waiver amount to € 15,000 for year 1 and 2 and € 5,000 for year 3 and 4 for the PhDs in Business Administration and Management, Economics and Finance, Social and Political Science, Statistics and Computer Science.

They are to be paid as follows:

First and second year  

Third and fourth year:

Tuition fees for students without fellowship and without tuition waiver amount to € 15,000 for year 1 and € 5,000 for year 2 and 3 for the PhD in Legal Studies.

They are to be paid as follows:

First year:

Second and third year:

Bocconi University will not refund the tuition fees paid by students who enrolled and then withdrew; tuition fees will be refunded only to enrolled students who replace a withdrawn student who had been awarded a fellowship or a merit-based tuition waiver. 

2)  With reference to financial aid: 

• PhD students can supplement their income with part time remunerated work for the university; in particular research assistantship from the second year (as an exception, during the first year, subject to Dean’s approval); 
• teaching assistantship /teaching from the second year.

These activities must be previously authorized by the PhD Director, as students are above all committed to their PhD research and activities. 

Moreover:

• for all the PhD programs except Legal Studies: all PhD students (with and without fellowship) are granted a research contract (min 7,000 € and maximum, based on merit, 17,000 €; gross amount) to cover the “PhD candidate period” (from the end of year 4 to thesis dissertation);

       for the PhD in Legal Studies: all PhD students (with and without fellowship) are granted a research contract (max 7,000 €; gross amount) to cover the “PhD candidate period” (from the end of year 3 to thesis dissertation); 

-    in compliance with Italian law, all PhD students (with and without fellowship) are provided with an annual budget (1,650 € per year) for “study and research activities” (the use of the budget is always subject to the Program director approval). 

         The 1^st year budget is earmarked to the acquisition of a laptop that will be given to the student as of the start of the 2^nd year (no return at PhD conferral);

         the budget of the following years (2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th year) is meant to allow the purchase of services and goods to support study and research activities;

• all PhD students (with and without fellowship) are offered by the PhD School a financial support for placement (i.e. travel expenses to relevant events and workshops). The PhD School offers training and procedural support to be successfully placed on the job market (Academia) (PhD students are given the opportunity to attend conferences to present their papers, meet scholars of other universities and participate in job markets events);

• PhD students also benefit from a Health Insurance Policy subscribed by Bocconi which covers accidents when involved in work-related activity at Bocconi and when travelling (the travel must be previously authorized by the Program Director).
   

Tuition fees for students without fellowship and without tuition waiver amount to € 15,000 for year 1 and € 5,000 for year 2 and 3 for the PhD in Legal Studies.

They are to be paid as follows:

 

First year
 

Second and third year 

Bocconi University will not refund the tuition fees paid by students who enrolled and then withdrew; tuition fees will be refunded only to enrolled students who replace a withdrawn student who had been awarded a fellowship or a merit-based tuition waiver. 
 

2)  With reference to financial aid: 
 

PhD students can supplement their income with part time remunerated work for the university; in particular:

• research assistantship from the second year (as an exception, during the first year, subject to Dean’s approval); 
   
• teaching assistantship /teaching from the second year.

These activities must be previously authorized by the PhD Director, as students are above all committed to their PhD research and activities.

Moreover:

• for all the PhD programs except Legal Studies: all PhD students (with and without fellowship) are granted a research contract (min 7,000 € and maximum, based on merit, 17,000 €; gross amount) to cover the “PhD candidate period” (from the end of year 4 to thesis dissertation);
  for the PhD in Legal Studies: all PhD students (with and without fellowship) are granted a research contract (max 7,000 €; gross amount) to cover the “PhD candidate period” (from the end of year 3 to thesis dissertation);
  in compliance with Italian law, each PhD student (with and without fellowship) is provided with an annual budget (1,650 € per year) for study and research activities (the use of the budget is always subject to the Program Director approval): the 1st year budget is earmarked to the acquisition of a laptop that will be given to the student as of the start of the 2nd year (no return at PhD conferral).
  the budget of the following years (2nd, 3rd and 4th year) is meant to allow the purchase of services and goods to support study and research activities;

   

• all PhD students (with and without fellowship) are offered by the PhD School a financial support for placement (i.e. travel expenses to relevant events and workshops). The PhD School offers training and procedural support to be successfully placed on the job market (Academia) (PhD students are given the opportunity to attend conferences to present their papers, meet scholars of other universities and participate in job markets events);

   

• PhD students also benefit from a Health Insurance Policy subscribed by Bocconi which covers accidents when involved in work-related activity at Bocconi and when travelling (the travel must be previously authorized by the Program Director).