Registration
Since the end of January 2023 the new central registration system from the Doctoral School has been put into use. By means of an online web form, new PhD candidates register at the Amsterdam UMC Doctoral School, the research institutes ánd PhD association ASAP at the start of their PhD trajectory.
During the PhD process, you automatically receive e-mails from the central registration system, inviting you to initiate certain actions such as planning an intake interview and an evaluation moment. After registration with the Doctoral School, you can take courses free of charge, have access to coaching and a confidant.
For more information you can visit the Doctoral School website.
PhD Plan
Every PhD candidate needs to fill out a PhD plan (see Downloads at the end of this page). The goal of the PhD Plan is not to create extra paperwork, but to encourage an open and honest conversation between you and your supervisors about mutual expectations and goals during the PhD trajectory. The PhD Plan will also help you to make an overview of your PhD trajectory and the education you would like to follow. That’s why the Doctoral School requires you to fill out the PhD Plan during the first three months of the PhD project. After submission, the PhD candidate will have an appointment with the PhD advisor.
Part of the PhD Plan is the Training Plan. Anyone wishing to obtain a PhD at VU fills in the required information at the start of their trajectory and draws up a Training Plan (see PhD Plan) and submits this to AR&D for approval. It is highly recommended for UvA PhD candidates to draw up a training plan as a guideline during the PhD process. However, AR&D approval is not required.
You can send the PhD Plan to doctoralschool@amsterdamumc.nl and ARandD@amsterdamumc.nl.
Any changes after submission can be emailed to Doctoral School.
Please don’t hesitate to contact the Doctoral School if you have questions or need advice.
VU PhD candidates
Some of the data provided in the PhD Plan should also be entered in Hora Finita. Hora Finita is the PhD tracking system for VU PhD candidates. The system arranges the registation, agreements, trainingplan and the defence. Unfortunately this is inevitable. We are working on a solution to bring down the administrative workload. Feel free to copy/paste information from one to the other. Keep in mind the PhD Plan serves as a basis for a good talk about planning and expectations with your supervisory team and to come to agreement on doing courses and other learning activities.
As mentioned above, the submission and approval of a Training Plan is required for obtaining a PhD at the VU. The PhD Plan includes a format for a Training Plan.
According to article 15 Doctorate Regulations VU University Amsterdam 2015 the PhD candidate (starting after April 2015) shall devote at least 30 EC (840 hours) to training and education during the PhD trajectory.
This also applies to physician-researchers (arts-onderzoeker) and other medical employees who are pursuing their PhD alongside their regular work. Please be aware that without having devoted these 30 EC you will not be admitted to the PhD ceremony, even when the thesis committee has submitted a positive advice on your dissertation.
You will automatically receive more information about the registration in Hora Finita after finishing your registration at the Doctoral School.
Do you have any questions about Hora Finita? Please contact AR&D: arend.horafinita@amsterdamumc.nl
PhD portal
More general and practical information for PhD candidates can be found at the PhD portal. Please also visit this page for a variety of courses to get inspired for drawing up your personal Training Plan.