phd law holland

How to apply for External PhD candidates

Application and admissions procedure, exemption from programme requirement, request for admission to the phd programme, tuition fee, 1. finding a (principal) supervisor.

No recruitment of External PhD candidates generally takes place. If you have a specific topic in mind and would like to purse a PhD in it (as an external candidate), you must in most cases write a research proposal and seek contact with a professor you deem suitable to supervise your PhD research. Information and contact details of the various research groups, and professors and their areas of specialisation, can be found  here .

2. Submitting a proposal to the Admissions Board

Once you have found a professor willing to supervise your research using one of the aforementioned methods, you may submit a request for admission to the PhD Admissions Board through this application form . This must include, at minimum:

• A cover letter
• A research proposal (max. 5 pages excl. bibliography) – use this format to draft your proposal
• A previously written paper
• Names and contact details of two (academic) referees
• A brief description of current professional responsibilities and the extent to which this will allow sufficient time to initiate and complete the PhD research within a period of, in principle, 6 years.

Additionally, your supervisors will have to fill out an endorsement form  and submit this to [email protected] before the deadline.

The PhD Admissions Board reviews requests for admission two times a year. For a request to be reviewed in October, it must be received no later than 1 October . For March requests, the deadline is 1 March .

3. Selection and provisional admission

Requests are reviewed based on the following criteria:

• whether the PhD candidate can be embedded in a research group
• the track record of the supervisors
• the quality and viability of the research proposal

A favourable recommendation by the selection committee results in provisional admission to the PhD Programme in Law.

4. Definitive admission

Provisional admission only becomes definitive once you have been admitted by the UvA Doctorate Board ( College voor Promoties , or CVP). This is essentially an administrative procedure that can only be started once you have received your conditional admission decision. To be admitted, you must submit a request for admission . If you are not in possession of a Netherlands Master’s degree (or an old-style initial university degree), you will need to request an exemption from that programme requirement before submitting a request for admission.

This procedure only needs to be followed if you are not in possession of a Netherlands Master’s degree (or an old-style initial university degree). Incidentally, it makes no difference whether this is a law or a non-law degree.

The first step involves performing a “quick scan” for which the PhD Secretariat needs the following documents.

• Completed online form Request for exemption from the legal educational requirement
• Copies of all academic diplomas received
• Copies of a list of marks or a list of programme components for those diplomas. A certified translation by the educational institution or a sworn translator must be also be submitted for documents in languages other than Dutch, English, French, German, Spanish or Italian.
• Copy of passport or ID-card (front and back)

A favourable recommendation following the “quick scan” results in an immediate decision to grant exemption, provided that certified copies of the aforementioned diplomas and lists of marks have been submitted. This assessment can take 2 to 4 weeks. If non-certified copies have been submitted, the secretariat of the Doctorate Board will once again invite you to provide certified copies, or make an appointment so that you can present the originals. You may submit your request for admission once you have been notified of a decision to grant exemption.

For provisional admission to become definitive, you will need to submit a request for admission to the CVP. The following documents must be provided to the PhD Secretariat:

• Completed online form Request for admission to the doctoral programme with original signatures of candidate and (co-) supervisors (signature copies not accepted)
• Certified copy of Netherlands Master’s diploma or initial university degree diploma OR exemption decision. If you are not in possession of certified copies of your Netherlands diploma, you can make an appointment with the PhD secretariat to present the original in person.
• Copy of passport or ID-card (front and back) UNLESS an exemption decision is also attached.

The PhD Secretariat procures the signature of the Dean and then forwards your application to the Doctorate Board. An admissions decision is taken within 2 to 4 weeks, which, if favourable, results in your provisional admission becoming definitive.

Researchers with a scholarship, externally financed PhDs, external PhDs / doctoral candidates who have been appointed at the Faculty of Law on or after 1st January 2023 pay an annual tuition fee. The tuition fee rate in 2023 is € 2.000 per year. New rates will be determined every year. The fee is for use of the research facilities, supervision and training. If the PhD student is unable to pay the fee, the research group may decide to pay the fee.

Cookie Consent

The UvA uses cookies to ensure the basic functionality of the site and for statistical and optimisation purposes. Cookies are also placed to display third-party content and for marketing purposes. Click 'Accept all cookies' to consent to the placement of all cookies, or choose 'Decline' to only accept functional and analytical cookies. Also read the UvA Privacy statement .

PhD Research at ACIL

• Apply for a PhD position

Junior researchers 

• Teresa Vieira da Silva Cabrita The European Union as a Contributor to the Development of International Law in its Interactions with the United Nations International Law Commission
• Jackson Oldfield Smuggling in international law
• Lara Talsma The UN Women, Peace and Security Agenda in the EU’s external action: a critical legal analysis
• Roman Teshome The  Legal Protection  of  People  Affected  by  Development-induced Displacement:  Towards  a  Comprehensive  Human  Rights  Framework
• Wim Zimmermann Reputation and the Dynamics of Interpretation in International Law
• Debadatta Bose Liability of corporations for their distant human rights impacts: a relational justice inquiry

Junior Researchers Rethinking SLIC project

Three of ACIL's PhD students are jointly working on Prof. Göran Sluiter's Rethinking SLIC project:

• Jindan-Karena Mann Secondary tort liability for international crimes and serious human rights violations
• Joëlle Trampert Secondary state liability for international crimes and serious human rights violations
• Marc Tiernan Secondary criminal liability for international crimes and serious human rights violations

Junior researchers (external)

• Amr Arafa Reform of Egypt Foreign Direct Investment Programme
• Gustavo Becker Fulfilling the right to access remedy for victims of transnational business-related human rights violations: the role of non-judicial grievance mechanisms
• Jasper van Berckel Smit Strategic engagement with the Law in the context of Migration to the EU
• Heather Bray Historical analysis of private-public arbitration commissions as global regulatory governance mechanisms
• Evelyn Campos Sanchez Remedies in cases of aggravated international responsibility
• Horia Ciurtin (Not) Just a Matter of Jurisdiction: Territorial Narratives in International Investment Law
• Vladislav Djanic Beyond Dispute Resolution: A History of Governance through Private-Public Arbitration
• Cleo Hoetmer Strafbaarstelling van grensoverschrijdende mensenhandel (uitbuiting)
• Mark Klein ClimaHarmonization ahead! The road to common evidentiary standards in European criminal procedure
• Miguel Lopez Martinez Prioritizing Reparations for Massive and Gross Violations under International Law. A case study on the Implementation of the Legal Framework for Reparations in Colombia
• Nicolai von Maltitz The Documentation of Historical Facts in the Judgments of the International Criminal Court
• Maiko Meguro Creation of Legal Bindingness in International Law: Whose Voice Matters?
• Ivan Mugga How can the national implementation of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change in Uganda be made consistent with the long-term objective in Article 2 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development?
• Anne van Mulligen  The normativity of international law
• Shikegi Obi Legitimate  Expectations in Investment Law – When a host State’s modification of its legal framework constitutes a treaty violation: A comparative approach
• Pinar Palabiyik Rethinking the Socio-Economic and Cultural Dimensions of Humanitarian Crises in International Criminal Law
• Sean Stephenson Adherence, Divergence and Creation: The Application of Remedies in International Investment Law by International Tribunals
• Vessela Terzieva Victims of International Crimes in Domestic Proceedings: a Study on the Rights to Justice, Reparation, and Truth
• Katrine Tvede On the grid: patterns of norm diffusion in international arbitration
• William Worster A New Legal Framework for Diplomatic Assurances
• Hasan Yucel Responsibility of Transnational Corporations for Environmental Crimes

External Junior Researchers 'The Role of Law in Armed Conflict and Peace Operations'

• Ardan Folwaij The legality of military human performance in the military domain
• Raïssa van den Essen Targeting in Cyber Warfare: The Triangular Relation Between the Notions of ‘Attack’ (49 API), ‘Military Objectives’ (52 API) and ‘Collateral Damage’ (57 API) in Cyber Targeting Decisions
• Bas van Hoek Legal Oversight on the Use of Force in Military Operations; Dutch legal oversight procedures reviewed.
• Klaudia Klonowska Intra-actions of Human Judgment, AI Decision-Support Technologies, and International Law in Contemporary Military Decision-Making
• Jonathan Kwik Legal obligations attached to the incorporation of artificial intelligence into weapon systems under international humanitarian law
• Mark Roorda Unmanned weapon systems in military operations. An interdisciplinary normative framework: combining military operational, legal and ethical aspects in bounding the use of unmanned weapon systems in the targeting process
• Karoly Vegh The applicability of international human rights law for the conduct of extraterritorial information and influence operations by states
• Taylor Woodcock (Un)Lawful delegation of military conduct to artificial intelligence enabled technologies and a framework for compliance with international law

Cookie Consent

The UvA uses cookies to ensure the basic functionality of the site and for statistical and optimisation purposes. Cookies are also placed to display third-party content and for marketing purposes. Click 'Accept all cookies' to consent to the placement of all cookies, or choose 'Decline' to only accept functional and analytical cookies. Also read the UvA Privacy statement .

• Announcements
• Research funding

PhD admission

If you wish to obtain a PhD at Leiden University, you first have to be admitted to one of the Graduate Schools. This means that you have to meet specific requirements, including a prior education requirement.

The admission procedures for the Graduate Schools are given on the various websites . Although each Graduate School has its own admission procedure, you must in any case:

• have been awarded a master’s degree or an equivalent master’s degree from another institution, or who have passed the ‘old style’ doctoral (doctoraal) examination of a government-funded or appointed Dutch university.
• give the name of a professor (or associate  professor with ius promovendi*) at Leiden University who is willing to be your supervisor. 
• have a second supervisor. This can be either another professor (supervisor) or a co-supervisor with a PhD, in either the same or a different faculty. If you have not already found a second supervisor, the dean will appoint a co-supervisor, to ensure that you are supervised by at least two individuals.

PhD regulations

The admission requirements are specified in the PhD regulations, together with options if you do not meet all the requirements.

Non-Dutch degree

If you have a degree from a non-Dutch university, your certificate will first have to be verified. After this, the dean will decide whether you can be admitted to the PhD track.

*Ius promovendi

Human resources.

• Working hours
• Business travel
• CAO and regulations
• Individual Choices Model
• Terms of employment in short
• Registration and contract
• Practical issues
• International staff
• University doctor
• Working with a functional limitation
• Mental fitness
• Work pressure
• Leiden Healthy University
• Self Service
• Confidential counsellors and complaints committees
• PSSC Service Point
• Service Centre International Staff
• Immigration and formalities
• Social life and settling in
• Taxes and social security
• Getting around
• Frequently asked questions
• Career guidance and mobility
• Teacher development
• PhD candidates and postdocs
• Code of conduct
• Recruitment and selection
• Diversity and inclusiveness
• P&D interviews
• Continuing education rules and regulations
• Confidential counsellors
• Staff ombuds officer
• Complaints committees
• Collective insurances
• Unfit for work
• Unemployment

Finance & Procurement

• Expense claims
• Other allowances
• Invoice payments
• Sales invoices, credit notes and receiving payments
• Payments without an invoice (by bank transfer, VVV gift card or cash), taxable remuneration (IB47)
• Payments to research participants
• Conferences and seminars
• Framework contracts
• Procurement procedures
• Service portal
• Research equipment
• Real estate
• University finances
• Financial planning and control cycles
• Regulations and guidelines
• Working for third parties
• Financial project management
• Department Financial Economic Affairs
• FSSC Service point
• Controllers
• University Procurement
• Audit department
• Synchronising mail and calendar
• Printing and copying
• Software and online tools
• Forgotten your password
• Activating and managing your account
• Additional authentication
• Applying for a guest/external account
• Office 365 and OneDrive
• Microsoft Teams
• Remote workspace
• Secure online workspace from home
• Application forms
• Helpdesks and contact
• Maintenance and incidents
• Research data
• IT and education > go to Education
• General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
• Archive management
• Personal data
• Working securely online

Buildings & Facilities

• Workplace in the office
• Reserving workstations
• Requesting facilities for working from home
• Laboratories
• Environmental awareness at work
• Post and Transport
• Breastfeeding and quiet rooms
• Reserving rooms
• Service desks and receptions
• Management and maintenance
• Floor plans and house rules
• Construction projects
• Ordering catering
• Faculty Club
• Restaurants and bars
• Vending machines
• Event locations
• Reporting unsafe situations
• ERO coordinators
• Health and safety coordinators
• Servicedesk and receptions
• Blended learning
• AI in education
• Digital tools
• Tools for interactive learning
• Lecture halls and computer rooms
• Evaluation of education
• The Programme Committee
• Board of Examiners
• Site visits and accreditation
• Vision on education
• Integrity and fraud
• Student success
• Degree programmes
• Educational support units
• ICT and education
• Library and education
• Internationalisation in education
• Accessible Education
• Tests and theses
• Giving a presentation
• Remote teaching
• Reserving equipment
• Referral options
• Unacceptable behaviour
• Training and workshops for staff
• Training and workshops for students
• Online self-help for students
• Bringing students together
• Background information on student well-being
• CROHO and teacher's academy
• Comenius programme
• Teaching innovation
• Contact about internationalisation
• Arrange partnership and exchange
• Sign up student and staff
• Safety abroad and crisis management
• Preparing for a trip: visa and Europass
• Academic calendar
• Course and Examination Regulations
• Studying for a PhD
• PhD ceremony
• After your PhD
• Career Platform
• Confidential Counsellor and university doctor
• Becoming a postdoc
• Collaborating with renowned researchers
• Training programmes, coaching and career guidance
• Practical support for internationals
• Confidential advisers, health & safety
• Research programme data science
• Collaboration Leiden-Delft-Erasmus
• Research internationalisation
• Funding calendar
• Find and prepare
• Write your proposal
• Submit your proposal
• Grant awarded
• Help and support
• Data storage
• Datamanagement
• Research software
• Sharing and sending files
• Publication tools
• Research from home
• Roadmap and examples
• Research visitations
• Academic integrity
• Ethics committees
• Publishing your doctoral dissertation
• Scholarly Publications and LUCRIS
• Open Access
• ORCID iD and DOI
• Leiden University Press

Communications & marketing

• Communication tools
• Media relations
• Science communication
• Bachelor recruitement
• Master recruitment
• Recruitment international students
• Alumni relations
• Alumni database
• House style
• Writing and translating
• Use of images
• Making a presentation
• Website and web editorial team
• Social Media
• Conferences and Events
• Working securely: tips
• Privacy and security policy documents
• Learning platform
• Incidents and dangerous situations
• Safety in a lab
• Working with hazardous substances
• Emergency Response Officer
• Risk Inventory and Evaluation

Select a different organisation

Select language

PhD at Utrecht University

Phd programmes.

At Utrecht University, earning a PhD is a hands-on process that involves relatively little coursework.

You will conduct research from day one, which will allow you to develop your own ideas within the research group's theme. You will remain in close contact with your supervisors throughout the programme.

All information for both prospective and current PhD students can be found in the PhD Manual (pdf).

About PhD Programmes

Interested in a PhD programme in Utrecht?

A partnership with impact: Anton de Kom University of Suriname

Entire Assessment Committee is allowed to wear gowns from now on

Municipalities taking a different course in the reception and assistance of refugees

Work in process: Unearthing Meaning using Process Mining

“We should see workarounds as valuable feedback, rather than turning a blind eye”

Program phace - 15 & 16 april 2024.

PhD Defence: The procedural participation of non-governmental organisations and national human rights institutions within the European Convention system and beyond – An empirical study

PhD defence: Orthogonal linker chemistries applied in core-crosslinked polymeric micelles

PhD defence: Improving patient access to valuable new pharmaceuticals - Working towards and evidence ecosystem in healthcare

PhD defence: Governance for sustainability in the extractive industry sector: Addressing the Resource Curse through Global Standard-Setting - Experiences from Indonesia

Utrecht University Heidelberglaan 8 3584 CS Utrecht The Netherlands Tel. +31 (0)30 253 35 50

Erasmus School of Law

• LL.M. Programmes
• Moot competitions
• Our research
• Our researchers
• Quality & Impact

Information

"it is often difficult to assign responsibility for starvation".

• Thursday 11 Apr 2024
• PhD defence

The pharma pirate: entrepreneurship in optima forma or a dismal matter?

• Wednesday 10 Apr 2024

NZa imposes directives on CZ and Menzis for waiting times

• Tuesday 9 Apr 2024
• In the media

Erasmus School of Law Vis Moot Team celebrates great success

• Friday 5 Apr 2024

ESBL/Fontys report :"Investing in the organisational capacity and sustainability of business sites using business investment zones"

• Wednesday 3 Apr 2024

Participation in technological innovations: the role of all stakeholders

Individual responsibility in collective crimes

• Friday 29 Mar 2024

Abortion in the constitution and out of criminal law: symbolic or essential?

• Thursday 28 Mar 2024

Should stray dogs in India be imbued with legal personhood?

• Wednesday 27 Mar 2024

Breach of duty of care: "Shocking and confronting"

• Tuesday 26 Mar 2024

Second Seminar of ECCE

• Friday 19 Apr 2024, 09:00 - 14:00

PhD defence G.J. (Gwendolyn) Koops - Geuze

• Thursday 25 Apr 2024, 10:30 - 12:00

Workshop Between Autocratic Legalism and Right-Wing Legal Mobilization.

• Wednesday 29 May 2024, 09:00 - 11:59

ESL Research Day: “Embracing Failure”

• Wednesday 29 May 2024, 12:00 - 15:30

Conference “Law, Regulation and Technology: Healthy, Safe, and Sustainable Smart Cities”

• Wednesday 26 Jun 2024, 09:00 - Thursday 27 Jun 2024, 17:00

The digital and green transitions: twins in tension

• Thursday 26 Sep 2024, 09:00 - Friday 27 Sep 2024, 17:00

Erasmus Law Review

Our open access journal with a multidisciplinary and international focus.

Chat with our students

Compare @count study programme

• Duration: @duration

Doctoral Scholarships

The Academy offers  so-called doctoral scholarships to nationals of non-member States of the OECD, residing in their own country, who are expected to defend their theses before December 31st of the year following the granting of the scholarship. The selected beneficiaries will be able to finalize their research and work on their theses at the Peace Palace Library during the months of July and August, and partially attend the Summer Courses.

Applicants must submit:

• A letter of motivation including a sworn statement indicating that, barring unforeseen circumstances, the thesis is indeed in the process of being completed, as well as a recommendation letter from their supervisor confirming this;
• A memo detailing the exact topic of the thesis and its general outline.

Further requirements:

• Good knowledge of English or French;
• Candidates must not previously have been granted a doctoral scholarship by the Academy.

Period: 8 weeks (1 July – 1 September 2024)

Scholarships are in the amount of €2250 (€35 per day) + half of the traveling expenses, up to a maximum of €910.

All doctoral scholarship applications for summer 2024 must be submitted before January 31st 2024, 23:59 hrs. The Hague time (GMT+1).

• The Academy will verify that the recipients of the doctoral scholarships effectively reside in The Hague for a period of 2 months without interruption and that they use the Peace Palace Library’s Reading Room and resources on a regular basis;
• Scholarship holders are allowed to attend the General Course as well as any Special Course directly related to their thesis topic;
• Since the purpose of the doctoral scholarship is to focus on the thesis, scholarship holders aren’t allowed to simultaneously participate in the Directed Studies sessions;
• A certificate of attendance will be issued to all scholarship holders who will have proven to have worked at the library on a regular basis.

• Browse Law Schools
• LLM Articles
• LLM Info Events
• Law School Rankings
• Top 10 Lists
• LLM Scholarships
• LLM Discussions
• Application Tracker
• Advanced LLM Search
• UK / Ireland
• Australia / New Zealand
• Canada & Latin America
• Africa / Middle East

By Concentration

• General LL.M. Programs
• Alternative Dispute Resolution / Arbitration / Mediation
• American Law / U.S. Law
• Banking Law / Finance Law / Securities Law
• Business Law / Commercial Law
• Corporate Law / Company Law
• Human Rights

All Resources

• Top Law Schools in the Netherlands

Top 9 Law Schools in the Netherlands

Going to the Netherlands for your LL.M. offers several unique advantages: a highly international environment, a plethora of companies and legal institutions on your doorstep, ease of access to study and work visas. Law schools in the Netherlands are also affordable, with the Dutch government keeping fees lower for European Union students, with the prices not much higher for those from other continents.

Although many law schools in other European countries offer English-language LL.M. programs, law schools in the Netherlands offer an exceptional range of high-quality, internationally-oriented programs. From air and space law to tax law and more, whatever your interest is, you’ll most likely find an LL.M. program in the Netherlands for you.

There are many, many highly-ranked and prestigious law schools in the country. We’ve listed the best of the below. 

Leiden University is ranked by Times Higher Education as the Netherlands’ best university for law. The University’s 450-year history gives it a solid reputation for teaching and research excellence. There are several highly rated LL.M. programs to pick from: European Law; Public International Law; Criminal Justice; Air and Space Law; European and International Business Law, to name just a few from a wide range of courses.  

Amsterdam Law School, at University of Amsterdam, is second on THE’s list. It draws students from all over the world, which gives the law school an international atmosphere that is vital for any aspiring lawyer. In this sense, this diversity reflects Amsterdam, a truly global city that is home to a plethora of companies to work for, and an energetic social science. There are several full-time LL.M.s available: Public International Law; International Trade and Investment Law; European Union Law; European Competition Law and Regulation; and European Private Law. 

The School of Law at Utrecht University, one of the country’s oldest and most beautiful academic institutions, is ranked well by most of the major league tables including QS Top Universities. Students can go on exchange to a number of universities around the world such as the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Beijing’s Peking University, and the University of Toronto. The school boasts many notable alumni who hold senior positions at prestigious institutions around the world, including Nobel Prize laureates. There are a few LL.M.s to pick from: in European Law, Public International Law and more. 

Tilburg Law School was founded as recently as 1963 but has quickly achieved a stellar international reputation. It’s naturally ranked highly by THE, QS and the Social Science Research Network (SSRN), and has been especially commended for the quality of its staff, as well as the quality of support facilities such as IT, counseling, and its university campus. Tilburg is well known for its university and was arguably made famous by an annual 10-day funfair that takes place each July. The school puts on several LL.M. programs, for instance on International Business Tax Law, and Labour Law and Employment Relations. 

The Faculty of Law at Maastricht University is distinguished by its acclaimed Problem-Based Learning (PBL) method, which leans heavily on student discussion and presentations. Practical learning is at the core of the law school, with students also able to take part in several national and international moot courts, including the European Court of Justice. Several full-time LL.M. programs are on offer, including in Globalization and Law; Forensics, Criminology and Law; Dutch Law; and European Law. 

A regular feature each year on many league tables, the Erasmus School of Law runs LL.M. courses in Commercial and Company Law, International Trade Law, Maritime and Transport Law, and International Arbitration and Business Law. Rotterdam is the second biggest city in the Netherlands. Its large port and melting pot of cultures draws many international companies and enriches student life. 

The University of Groningen dates back to 1614 and boasts such accolades as the first female lecturer in the Netherlands, the first Dutch astronaut and the first president of the European Central Bank. The Faculty of Law has been around for 400 years and has grown to be one of the largest law faculties in the country, with 300 staff teaching some 4,000 students, 650 of them international. There are quite a few LL.M. courses available, in Energy and Climate Law; European Economic Law; Global Criminal Law; Governance and Law in Digital Society, and more. 

Since its foundation in 1880, VU University of Amsterdam has been renowned for its focus on people and society, not just knowledge and power. This is the case with its esteemed Faculty of Law, ranked well across the board and globally. There is a raft of LL.M. options for high flying but mindful lawyers: Corporate Law, Markets and Behaviour; International Business Law; International Migration and Refugee Law; Law and Politics of International Security, and more programs. 

Situated in a “green campus” in the oldest city in the Netherlands, Nijmegen, the Faculty of Law at Radboud University has a solid international reputation for teaching and research excellence. There are many cultural activities and festivals, numerous museums, galleries, theatres, cinemas and eateries in the buzzing city. LL.M. students can specialize in four areas: Advanced International and European Law; Human Rights and Migration; Business Law; European Law and Global Affairs. 

Related LLM News

LLM GUIDE Updates Top LL.M. Lists by Speciality for 2021

May 31, 2021

More LLM News

Featured Schools

LL.M. Program for Foreign Lawyers in Hawaii

Int'l Business Law LLM With 16 Professional LLM Specializations

Offering nine LL.M. specializations in Manhattan and two online

More Top 10 Lists

Related Discussions

Go to LLM GUIDE Discussion Board

These unordered lists were compiled by LLM GUIDE's editors, taking to account existing rankings and other factors. Read more on the Methodology page

To read about rankings, see LLM GUIDE's Law School Rankings page.

• What is an LL.M.?
• Funding Your LL.M.
• How Do I Prepare For An LL.M.?
• Is an LL.M. Right for Me?
• Law School Glossary
• LL.M. Basics: Types of Law Degrees
• LL.M. Essential Facts
• What are the TOEFL and IELTS?
• What Do I Need to Apply for an LL.M. Program?
• What is an LL.M. Concentration?
• What Kind of LL.M. Program is Right for Me?
• Where Should I Do My LL.M.?
• Which Law School?
• Why Should I do an LL.M.?

More Top Lists

• Terms of Use
• Cookie Policy
• Privacy Policy

Information

• Featured LLM Programs
• MBA Programs
• Online MBA Programs
• Executive Courses

Search LLM Programs

Go to Advanced Search

Subscribe to the LLM GUIDE Newsletter

Receive the latest news and tips

© 2001–2024 Pritzwalks – LLM GUIDE – Master of Laws (LL.M.) Programs Worldwide

Search term

At Maastricht University, a PhD degree is not just a study but a serious research project that adds new knowledge to a given field. There are three ways to become a PhD candidate at UM, which are outlined below. As a PhD candidate, you’ll spend most of your time conducting original research and writing a dissertation. You might also follow courses relevant to your research or have teaching responsibilities as well. Most candidates take four years to complete their dissertation and earn their degree. Requirements for our PhD programmes vary, but you will at least need a master’s degree, a high level of English proficiency and a strong academic record.

There are three ways to obtain a PhD at Maastricht University:

Apply for a paid phd position.

As a paid PhD candidate, you’ll be an employee of the university and will conduct research in conjunction with a faculty, research school or institute. You can search for a PhD vacancy on Academic Transfer or contact a faculty directly.   Paid PhD positions

Note: FHML/MUMC+ discerns 4 types of PhDs.

Enrol in a PhD training programme

Several of our graduate schools and research institutes offer PhD training programmes. In these programmes, you will follow a number of courses as well as write a dissertation. We have both full-time and part-time programmes.

  PhD training programmes

Obtain external funding & pitch your idea

Do you have a specific research proposal that does not match one of our vacancies? Then you can also obtain external funding and pitch your idea to one of our faculties, graduate schools or research institutes.

  Externally funded PhDs

Why Maastricht University?

The Netherlands ranks second worldwide in the number of publications per researcher and third worldwide in the impact of research publications, according to the Netherlands organisation for international cooperation in higher education (NUFFIC). At Maastricht University, PhD candidates are respected as full-fledged members of our research community. You'll be treated as a peer and will be given all the support you need for your research. There is a high level of interdisciplinary and inter-institutional cooperation at UM, and PhDs often complete their dissertation alongside their career. Such a commitment requires hard work and fortitude. And it especially requires the capacity to innovate, to come up with new ideas and new ways of seeing and applying knowledge.

International environment

Maastricht University was the first university in the Netherlands to strive for internationalisation. Almost half of our students and 40% of our academic staff come from abroad. Each faculty, school and institute has extensive international partnership networks and the university encourages international research collaborations. Students and researchers have many opportunities to study and work abroad, and our graduates are eagerly sought in the international labour market and research community.

Active PhD community

At Maastricht University, we have a vibrant PhD community. There are many ways to connect with your peers on a social and professional level:

• PhD Academy Maastricht
• Young Researchers Academy
• Central PhD Candidates Platform
• PhD candidates Network (PNN)
• Meet & Greet Maastricht
• Representative participation for UM
• ProVUM Maastricht
• European Council of Doctoral Candidates and Junior Researchers (Eurodoc)

Current PhD candidates

In the overview for current PhDs, you can find more information on:

• additional courses
• professional development opportunities
• practical matters
• Scholarships

  Overview for current PhDs

Research master's

Have you finished your bachelor’s and would like to pursue a PhD? Then you should consider one of our research master’s programmes, which specifically prepare you to be successful as a doctoral candidate. In some of these programmes, more than 90% of the students go on to become PhD candidates. You can find the research master's programmes in our master's overview.

Master's programmes

Defending your thesis

A PhD Defence ceremony is a formal occasion with strict protocols governing each person’s role, responsibility, and even the language used. It all works a bit like a trial, hence the term ‘PhD defence’. If you are a PhD candidate at the end of your trajectory you need to formally request permission for a public defense ceremony soon. In this website you find information on practical matters you need to arrange before and during your doctoral research and explains how to go about your your PhD defense.

  More information

One step closer to an anti-stress pill

Why are some people more sensitive to stress than others? Dennis Hernaus was hired as a PhD candidate to study the relationship between stress and dopamine levels of patients using PET scanners. He found that low dopamine levels are associated with increased sensitivity to stress and vice versa.  

Wrestling with medical-ethical dilemmas during WWII

Is it okay for a doctor to make someone ill or appear ill if it saves them from being boarded on a train and sent to a death camp? Hannah van den Ende studied the experiences of 534 Dutch-Jewish doctors who wrestled with this type of ethical dilemma during WWII.  

Studying HIV-related stigma in virtual reality

Stigmatising behaviour is often unconscious. People don't usually realise that they treat HIV patients differently. But the consequences are real. Henna Toppenberg and her PhD supervisor Rob Ruiter are using virtual reality to gain more insight into this behaviour so they can help bring about change.  

A Beginner's Guide to Dutch Academia

Detailed information on Dutch research and higher education can be found in  A Beginner's Guide to Dutch Academia. 

Hortense Jongen winner of The 2018 Dissertation Prize

The 2018 Dissertation Prize, this year awarded for the best doctoral dissertation from the inner city faculties, went to Hortense Jongen from the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Her thesis is entitled: ‘Combating corruption the soft way: The authority of peer reviews in the global fight against graft.’

• All categories

PhD programmes

A PhD track consists of original scientific research under the supervision of a professor, which takes on average 4 years.

Every year, around 400 PhD candidates defend their dissertation at Leiden University, spread across all the University’s different disciplines.

A PhD track consists of original scientific research under the supervision of a professor, which takes on average 4 years. Many PhD candidates are employed by the University, but a number are subsidised by a grant that they have acquired themselves. The University also has a large number of external PhD candidates, who generally work part-time on their research. 

Every PhD candidate is enrolled in one of the University Graduate Schools.

Read more about Studying for your PhD .

This website uses cookies. More information.

These are the best graduate school programs in Wisconsin, according to U.S. News & World

Top graduate schools in Wisconsin landed on the latest U.S. News & World Report list ranking more than 2,000 programs across the country. U.S. News & World Report published its 2024-'25 report in April, ranking graduate programs in business, education, law and nursing, among other fields.

University of Wisconsin-Madison's the School of Education tied for first overall with Teacher's College, Columbia University, according the report. That's up from third overall and second among public universities last year.

Several of Marquette University's graduate programs moved up on the list, including the master's program in the College of Nursing, which moved up from 66 to 58.

Schools were evaluated based on expert opinion and statistical data measuring the quality of the school's faculty, research and post-graduate outcomes. You can find the full list on the U.S. News website for graduate rankings on their website www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools .

Top business graduate programs in Wisconsin:

• University of Wisconsin-Madison: #43

Top law graduate programs in Wisconsin:

• University of Wisconsin-Madison: #36 (tie)
• Marquette University: #68 (tie)

Top nursing graduate programs in Wisconsin:

• Marquette University: #58 (tie)
• University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee: #82 (tie)
• University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire: #107 (tie)
• University of Wisconsin- Oshkosh: #118
• Alverno College: #119 (tie)
• Milwaukee School of Engineering: #153-169

Top medical graduate programs in Wisconsin:

• University of Wisconsin-Madison: #35 (tie)

Top education graduate programs in Wisconsin:

• University of Wisconsin-Madison: #1 (tie)
• University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee: #169 (tie)
• Marquette University: #192

Top Engineering graduate programs in Wisconsin:

• University of Wisconsin-Madison: #27 (tie)
• Marquette University: #142 (tie)
• University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee: #177 (tie)

RELATED: Here's how Wisconsin universities ranked in the 2024 Best Colleges list