General Information

The Graduate School of Life Sciences offers PhD research in a variety of research topics as well as training in general skills. During a 4-year programme, PhD candidates conduct a research project, resulting in a PhD thesis and / or a series of articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals. PhD candidates work under the supervision of a professor (‘promotor’) and a daily supervisor (‘copromotor’).

During the PhD track, PhD candidates take courses offered by the Graduate School of Life Sciences, resulting in highly qualified and well trained PhD's. The PhD training programme is composed of a selection of courses and other elements tailored to meet the PhD candidates’ personal demands. The Board of Studies of the Graduate School of Life Sciences guarantees the quality of training and supervision by monitoring the quality of the courses and the progress of the PhD candidates.

The Graduate School of Life Sciences offers 15 PhD programmes that together cover a wide range of research topics, from plants to patients, from molecules to populations. These programmes are at the center of the focus areas of research of Utrecht University and the research programmes of the University Medical Center Utrecht. Currently over 1,300 PhD candidates participate in these programmes.

General information regarding the PhD track

For general information about the PhD track, as well as the official Doctoral degree regulations, forms, and instructions for Doctoral candidates please refer to: www.uu.nl/EN/informationfor/intstaffandvisitors/Research/Regulations/phdregulations/Pages/default.aspx

Programme-specific information

For specific information about a particular PhD programme please contact the programme coordinator.

Training and Supervision Agreement (TSA)

To safeguard the quality of the training and supervision of PhD candidates, the Graduate School of Life Sciences introduced a uniform ‘Training and Supervision Agreement'. The ‘Training and Supervision Agreement' of the Graduate School of Life Sciences specifies the rights and duties of the PhD candidate and his/her supervisors with respect to education and supervision during the PhD track. If the requirements of this contract are fully met, the candidate will be eligible to receive the Utrecht Graduate School of Life Sciences Training Certificate.
Note: a PhD candidate carries out his/her PhD project within a PhD programme of the Graduate School of Life Sciences. Please read the TSA carefully and entirely before completion, since the TSA itself contains all details on training and supervision as well as on administrative procedures.

Download the TSA.  

PhD Council

The PhD Council represents all PhD candidates within the Graduate School of Life Sciences and aims to improve the quality of PhD education and training in the school. Each PhD programme is represented in the PhD council. Three of its members are members of the Board of Studies. One member is a member of the Executive Board of Studies.

PhD Training Certificate

Each PhD candidate who has successfully completed a PhD programme within the Graduate School of Life Sciences is eligible to receive the PhD Training Certificate Applications must be made at least two weeks before the defence of the thesis by using the appropriate form.