Grotius Centre

Grotius PhD Track

The Grotius Centre for International Legal Studies offers PhD candidates a flexible programme and a stimulating research environment. It is a programme particularly attractive to and designed for 'external' PhD candidates (buitenpromovendi), that work part-time or full-time and who seek to pursue in parallel a PhD in international law. External PhD Candidates need not be based in Leiden or The Hague.

The PhD research environment for international law is located in the Grotius Centre for International Legal Studies and is referred to as the Grotius PhD Track. Situated at the heart of international law in Leiden and the Hague, the Grotius Centre for International Legal Studies offers a unique profile and expertise through its high-level academic activities and its close links to international institutions and the legal profession. The highly regarded scholars of Leiden Law School provide the required supervision in their areas of expertise.

The Programme - Flexibility and structure
The Grotius PhD Track is particularly tailored towards candidates that require flexibility in the programme, yet understand the appeal of a structured programme. We offer flexibility in that it is only necessary to be in Leiden or the Hague whenever supervision, seminars and special courses require it, but at the same time we offer a structure in a 4-year programme that is in accordance with Leiden University standards.

We hope to provide a stimulating and scholarly experience at the Grotius Centre for International Legal Studies.

In the first year, candidates have the option of taking part in methodology and other research development seminars offered at Leiden Law School. Besides the supervision of the PhD process by the promoter and co-promoter, and to ensure the development of a fruitful and collegial research environment, the Grotius PhD Track offers PhD candidates several services, including:

Participation in meetings between internal and external PhD candidates at the Grotius Centre.
Participation in academic events organised by the Grotius Centre, such as symposia and conferences.
Library access including digital subscriptions and e-journals (Leiden Law School, and general University libraries)

All PhD candidates are supervised by a full Professor from Leiden University, and will be assigned a co-promotor or co-supervisor, according to the applicable Leiden University PhD Regulations. All PhDs at the Grotius Centre for International Legal Studies are conducted under the Leiden University PhD Regulations.

Admission
In accordance with Article 3 of the Leiden University PhD Regulations, persons are eligible for admission to the PhD programme if they:

Have been awarded a master’s degree from a Dutch university or an equivalent master’s degree from another institution, or who have passed the ‘old style’ doctoral (doctoraal) examination of a government-funded or appointed Dutch university
Have written a thesis and/or prepared an artistic outcome as proof of competence in independently conducting scientific research, and
Have met the requirements stipulated elsewhere in the regulations.

Admission is conditional for the first year, and is followed by an internal assessment of the progress of the PhD Candidate, upon which a decision is made to accept the candidate unconditionally.

Fee
As of 1 April 2018, admission to the Grotius PhD Track implies the payment of a fee which has been set at €10,000 per annum. If the PhD Candidate does not need access to a working space at the Law Faculty, the fee is set at €5,000 per annum.

The fee is charged on a yearly basis at the anniversary of admission to the Grotius PhD Track, with a maximum of 4 years.

In case it is decided not to accept the PhD Candidate unconditionally after the first year assessment of progress, the fee for the first year will not be reimbursed.

The fee can be reduced to €2,500 per annum. A request for a fee reduction can be made by the applicant, if it is shown that the following cumulative conditions are met:

There is an evident substantial link or synergy between the PhD proposal and the research projects of the Grotius Centre which justifies a fee reduction;
The Candidate’s curriculum is a proof of excellence;
There is a financial need for a reduction.

A request for a fee reduction can be made by mailing the Director of the Grotius PhD Track, detailing why the set conditions are met. The decision on the grant of a fee reduction is made by the Dean of the Law School, following an advice on the matter by the PhD Dean of the Graduate School of the Law Faculty.

How to apply
Please find the link for online application here.

Please note that there is no specific starting date, and that applications can be made at any time during the year.

If you have any additional questions about the Grotius PhD Track, please contact the Director of the Grotius PhD Track Dr. Joseph Powderly: j.c.powderly@law.leidenuniv.nl.