Prospective PhD candidates

There are different options for obtaining a PhD position at Utrecht University. As a PhD candidate in the Netherlands, you are not a student but a university employee in most cases. If we are not able to employ you, you may want to look for funding in your country of residence for private scholarships.

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.

You should have a supervisor before you can start your PhD. Please visit websites of the PhD programmes, Life Sciences institutes and research groups to find out if your research interest is available in Utrecht. You can contact the researchers to discuss possibilities for a PhD position. Also have a look at the current vacancies of Utrecht University.

Please note that PhD applicants have to demonstrate mastery of English before being accepted into one of our programmes:

  • TOEFL, iBT. minimum score: 93, institutional scores are not accepted.

  • IELTS, Academic Module. Minimum score: 6.5 overall band, at least 6 for writing.

  • Cambridge Certificate: ​

    • Cambridge English C1 Advanced (CAE). Minimum score: 176 total, 169 writing

    • Cambridge English C2 Proficiency (CPE). Minimum score: 180 total, 169 writing

    • Cambridge Michigan Language Assessment ECPE, C2 Certificate

You can find more information on how to obtain a PhD at Utrecht University at the PhD website of the university.