Application procedure PhD programme

The Faculty of Religion, Culture and Society offers students who wish to pursue their own research the possibility to pursue a PhD degree. As a PhD candidate, you develop and carry out your own research project. It is also possible to pursue a PhD-project part-time; in that case, the duration of the project will be adjusted accordingly. Coursework is tailored to your individual needs at the start of your project.

To pursue a PhD degree at our Faculty, admission to the Graduate School of Religion, Culture and Society is required. Please note that admission to the Graduate School does not automatically guarantee a scholarship. This is a separate issue. In most cases, we do not charge tuition fees. However, tuition fees apply in some cases to international scholarship students.

Admission is selective, which means that we assess the quality of your CV and research proposal, as well as whether we have the expertise required to supervise your research.

Vacancies

Occasionally, we offer positions for PhD candidates to conduct research within a larger research project. These positions are advertised on the main University website. If you apply for one of these positions, the selection committee will refer your file to the Graduate School and admission will take place as described in the admission procedure.

Admission procedure

You can read more about the Dutch PhD system and language requirements on the How to obtain a PhD position at the UG web page.

To determine whether our Faculty is the right place to pursue a PhD degree, it is important to familiarize yourself with the expertise available. Once you have an outline of the research project that you would like to pursue, we recommend that you contact one of our academic staff members (find staff in each of the three departments) to discuss your idea and bring it in line with the admission requirements of the Graduate School. This staff member can also advise you on who can act as your supervising professor. Once you have developed a well-founded research proposal, you can submit your application online. Please note that, before submitting your application to our Graduate School, you are required to have contacted a potential supervisor and drafted a PhD proposal in collaboration with them.

A complete application for PhD positions consists of:

1. Online application form
2. A competitive curriculum vitae;
   as evidenced by grades, research experience, prizes and awards, etc.
3. A sketch of your intellectual history (c. 600 words);
   indicating the factors that have led to your current intellectual and scholarly interests, and what you hope to learn from doctoral study at our Graduate School.
4. A research-based MA-thesis and any other major academic papers, if applicable.
   Please note that at least one writing sample must be in English, German, French, Spanish, or Dutch. Papers should demonstrate your scholarly capacity, be no longer than 30 pages, be aligned with your intended field of specialization, and represent your best work.
5. A completed MA degree (an official certified copy) from a university comparable to a Dutch university. Please note that any copies of the required official documents must be authenticated (read more about certified copies). We prefer that you submit your certified documents digitally.
   You can submit the digital documents in the following forms:
   
   • Documents sent as PDF files, provided that we receive them directly from the issuing institution's official email address (or registrar). We do not accept PDF files sent from unverifiable email accounts. The issuing institution must send the document to graduateschool.rcs rug.nl.
   • Documents shared using an independent academic verification platform (i.e. Australia and New Zealand: MyEquals, Canada: Blockcerts and MyCreds, China: CSSD, United Kingdom: GradIntelligence, HEAR and DigitaryCORE, United States: Parchment, National Student Clearing House).
   • Documents submitted via our application form.
     You can submit your documents directly if they can be verified online via your institution’s secure electronic system/database. If your institution does not use a secure electronic system or database, please refer to one of the options above.
   Note: The diploma documents must state the date of graduation and the name of the programme.
6. Official certified transcripts from each college, seminary, or Graduate School attended.
   Applicants enrolled in a university at the time of application are asked to provide a list of current and expected courses for the academic year.
7. English language proficiency requirements
   Please find the general requirements, test requirements, and exemptions on the English language requirements web page. Please submit your English test results unless you are eligible for an exemption. If you qualify for an exemption, please submit evidence of your eligibility.
8. Two recommendation letters from established scholars,
   who can write knowledgeably about your academic qualifications, personal qualities, and suitability for your chosen field of study. We reserve the right to contact your referees for additional information pertinent to your application. Please note that recommendation letters may not be written by your prospective supervisor at the Faculty of Religion, Culture and Society.
9. A research proposal that is supported by at least one potential supervisor at the Faculty who holds ius promovendi (no more than four pages, c. 2000 words excluding references). The proposal should address the following issues:
   1. a description of the main research question, the aims, and motivation of your research;
   2. the position of your research within the (sub-)discipline (what new insights can be expected?);
   3. a brief description of the relevant literature;
   4. a justified demarcation of the literature (if applicable);
   5. the proposed (methodological) approach;
   6. the proposed timetable for the writing of your thesis;
   7. an estimate of expenses expected to exceed the usual costs of travel, conference visits etc. (for example, microfilms, extended stay abroad, etc.). Please note that acceptance of a PhD proposal does not imply that the UG will cover these costs.
   8. the proposed supervisor(s);
10. (If applicable) a statement by the funding institution.

All of the above application items are required. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

After submission, your application will be reviewed by the Graduate School. If your application is complete, the Director of the Graduate School will refer it to the Board of the Centre for Religious Studies. The Board meets once every two months. After the meeting, the Graduate School will inform you of the outcome.