phd study in denmark

PhD Studies

PhD studies at Aalborg University

Aalborg University (AAU) has five Doctoral Schools which are specialised within the disciplines offered by the faculties. The Doctoral Schools educate PhD fellows of a high international standard.

Benefits of doing a PhD at AAU

PhD fellow Maria Maigaard Paulsen from AAU Energy

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Admission to a PhD program

All PhD positions at Aalborg University require that candidates have acquired a Danish five-year Master’s degree or have completed another similar programme.

Apply for a PhD position at AAU

All PhD positions at Aalborg University are advertised on AAU's website for vacant positions, under PhD vacancies. You will find all current scholarships for all Doctoral Schools here. Each job advertisement will contain all relevant information about the position, including information on salary, period of employment etc.

In order to apply for a PhD position at Aalborg University, you must fill in the online form on AAU’s website for vacant positions. Only online applications sent through this portal will be accepted.

See vacant PhD positions at AAU

Other PhD opportunities at AAU

At Aalborg University (AAU), you can apply to become a PhD student without being employed at the University. Before applying, you must make sure that your application meets the requirements specified on the websites of the AAU Doctoral Schools.

The following other opportunities for PhD studies are available at AAU:

Self-financed PhD studies

You can apply for enrolment as a self-financed PhD student, which means that you will pay all costs connected to your studies. These costs will depend on the individual Doctoral School and PhD programme.

Industrial PhD studies

You can apply for enrolment as an industrial PhD student in cooperation with the company where you are employed and the relevant doctoral school. Your company will be responsible for applying to the Ministry of Higher Education and Science for financial support for the project. It is a requirement that you are employed in a Danish company or a Danish department of an international company.

Co-financed PhD studies

If your employer or another party is willing to finance all or part of your PhD studies, it is possible to collaborate with AAU on a PhD project, provided that the project is strategically and academically relevant for the doctoral school.

PhD assessment without programme enrolment

You can also submit material for assessment in order to obtain a PhD degree without having been enrolled in a PhD programme. This particular approach requires that your material was prepared under supervision of a qualified supervisor, and that you meet the current requirements for PhD students and additional requirements. Further information on this particular option can be required by contacting AAU PhD

Further information about PhD studies at AAU

For further information on PhD studies at AAU, please contact AAU PhD .

Career developement for PhD Students

All PhD students at AAU have access to a variety of services that can develope themselves and their future career

Area manager

Specialists, phd administration.

AAU PhD handles the PhD administration at Aalborg University for the 4 PhD schools.

This includes the following tasks:

• Daily operations related to PhD students
• Advertising scholarships and processing applications
• Enrollment of PhD students
• Administration of course activities
• Awarding PhD degrees
• Managing doctoral dissertations
• Statistical reports to Statistics Denmark
• Resource management
• Secretariat for the PhD committees at the 5 PhD schools

E-mail: [email protected]    Tel.: (+45) 9940 9638 Kroghstræde 1 9220 Aalborg East

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PhD studies at Aarhus University

For current PhD students

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PhD studies at Aalborg University

Aalborg University (AAU) has four Doctoral Schools which are specialised within the disciplines offered by the faculties. The Doctoral Schools educate PhD fellows of a high international standard and conducts world class research within a variety of areas. Daily administration is undertaken by AAU PhD which includes tasks such as enrollment, PhD courses, leave of absence, economics and a variety of other tasks

Apply for a PhD position

Benefits of doing a PhD at AAU

PhD fellow Maria Maigaard Paulsen from AAU Energy

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Applying for a PhD stipend

All vacant PhD positions at Aalborg University are published on the university website.

 The individual listing will always contain specific information about the contents and requirements related to the project at hand.

If you wish to apply for a vacnt positon you must apply the online portal found at the bottom of each vacant position.

Other ways into the PhD study

At AAU you can apply for PhD enrollment without applying for a vacant PhD position.

The different ways into the PhD study:

Private funding

You can apply for enrollment and fund your own PhD study. This entails that you cover all expenses related to the PhD project - the final amount varies between the different faculties and departments - please contact the individual departments for further information.

Industrial PhD

Through Innovation Fund Denmark you can become an Industrial PhD. Here you will be employed at an organization/company and enrolled at a Doctoral School. The program has specific requirement in relation grades and the scope of the project. Read more about the program at the website of Innovation fund Denmark or contact Kristian Østergaard at AAU PhD

Co-finansed PhD

You can engage in a collaboration with one or more organizations and companies and co-finance a PhD study - this will not grant an employment as a PhD stipend. The cost will vary between the different departments.

Submit a thesis without enrollment

It is possible to submit a thesis for assessment without prior enrollment as a PhD student. There are specific requirements in relation to this method.

Your work must be carried out under supervision and you must have had a Danish master degree or similar when commencing the work. For additional information contact AAU PhD

AAU PhD News and Events

Career development offers from AAU PhD and other services.

AAU PhD is responsible for the administration of the Doctoral School's at Aalborg University

This includes the following tasks:

• Daily administration of PhD students
• Publishing vacant positions and processing applications
• Enrollment procedures
• PhD courses
• Awarding and creating PhD diplomas
• Management information
• Reports - key figures and statistics
• Career developement
• Secretariat for the PhD boards at the different Doctoral Schools
• Processing Doctoral dissertations (not PhD)

E-mail: [email protected]   Phone.: 9940 9638 Kroghstræde 1 9220 Aalborg Øst

Area manager

Specialists, phd administration.

PhD School of SCIENCE

Check out the available PhD positions at UCPH

See theses from our PhD students

The PhD school of SCIENCE organises training and education of researchers within all areas of science, with a view to ensure the highest scientific level among the next generations of researchers. The PhD school aims to train PhD candidates with all the required scientific skills plus complementary competencies at the highest level.

The PhD programme at SCIENCE lasts three years and includes an independent research project, stays at other/international research institution(s), PhD level courses, teaching and other types of knowledge dissemination. The PhD is concluded by writing and defending a PhD thesis.

Rules and guidelines

Study structures, talent doctoral fellowship, phd planner, intranet for current phd students, phd defence, phd defence: karla b. parga martínez, phd defence: sanne mariël moedt, phd defence by maja rydgård.

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International staff mobility

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PhD programme

The individual universities may award the PhD degree within the disciplines in which the universities conduct research and for which they have established a PhD school. A university may establish a PhD school on its own or in collaboration with one or more other universities. The PhD degree is normally awarded after three years of higher education and research (180 ECTS credits) following a Master’s degree.

In March 2017 the Danish Ministry of Higher Education and Science published a comprehensive analysis of the quality and effects of an increased intake of PhD students in the period 2003-2010.

Read a full English version of the main findings below.

• The quality and relevance of the Danish PhD programme: compilation of main results

The individual university is responsible for organising its PhD programme within the framework of the PhD Order.

Objective of the PhD programme:

The PhD programme trains PhD students at an international level to undertake research, development and teaching assignments in the private and public sectors, for which a broad knowledge of research is required.

Each PhD student is appointed a principal supervisor who is responsible for the student’s PhD programme. The principal supervisor must be a recognised researcher within the relevant field, be employed by the university and affiliated with the PhD school. The student may have additional supervisors appointed.

Contents of the PhD programme:

The PhD programme comprises the following elements:

• Conducting an independent PhD project under supervision
• Completing a PhD thesis on the basis of the PhD project
• Completing PhD courses corresponding to approx. six months
• Participating in active research environments, including long-term stays at other, for example foreign, research institutions
• Gaining experience of teaching or other form of knowledge dissemination

The PhD student is required to publicly defend his or her PhD thesis at the university.

• For more information please visit the website Study in Denmark
• PhD Order (pdf)

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PhD programmes

• PhD Programmes - Guide to studies and admission

The PhD process at UCPH

In the boxes below, you can find details on different aspects of the PhD process at UCPH.

In principle, fees are payable for studying as a researcher since the University is required to cover its costs in every case.  Typically, Faculties have set standard fees although these may differ if for example a specific research project is especially costly.

Faculties offer a limited number of scholarships/grants to cover students' cost of living and these can be applied for when advertised.  Normally, employment contracts are for three years in accordance with a special protocol to the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations' agreement.

Similar doctoral scholarships are also awarded by research councils and other public bodies and private foundations, although these are often for major research projects or for dealing with research assignments.

If a PhD scholarship is awarded, it normally also includes the University's course fees. Be aware that course fees vary depending on the Faculty. For more details see individual graduate schools.

If awarded a scholarship, students will also be offered work corresponding to 840 hours (six months' work) over the course of the three years.

Admission as a PhD student follows an application to the Faculty concerned. Individual Faculties' PhD websites give the procedures and deadlines for applications.

The emphasis is on the applicant's academic qualifications, the nature of research projects and how these can be included in the research plans of the academic environment concerned and whether the requisite resources are available, including the supervisory capacity, for the studies to be undertaken.

It is essential for study funding to be in place since admission requires the University to make the requisite resources available for studies to be properly undertaken.

We advise contacting the academic environment concerned to discuss your research project and study options before completing and submitting an application for admission. It is possible and often a good idea to submit an application for admission at the same time as applying for a research grant.  We know from experience that drawing up a good application is a relatively big, time-consuming task.

Supervision

Each PhD student is assigned a lead supervisor on admission. This is a researcher employed by the University (at least an assistant professor). In addition to providing academic and study-related guidance, supervisors are required to see that studies, including planned course participation, proceed satisfactorily and makes progress according to plan.

During the course of studies, the lead supervisor will at the very least make regular assessments of course progress. In standard programmes, student assessments are made 26 months, 14 months and 6 months before the end of courses.

Your supervisor is also especially responsible for enabling you to get in touch with active researchers outside UCPH.

UCPH stresses the importance of good supervision and has therefore developed a folder on this.

Read more about PhD supervision at UCPH in these two folders:

• At lede vejen (PDF)
• To Lead the Way (PDF)

As part of your PhD at the University of Copenhagen, you need to take about 30 ECTS in PhD courses or similar educational modules corresponding to six months of studies. These courses can either be done at UCPH or at other universities in Denmark or abroad.

The courses can be specifically academic or generally relevant to research, such as writing articles in English, scientific ethics or intellectual property.  Further, it is obligatory for all PhD students at the University of Copenhagen to attend and have completed a course of ethics and good scientific practice.

Danish universities have made an agreement on PhD courses to make it easier for students to take PhD courses at other Danish universities. 

Open market for PhD courses  

You can find PhD courses for all Danish universities at  phdcourses.dk

Intermediate processes

In the standard process at the University of Copenhagen, there are generally three regular assessments.  These are made at the 26 month, 14 month and six month points before completion of PhD studies.

In the flex schemes, regular assessments are made at the following points (months) before completion of the PhD:

4+4 : 38, 26, 14, 6

3+5 : 50, 38, 26, 14

Individual faculties may themselves set further rules for regular assessments.

Supervisors are required to draw up an overall report by the end of the three year admission period at the latest on whether studies have been satisfactory. The completed thesis will also be submitted for adjudication at the same time.

An adjudication committee consisting of three qualified academics (of whom two must be external but not including the supervisor) assesses the thesis and a concluding viva defence and then make recommendations to the Academic Council as to whether a PhD should be granted.

A thesis must be made available before submission to any interested party who will also have the opportunity to speak during a viva defence. Once a PhD has been awarded by the Academic Council, a certificate is prepared in Danish and English.

About PhD studies in Denmark

Flexible phd process, open market for phd courses.

You can find PhD courses for all Danish universities at phdcourses.dk

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• Department of Mathematical Sciences
• Study programmes
• PhD program

The PhD program

The PhD program at the Department of Mathematical Sciences usually lasts 3 years. The typical entry level is a Master's Degree. The program consists first of all of an independent research project resulting in the end in a PhD thesis with publishable results.

It is also a part of the PhD program to follow a number of PhD courses totalling 30 ECTS, and our PhD students are expected to spend 3-6 months at a foreign research institution during the PhD program.

PhD students (except industrial PhD's) are required to teach, typically as teaching assistants. Our (advanced) courses are taught in English. Our PhD students must be able to teach in English and to follow courses taught in English.

A PhD degree in mathematics will make you qualified for a wide range of career possibilities including continuing an academic career or going into the private or the public sector. 

PhD students who hold a stipend from the University of Copenhagen will receive a salary of about 3,300 EUR/month before taxes and 2,200 EUR/month after taxes. This stipend also includes a travel allowance for participation in conferences and for research visit(s) to foreign research institutions. The Department of Mathematical Sciences offers PhD degrees in pure and applied mathematics, statistics, insurance and financial mathematics within four research sections and two centres:

• Algebra & Geometry
• Analysis & Quantum
• Insurance and Economics
• Statistics and Probability
• Copenhagen Centre for Geometry and Topology (GeoTop)
• Centre for the Mathematics of Quantum Theory (QMATH)

The department currently has about 45 tenured faculty, 25 postdocs, and more than 40 PhD students.

Applying for a PhD

• After accepting a PhD stipend  
• Mini-guide on how to fill the online application form

For current PhD students

See MATHnet  (department intranet) for courses, economy, travel etc.

PhD students

Taro Spirig, PhD student

Priya Kaveri, PhD student

Rune Thinggaard Hansen, PhD student

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Department of Biology

• BIO - English
• PhD programme

  PhD Programme

Scholarships

Phd study at the department of biology.

The Department of Biology is among the largest Departments at the University of Copenhagen. It employs 475 academic and technical staff and hosts research programmes and teaching curricula that cover all major biological sub-disciplines. University rankings typically place the field of biology/biochemistry at the University of Copenhagen first in Denmark and among the top 30 universities internationally.

The mission of the PhD programme at the Department of Biology is to offer world-class research training and education through participation in exciting, frontier research projects.

The successful candidates will join the lively group of 150 PhD students studying at the Department of Biology and participate in the many exciting events and activities organised by the PhD student network and the Department, including the annual PhD day, the biannual BIO conference, weekly research seminars, and career fairs.

All PhD students at Department of Biology are enrolled at the  PhD school of Science .

Local PhD coordinators Robin Andersson Tel: 3533 0245 ​ [email protected] Bioinformatic & RNA Biology A​nders Priemé​ Tel: 3533 0147 [email protected] Microbiology,  Cell-and Neurobiology,  Ecology and Evolution ​ Henriette Pilegaard Tel:  3532 1687 [email protected] Cell Biology and Physiology,  Genomics and Molecular Biomedicin Niels Daugbjerg  Tel: 3533 1830 [email protected] Freshwater Biology,  Marine  B​​iology,  Terrestrial Ecology​​​​ Michael Lisby Tel: 3532 2120 [email protected] Functional genomics Sine Lo Svenningsen Tel: 3532 2033 [email protected] Biomolecular  Sciences

PhD secretaries Jannike Dyrskjøt   (Molecular Biology and Genes, Molecular Cell Biology and Physiology, Protein Sciences) Jeannette Melsen   (Aquatic Sciences, Ecology and Evolution, Microbiology)

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Become a PhD student

In terms of academic level, the PhD programme corresponds to three years of full-time study and is based on a successfully completed Master's programme is based on a successfully completed Master’s programme of 120 ECTS points (corresponding to 2 years full-time master’s study) .

Within the three year enrollment  PhD students are required to complete a programme that includes: 

• An independent research project completed under academic supervision
• A course programme of an extent corresponding to six months of studies (30 ECTS points)
• Participation in active research environments other than at SDU, including stays at other, mainly foreign, research institutions or private research enterprises
• Experience with teaching and other dissemination of knowledge
• Completion of a PhD Thesis
• The opportunity to defend your PhD Thesis in public

The PhD programmes are offered at the university's five PhD schools. All PhD schools offer a three-year PhD programme, and admission to the programme requires a Master's degree or similar degree. Some PhD schools also offer a four-year PhD programme for students who have completed the first year of a Master's programme.

The PhD programme is completed in close interaction with your academic supervisor, who is a leading researcher within the chosen field of research. You will be able to arrange a great part of your PhD programme yourself and to take study trips to recognised universities abroad. You will establish contacts to several active research environments both at and outside the University of Southern Denmark, and you will be participating in study activities, courses and conferences at both national and international research institutions. You will acquire experience with teaching and disseminating research results.

The Industrial PhD programme

An Industrial PhD programme is a three-year business-oriented PhD project where you as a PhD student are employed by a private company or a public-sector organisation while at the same time being enrolled at a university. As host university for Industrial PhD students, the University of Southern Denmark offers excellent conditions for setting up research partnerships between private business, the public sector and the university.

How do I find my research project?

At the University of Southern Denmark we regularly offer predefined projects, the details of which can be found under " Vacant positions " at the SDU main webpage. At some institutes it will also be possible to participate in defining a PhD project in collaboration with an academic supervisor and possibly an external organisation. At the Faculty of Health Sciences, the most common approach is for students to contact a potential academic supervisor with a view to formulating their PhD project together with him or her.

Work and salary conditions

Information from SDU International Staff Office

Last Updated 05.10.2023

Meet the first 10 DDSA PhD Fellows awarded in 2022 in this video!

Ddsa phd fellowship call 2024, call closed.

Open call for the third award of 10 three-year PhD Fellowships of DKK 1.8 million each. We award visionary and creative-thinking young data scientists who want to pursue their own research ideas in collaboration with a strong host environment at a Danish research institution. Application deadline is February 28, 2024.

______________________________________________

Call for Applications  

Danish Data Science Academy (DDSA) invites applications for ten three-year PhD fellowships of DKK 1,800,000 (+ 5% administrative costs) to visionary and creative-thinking young data scientists who want to pursue their own research ideas in collaboration with a strong host environment at a Danish research institution.  

Applications can be within any field of data science aligning with the DDSA research scope .   

DDSA welcomes applications from candidates eligible for a Danish PhD programme (the 3+5, 4+4 and 5+3 models). It is a requirement that the applicant has a well-defined project proposal as well as an agreement with a principal supervisor at a Danish university, and that the candidate will enroll to the relevant PhD Scho o l prior to December 1 5 , 2024.  

We also welcome applications from candidates who applied for a PhD fellowship during the previous rounds of applications (2022 and 2023), but who did not receive a grant.    

Deadline for applications is February 28, 2024, 23:59 (UTC + 01:00).

Applications must be submitted via the DDSA Funding Portal .  

Please note that DDSA does not fund industrial PhDs, offer co-funding or fund students already enrolled at a PhD School.

Please make sure to read the full application guidelines before you start your application process. Applications not fulfilling the requirements will be rejected without further consideration. In this case, you will receive a formal rejection .  

The DDSA PhD Fellowship is a fixed individual research grant aiming to attract and support visionary data science students that want to develop their own PhD project in collaboration with a strong hosting environment at a Danish research institution. By focusing on academic freedom and the student-driven research idea, we aim to engage and empower the new generation of data science researchers.

DDSA encourages cross-disciplinary and collaborative projects with more than one supervisor from different disciplines. The interdisciplinary aspect is not limited to spanning theory and application but can also span different applications or different theoretical approaches.  

If granted a DDSA Fellowship, you will join a vibrant community of young data scientists #GrowingDanishDataScience across scientific domains and disciplines.  

Who can Apply?

We welcome applications that combine excellent data science qualifications, creativity, passion for research, and the desire to engage with the data science community.  

All interested candidates irrespective of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, nationality, or religion are encouraged to apply.  

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants with a Master’s degree (the 5 +3 PhD model) :

You can apply for a DDSA Fellowship based on a two-year Master’s degree (120 ECTS points), in addition to a Bachelor’s degree (180 ECTS points), or equivalent. If you have not yet finalised your Master’s degree by the time of application, you must provide a statement from your Master’s thesis supervisor.  

Applicants without a Master’s degree (the 4+4 and 3+5 PhD models) : 

You can also apply based on your Bachelor’s degree, and thereby integrate your Master’s degree and PhD education (the so-called 4+4 and 3+5 PhD models). If you have not yet finalised your Bachelor’s degree by the time of application, you must provide a statement from your Bachelor’s thesis supervisor.  

All applicants must have high-level proficiency in oral and written English.  

The Research Project

Your project must be within a field of data science, and may concern basic theoretical research, development of new data science methods and technologies, and/or innovative applications of data science to generate new important insights.  

Projects mainly concerned with methods development must argue convincingly for the potential application and impact.   

Projects that have their primary focus on applications of state-of-the-art data science methods must argue convincingly for the novelty and impact of their data science approach and for the importance of the new knowledge generated.   

Your project must be aligned with the research scope  to one, or both, of the DDSA funders, Novo Nordisk Foundation and VILLUM FONDEN.  

The Supervisor(s) 

In order to apply you must have a letter of support from a principal supervisor who holds a position as an associate professor or professor (or equivalent) at a Danish university and conducts research within the field of your PhD project.

Please note: There is no limit on the numbers of applications per supervisor per funding instrument , however , a principal supervisor can onl y supervise 1 grant recipient per funding instrument per year .

You may have additional co-supervisors as you see fit.  

How to Apply

You apply by submitting your application to the DDSA Funding Portal . Please make sure to carefully read the application guidelines below before you start your application process.

Application Guidelines

Applications not fulfilling the requirements will be rejected without further consideration. In this case, you will receive a formal rejection.

Applications must be submitted via the DDSA Funding Portal . We encourage applicants to log in to the funding portal for details on the application form in good time before submitting the application.   

The application form is divided into three sections: Research Project , Research Environment, and Applicant Qualifications . You may at any time skip forward and back between the sections and save and view changes made to your application prior to submitting.   

Your application must be written in English and include the following:

RESEARH PROJECT

Max. 2,500 characters  

• Abstract in English briefly describing the purpose, methods and significance of the project.  

Project Description  

Max. 8,000 characters excluding figures/tables and list of literature cited (uploaded in separate fields).  

The project description should include:  

• Background and state of the art  
• Research questions and methods  
• Outcome and potential impact  
• Literature cited  

Please note, it is not possible to write your p roject d escription in Latex .  

Data Availability Statement (optional)

It is a prerequisite that the proposed research is conducted in agreement with The Danish Code of Conduct for Research Integrity . Furthermore, if the specific project contains elements of potential ethical concern, please enclose a statement describing these as well as a presentation of measures to ensure responsible research conduct. If the research requires approval from ethical committees, this should be stipulated along the expected approval processing time.  

Motivation Letter  

Max. 4,500 characters  

The motivation letter should address the following:  

• What is your motivation for doing a PhD?  
• What is your motivation for addressing the research questions?  
• Why are you the right candidate to carry out this project?
• How will your research and results impact science and society more broadly?

RESEARCH ENVIRONMENT

CV and Statement of Support from Principal Supervisor  

You must have a supervisor agreement with a principal supervisor who conducts research within the subject of your PhD project, and who is employed as an associate professor or professor (or equivalent) at the university where you wish to enroll.  

Please provide:  

• A short CV of the principal supervisor (max. two pages)
• A signed letter of support from the principal supervisor that describes why he/she supports the candidate and the project, including what prior knowledge he/she has of the candidate  

Co-Supervisor (optional)  

A short CV of the of the co-supervisor (max. two pages)

Description of Research Environment  

Please describe how the collaboration is a good match, and how the host environment will support you in successfully carrying out your research project.  

APPLICANT QUALIFICATIONS  

Max. 6,000 characters  

Your CV should include:  

• Your educational background  
• Additional qualifications and experiences you may have, for instance: studies abroad, pre-graduate research, data science and programming experience, honors, experience with working in a research environment, participation in research conferences/meetings/presentations, teaching experiences, and publications (incl. the status of the paper: published/accepted/under review/preprint), etc. 

Recommendation Letters or other CV Documentation (optional)  

Max. 2 uploads  

Copies of Certificates and Grades  

Applicants with a Master’s degree (the 5+3 PhD model): 

Please provide copies of certificates including full transcripts of grades of both your Bachelor’s degree (180 ETCS) and your Master’s degree (120 ETCS), or equivalent degrees.

If you have not yet finished your Master’s degree, please enclose a statement from your Master’s thesis supervisor including the expected date for handing in the thesis, planned exam date, as well as expectation of a successful outcome.

Applicants without a Master’s degree (the 4+4 and 3+5 PhD models): 

Please provide a copy of your Bachelor degree certificate and full transcripts of grades of your Bachelor degree as well as any Master’s degree courses you may have completed.

If you have not yet finished your Bachelor’s degree, please include transcripts of grades of all Bachelor’s degree courses completed. Furthermore, you must enclose a statement from your Bachelor’s thesis supervisor including the expected date for handing in the thesis, planned exam date, as well as expectation of a successful outcome.

Evaluation Criteria

The proposed research project must be aligned with the Research Scope  to one, or both, of the DDSA funders, Novo Nordisk Foundation and VILLUM FONDEN.  

Applications will be evaluated based on the following six criteria. Each criterion will be given equal weight:

1. Applicant Quality     

• Prior academic achievements and performance  
• Data science and programming experience  
• Motivation and creativity  
• Research experience  
• References   
• Publications (if any)  

2. R esearch Quality (novelty, originality, motivation)  

• Is the proposed research idea novel?   
• Are stated research hypotheses consistent and appropriate?  
• Is the state-of-the-art of the relevant research field adequately described?  
• Is the proposed research likely to produce exciting new knowledge?  
• Is the proposed project sufficiently focused?  

3. Research Impact (on e.g., academic, cultural, societal, economic, health or environmental issues)   

• Is the proposed new knowledge generated useful across scientific domains?  
• Will the proposed research have a high impact? E.g., generate new scientific paradigms or facilitate new analyses that are likely to lead to novel important insights?  
• Will the proposed research impact (multiple) research fields within the DDSA Research Scope ?  

4. Feasibility (the likelihood for the project to obtain the goals envisioned)  

• Is the proposed project technically feasible?  
• Is the relevant data available and accessible to conduct the proposed research?  
• Is the research described realistic given the resources available (applicant + hosting institution)?  
• Is there access to necessary computing resources, equipment, etc.?  
• Are relevant ethical concerns addressed?  

5. Collaboration (the combined quality of the research team (applicant and supervisor) and the broader research environment at the hosting institution)   

• Is there a high synergy between applicant experience and hosting scientific environment?  
• Is collaboration cross-disciplinary  
• Is there adequate scientific quality available in the hosting scientific environment to realize the proposed research project?  
• What is the level of scientific excellence of the hosting environment?  
• Is the synergy of applicant and hosting environment well argued in the application?  

6. Alignment with the Scope of DDSA  

• Is the proposed research within the DDSA Research Scope ?  
• Does the proposal support the creating of a scientific community within data science in Denmark ?  

Evaluation and Selection Process

The evaluation and selection process are conducted by the DDSA Fellowship Evaluation Committee (FEC) , consisting of six international members and six Danish members. The evaluation process is divided into two steps:  

• Scientific evaluation: Each application is individually evaluated by up to four assessors, followed by a full committee discussion meeting. Based on the discussion of applicants, FEC selects 20 candidates for interview.
• Candidate interview: 20 candidates are invited to present their project proposals in a 15-minute virtual interview. Based on this, the FEC recommends 10 grant recipients for the DDSA Board of Directors’ approval.

Please note that interviews will be conducted during week 21 in May, 2024.

Award Notification and Rejection of Applications

Applicants not invited for interview will be informed by ultimo May, 2024. Applicants will receive numerical feedback only.  

Candidates invited for interview but not selected for a fellowship will receive individual feedback on the proposed research project as well as the interview performance medio June 2024.  

Candidates awarded a PhD Fellowship will primo June, 2024, receive a phone call followed by a grant agreement specifying the grant conditions.  

Terms and Practicalities

The DDSA PhD Fellowship  

The fellowship (DKK 1,800,000 + 5% administrative cost, amounting to a total of DKK 1,890,000) is expected to cover three years of salary, tuition fee, external stay as well as relevant travel – and operational costs.   

The fellowship may only be used for the specific project applied for.   

If the total cost of the PhD project should exceed the fixed amount granted, the hosting institution is expected to cover such additional expenses.   

DDSA does not fund industrial PhDs, offer co-funding or fund students already enrolled at a PhD School.  

If the applicant receives another grant covering the same project as described in the application to DDSA, DDSA reserves the right to withdraw the PhD fellowship.  

The PhD Programme 

The PhD project must be carried out in accordance with:  

• The Ministerial Order on the PhD Programme at the Universities of the Danish Ministry of Higher Education and Science  
• The regulations and guidelines defined by the enrolling university  

Enrollment and Employment  

A PhD study in Denmark is by default equal to enrollment in a PhD School at the Danish university, where the principal supervisor holds a position.  

Enrollment and employment must be prior to December 15, 2024, unless otherwise agreed with DDSA. If this is not achieved, the fellowship will be retracted.  

Please note that the specific requirements for enrollment may vary from one university/PhD School and to another.  

Employment is for 3 years at the enrolling university/research institution, where the project is to be carried out, unless otherwise agreed with DDSA.  

PhD students will receive a monthly salary during the employment period for which they are enrolled in the PhD Programme. Terms of employment and salary are according to the agreement between the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations and the Ministry of Finance.  

Further inquiries about enrollment and employment must be directed towards the enrolling university/place of employment.  

For International Applicants

Inquiries about residence permit must be directed towards the hosting institution.  

Most Danish universities have information sites for international staff about living and working as a researcher in Denmark.  

See for example:  

Aalborg University  

University of Aarhus  

Copenhagen Business School  

University of Copenhagen  

IT University of Denmark  

Roskilde University  

University of Southern Denmark  

Technical University of Denmark  

Further Information

For further information about the DDSA PhD Fellowship, please contact the DDSA secretariat at [email protected] .