There are various ways to start a PhD program at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam: you can do so as an employee of VU Amsterdam, but also without an employment relationship with VU Amsterdam, for example with the help of a scholarship or external funding. As a self-funded PhD candidate, you conduct your PhD research entirely in your own time and with your own resources.
Application and admission
To distinguish between these types of PhD candidates, we follow the categorization agreed upon by Dutch universities within Universities of the Netherlands.
Employed PhD candidates are employed by VU Amsterdam and can apply via our vacancies: PhD vacancies. See also the Guideline appointment policy PhD candidates.
Scholarship PhD candidates, externally funded PhD candidates, and self-funded PhD candidates can apply for a PhD program that they finance through external funds. This is usually done by contacting a faculty, Graduate School, or research institute directly. The Research Portal is a good starting point for searching for topics that VU researchers are working on.
Please note that each faculty may require different and additional documentation or certificates. Faculties or Graduate Schools may also have different rules and requirements for admission.
Funds and grants
The VU Grants Office helps you navigate all the schemes and funds available for research funding. The VU Grants Office offers support in searching for and applying for research grants and in implementing subsidized projects.
VU staff and students can also use Research Connect, a database with a wide variety of grant opportunities, specified according to career stage and the researcher's academic field. See also the compact guide for new users of Research Connect.