The Graduate School at Arts, Faculty of Arts, Aarhus University, invites applications for a number of SU PhD scholarships (4+4) for a period of up to four years provided the necessary funding is available.
The SU PhD scholarships (4+4) are available for appointment as of 1 February 2027 or 1 March 2027. The commencement of studies depends on the number of ECTS credits earned in the Master’s degree programme by the end of January 2027:
It is expected that candidates awarded a PhD scholarship will be able to commence the PhD degree programme on the above-mentioned date.
The PhD scholarships are available in all fields and areas of research at the Faculty of Arts.
A prerequisite for allocation of a SU PhD scholarship is that you are enrolled as a PhD student at the Graduate School at Arts.
Enrolment and place of work
The PhD student must complete the studies in accordance with the Ministerial Order on the PhD Programme at the Universities and Certain Higher Artistic Educational Institutions (PhD Order): http://phd.arts.au.dk/applicants/thephddegreeprogramme/
Description of the Graduate School’s PhD degree programme (4+4 and 5+3): http://phd.arts.au.dk/applicants/phdstudystructure/
Rules and regulations for the PhD degree programme at the Graduate School at Arts: http://phd.arts.au.dk/applicants/thephddegreeprogramme/
As a PhD student at the Graduate School at Arts, you are affiliated with one of the school’s 8 academic PhD programmes:
ICT, Media, Communication and Journalism
Art, Literature and Cultural Studies
Language, Linguistics, Communication and Cognition
History, Archaeology and Classical Studies
Anthropology, Global Studies and the Study of Religion
Theology, History of ideas and Philosophy
Didactics
Learning and Education
Candidates who are awarded a PhD scholarship will be assigned a place of work in connection with the relevant research culture (Campus Aarhus or Campus Emdrup), normally in affiliation with the principal supervisor’s school. In general, the student is expected to be present at the school on an everyday basis.
The PhD degree programme is expected to include a lengthy research stay at a foreign institution, cf. Description of the graduate school’s PhD degree programme.
The faculty’s research programmes:
School of Communication and Culture: http://cc.au.dk/en/research/research-programmes/
School of Culture and Society: http://cas.au.dk/en/research/research-programmes/
Danish School of Education: http://edu.au.dk/en/research/research-programmes/
4+4 programme
When you apply for a Graduate School SU PhD scholarship (4+4), you must be able to document relevant qualifications in the academic area of the PhD project in the form of a Bachelor’s degree and one year of Master’s degree studies or equivalent qualifications.
A prerequisite for allocation of SU PhD scholarships is that these qualifications are acquired no later than 31 January 2027 if enrolment start is 1 February 2027 and no later than 28 February 2027 if enrolment start is 1 March 2027.
Applicants who have acquired 60 ECTS credits in a Master’s degree examination and applicants who will have acquired 60 to 90 ECTS credits in a Master’s degree examination after the deadline for application can apply for a combined SU and PhD scholarship in the 4+4 scheme. Applicants who have already earned 90 ECTS credits at the time of application should apply for the 5+3 PhD fellowship as long as the Master’s degree programme is completed no later than the day before the PhD enrolment starts.
The duration of part A of the PhD degree programme depends on the number of ECTS credits earned at the commencement of study. The duration is estimated based on the information in the application about the number of ECTS credits earned and those to be awarded upon satisfactory completion of current courses.
A condition for being allocated a combined SU and PhD scholarship is that the applicant passes this examination prior to the commencement of studies.
SU PhD scholarships are allocated in accordance with the Ministerial Order regarding state educational support (SU), section II: https://www.retsinformation.dk/eli/lta/2023/395 (only in Danish).
Please see this page for further information regarding the Danish State Education Grant and Loan Scheme Authority: http://www.su.dk/english/.
The PhD scholar will receive two SU vouchers per month during part A of the PhD degree programme (4+4 scheme).
In connection with the SU PhD scholarship, the PhD scholar is offered paid work of up to 280 hours during part A of the PhD degree programme.
The employment is in accordance with the Agreement regarding payment of PhD students for work carried out in connection with the PhD degree programme (Appendix 5c of the collective agreement): http://phd.arts.au.dk/applicants/thephddegreeprogramme/
SU PhD vouchers and hourly pay (part A): https://phd.arts.au.dk/4-4-part-a/salary-and-employment
Upon obtaining the Master’s degree and transitioning to part B of the PhD degree programme, the terms and conditions of employment and salary will be governed by the collective agreement for academics employed by the Danish state. The PhD fellow will be employed and remunerated in accordance with Appendix 5 of the collective agreement.
The Circular on the Collective Agreement for Academics Employed by the State between the Danish Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (Akademikerne), as well as the Protocol on Salaried PhD Fellows (Appendix 5 of the collective agreement), can be found here: http://phd.arts.au.dk/applicants/thephddegreeprogramme/
At the commencement of part B of the PhD degree programme (4+4 scheme), the PhD fellow will be placed on the first salary step of the academic pay scale (base pay level 4).
Salary (part B): https://phd.arts.au.dk/4-4-part-b-and-5-3/salary-and-employment
Funding
The graduate school’s PhD scholarships are fully funded and cover both SU vouchers/salary and education-related expenses (DKK 40,000 for travel, programme fee/tuition, and overhead). In addition, applicants may apply for limited funding for extra project-related expenses necessary for carrying out the PhD project. However, these additional expenses must be specified in the application, and a detailed budget must be submitted. For further information, please see: https://phd.arts.au.dk/applicants/application-guide/financing
How to apply
The application must include:
Please see a detailed description of the requirements for the application in the guide for the application facility: http://phd.arts.au.dk/applicants/how-to-apply/
Application
If you require academic guidance regarding your application for a SU PhD scholarship please contact the relevant PhD programme director:
http://phd.arts.au.dk/about-us/contact/
The application can be written in both Danish and English.
Child protection certificate
In accordance with Ministerial Order no. 554 of 23 May 2023, Aarhus University is obliged to obtain a statement of no previous convictions in respect of children in connection with the appointment and employment of staff whose work will involve direct contact with children under the age of 15. If you, in connection with your PhD project, will be in direct contact with children under the age of 15 who are not accompanied by a parent or guardian, childcare professional or teacher, you will be covered by the requirements of the ministerial order.
If you are covered by these requirements and read Danish, please complete the section “Samtykkeerklæring” (declaration of consent) in the police form and upload the file under “Other information to consider” in the application form. You can download the form here: https://phd.arts.au.dk/fileadmin/phd.arts.au.dk/ARTS/Rules_and_forms/Boerneattest.pdf
If you are covered by these requirements and do not read Danish, please upload a brief statement with the headline “Child protection certificate needed” under the field “Other information to consider” in the application form.
All applicants must provide documentation of excellent communication skills in English which are considered essential, and you must therefore be able to read, write, and speak academic English fluently. English language requirement is comparable to a minimum of TOEFL 83 or IELTS 6.5. Please see this page for further information: http://phd.arts.au.dk/applicants/english-test/
Applications for the SU PhD scholarships/PhD fellowships and enrolment in the PhD degree programme can only be submitted via the application form in Aarhus University’s web-based facility.
Application deadline: 1 October 2026 at 23:59 Danish time (CET/CEST).
During the assessments, Aarhus University can conduct interviews with selected applicants.
