Application and admission

There are various ways to start a PhD program at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam: you can do so as an employee of VU Amsterdam, but also without an employment relationship with VU Amsterdam, for example with the help of a scholarship or external funding. As a self-funded PhD candidate, you conduct your PhD research entirely in your own time and with your own resources.

Application and admission

To distinguish between these types of PhD candidates, we follow the categorization agreed upon by Dutch universities within Universities of the Netherlands.

Employed PhD candidates are employed by VU Amsterdam and can apply via our vacancies: PhD vacancies. See also the Guideline appointment policy PhD candidates.

Scholarship PhD candidates, externally funded PhD candidates, and self-funded PhD candidates can apply for a PhD program that they finance through external funds. This is usually done by contacting a faculty, Graduate School, or research institute directly. The Research Portal is a good starting point for searching for topics that VU researchers are working on.

Please note that each faculty may require different and additional documentation or certificates. Faculties or Graduate Schools may also have different rules and requirements for admission.

Funds and grants

The VU Grants Office helps you navigate all the schemes and funds available for research funding. The VU Grants Office offers support in searching for and applying for research grants and in implementing subsidized projects.

VU staff and students can also use Research Connect, a database with a wide variety of grant opportunities, specified according to career stage and the researcher's academic field. See also the compact guide for new users of Research Connect.

Tuition fees

At VU Amsterdam external PhD candidates pay tuition fees on a yearly basis. The fees are paid directly to the faculty or graduate school. Each faculty/graduate school defines their own tuition fees based on the training provision, supervision time and access to facilities, space and internet. However, faculties offer exemptions and tuition fee waivers under certain conditions. You can inquire in more detail about this once you have received an offer letter confirming that your application has been successful. Further information about tuition fees and other elements related to the specific policies of each of our faculties can be found on the individual Graduate School pages:

Academisch Centrum Tandheelkunde Amsterdam (ACTA)

Information to follow
Amsterdam UMC

Information to follow
Faculty of Science (BETA)

Information to follow
Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences (FBMS)

Information about fees can be found at the FBMS Graduate School
Faculty of Law (LAW)

Information about fees of the Graduate School of Law can be found at Obtaining a PhD
Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities (FSH)

Information about fees of the Graduate School of Humanities can be found at Tuition, Costs and Funding
The Graduate School of Social Sciences has put information about fees on their homepage, at "Starting your PhD Trajectory --> Tuition fee and costs to conduct PhD research"
Informatie about fees of Graduate School of Religion and Theology can be found at Fee, VUnet-ID, visa, and funding
School of Business and Economics (SBE)

For information about fees of ABRI Graduate School of Business Research and Tinbergen Institute, visit PhD at the School of Business & Economics and go to "PhD policy and facilities --> Tuition fees external and part-time PhD candidates"

Application and admission