Vrije Universiteit Brussel

for prospective
PHD students

• Central PhD Office
• What is a PhD?
• Admission requirements
• Funding
• Finding a subject and a supervisor
• Application & Enrolment

for Phd students

• Regulations and forms
• Progress Monitoring
• Joint PhD
• Defence
• Ombudsperson for PhD students
• Publication and Technology Transfer
• Newsletter for Junior Researchers

doctoral schools

• Doctoral Training Programme
• The 3 Doctoral Schools
• Workshops & Seminars

Application and Enrolment

• Application
• Tuition fees
• Enrolment procedure
• Why enroll?

 

Application

When you have found a supervisor and funding, and you think you have the right degree, you can officially make a request for admission as a PhD student. This request or application is NOT the same as an enrolment and does NOT guarantee you will be accepted. There are 2 procedures: one for candidates with a Belgian degree and another one for candidates with a non-Belgian degree.

 

• Holders of a non-Belgian Master's degree

You need to complete and submit an application package. Download this application form here. The application is screened by the Registrar's Office and the relevant Faculty. If your request is accepted, you will receive a letter of acceptance which gives you the authorisation to start a PhD and to enrol as a PhD student at the VUB.

 

• Holders of a Belgian Master's degree

You need to send a written request to the Dean of the relevant Faculty. Your application should include following items:

1. the subject of your research
2. the discipline(s) of the proposed research
3. a research plan
4. the name of your supervisor(s)
5. a cv
6. a description by your supervisor of the material resources and support which are avilable for the proposed research
7. your choice of Doctoral School

You can also include the completed form '1st Enrolment PhD', necessary for the enrolment at a later date. Within 3 months from the date of receipt, the faculty shall come to a decision concerning the application.

 

There is NO DEADLINE for applications. Applying for admission as PhD student can be done the whole year through.

You can only enroll, after having sent in your application and having received a positive answer from the Faculty.

 

Enrolment procedure

 

When

You can only enrol as a PhD student after having received the offical approval (in some cases: Letter of Acceptance).

There is no deadline for application or enrolment for a PhD. You can enrol for a PhD the whole year through. But be aware that the Letter of Acceptance is only valid during 1 academic year and that it does expire.

 

Where

The first time the enrolment needs to be done in person at the Registrar's Office. The following years you will receive an invoice by mail.

 

Which documents to bring for the first enrolment?

1. Holders of a Belgian diploma

• The completed form '1st Enrolment PhD', signed by your promotor and dean.
• Your identity card or another identification document
• Your original diploma or a legal copy of your diploma giving access to the PhD
• possible other documents requested by the faculty regulations

2. Holders of a non-Belgian diploma

• You applied by sending in the application package. If your request has been granted, you've received a 'Letter of Acceptance'. Bring this letter.
• Your identity card or another identification document
• Possible other documents requested by the faculty regulations

 

Renewal of enrolment

Permission for the renewal of enrolment is given by the Progress Monitoring Commission ('Commissie voor de Doctoraatsopvolging', or CDO in Dutch).

 

Renewal of appointment (for AAP/BAP)

For each renewal of your appointment, please complete the Appointment Form For Teaching and Research Assistants and Special Research Assistants (AAP/BAP), as well as the Research Registration Form. These are the same forms that you would have filled in for your first appointment as a member of staff.

 

 

Why enroll?

As of the academic year 2009-2010 enrolment as a PhD student is compulsory for all junior researcher preparing a PhD thesis at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel.

Some of the benefits of being enrolled as a PhD student of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel:

 

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