Application

Applications for PhD Places

In the forthcoming winter semester of 2024/25, the Class of Language at the Graduate School of Language & Literature, Munich is providing non-funded positions in our PhD programme.

Application deadline: June 2, 2024.

• Regular duration of the programme: 6 semesters

We recommend that all applicants inform themselves early on about financing options and refer in particular to scholarships offered by various foundations and scientific sponsors (see for example GraduateCenter LMU or StipendiumPlus).

Requirements for application

• University degree graded as above average (Master of Arts (“with thesis”), Magister Artium, diploma, state board examination, Maîtrise, Laurea, ect.) with a major in one of the following program subjects:

1. Albanian Studies
2. Cognitive and Cultural Linguistics
3. Comparative and Indo-European Linguistics
4. English Linguistics
5. Finno-Ugric / Uralic Studies
6. General Linguistics and Language Typology
7. German as a foreign language
8. German Linguistics
9. Phonetics
10. Psycholinguistics
11. Romance Linguistics
12. Slavic Linguistics
13. Theoretical Linguistics,

or comparable degrees.

• The grade of final thesis must not fall below a 2,50. The same requirement applies to the overall grade (verification needed).
• Working knowledge in European academic languages (ideally three, at least two, one of them must be German; knowledge of a non-European academic language is an asset)
• Willingness to actively participate in a structured doctoral program

Selection procedure

Applicants will be chosen on the basis of their application documents, final acceptance of pre-selected applicants takes place after an academic discussion with a section panel.

Criteria of selection are the quality of the dissertation project, academic qualification, co-operative and communicative skills, as well as the willingness and the ability to work on interdisciplinary theoretical as well as methodological problems in accordance with the aims of the doctoral program.

Application documents

1. A motivation essay in which you explain the reasons you are applying (1-2 pages)
2. An exposé of your dissertation intentions with a work outline (10-12 pages, less than 35,000 characters, including spaces)
3. Reports from two university teachers that provide information about your academic potential
4. Curriculum Vitae, including a detailed description of academic career
5. Copies of all leaving certificates, diplomas and degrees of schools of universities (Proof of final thesis grade and overall grade of your first academic degree)
6. One copy of university thesis (or a two to three page abstract if it is in an infrequently used language)

How to apply?

The application consists of the following steps:

1. Register on the online portal and then follow the instructions.
2. Please complete the electronic form and upload all the required documents. Don’t forget to save all your modifications.
3. After the end of the application period, the portal will be closed for editing and uploading.

For the Online Portal, please click here!

If you encounter difficulties with the online application, please feel free to contact the scientific coordinator Blerina Kelmendi (B.Kelmendi@lmu.de). If there are technical problems with uploading the application documents, you can also send them by e-mail. This also applies to the required reports. 

What happens after we receive your application?

You will be notified by e-mail about whether your application has been successful in the first round of the two-stage approval process. You might then be invited to a selection interview, which will take place shortly afterwards.  Please also note that we cannot cover any costs associated with your journey to the selection interviews. In justified exceptional cases, however, it might be conducted as an online meeting. If you would like to take advantage of this option, please contact us as early as possible by email.