Application

Requirements for application:

An above-average postgraduate degree (Master of Arts (“with thesis”), state examination, Maîtrise, Laurea, ect.) majoring in one of the following subjects:

• Albanian Studies
• Comparative and Indo-European Linguistics
• Cultural and Cognitive Linguistics
• English Linguistics
• Finno-Ugric / Uralic Studies
• General Linguistics and Language Typology
• German as a Foreign Language
• German Linguistics
• Phonetics and Speech Processing
• Psycholinguistics
• Romance Linguistics
• Slavic Linguistics,

or related.

• The grade of final thesis and the overall grade must both be 2.50 or above.
• Working knowledge of at least two European academic languages (one of which should ideally be German; knowledge of a non-European academic language is an asset).
• Willingness to actively participate in a structured doctoral program.

The selection process is based on the submitted application materials and, for shortlisted candidates, an interview. Assessment criteria include the quality and feasibility of the proposed research project, the ability to engage with interdisciplinary theoretical and methodological questions, communication and teamwork skills, and prior academic performance.

Application deadlines:

Applications can normally be submitted in May/June (for the following winter semester) and in November/December (for the following summer semester), respectively. The exact dates are announced on the program’s website approximately four to six weeks in advance.

The next application deadline is June 15, 2026.

As part of the current call for applications, the Doctoral Program of the Class of Language (Graduate School Language & Literature, LMU Munich) offers non-funded PhD positions.

The duration of the program is normally six semesters.

Application procedure:

Applications are submitted online. You can access the application portal here:
https://www.portal.graduatecenter.lmu.de/gc-application/colang

You will need the following documents for your application:

• Letter of Motivation (1–2 pages) explaining why you are applying for this program and specifying the name of the LMU faculty member who has agreed to act as a prospective supervisor. Applicants are required to contact a potential supervisor by email no later than three weeks before the application deadline, supplying them with a draft Research Proposal (see below for more detail), and obtain written confirmation of willingness to supervise said PhD project. Applications without such a confirmation from a prospective supervisor will not be considered.
• Research Proposal for your PhD project, including a detailed work plan (not exceeding 35,000 characters including spaces; please use the following template).
• Two academic references attesting to your academic potential. The references must be uploaded to the application portal by the referees themselves. After you submit your application, an upload link will be sent to the referees’ email addresses provided in the application. Please inform your referees well in advance to give them sufficient time to write and upload their reference.
• Curriculum Vitae providing a detailed account of your academic career thus far.
• All school and university degree certificates, including the grade of your final thesis and the overall grade of your academic degree(s).
• A copy of your final thesis (if written in a less commonly used academic language, please include a 2–3-page abstract in German or English).

How to Apply

1. Create an account for the online application portal and follow the instructions.
2. Complete the electronic application form in full and upload all required documents. Don’t forget to save your changes.
3. After the application period has ended, the portal will close. You will receive an email informing you whether you have been shortlisted and invited to an interview once all applications have been reviewed.

The interviews of shortlisted candidates will take place following the initial review of applications. Please note that travel expenses for attending the interview will not be reimbursed; it is however possible to conduct the interview online.