Doctoral school

Orientation

Michela: A PhD Candidate from Abroad In my hospital, and more general in the Italian system, we don’t have many possibilities to focus exclusively on research. I applied for a PhD at Amsterdam UMC as soon as I finished my specialization.
Job: Working on his PhD Trajectory Like any PhD project, this project goes slower and more difficult than anticipated. Luckily, both the team and myself are positive and meanwhile interesting results are found.
Birgit: One more year to go in her PhD trajectory During your PhD trajectory you receive many opportunities to develop yourself and your skills. I think with a proactive mindset you can really make the most of your PhD.

What is a PhD or Doctoral degree?

The words doctorate or doctoral degree come from the Latin word 'doctor', meaning teacher. Doctorate, doctoral degree and PhD are used interchangeably for practical purposes, and refer to the same degree.

The doctorate is the highest academic degree awarded in the Netherlands. It is proof that the PhD candidate is capable of conducting independent research of a very high standard, culminating in the succesful defence of the doctoral thesis.

It often takes about three to four years of full-time research and training to complete a PhD trajectory at the Amsterdam UMC. The doctoral degree is generally a prerequisite for an academic career in teaching or research, although contrarily to its origin, not everyone who receives a doctoral degree becomes a university lecturer or researcher. Many go on to work for non-academic research institutes or in the private sector, as experts in their respective research topics.

Cliché but true: the biggest challenges turn out to be the most valuable lessons

Birgit Wever

PhD Candidate, Amsterdam UMC

If you are interested in knowing more about the academic research and higher eduction in The Netherlands, the Dutch young Academy has published A Beginner's Guide to Dutch Academia .

If you would like to pursue a PhD trajectory at Amsterdam UMC, you will have to contact the research group /professor working in the field of your interest. An overview of the Research Institutes can be found here and an overview of the current vacancies can be found here. Once you have contacted the potential supervisor and research group and you are both interested in continuing the application procedure, you as potential PhD Candidate and the research proposal will be evaluated on the following: (1) quality of the research proposal, (2) English language proficiency of the PhD candidate, (3) knowledge security, and (4) budget.

Regarding point 4 (budget): foreign PhD scholarship students will only be allowed to start a PhD trajectory at Amsterdam UMC under a contract of employment, if/when the awarded scholarship is sufficient for them to support themselves (2024: EURO 1.666,- net per month).

Regarding CSC scholarships: as the CSC scholarship is not sufficient in order to support themselves, these PhD candidates will have to start a PhD trajectory at Amsterdam UMC under a contract of employment.

What is the role of the Amsterdam UMC Doctoral School? The Amsterdam UMC Doctoral School supports a new generation of excellent research professionals during their PhD trajectories.
How to find a PhD position at the Amsterdam UMC? Interested in a PhD position at Amsterdam UMC? Here you can find a step by step guide to finding a PhD position at Amsterdam UMC.
"Is a PhD something for me?" Reflections of our PhD Candidate Advisors Read about the reflections of our PhD Candidate Advisors on the questions you should ask yourself before pursuing a PhD trajectory.