University of Amsterdam Opens 17 Fully Funded PhD Positions in the Netherlands (2026)
Overview
The University of Amsterdam (UvA) has opened 17 fully funded PhD positions in the Netherlands. They sit in the Faculty of Science and the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences and cover physics, chemistry, geoscience, anthropology, governance, sustainability and urban studies. PhD candidates at UvA are employed as university staff rather than enrolled as students, so they receive a salary, employee benefits, pension contributions and paid leave. Some projects are supported by ERC funding.
In the Faculty of Science the topics are complex dynamical systems, spectroscopy and multiscale modelling of smart self-sealing materials, continuous optical clock research, cosmic ray physics with the KM3NeT neutrino detector, homogeneous catalysis and photochemical conversions (3 positions), time-resolved spectroscopy, and mountain building and biodiversity in the northern Andes (4 positions). In the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences the topics include government responses to internal displacement (2 positions), rule of law from below, local democracy and underrepresented communities, negotiating democracy in Amsterdam, the green transition, labour and housing precarity, urban utopias and urban policy, and anthropology on urban issues (2 positions).
What you get
The contract is full-time with a 38-hour week and a monthly salary from EUR 3,059 up to EUR 4,051, rising annually during the doctorate. Benefits include a holiday allowance, an end-of-year bonus, a pension scheme, professional training and career development support, and access to research facilities.
Who can apply
International applicants are encouraged. Applicants need a relevant Master's degree before the appointment starts, strong academic performance and research potential, good analytical and critical thinking, strong English, and an interest in interdisciplinary research. Individual projects may ask for specific backgrounds such as physics, chemistry, mathematics, anthropology, political science or environmental science.
How to apply
Candidates choose the project that fits their background and apply through the university's official recruitment portal. Typical documents are a CV, motivation letter, transcripts, Master's degree certificate or proof of completion, research or thesis information and referee details where required.
Key dates
Deadlines vary by project and run from 30 August to 15 October 2026. For example, the mountain building and biodiversity positions close on 30 August, the cosmic ray physics position on 31 August, the optical clock position on 30 September and the self-sealing materials projects on 15 October. Recruitment may begin before closing dates.