Prospective PhD researchers

After a masters study (in law), students interested in legal research can pursue a doctoral degree in law. During the four year post-graduate period the doctoral candidate follows a doctoral training programme and prepares a dissertation. There are various kinds of doctoral candidates.  

• The "promovendus" is employee at the Faculty of Law and combines the doctoral project with other tasks, for example teaching activities.
• The "bursaal" is an international PhD student who prepares a doctoral dissertation with the financial support of a grant, not run by the University of Groningen.
• The external doctoral candidate mostly works on a doctoral dissertation in combination with a position outside the university.

The research master is an excellent preparation for a doctorate in law. Annually, there is at least one application procedure for PhD researchers of the category "promovendus", for which research master students and students graduated from other (legal) programmes can apply.

Doctoral Training Programme 

Doctoral candidates of the categories "promovendus" and "bursaal" follow the doctoral training programme of the Groningen Graduate School of Law  (GGSL). External doctoral candidates can, if they wish and if there is enough space, follow parts of the Doctoral Training Programme.

Regulations and procedures for promotions

Those who consider to start writing a dissertation are advised to take notice of the university's Regulations of the Conferral of a Doctorate.