As a PhD candidate, you will execute original scholarly research, receive high-end supervision from a team of (full) professors, develop research skills and transferable competences and grow in terms of knowledge. At the end of your PhD journey, you will not only deliver a doctoral thesis, but graduate as a person with a combination of specific academic skills and social and communicative competences.
Categories of PhD Types and Vacancies
In general, at the School of Humanities, PhD tracks take 4 years. A PhD position in the Netherlands is considered employment for most PhD candidates. This means you have associated rights and duties, according to the type of employment contract you have. The website of VU Amsterdam regularly features vacancies for new PhD positions at the school, for which you can apply. On Academic Transfer, PhD positions are also advertised.
However, other types of PhD candidates exist as well, under which, scholarship, externally funded and self-funded PhD candidates. In the occasion that we cannot employ you, you may want to look for funding in your country of residence or private scholarships.
General Requirements for Admission to the PhD Programme
All PhD candidates should have a supervisory team before they can start their PhD. Please visit the websites of the Departments of the School of Humanities to find out which specialisation best accommodates your own interests in scholarly research. You can contact the researchers directly or via the Graduate School of Humanities, to review the possibilities. Please note that a master or equivalent degree is needed to be admitted to the PhD track. If you do not possess a Master (or equivalent) degree, you need to follow a different procedure such as described in the VU’s Doctorate regulations.
Requirements for Self-Funded PhD Candidates (with a starting date on or after October 1, 2025)
- Self funded PhD candidates devote at least 16 hours per week to their PhD programme (including training)
- The maximum duration their trajectory is 8 years, with good cause, the possibility of an extension to 10 years
- In addition to a TSP, self funded PhD candidates are required to submit to the Graduate School a research proposal of 3 pages with a clear and well-defined research question, explanation of the scientific and social relevance, the research methods and justification of these methods, a preliminary bibliography, according to this format and a budget plan.
Checklist Admission new External PhD Candidates for Supervisors
In alignment with the VU-wide regulations, at the School of Humanities, intended supervisors are considered responsible for initiating an admission check (via amongst others the GSH and the Faculty’s Research Office). Supervisors can make use of this checklist.
Read more about doing a PhD on VU Amsterdam's website