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Dutch doctoral studies

 

The first step to apply for a Dutch PhD position:

Research vacancies

https://www.academictransfer.com/

European Research Network

http://www.euraxess.nl/

Introduction to Dutch PhD research:

Research category

 

The research scope of the Netherlands is a complex system that integrates multiple factors, funding mechanisms and corresponding relationships. The research conducted in the Netherlands covers basic and application areas, and goes deep into a variety of topics. The Ministry of Education, Science and Culture of the Netherlands is responsible for coordinating research policies in the Netherlands, while the Ministry of Economy is responsible for coordinating Dutch science and technology policies. In the Netherlands, research universities and research institutes affiliated to private institutions, corporate sectors and public enterprises will conduct research, such as:

 

Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research
(The Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research, NOW for short)


Royal Dutch College of Arts and Sciences
(Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, KNAW for short)


Netherlands Institute of Applied Sciences
(Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research, TNO for short)

Research universities, research institutions, and industry are increasingly closely related to collaborative research and innovation. Business and government are the most important financial pillars of Dutch scientific research. Other sponsors include medical funds, foreign companies and the European Union. In the Netherlands, the total amount of funding is approximately 8.1 billion euros.

 

PhD​
In the Netherlands, only research universities can issue a PhD. However, because students from many other research institutions usually cooperate closely with these universities, students registered in these research institutions may also be awarded doctorates. To get a doctorate, the most important key is to complete a dissertation. The dissertation must be based on original research, and the doctoral candidate must make an open defense. In the Netherlands, it takes about four years to complete research and write an academic paper.

 

All research universities can award doctoral degrees, and the awarding of doctoral degrees is carried out by the Dutch higher education institution in a traditional ceremony that continues for a hundred years. In addition to doctoral degrees, the three universities of science and technology also offer design and technical design courses in several engineering fields, including advanced studies and personal projects. This type of course takes two years to complete, and students can obtain a doctorate in engineering (PDEng) after graduation.

*The three heavyweight universities of science and technology in the Netherlands are
1. Delft University of Technology
2. Eindhoven University of Technology
3. University of Twente

 

 

Method 1: PhD position with salary

 

Research projects led by Dutch universities are usually carried out by two or more universities and often provide paid short-term vacancies for PhDs. These projects will have an established research proposal, and the course organizers will find suitable doctoral candidates to execute. Applying for this type of doctoral vacancy is quite similar to looking for a job. If the organizer intends to find candidates from other countries, the job vacancy will be published internationally in periodicals, the website of the institution, or a letter will be sent to the institution where the potential candidate is attending. Candidates will be invited to apply, and interested students should contact the institution directly.

Related reminders

 

1. Relevant application document requirements: If you are not applying for a PHD job vacancy that has been announced, there is usually no regulatory document. According to the rule of thumb, it is recommended that students prepare a research plan (Proposal), resume (CV) and master's degree. With the transcript, you can directly inquire about the PHD opportunities with the school or the professor. Usually, the professor will pay more attention to the research project you put forward. The relevant English transcripts and other documents will be asked for you to fill in later.

 

2. Visa-related: Usually Taiwanese students go to the Netherlands to study PHD, and the Dutch school needs to apply for a work visa for the student. Therefore, once the student is determined to obtain the admission permit, it is recommended to immediately inquire with the professor and contact the corresponding window for visa application. Please note that since PHD is considered a job vacancy in the Netherlands, you must apply for a work visa, and sometimes it takes a lot of time. It is strongly recommended to apply as soon as possible!!

How to quickly search for PHD job vacancies?

It has been confirmed that the research unit that hopes to enter:
It is recommended to search for job vacancies links (Vacancies/Job Opportunities) on the school’s website. You can also enter vacancy in the search field (Search) on the school’s website to directly search for PhD research vacancies.

Determine which research institutes in the Netherlands offer doctoral research opportunities:
1. First confirm your research direction and field
2. Find out which research institutions provide research opportunities in this field:
Step1: Link to http://www.academictransfer.nl, enter the research field and search.
Step2: You can search one by one in the links of traditional Dutch universities or international research institutions, and then select the advisory professor from the list of professors in each school. If the advisory professor is interested in your research plan, the professor will take the initiative to assist you in enrolling and start other visits Dutch research procedures apply.

 


Method 2: Find the advisor

Once you decide to apply for a PhD in the Netherlands, you have to start looking for an advisory professor-he/she must be a professor who supports your research proposal and is willing to formally supervise your research. The best way to find an advisor is through an international network in your field of expertise. Find someone who has a good reputation in your field and works for a Dutch institution. For example, international seminars or international essays that have been studied. Of course, your own current professor is the best consultant, maybe he/she has a pulse in a Dutch university.

 

The quality control advisor is not the only person responsible for the quality of your research. Every university has a doctoral committee responsible for approving research proposals approved by the advisor. Once the research is completed and the instructor judges that the paper is ready for publication and accepts oral defense, another committee will be assigned to read and approve the academic paper. And this is the same committee that PhD candidates will face during the oral defense ceremony. Of course, doctoral research plans and academic papers must be original works in their academic field, because the responsibility of doctoral candidates is to make original contributions to the knowledge in this field. The doctoral dissertation will be made public and is usually considered important enough by international journals for external review.

 

Admission requirements PhD candidates must meet high standards. The candidate's solid background in theory and research methods is very important. In their field, they must have an academic background equivalent to that of their Dutch peers. You must have a recognized master's degree. There may be some exceptions in the first year of the doctoral program. For example, due to certain factors, candidates may only gradually receive limited formal teaching during this period. At the same time, doctoral candidates must have a high degree of independence and good self-control. A considerable degree of language ability is another condition. Candidates from other countries usually choose to write academic papers in English, so they must be proficient in English vocabulary and grammar. These language skills must be available before you start writing academic papers. Under the consideration of various conditions, each university will decide whether to admit the candidate. The doctoral research is governed by the doctoral charter.

 

Almost all PhDs registered in the Netherlands receive short-term positions or allowances, although students can also complete their PhD degrees without any allowances or positions. In that case, doctoral students must be able to find an advisor who is willing to supervise their research, and the university may charge tuition or research guidance fees (Bench Fee). Some Dutch institutions charge tuition fees for registration and research guidance. Each higher education has its own charging method for research guidance and the use of laboratories and equipment. The fees for each subject are also different, depending on whether expensive equipment is required.

 

If you need an entry visa, we recommend that you contact the research institution to inquire about how to apply for and obtain an entry visa.

 

Some international organizations such as the European Union provide doctoral scholarship programs for doctoral students. The government and employers sometimes provide their own overseas doctoral research scholarships. In addition, some Dutch host organizations may also have scholarship funding available.

 

For your own funding source, you should ask the selected research institution whether there are scholarships and bursaries provided by the research institution itself. Or go to further study at your own expense. For more information about funding, you can also check: www.grantfinder.nl or http://www.euraxess.nl


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