The project description must be easy to understand, also for non-specialists, and include:

4+4 applicants:

• An outline of the field of research that will be the focus of the PhD project as well as a preliminary specification of the subject of the PhD dissertation.
• Grounds for the academic (including interdisciplinary) research field and preliminary considerations, if applicable, regarding methodologies, theories, materials, etc.
• An outline of the schedule/timetable for the PhD project (separate mandatory form).

5+3 applicants:

• A description of the work hypothesis/issue on which the project is based.
• An explanation of the material on which the project is based and of the methodologies you plan to use.
• A realistic schedule/timetable for the PhD project (separate mandatory form).

The overall project description (excl. list of project literature/bibliography/reference list and timetable) must not exceed 12,000 characters including spaces, tables, diagrams, footnotes, endnotes and illustrations (5 A4 pages of 2,400 characters each). If the project description exceeds this maximum limit, the application will not be considered.
The total number of characters must be specified at the end of the project description. 

It is important that you make source references in your project description so the assessment committee can see from where you have your knowledge. The reader must always have the opportunity to check all the information mentioned in the project description. Source references (or just references) are small notes in the project description that explains from where you have your knowledge. You can either indicate your literature references in the project's text with parentheses or subtext via footnotes.

For further information please see "Preparing for a PhD project" and "Suggestions for the content of the PhD project description".   

Counting characters
Please see the guide on How to count characters in Word.

5 pages or 12,000 characters
As long as you do not exceed the 12,000 characters incl. spaces, tables, diagrams, footnotes, endnotes and illustrations it is okay that you upload 6 pages or more because of illustrations or diagrams.

Specific calls and ad hoc applications
The most important part of the application is your own project description. The project description must explain the research you propose to conduct within the larger project. This is why you must always write your own project description.

After enrolment
After enrolment the PhD student must prepare a research and education plan in cooperation with the principal supervisor. The plan will include a timetable for the PhD project, including the writing of the PhD dissertation within the standard study period.

The PhD plan must be approved at the latest three months after the student's enrolment on the PhD degree programme. The PhD plan must include timetable for all elements of the PhD degree programme, including PhD courses, changes of research environment in which work is done, overseas study trips, field studies, work on the PhD Dissertation, and work assignments at the university department or collaborating institutions.

The literature referred to in the project description. 

After the project description, there must be a reference list, which is an overview of the material you expect to use in your project. All the sources you have referred to in your project description must be mentioned in your reference list. Each source must only appear once in the list, but you may, of course, be able to refer to it in several places in the project description. 

In order for us to retrieve the sources you refer to in the list, you must, as a minimum, list the following information: author, title, edition, publisher and year of publication.

For articles, you must also have the name of the journal in which the article is published, as well as the number and page numbers. For newspaper articles, the name, date and number of pages of the paper apply.

Do not write a detailed description of your project literature because it will then count as part of your project description. It must only be a reference list like the examples below.

Example:

Books:
Last name, First initial. (Year). Title of the book in italics (Edition – if available). Place of publication: Publisher.
Fitzgerald, F. S. (1926). The Great Gatsby. Chatto & Windus: London.

Periodical articles:
Last name, First initial. (Year). Article title. Periodical title in italics, volume(issue), page numbers.
O'Dwyer, M., & O'Flynn, E. (2005). MNC-SME strategic alliances - A model framing knowledge value as the primary predictor of governance modal choice. Journal of International Management, 11(3), 397-416.

Frequently Asked Question

 
Should the list of project literature/bibliography/reference list be attached separately?
The bibliography must be uploaded in the same pdf file as the project description.  But the list is not a part of the project description so the max length of the description (12,000 characters including spaces) does not apply to the list. 

All applicants (4+4 and 5+3) must fill our the form for the timetable. The last part of the form is for 4+4 applicants with an active Master's degree programme.

It is mandatory to use our form for the timetable. Your application will be rejected if you do not use our form for the timetable.

If you write your own timetable in the project description it counts as a part of your project description. It is only our form for the timetable that does not count.

Timetable for the PhD degree programme and plan for the PhD project
The timetable (time schedule) must show that you have thought of all the elements of the study programme (reading stages, empirical analysis, courses, conferences, study abroad, fieldwork, teaching, writing phase, etc.).  Use the timetable to show that you have not forgotten an element and that you have not planned too much in order to complete the PhD degree programme within three years (four years if 4+4).

PhD Courses
PhD courses must be relevant to your research project, training or prospective career. The PhD courses must be on a higher academic level than the Master's degree, unless there is special reason for giving dispensation from this principle. This must be approved by your principal supervisor after enrolment.

Some courses state the number of ECTS credits given but in the end it is your principal supervisor that determines the number of ECTS awarded for each course based on its relevance to project. Normally, 1 ECTS point is considered equivalent to 25 hours of work, including preparation time etc.

Future courses and conferences have not been posted yet. Some current courses will be advertised again but not all of them. Just enter your wishes for future courses in the timetable if you cannot find any relevant courses in the databases (https://au.phd-courses.dk/ or https://phdcourses.dk/). On this page you can see the courses available at Arts at the moment incl. the mandatory courses: https://phd.arts.au.dk/phd-courses/courses-1 

During your enrolment you must complete PhD courses corresponding to approximately 30 ECTS points in total.

Due to the limited number of characters in the timetable, it will not be possible to list all courses during the enrolment period. Just list as many as possible. The list of courses in the timetable is just a draft for the real plan you have to make no later than 3 months after enrolment if you get accepted as a PhD student.

Planned stays at foreign research institutions
With a view to ensuring the international level of the PhD degree programme, a long-term and continuous period of research lasting at least two months must be included at an active research environment which is not your own (preferably outside Denmark). Total stay overseas may not normally exceed one year.

If you do not have a university in mind yet just enter some of the countries you have thought about for your research stay.

As an employee at Aarhus University with residence in Denmark you are covered by Danish social security. Social security is about the right to treatment at hospitals, the right to pension, allowances in the case of illness/parental leave, children’s allowances etc. In Denmark social security is financed by taxes. If you leave Denmark for 6 months or more you must inform your local authority ("kommune"). Please note that lengthy stays abroad may affect your right to Danish social security (incl. benefits due to parental leave or long-term illness). 

Plans for teaching activities and other types of knowledge sharing communications
Teaching and other forms of communication of knowledge must be related to your PhD project.  This may be work involving tutoring, independent teaching and academic assistance in research centres, academic conferences, academic journals or major research grant applications.

Semester plan
Enter a short description of the activities for each semester of your enrolment (5+3 = 6 semesters, 4+4 = 7-8 semesters). The last semester is for writing the dissertation so do not enter other activities in that semester. 

4+4 applicants
You do not need to fill out this section if you have passed your 1-year Master’s degree and are applying for 4+4 enrolment. The section is meant for applicants still enrolled on a 2-year Master’s degree programme where they have one year left of their enrolment.

General information
The form for the timetable is not a part of the project description's limit of 12,000 characters including spaces but you have to upload it in the same PDF file as the project description because you cannot upload two files in the same field in the application form.

The template for the timetable is locked which means that you cannot copy data from another file into the form. You have to write directly in the timetable.

When you want to combine the file with the project description and the file with the timetable you have to save them both as PDF first and then combine/merge the two PDF files into one file.

The timetable is only tentative at this point, so it is not required that you are specific but it is important to show that you have considered all activities throughout your PhD plan. It would be a good idea to state potential ideas regarding conferences and courses, but you do not need to submit any confirmations.

For further information please see "4.1 The PhD Plan" in the "Rules for the PhD Programme at the Graduate School, Arts".

The main supervisor must be an active, recognised researcher within the relevant research area, and must be employed by the Faculty of Arts/Aarhus Univesity as a professor or associate professor. All supervisors must be academically qualified in the area of the PhD project. 

You do not need a written statement from your potential supervisor when you apply but if you enter a name it is implied that you have been in contact with that person (verbal agreement). 

The head of the graduate school appoints the supervisors for the PhD project. If you have not proposed a principal supervisor in your application the head of the graduate school will provide you with a principal supervisor if you get the fellowship/scholarship.

If you want to talk to a researcher about your project you may contact one of our 8 PhD programme directors. He/she might be able to give you a name or two of a researcher within your field. You can also use this page to search for a potential supervisor.

For further information please see "3.2 Supervision" in the "Rules for the PhD Programme at the Graduate School, Arts".  

Frequently Asked Question

 
Do I need to suggest a main supervisor and a co-supervisor?
No, it is not mandatory to suggest any supervisors at this stage.

Why can I not enter my main supervisor’s details but I can enter my co-supervisor’s details?
You can only fill out the position, institution and email for your co-supervisor and not for your main supervisor.  You main supervisor must be employed at the Faculty of Arts that is why you only need to write the name of your main supervisor. 

I am not from Aarhus University. Could you help me with some names for potential supervisors?
You do not need to have a supervisor in order to apply for a fellowship/scholarship. The head of the graduate school will provide you with a main supervisor if you get the fellowship/scholarship.
  If you want to talk to a researcher about your project, you can try contacting one of the researchers within your own field.

Here are the links for the research programmes at the 3 schools:

• School of Communication and Culture
• School of Culture and Society
• Danish School of Education

If you are not able to find a potential supervisor yourself, you may contact one of our 8 PhD programme directors and he/she might be able to give you a name or two of a researcher within your field. 

Can I have a main supervisor from another university than Aarhus University?
No, but your co-supervisor may come from another university. They will not be paid for the work.

Can an assistant professor be my main supervisor?
No, only professors and associate professors may serve as main supervisors.