Motivation and competences

Your motivation and competences must include a description – if applicable – of how one or more of the strategic criteria mentioned below are incorporated into the project:

• how the PhD student is exposed to an international research environment (international co-supervisor and/or through a research stay abroad)
• activities across disciplines (interdisciplinary/multidisciplinary co-operation) and/or sectors (co-operation with the business community, university colleges and other external partners in municipalities and regions)

Applicants considered for a fully financed fellowship is expected to demonstrate that the project incorporates one or more of the above strategic criteria.

Applicants considered for a fully financed fellowship are in addition expected to show commitment to the Faculty and the Graduate School of Health by taking on at least one task/active role related to the PhD education.

Your motivation and competences must include a description of how you plan to show commitment. The tasks include:

• Active member of the PhD association
• Being part of the Organizing Committee planning the PhD Day
• Participation in the NorDoc PhD Summit and reporting back to the Graduate School of Health
• Writing a column for the Graduate School of Health’s monthly letter about a topic of current interest
• Participation in the Annual meeting on PhD education (Forum For Forskeruddannelse)

The application will be evaluated on the following:

1. The candidate's personal and academic qualifications:

• Research experience (in relation to the length of the actual research time available) including participation in journal clubs and conferences and publications (accepted and/or published)
• The candidate’s part in developing the project
• Grades
• Extracurricular activities - athletics, employment, hobbies, volunteering etc (activities that require persistence, time management, leadership)
• Motivation
• Match between the candidate’s qualifications and the proposed research project
• Other qualifications

2. The project's scientific quality:

• The project's originality and innovative aspects
• The scientific level of the project - Research question: Relevant to the field of study? Clear and specific? Answerable by empirical evidence? Hypothesis: Based on existing evidence? Clear, coherent, precise? Methodology: Suits the research question and hypothesis. Appropriate, transparent, replicable? Addresses limitations.
• Justification of the project in relation to the newest knowledge in the field and description of the proposed contribution to knowledge
• Is the project sufficiently powered for the research question? Is there a description of alternative possible solutions to the raised scientific question (contingency plans)?
• The standard and volume of the project –is there sufficient scientific weight to equal 3 years of scientific work? And is it feasible within 3 years?
• Ethical considerations
• Clarity and coherence of the project description and the proposed research plan
• The project description should be understandable by researchers outside the field

3. Supervisor, environment, PhD education:

• The scientific environment including: 

1. how the main supervisor and co-supervisors contribute to the completion of the PhD study and their availability
2. the alignment of the project with the expertise of the supervisory team, and complementarity of experience and skills within the team
3. how the PhD student is exposed to an international research environment (locally and/or through a research stay abroad)
4. international co-supervisor; co-supervisor's role in and contribution to the project.
5. is the project developed across disciplines (interdisciplinary/multidisciplinary co-operation) and/or sectors (co-operation with the business community, university colleges and other external partners in municipalities and regions)?

• Courses
• Dissemination
• Learning targets
• Plan for mobility, including statement from host institution
• Main supervisor statement

PhD applications are assessed by the Stipend Committee.

Assessment process

The project is evaluated according to the following weighting:

1. The project's scientific quality (50%)
2. The candidate's personal and academic qualifications (30%)
3. Supervisor, environment and PhD education (20%)

See the assessment criteria above. 

From the application round in February 2025, the application is evaluated according to the following weighting:

1. The candidate's personal and academic qualifications (50%)
2. The project's scientific quality (30%)
3. Supervisor, environment and PhD education (20%)

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Based on the assessments, a number of applications will be discussed at an allocation meeting and recommendations for faculty fellowships will be made to the Dean of the Faculty of Health.

The final decision regarding admission is made by the Head of The Graduate School. 
The final decision regarding faculty fellowships is made by the Dean.
A number of fellowships targeting integrated PhDs are awarded to the best qualified applicants for an integrated PhD. The decision regarding these fellowships are made by the Graduate School of Health. 

The decisions are final.   

See the list of members in the Stipend Committee.

After the assessment The Graduate School will send applications to the relevant department. Please contact your potential department for further information regarding the process at the department.

The Stipend Committee and the rules on disqualification

The Stipend Committee is subject to the special rules on disqualification as described in Part 2 of the Danish Public Administration Act (Forvaltningsloven).

This means that a member of the committee does not take part in an allocation meeting if he/she is the main supervisor or co-supervisor of or closely related to an applicant.

From open calls 2025.

If an applicant is considered for a fully financed PhD fellowship, the applicant will receive an invitation for an interview.

The interview will consist of a three-minute pitch/presentation by the candidate and then five minutes for questions. The interview will be conducted in English.

The interviews will take place in late May/late November and it is expected that applicants participate in person. Online participation can be arranged for applicants from abroad.

At the interview the Stipend Committee will be present.

Based on the decision made at the allocation meeting, applicants can be offered one of the following types of enrolment:

• Enrolment conditional on external funding
• Enrolment including a fully financed Faculty PhD fellowship
• Enrolment including a fully financed integrated PhD fellowship from the Graduate School of Health

An offer of enrolment is valid for a year. For recipients of a fully financed PhD fellowship, the offer is only valid for six months.

A precondition for enrolment is that you submit a signed financial statement.

If your application is rejected as not qualified, you will receive a reply to your application.

If your application is administratively rejected, you will receive a reply to your application shortly after deadline.