Application and admission

All doctoral positions at the joint faculties are announced at https://www.lunduniversity.lu.se/vacancies

Please note that we assess applications for doctoral studies only in relation to announced positions.

Instructions for applicants (PDF)

Vacancy announcements for doctoral studentships financed by the Joint Faculties of Humanities and Theology are published once a year, usually on 15 January, with an application period of at least four weeks. The vacancy announcements are made in Swedish and English.

Doctoral studentships within externally funded projects or graduate schools are usually announced at the same time, so that applicants can be evaluated in relation to one another. When necessary, externally funded doctoral studentships are announced on 15 September each year.

Decisions on admission to third-cycle studies and awarding of doctoral studentships are first prepared by the department through the supervisory committee or equivalent body, then by the Joint Faculties of Humanities and Theology’s Board of Third-cycle Studies.

The department’s assessment of the applicants’ capacity to benefit from third-cycle education is made on the basis of all the documents applicants attach to their applications and is done based on the criteria of quality, quantity, development and relevance. The department can decide to supplement the evaluation through interviews with a shortlist of applicants.

Applicants without prior education in the third cycle are given priority over those with a completed third-cycle education leading to a doctoral degree in a related subject.

Once the department has established a ranking, it is shared with the applicants for objections. This means that all applicants have the opportunity to submit statements about the proposed ranking within two weeks.

The Board of Third-cycle Studies reviews the department’s assessment and then makes a decision to recommend to the dean to decide on admission. The board also decides upon reserves for the doctoral studentship(s).

Decisions on admission to third-cycle education and the awarding of doctoral studentships are made by the dean of third-cycle studies.

Once the dean has made their decision on admission, doctoral studentship(s) are offered to the successful applicant(s). If an applicant declines the offer, the offer is made to a reserve.

Applicants who are not admitted are informed of this no later than seven days after the final decision, via the recruitment system. Decisions about admission and the award of doctoral studentships cannot be appealed.