Aarhus University Seal

Vacant PhD positions

Calls for PhD scholarships (4+4) and PhD fellowships (5+3)

Announcement of calls

The calls will be announced on the web no later that one month before the application deadline. The application form will be available at the same time as the call. See the deadlines on this page.


Meetings for potential PhD students

Information for potential PhD students about the PhD degree programme and general student life.

  • Danish School of Education
    Wednesday 24 January 2024 at 10.00-11.30
    See this file for further information

  • PhD programme in ICT, Media, Communication and Journalism
    Friday 2 February 2024  at 13:30-14:30
    See this page for further information

  • School of Culture and Society
    Thursday 15 February 2024 at 10:00-11:30 Danish time
    See this file for further information - PowerPoint presentation from the meeting

Calls and application forms

You can find the application form via the link for the application facility in each of the open and specific calls below.

- Open call

Apply with your own PhD project

  • The graduate schools own PhD scholarships (4+4)/fellowships (5+3).
  • When applying for the open call you apply for both enrolment and a PhD scholarships (4+4)/fellowships (5+3).
  • You are not allowed to apply for more than one PhD programme when you apply for the open call.

See the deadlines on this page: https://phd.arts.au.dk/applicants/open-and-specific-calls/deadline


Open call, March 2024 (4+4/5+3)

  • PhD scholarships/fellowships funded by the Faculty of Arts and Carlsberg Foundation Humanities PhD fellowships (5+3)
    Application deadline:  15 March 2024 at 23.59 Danish time (CET/CEST) 
    Call incl. link to the application facilityDanish version - English version
    Application guide and forms



- Specific calls (predefined PhD projects)

The topic for the PhD project is described in the call

  • When applying for a specific call you apply for both enrolment and PhD scholarship (4+4)/fellowship (5+3).
  • The application must be written in the language mentioned in the call you apply for (see the section "Application").
  • Although the topic has already been defined you must write a project description in which you explain the research you propose to conduct within the larger project.

 

Educational data across public and private data infrastructures (4+4/5+3)

2024-2


The dual artistry that unfolded between the Danish artists Aase Seidler Gernes (1927-2018 ) and Poul Gernes (1925-1996) (5+3)

2024-3


The re-integration of the cerebellum (4+4/5+3)

2024-4


Progressive begyndelser. Dansk læreruddannelse 1945-1975 (5+3)

2024-5


Post-Conflict Speculations: Imagistic Anticipations in the Shadow of Russia (5+3)

2024-6


Why do they stay? (5+3)

2024-7


Garment-Based Wearables for Shared Management of Anxiety of the Student in the University Context (5+3)

2024-8


Småbørnsliv i det digitaliserede samfund (SmiD): delprojekt om digitalt forbrug, dagligdag og forældreperspektiver (4+4 or 5+3)

2024-9


- External calls

PhD fellowships/scholarship from a company, foundation, museum etc.

These calls are normally not funded by Aarhus University. 



There are no calls at the moment.


Deadline, Reply and Enrolment start

Please see the deadlines on this page.

Important information before you apply

We strongly urge you to submit your application in good time before the deadline expires.

  • We do not grant extensions due to problems with your own computer or internet.
  • Read the application guide thoroughly before you fill out the application form!
  • We reserve the right to transfer your application between calls, PhD degree programmes (4+4 or 5+3) and PhD programmes if we find that your application has ended up in the wrong pile.
  • In case of significant errors in your application, you should send in a new application with the correct details before the application deadline. We will only assess the application received last.
  • You cannot apply or send additional documents to your application after the application deadline.
  • We reserve the rights to assess your application on the basis of the documents received before the application deadline.
  • Your application will be rejected if it is missing any of the mandatory attachments or if the project description is too long.

How to apply

Application form

It is important that you read the actual call, the application guide before you fill out the application form.

You can find the link for the application form in each call (both Open call and Specific calls). See the section in the call named "Application" in the relevant call.


Guideline for the application form

In the application guide you will find the answers to 99% of your questions. Please read the guide before you contact the PhD administration.


Mandatory attachments

If your application is missing one or more of the mandatory attachments your application will be rejected without assessment.

Please see this page for the full list of the mandatory attachments.  


Other important information

On the page How to apply you can find information on how to merge documents into one PDF file and what to do if you cannot send your application.


Applying with non-Danish qualifications

If you want to apply for a PhD scholarship/fellowship at Arts but you are not sure if you should apply for 4+4 or 5+3 you can get your non-Danish qualifications assessed by the Danish Agency for Science and Higher Education.

Please see this page for further information.

Difference: Having a Master's degree or still enrolled?

What is the difference between having a Master's degree and still being enrolled as a Master's student when applying for a PhD scholarship/fellowship?

 
This section contains information about:

  • Danish Master's degree or equivalent non-Danish Master's degree (still enrolled)
    • 60-90 ECTS credits after application deadline
    • 90 ECTS credits at the time of application
  • Master's degree (passed og will be passed before PhD enrolment)
    • Danish Master's degree (120 ECTS)
    • Non-Danish Master's degree (equivalent to a Danish Master's degree)
    • Non-Danish Master's degree (NOT equivalent to a Danish Master's degree)

Danish Master's degree or equivalent non-Danish Master's degree (still enrolled)

  • 60-90 ECTS credits after application deadline:
    You can apply for a 4+4 scholarship if you have already acquired 60 ECTS credits or will have acquired 60 to 90 ECTS credits in a Master’s degree examination after the deadline for application.
     
  • 90 ECTS credits at the time of application:
    If you have already earned 90 ECTS credits at the time of application you cannot apply for a 4+4 scholarship. You can apply for a 5+3 fellowship as long as the Master’s degree programme is completed no later than the day before the PhD enrolment starts.

 


Master's degree (passed)

  • Danish Master's degree
    If you have a Danish Master's degree (120 ECTS credits) you can apply for the 5+3 fellowship (NOT the 4+4 scholarship).
     
  • Non-Danish Master's degree - equivalent to a Danish Master's degree:
    If you have a Master's degree and it is equivalent to a Danish Master's degree you can apply for the 5+3 fellowship (NOT the 4+4 scholarship).
     
  • Non-Danish Master's degree - NOT equivalent to a Danish Master's degree:
    If you have a Master's degree and it is only equivalent one year at Master's level in Denmark you can apply for the 4+4 scholarship (NOT the 5+3 fellowship).

    If your Master's degree is not equivalent to a Danish 2-year Master's degree you will be contacted by the Study Centre Arts (if you get one of the PhD scholarships). They will find a new Master's degree programme at Arts for you and make a credit transfer for the courses previously completed as part of your degree programme at Master’s level. On this page you can see all the Master's degree programmes at Aarhus University (choose "Faculty" - "Arts" to see the programmes at Arts): https://kandidat.au.dk/en/ 

    This means that you will be both a Master’s degree student and a PhD student during part A of the PhD degree programme (4+4).

 


Not yet passed but will be passed before PhD enrolment

If you have not yet submitted your Master’s thesis for assessment or if you have other outstanding examinations you must upload a list of the courses you have passed and any examinations you are signed up (inkl. the deadline for your Master's thesis). Your Master’s degree programme must be completed no later than the day before the PhD enrolment starts.


Further information:

For further information about the PhD degree structure at Arts please see this page.


 

Assessment

Your application will go through an academic assessment. Please find information on the assessment process and the assessment criteria here:

Erasmus+ grants for PhD students affected by the war in Ukraine

Staff members, including PhD students, employed in a Ukrainian Higher Education Institution (HEI) who have fled Ukraine due to the Russian aggression are eligible to apply for an Erasmus+ grant of up to 60 days’ duration at Aarhus University.

For further information please see this page.