Our rankings
The University of Sydney is ranked 18th in the world and 2nd in Australia in the QS World University Rankings 2025.
We hold triple crown accreditation from AACSB, AMBA and EQUIS, placing us in the top 1% of business schools worldwide.
Embarking on a research degree with us is an opportunity to work alongside some of the world's brightest and most accomplished academics. PhD candidates identify and contribute to novel and original gaps in knowledge in their particular areas of expertise.
Our postgraduate research program is designed to develop students with an excellent academic background into intellectual leaders who will contribute to business education and research that makes meaningful, real-world impact in the 21st century.
We have the drive to challenge traditional ways of thinking, and will provide you with supportive and collaborative research community to develop your research skills and build a knowledge base in your chosen discipline.
For academic requirements check the ‘Admission requirements’ section on this page.
Research Period 2 - Start date: 1 March
Application closing date: 31 October
Note: To be considered for the Enhanced Business School Research Scholarship for Research Period 2, apply by 30 September.
Research Period 3 - Start date: 1 July
Application closing date: 15 March
Research Period 2 - Start date: 1 March
Application closing date: 31 October
Note: To be considered for the Enhanced Business School Research Scholarship for Research Period 2, apply by 30 September.
Research Period 3 - Start date: 1 July
Application closing date: 15 March
PhD candidates at the University of Sydney Business School may undertake supervised research with one of the following disciplines or research centres within the school:
A research degree is a substantial self-directed project designed to systematically contribute to knowledge in your chosen subject area. Guided by qualified and accomplished supervisors and supported by comprehensive research training, you will progress through the stages of planning, executing and disseminating your research, including the production of research outputs (such as publications) that will best contribute to your career aspirations.
Research training undertaken by HDR students in the Business School includes:
There is no separate tuition fee cost for the coursework units of study you will undertake, it is part of the tuition fee for the course. See the 'Your Fee' section for fee information. Additional non-tuition course costs vary depending on the units of study.
You will be able to see and enrol in any of the units available, subject to capacity constraints and your own background. Note that your faculty may elect to make certain units compulsory for a given PhD degree pathway and these requirements will be communicated to you around Induction.
Eligible candidates are encouraged to apply in plenty of time, even before their current qualifying degree is completed. You do not need to find a supervisor before applying, the Business School will do this for you during the application process. However, it is important that your research interests align with those of academics within the School if you are seeking supervision for your project within a Business School discipline. Business School academics, their research interests and outputs are all publicly available on the University of Sydney website.
If you have not yet identified a potential supervisor, you should select, as part of your application you should select 'Business HOD’ (Head of Discipline) when prompted to identify your research supervisor.
If you are shortlisted, you will be contacted for an interview. Interviews are usually conducted either virtually or in person. The outcome of your course application, whether successful or otherwise, will be communicated to you by the Admissions Office following required assessments and approvals by the Business School.
The documents you need to provide with your application will vary depending upon which discipline you are applying for, see the admission requirements table (pdf, 67.8KB) for more information.
Statement of purpose
As a part of your application, you will need to write a 1-2 page document to describe your motivation for pursuing doctoral study
Research proposal
There are three different types of research proposals that are required depending upon which Discipline you are applying to a Statement of Research Interests, an Indicative Research Proposal or a Developed Research Proposal.
To see which type of research proposal you will need to provide, please refer to the admission requirements table (pdf, 67.8KB).
Statement of Research Interests
This is a 1-2 page statement detailing your research interests. The research statement can include potential research areas, topics, and methodologies. The statement may be used to match your interests with a research supervisor.
Indicative Research Proposal
The indicative research proposal is a brief document with a maximum length of 1500 words (if desired, you may add a paragraph outlining other research interests at the end of this document). The indicative proposal may provide a starting point for discussion with your future supervisor.
The indicative research proposal may include:
Developed Research Proposal
This is a detailed document (3000-6000 words) that outlines your research question, chosen methodology, understanding of the current literature, and particular contribution to the field. The developed research proposal is intended to clearly set out the aims and potential significance of the research. It should have the following elements:
GMAT / GRE scores
Please note that the disciplines of Business Analytics and International Business require you to submit a GMAT or GRE score with your application. This requirement is detailed on the admission requirements table (pdf, 67.8KB). Submitted test scores must not be older than five years.
Notes
The degree requires the satisfactory completion of six coursework units of study and a research thesis of 80,000 words on an approved topic, under the supervision of an academic panel.
Admission to a research degree in the University of Sydney Business School is very competitive. You need to have completed an Australian honours (or equivalent) or a postgraduate degree with outstanding results (at least 80%) in order to be considered for an offer. Admission to the PhD program also requires prior completion of a 20,000 word (approximate word count) honours or Masters thesis.
For more information about the University’s credit policy, please see the Credit for Previous Studies page.
Through the completion of a PhD, students gain deeper understanding of a subject area and develop analytical, problem solving, communication and project management skills. These skills are highly valued by prospective employers. PhD graduates may pursue careers in industry, academia and research organisations.
