PhD positions in the Netherlands
A PhD in the Netherlands usually takes four years. Most PhD candidates (promovendi) are employed by a university with a salary set by the collective labour agreement for Dutch universities, which also includes an 8% holiday allowance and an 8.3% end-of-year bonus. You apply for an advertised vacancy rather than to a programme.
Listings updated · Guide reviewed
PhD in the Netherlands at a glance
As of 22 October 2026, Graduates Corner lists 150 open PhD positions in the Netherlands from 17 organizations.
- Open listings
- 150
- Organizations
- 17
- Closing within 30 days
- 142
- State pay or funding
- 150
- Duration
- Usually 4 years full-time
- Funding
- Most PhD candidates are employees paid on the university salary scale; some universities also have scholarship-based PhD candidates with different conditions
- Extra payments
- 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus for employed PhD candidates
- Tuition fees
- Employed PhD candidates do not pay tuition fees
- Entry requirements
- A master's degree (or equivalent) in a relevant field, plus the requirements in the vacancy
- Where positions appear
- AcademicTransfer, university career pages, EURAXESS and Graduates Corner
Open PhD positions in the Netherlands
150 current matching listings
Delft University of Technology
Delft, Netherlands
PhD position
PhD in Thermal Sensors based on Sigma-Delta Modulation
You hold an MSc degree in Electrical Engineering. You are an experienced chip designer. You have strong knowledge of analog and sensor-based systems. You can…
Due todayPaidElectrical Engineering · Education · Media and Communication
Apply by ViewVrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Amsterdam, Netherlands
PhD position
PhD in De-escalating Aggression Between Frontline Workers and Citizens
You focus on public transport staff and carry out participant observation in that setting; You maintain close contact with societal partners and continuously share…
Due todayPaidMedia and Communication
Apply by ViewUniversity of Twente
Enschede, Netherlands
PhD position
PhD in Circular silicon and silicon carbide for additive manufacturing
PhD opportunity at University of Twente, Enschede, Netherlands. Circular silicon and silicon carbide for additive manufacturing.
Due todayPaidMechanical Engineering
Apply by ViewDelft University of Technology
Delft, Netherlands
PhD position
PhD in Adaptive Optimization and Control of Offshore Energy Systems
MSc degree in Systems and Control, Chemical Engineering or similar field (essential). Prior experience with optimization algorithms (essential). Prior experience with…
Due todayPaidEnergy · Mathematics
Apply by ViewUtrecht University
Utrecht, Netherlands
PhD position
PhD in the History of Democracy in the 1970s
PhD opportunity at Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands. the History of Democracy in the 1970s.
Due todayPaidHumanities
Apply by ViewRadboud University Medical Center
Nijmegen, Netherlands
PhD position
PhD in ‘Deepfakes’ in radiology? Synthetic imaging data for medical AI regulation
How representative are synthetic images compared with real clinical data? Which metrics are meaningful for assessing fidelity and clinical validity? How do privacy…
Due todayPaidMedical Sciences
Apply by ViewUniversity of Twente
Enschede, Netherlands
PhD position
PhD in Indirect combustion noise; Fluid Mechanics; CFD; Aeroacoustics
PhD opportunity at University of Twente, Enschede, Netherlands. Indirect combustion noise; Fluid Mechanics; CFD; Aeroacoustics.
1 day leftPaidMechanical Engineering
Apply by ViewDelft University of Technology
Delft, Netherlands
PhD position
PhD in Chaotic Sampling for Secure and Sustainable Networked Control Systems
An MSc degree in systems & control, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, applied mathematics, physics, theoretical computer science, or a closely related…
1 day leftPaidRobotics and Automation
Apply by ViewRadboud University Medical Center
Nijmegen, Netherlands
PhD position
PhD in Vascular Neurology
PhD opportunity at Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands. Vascular Neurology.
1 day leftPaidNeuroscience
Apply by ViewRadboud University Medical Center
Nijmegen, Netherlands
PhD position
PhD in Translational Research on Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy
Carrying out a literature review to familiarise yourself with the background and aims of the TRAFFIC study. Recruiting patients for the TRAFFIC study and, after thorough…
1 day leftPaidMedical Sciences · Neuroscience · Life Sciences
Apply by ViewEindhoven University of Technology
Eindhoven, Netherlands
PhD position
PhD in ‘Experiments and Diagnostics of Iron Electrodeposition’
PhD opportunity at Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, Netherlands. ‘Experiments and Diagnostics of Iron Electrodeposition’.
1 day leftPaidMechanical Engineering · Chemistry · Physics
Apply by ViewEindhoven University of Technology
Eindhoven, Netherlands
PhD position
PhD in Trustworthy LLM-Enabled Ecosystems: From Requirements to Architecture
PhD opportunity at Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, Netherlands. Trustworthy LLM-Enabled Ecosystems: From Requirements to Architecture.
2 days leftPaidRobotics and Automation · Business and Management · Humanities
Apply by ViewErasmus University Rotterdam
Rotterdam, Netherlands
PhD position
PhD in Private-Law Liability of European Ports
PhD opportunity at Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands. Private-Law Liability of European Ports.
3 days leftPaidLaw
Apply by ViewEindhoven University of Technology
Eindhoven, Netherlands
PhD position
PhD in High-Frequency Transformer Design and Partial Discharge Modeling for Data Centers
PhD opportunity at Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, Netherlands. High-Frequency Transformer Design and Partial Discharge Modeling for Data Centers.
3 days leftPaidArtificial Intelligence · Electrical Engineering · Energy
Apply by ViewUtrecht University
Utrecht, Netherlands
PhD position
PhD in Health effects from the exposure to pesticides
PhD opportunity at Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands. Health effects from the exposure to pesticides.
3 days leftPaidEnergy · Medical Sciences · Neuroscience
Apply by ViewErasmus University Rotterdam
Rotterdam, Netherlands
PhD position
PhD in Reassessing Liability Within Corporate Groups
PhD opportunity at Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands. Reassessing Liability Within Corporate Groups.
3 days leftPaidBusiness and Management · Law
Apply by ViewRadboud University
Nijmegen, Netherlands
PhD position
PhD in Physics-Informed Generative AI for Synthetic Energy Data
You will design and compare deep generative approaches, UAEs, GANs, diffusion models/flow matching, and Gaussian processes for realistic load, generation and voltage time…
3 days leftPaidArtificial Intelligence · Physics
Apply by ViewLeiden University
Leiden, Netherlands
PhD position
PhD in Descriptive/Documentary Linguistics in Indonesia
Collecting audio-visual linguistic and cultural data through fieldwork in Indonesia; Transcribing, annotating, analysing and archiving naturalistic language data; Testing…
3 days leftPaidHumanities
Apply by ViewEindhoven University of Technology
Eindhoven, Netherlands
PhD position
PhD in Hardware Architectures for Physics-Informed AI
PhD opportunity at Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, Netherlands. Hardware Architectures for Physics-Informed AI.
3 days leftPaidPhysics
Apply by ViewDelft University of Technology
Delft, Netherlands
PhD position
PhD in Continuum Two-Phase Flow Modelling of Piping in Dikes
Develop continuum-based two-phase models to predict internal erosion and pipe progression in clay-sand layered dikes. Derive constitutive modelling approaches from…
3 days leftPaidMechanical Engineering · Civil Engineering · Physics
Apply by ViewUniversity of Twente
Enschede, Netherlands
PhD position
PhD in Explainable DeepFake detection using Foundation models
PhD opportunity at University of Twente, Enschede, Netherlands. Explainable DeepFake detection using Foundation models.
3 days leftPaidInterdisciplinary Research
Apply by ViewWageningen University & Research
Wageningen, Netherlands
PhD position
PhD in Effects of atmospheric nitrogen deposition on plant and insect diversity
Design and conduct field studies across Northwestern Europe to assess how large- and small-scale gradients in N deposition affect soil chemistry, plant stoichiometry, and…
3 days leftPaidChemistry
Apply by ViewUniversity of Amsterdam
Amsterdam, Netherlands
PhD position
PhD in AI and Hardware Security
designing and carrying out realistic security evaluations on AI algorithms and hardware, such as model extraction, fault injection, and side-channel analysis, on…
3 days leftPaidComputer Science
Apply by ViewRadboud University Medical Center
Nijmegen, Netherlands
PhD position
PhD in Quest for genetic causes of bleeding tendency
Analysis of genetic data. Functional analysis of identified proteins. Conducting systematic searches in literature databases. Validation of laboratory tests. Writing…
3 days leftPaidMedical Sciences · Humanities
Apply by View
PhD in the Netherlands: what you need to know
How to apply for a PhD in the Netherlands
Dutch PhD positions are advertised as jobs for specific projects. Apply through the vacancy, normally with a CV, a motivation letter, transcripts and references. Interviews may include a short presentation about your master's research.
Employee or scholarship PhD?
Check the employment status in the vacancy. An employed PhD candidate receives a salary, the holiday allowance and end-of-year bonus, and pension contributions. A scholarship-based (bursary) PhD has different financial and social-security conditions, so compare offers carefully.
Search terms used in the Netherlands
- PDEng / EngD: engineering doctorate design programme; distinct from a research PhD. PDEng was renamed EngD in 2022
- promovendus: PhD candidate
- promotieplaats / promotieplek: PhD position
- AiO / OiO: employed PhD researcher
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Frequently asked questions
Is a PhD in the Netherlands paid?
Usually yes. Most PhD candidates are employed by the university with a salary on the university scale, plus an 8% holiday allowance and an 8.3% end-of-year bonus.
How long is a PhD in the Netherlands?
Usually four years of full-time research.
What is a promovendus?
Promovendus is the Dutch term for a PhD candidate. Most are employees of the university; employed PhD researchers are also called AiO or OiO.
How many PhD positions in the Netherlands are currently open?
As of 22 October 2026, Graduates Corner lists 150 open PhD positions in the Netherlands from 17 organizations. Listings whose deadline has passed or whose original posting is marked closed are excluded from this count.
Which fields are most common among PhD positions in the Netherlands?
The most frequent fields among current listings are Environmental Sciences (25), Physics (21) and Media and Communication (17).
Which organizations have the most open PhD positions in the Netherlands?
The organizations with the most open listings are Delft University of Technology (31), Eindhoven University of Technology (15) and Leiden University (14).
Are these PhD positions funded?
150 of 150 current listings state a salary, payment or stipend. Where the source does not state compensation, the listing shows "Not specified". Confirm the terms on the official posting before applying.
How often is this list updated?
Listings are refreshed through scheduled imports and direct publication by organizations. 142 of the current listings have a stated deadline within the next 30 days. Check the original posting before applying.
Official sources
Rules and salaries change; the official vacancy and university pages are authoritative. See also scholarships and funding.