leiden university phd in computer science

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Studying for your PhD

Every year, around 400 PhD candidates defend their dissertation at Leiden University, spread across all the University’s different disciplines.

Pre-doctoral programmes China and Indonesia

Leiden University , Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and University of Groningen have jointly developed preparatory doctoral training programmes for prospective PhD candidates from China and Indonesia coming to The Netherlands. These programmes are completely online and on a voluntary basis.

A PhD track consists of original scientific research under the supervision of a professor, which takes on average 4 years. Many PhD candidates are employed by the University, but a number are subsidised by a grant that they have acquired themselves. The University also has a large number of external PhD candidates, who generally work part-time on their research.  

Graduate Schools

Every PhD candidate is enrolled in one of the University  Graduate Schools: 

• Graduate School of Archaeology
• Graduate School of Humanities
• Graduate School of Medicine
• Graduate School of Science
• Graduate School of Social and Behavioural Sciences
• Graduate School of Law
• Graduate School of Governance and Global Affairs

The Graduate Schools are responsible for training and supervising the PhD candidates. Within three months after starting a PhD track, a training and supervision plan is drawn up for every PhD candidate. The University also offers a large number of  courses in academic and more general professional skills .

Work and a PhD

Working and studying for a PhD at the same time? It’s possible at the Leiden University Dual PhD Centre The Hague . The Centre focuses on external PhD candidates who devote part of their working time to scientific research on a theme from their professional practice. The Centre helps them develop a research plan, provides training and ensures that their research fits within a scientific discipline and graduate school and that it ties in with the research of a potential supervisor. A unique opportunity for the PhD candidate, the employer and for science.  

Interested in studying for a PhD?

Vacancies for PhD positions at Leiden University can be found on the the University's job vacancy website. If you want to study for a PhD in Leiden, either with a subsidy you have acquired yourself or as an external candidate, you first have to find a professor who is prepared to act as your supervisor. Each Graduate School has a slightly different procedure, so you should check out the web page of the Graduate School of your discipline for more information. The admission requirement for a PhD is that the candidate has to have a Dutch master’s diploma or an equivalent qualification. The Graduate School will check the admission of candidates who have a different prior education. In addition, Graduate Schools may apply specific requirements, such as English language skills. 

Website for PhD candidates

The PhD portal offers information on courses, research facilities, finance and housing for PhD candidates. You can also find the PhD regulations there, containing a description of the policy and procedures concerning PhD tracks, and the PhD guidelines, that lay down minimal requirements for the supervision, training and facilities for PhD candidates.

International PhD candidates

The website of the Service Centre International Staff provides detailed information about such issues as a visa, insurances, bank matters and accommodation for international PhD candidates and employees.  

Scholarships

The Scholarships page has more information about the grants that are available to prospective PhD candidates to allow them to study in Leiden. 

LIACS Thesis Repository

These webpages contain theses and reports by students affiliated with the various bachelor and master programmes offered at the Leiden Institute of Advanced Computer Science ( LIACS ), the computer science and artificial intelligence department of Leiden University . Note: this thesis repository might be incomplete for certain programmes.

971 entries found.

Master Computer Science

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Admission to a PhD track

Different PhD tracks are available for different PhD candidates. Information is given here about the types of tracks, the admission requirements and the administrative steps to be taken.

The conditions and administrative procedures can be different per faculty (see your faculty tab or  Graduate School  website ).

Types of PhD tracks

Leiden University has different types of PhD tracks and different types of PhD candidates, namely:

Employed PhD candidate: regular

A regular employed PhD candidate has a four-year appointment at the university. The appointment is usually for one year at first, and is then extended by three years if positive progress is made. Regular employed PhD candidates often have a small proportion of teaching duties (around 10%).

Employed PhD candidate: PhD Fellow (combination profile Teacher and PhD Candidate)

A PhD Fellow has a six-year appointment at the university, with the possibility of interim termination. These PhD candidates have more teaching duties than regular employed PhD candidates (around 35%). 

Openings for employed PhD candidates are advertised on the university’s vacancies website . 

Contract PhD candidate 

Contract (‘scholarship’) PhD candidates do not have an employment contract with the university, but receive funding from a scholarship funding body (usually in the country of origin) to cover their living expenses during the PhD track.

Externally financed PhD candidate 

An externally financed PhD candidate works for an external employer and does not have an employment contract with the university. These PhD candidates usually follow the PhD track part-time and (fully or partly) in the employer’s time and/or with the employer’s funding. 

External PhD candidate 

External PhD candidates do not have an employment contract with the university and study for a PhD in their free time and with their own funds. They may follow the PhD track part-time, while also working in a job.

Externally financed and external PhD candidates have the option of following a special dual PhD programme , which offers experienced ‘knowledge workers’ the opportunity to study for a PhD at Leiden University.

The rights and responsibilities of the PhD candidate may be different for each type of PhD track.  The most important rights and responsibilities per PhD track are shown here .

Leiden University also offers the possibility of conducting the PhD research at both Leiden University and another university (within or outside the Netherlands):  a joint doctorate degree .

Admission to the PhD track

If you would like to follow a PhD track, you will need to have a master’s diploma, or to have passed the ‘ doctoraal ’ examination. In some cases you can ask the Dean for exemption from the education requirement using this form ; this is necessary if you have a foreign diploma. 

You will also need two people to supervise you. At least one of these will be your supervisor ( promotor ): a full professor or senior lecturer (US: associate professor; in Dutch: UHD) with ius promovendi at Leiden University. The second will be another supervisor, or a co-supervisor with a PhD (without ius promovendi ). 

There are two ways to come into contact with a supervisor: by responding to a PhD vacancy or by making contact directly. In the latter case, you may be asked to write a short research proposal first. In consultation with the academic director or head of department, the envisaged supervisor will state whether they are willing to act as the supervisor. The Dean will then appoint the envisaged supervisor to act in this capacity, and will appoint a second supervisor or co-supervisor on behalf of the Doctorate Board.

See also the PhD Regulations for more details of the admission requirements .

As a PhD candidate, you must be admitted to one of the university’s faculty Graduate Schools and receive an official confirmation. The Graduate School manages and monitors the PhD tracks and the candidates’ progress, provides support to PhD candidates and serves as their point of contact if they have any questions or problems. In some cases, these tasks are fulfilled by the institute.

The admission procedure varies per Graduate School; please see the relevant website:

• Graduate School of Archeology
• Graduate School of Humanities 
• Graduate School of Legal Studies 
• Graduate School of Science
• Graduate School of Social and Behavioural Sciences
• Graduate School of Governance and Global Affairs 
• Graduate School LUMC (LUMC PhD candidates can also log in to  Albinusnet  for more information) 

When you have been admitted to the PhD track, you will be registered in the staff system by the relevant institute. You will receive a ULCN account , which gives access to the university network.

After the first contact with the Graduate School, you must register in LUCRIS/‌‌‌Converis GSM (graduate school management), the PhD candidate tracking system of Leiden University and LUMC. Together with your (co‑)supervisors, you will use this system to record the various steps of the PhD track and to store relevant documentation in one place.

The Graduate School will inform you precisely when you need to register and what information is required for this. You will receive a once-only link for entering and uploading your basic information (such as your name and address, previous education and CV). After receiving the ‘admission statement’, you will be able to log in to LUCRIS/Converis GSM, where you should click on the Graduations button. The other buttons will only be relevant later in the PhD track.

Go to LUCRIS/Converis GSM

The LUMC has its own Converis registration system . LUMC PhD candidates are registered by their supervisor, after which they receive further instructions.

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Computer Science & AI

The Leiden Institute of Advanced Computer Science (LIACS) is a centre of excellence for multidisciplinary research and education in computer science and artificial intelligence (AI).

The mission of LIACS is t o advance computer science for a sustainable future of society.  C omputer Science, including Artificial Intelligence, will play a paramount role in creating a sustainable future for society and environment. At LIACS, we strive for advancing algorithms, systems and foundations of Artificial Intelligence for supporting this goal. Excellent science, a professional attitude and an inclusive, respectful, compassionate treatment of our people and all stakeholders characterize our approach. Within ten years, we have grown to be a leading center for fundamental and applied research in this domain.

  LIACS performs  research  within a number of themes. We concentrate on the study of theoretical foundations and formal methods, and focus on applications in the field of artificial intelligence and data science. And we cooperate with knowledge institutes, governments and corporate organisations. As a consequence of our broad and international working field, we offer complete and outstanding  education . 

• Leiden Institute of Advanced Computer Science (LIACS)

• 13 Jan Lecture SAILS & Una Europa Joint Lunch Seminar: Using AI and VR to train surgeons and assistants
• 24 Jan PhD defence Transdisciplinary Perspectives on Validity: Bridging the Gap Between Design and Implementation for Technology-Enhanced Learning Systems M.A.N. van Haastrecht
• 27 Jan Lecture SAILS Lunch Time Seminar: Bas Haring Bas Haring
• 06 Feb Lecture LED3 Lecture: Proteomics in Drug Discovery Prof. Paola Picotti (ETH Zurich, CH)

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