Application External PhD

As an external PhD student, you do not have an employment contract with the university. You write your dissertation in your own time and under the supervision of a professor. A dissertation can consist of a monograph, but you can also write a dissertation based on academic publications.

If you want to apply to us as an external PhD, we ask you to provide the documents below. We will proceed with the application process only once we have received all the documents.

1. an up-to-date CV: Alongside information about your educational background and your research and publications, the CV should contain full personal details including your full postal address, date, and place of birth.

2. a letter with motivation: You must submit a letter of motivation in which you outline why you wish to undertake research within the GSL. In such a letter, you should attempt to answer the questions of how the PhD study fits into your career plans, and why Groningen is the right place for you to conduct this research.

3. a research proposal of max. 4 A-4 with the following elements: introduction of the central research question, relevance of literature, methodology, plan of approach + planning, and the integration of the research in the Faculty's research programmes. You can use the research proposal form for this purpose.

4. (Certified) copy of your diploma(s):

• A (certified) copy of your diploma(s) or degree certificate(s). If they are not in Dutch or English please provide an English translation. If you have not yet completed your Master’s degree, please send a statement of expected date of graduation signed by your Faculty.
• A (certified) copy of your transcripts (list of grades). If they are not in English, Dutch, French, or German, please also provide a certified translation in English, Dutch, French, or German. If you have not yet completed your Master’s educational programme, please send temporary transcripts showing the grades you have received to date. In that case, please also send us a list of courses that are not on the temporary transcripts but that you will have to take to complete your programme.

You may send us scanned copies, to be included in your formal application. However, we may ask for paper versions to be sent.

5. Proof of English language proficiency: see our requirements for a certified English Language test.

6. A statement of the academic funding agency, if any - i.e. what sort of scholarship do you hold? How long does it last? Which national or international body provides it?

7. Academic referees: Please include letters of recommendation from two academic referees, as well as the referees' names and (email-)addresses.

You can address your application to the Director of the GGSL, Prof. Dr. A. Tollenaar and send it to: ggsl rug.nl, the address of the Graduate School of Law.