Application

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:

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

or similar degrees.

• The grade of final thesis must not fall below a 2.50. The same requirement applies to the overall grade.
• Working knowledge of European academic languages (at least two, one of which can be German; knowledge of a non-European academic language is an asset).
• Willingness to actively participate in a structured doctoral program.

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

Application deadlines:

Application periods are usually in May/June (for the following winter semester) and in November/December (for the following summer semester). The exact dates are announced on the program’s website approximately four to six weeks in advance.

The next application deadline is December 7, 2025.

As part of the current call for applications, the Doctoral Program of the Class for Language (Graduate School Language & Literature, LMU Munich) is offering the following doctoral positions for the summer semester 2026:

• one research assistant position (TV-L E13, 50%), expected to start on April 1, 2026
• regular non-funded PhD positions

The standard duration of the program is 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:

• Motivation letter (1–2 pages) explaining your reasons for applying.
• Exposé of the proposed dissertation project, including a detailed work plan (10–12 pages, max. 35,000 characters including spaces), and the name of a potential supervisor. We explicitly recommend contacting potential supervisors in advance.
• Two academic letters of recommendation from university teachers who can assess your academic potential.
• Curriculum vitae providing a detailed account of your academic background.
• All school and university degree certificates, including the grade of your final thesis and the overall grade of your first academic degree.
• A copy of your final thesis (if written in a less commonly used academic language, please include a 2–3-page abstract in German).

Application Steps

1. Register in 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 be closed. You will then receive an email notification informing you whether your application was successful in the first stage and whether you have been invited to an interview.

The interviews will take place in the following weeks. Please note that travel expenses for attending the interview cannot be reimbursed; however, participation via online meeting may be possible.