- Required degree level and field (Master’s, MSc, or equivalent).
- Language proof (English and/or local language) — some hosts state “no formal test” but still expect strong English in practice.
- Nationality / visa constraints for the contract type.
- CV, transcripts, motivation letter, references; recognition of foreign diplomas where required.
- Deadline and application portal vs email.
- Whether funding is already attached to the vacancy — or must be secured before enrolment.
Checklist before you apply
Three channels (do not mix them)
- Open PhD vacancy — timed project call with supervisor and deadline. Browse Open PhD Positions.
- Institute / graduate-school programme — standing doctoral training page with typical eligibility and funding context. Browse PhD Scholarships.
- Employment offer vs enrolment — in some countries a research-associate contract does not equal doctoral admission. Example: at TUM, DocGS entry into the doctoral candidacy list is a separate mandatory step from employment (application steps).
Staff researcher competitions (for example CNRS CR/DR concours) are not PhD admission — see junior researcher roles.
Degree patterns (worked examples)
These are institute-published rules — copy only from the host you apply to.
- SLU (Sweden): second-cycle (Master’s) degree or at least 240 credits with ≥60 at second-cycle; English B/6; faculty board formal admission. Source: How to become a doctoral student · documents: application package.
- WUR (Netherlands): Master’s comparable to a Dutch MSc; funding must be guaranteed before start. Categories include employed PhD, scholarship PhD, and other financed tracks — employment and scholarship are different funding models, not different degrees. Source: WUR admission requirements · required documents (Hora Finita).
- NMBU (Norway): Master’s-level admission rules plus guaranteed funding for the full period — confirm on the host PhD education page. Source: NMBU PhD education.
- DTU (Denmark): Master’s (or equivalent; typically ≥300 ECTS total / 120 ECTS MSc); already holding a PhD disqualifies for advertised PhD fellow posts. Source: DTU pre-acceptance · how to apply.
- TU Delft (Netherlands): Master’s in a relevant field + English; vacancy acceptance → CLA salary employment path. Source: Working at TU Delft — PhD.
Funding model ≠ eligibility
Stipend, employment salary, and “bring your own fellowship” change tax and social security — they do not replace the degree and language rules. Prefer ads that state a monthly amount or salary scale, then cross-check living costs on PhD Living Costs.
Do not assume every European marine PhD is a tuition scholarship; many hosts (including SLU and WUR employed tracks) treat doctoral candidates as employees under local agreements.
Where to read next
Scholarship programme pages summarise typical requirements; Open PhD ads list call-specific rules. For role-type confusion, see PhD vs postdoc vs research job and how to read a research job ad.
Frequently asked questions
Do I always need a Master’s for a PhD in marine and ocean sciences?
Most European marine hosts require a Master’s or a national equivalent. Examples: SLU accepts a second-cycle degree or ≥240 credits with ≥60 at second-cycle; Dutch university hosts typically require a Master’s comparable to a Dutch MSc; Nordic marine institutes usually require funding guaranteed for the full admission period. Always read the host page.
Is a job offer the same as PhD admission?
Not always. Some institutes (for example TUM via DocGS) require separate doctoral-candidacy registration besides employment as a research associate. Check both the vacancy and the graduate-school steps.
What is the difference between an employed PhD and a scholarship PhD?
Both can lead to a doctorate. An employed PhD is usually on a salary scale with staff rights; a scholarship PhD is grant-funded living support. Dutch universities often publish both as funding categories on admission pages — the degree goal is the same, the contract type is not.
Next step