university copenhagen phd

• PhD-positions

As a PhD student at the University of Copenhagen you have the opportunity to advance your international career as part of a world class research team. Every year, UCPH enrols more than 700 new PhD students. The University of Copenhagen offers cutting edge research in an international atmosphere. In 2013 Monocle Magazine heralded Copenhagen as "the most liveable city in the world".

Read about the job structure and the recruitment process for faculty and academic staff.

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

• Department of Mathematical Sciences
• Study programmes
• PhD program

The PhD program

The PhD program at the Department of Mathematical Sciences usually lasts 3 years, for students enrolled with a Master's Degree, and 4-5 years for students enrolled in the integrated program with a bachelor's degree (or equivalent). The program consists first of all of an independent research project resulting in the end of a PhD thesis with publishable results.

It is also a part of the PhD program to follow some PhD courses, and our PhD students are expected to spend an extended period (up to 3-6 months) at a foreign research institution during the PhD program.

PhD students (except industrial PhDs) 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 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 funding as follows: Students enrolled in the 3-year program will receive a salary throughout the PhD period. Students enrolled in the integrated program will receive a number of state education grant portions until they acquire the master's degree 2 years before handing in their PhD thesis. For the remaining 2 years they will receive a salary.

Both stipends also include a travel allowance for participation in conferences and for research visits to foreign research institutions.

For more information about the PhD programme see https://science.ku.dk/phd/

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 has about 45 tenured faculty, 30 postdocs, and 60 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

Theodor Henningsen, PhD student

Silvan Vollmer, PhD student

Taro Spirig, PhD student

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PhD School in the Humanities

The PhD School in the Humanties

Intranet for phd students and staff, how to obtain a phd scholarship, phd courses, phd thesis, assessment and defence, international applicants and international visiting phd scholars.

• Department of Economics
• PhD Programme

For PhD students

Log on the PhD portal via KUnet (requires log-in)

For applicants

PhD scholarships are advertised once a year with application deadline around 1st of March.

PhD Programme in Economics

The PhD programme in Economics is an advanced education in research, aiming at bringing the student to the international research frontier, and at developing the student’s ability to create research contributions. The PhD programme is part of the Copenhagen Graduate School in Social Sciences .

The PhD programme consists of a course-work part and a research part, a research project on a specific topic. During the first part of the programme, the student attends advanced courses. The study is completed by the thesis, which is an independent piece of work containing research contributions at the international level.

PhD seminars

Once a week - Wednesdays at 12:00

PhD defense

The completed PhD thesis is defended publicly

PhD courses

The PhD students take half a year’s worth of PhD courses 

PhD networks

The PhD programme is a member of 2 European networks for PhD students in Economics

Job market candidates

Go to the Department of Economics' job placement page

Contact phd programme committee

The phd programme committee.

Graduate School of Health and Medical Sciences

Key numbers from the Graduate School

Browse the PhD Course Catalogue

Join our Introduction Course

Choose between 22 graduate programmes

Promoting Responsible Conduct of Research

Phone hours in july.

Monday to Thursday: 12.30-15.00. Friday: 10.00 – 12.00.

Learn more about summer holiday at the Graduate School

Apply for enrolment

Thesis and defence

For PhD supervisors

Phd supervisor talk: take care of yourself as a phd supervisor, and you can take care of your phd students, summer holiday 2024 at the graduate school, the 2023 annual report is online, nordoc summer school 18-20 august 2024 in helsinki, finland.

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PhD defences

Phd defence: inga sileikaite-morvaközi, phd defence: royford mwobobia, phd defence: nikolai aleksander tønnes juul.

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• PhD School of SCIENCE
• Study Structures
• The Regular PhD Programme

The Regular PhD programme (5+3)

Regular PhD students that enter through the standard 5+3 entry - after finishing a MSc programme - have 3 years of full time PhD studies (180 ECTS).

In order to be awarded the PhD degree, you must complete the PhD studies, write a PhD thesis based on a research project and defend the thesis successfully.

PhD studies must contain the following:

• The PhD project. An independent research project carried out by yourself under proper supervision.
• A PhD thesis. Submission of the PhD thesis concludes the PhD studies.
• Courses at an adequate scientific level (approved by the PhD School of SCIENCE) corresponding to a total course load of 6 months (~30 ECTS).
• Change of scientific environment. You must plan an extended visit for a period of 3-6 months, preferably at a foreign research institution. In some cases, however, the duration may be shorter and the research institution may be stiuated in Denmark. The institution cannot be a part of University of Copenhagen.
• Participation in science communication, teaching and/or other outreach programmes. The primary aim is to communicate the outlines and main findings of your PhD project to scientific and non-scientific communities.

Read the Faculty PhD Rules here.