Doctoral programme in Law - Candidates affected by the war in Ukraine

Read this application guide carefully, to make sure that you have the right qualifications and that you file all required documents and information when you apply.

How to Apply

You must submit your application and all required documents via the interactive online application form which will be available from late March.

The deadline for completing the application form and for the submission of references and all required documents is: 27 April. Applications may be submitted until midnight (24:00 - CEST) on that day.

There are two distinct phases in the application process:

1. Register as early as possible

You are encouraged to register, inserting your personal and referee details as soon as possible after the application form will be activated on 1 November. This is important to allow sufficient time for your referees to submit the reference letters before the deadline. Reference letters will not be accepted after the deadline.

2. Complete and submit your application by the deadline

Once you have registered you may continue to work on your application (including required documents) until the deadline. Submit the application only when you have filled in all the information correctly and have successfully uploaded the final version of the required documents. References can be submitted at any time up until the deadline, before or after you submit your application.

By registering/submitting an application, you give your consent for processing the data as specified in the Privacy Statement for Application and Selection Procedures for EUI Post-Graduate Programmes and in accordance with the EUI’s Data Protection Policy outlined in the Decision of the President No. 10 of 18 February 2019 (EUI Data Protection Policy)

Degree Requirements

As a general rule, candidates should have completed a Master degree or be in the process of completing this. Candidates, who are still enrolled in their Master degree at the time of application and are selected, may be conditionally admitted to the PhD programme. They must complete their Master Degree by 31 August at the latest to be finally admitted and registered with the EUI.

Language Requirements

The expected level of English proficiency is level C1 of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). Applicants are normally required to submit an English international language certificate to demonstrate their level or to submit a declaration explaining the reasons why they are not in a position to provide a certificate.

• Candidates who speak English as a first language or who have written their thesis in English for completion of a degree from a university programme entirely taught in English are exempt from submitting a certificate of English proficiency.
• Candidates who submit a certificate with a test score below the threshold indicated hereunder are not automatically rejected; if they are pre-selected they may be asked to take an English language assessment test with the EUI.
• Candidates who are unable to provide a certificate must attach a personal declaration to the application form stating the reasons for this. Exemption from the requirement to submit an English international language certificate may be granted in the case of extenuating circumstances. Where the certificate of English proficiency is missing and the candidates are pre-selected, they will be asked to take an English language assessment test with the EUI.

Note on EUI English language assessment tests: If the results of the test fall below the expected level of English proficiency, the candidate may nevertheless be conditionally admitted, but will have to follow English Academic Literacies courses during the programme. Sufficient progress in English language skills will be a criterion for admission to the second year. The candidate may also be required to follow further English language courses before starting their studies at the EUI.

The following international certificates of English proficiency are recognised by the EUI:

*Candidates are requested to submit the TOEFL Test Taker Score Report to their application. In addition, if they wish to also send the scores via ETS, the EUI code is 9408. The special TOEFL Home Edition Test is accepted, for candidates who are unable to take the test at a test centre due to public health concerns.

Required Documents

Before starting your online submission, prepare the required documents:

• One or two page CV
• A cover letter (up to 700 words), which describes your personal circumstances following the war in Ukraine.
• Research proposal (See below)
• Degree transcript(s) issued by your university listing the exams/courses taken at university, grades/marks awarded and (if applicable) the final degree result. You should also attach your degree transcript(s) from previous degree(s). Do not attach or send supplementary documents that are not strictly requested, such as traineeships diplomas etc. Unofficial copies of the degree transcripts/certificates may be accepted in case of extenuating circumstances.
• International English language certificate or exemption declaration.
• Copy of an identity document (such as passport or ID card) - JPG format. If you hold dual nationality, you should attach the copy of a second passport/ID card proving your second nationality. The copy of your ID document(s) will be only processed by the EUI Administration and the relevant funding authority(ies), it will not be distributed to the EUI Departmental selection committee.

Note that attachments must be PDF using standard international fonts (max size 1MB), if not otherwise indicated. Do NOT use macros, special characters, password-protected attachments, electronic signatures. The EUI reserves the right to verify the authenticity of the certificates you provide with the competent issuing authorities.

Research Proposal

Applicants are selected for interviews on the basis of their academic record and their research proposal. Your research proposal shows that you are ready to write a Ph.D. dissertation that can be supervised at the EUI. The proposal must be written in English or French and must be no longer than 2500 words (including footnotes, references and bibliography). Longer proposals may be excluded from further consideration.

The proposal should outline the project that you wish to pursue in your Ph.D. dissertation. It should demonstrate command of the state of the art in the field (with references to the literature) and of research methodology within the discipline, formulate a research question and include a short bibliography. Where appropriate it should also include the theory or hypotheses that will be examined or a description of the empirical content and sources of the research project.

The policy of the EUI is not to offer individual guidance and advice on dissertation proposals. You should not contact potential supervisors and ask them to support your application or to provide you with advice. You should instead read the information on research themes supervised by the department and by individual professors. In the application form and in your research proposal you can indicate one or more professors who you think could supervise your dissertation.

Please also consider the following points when framing your research proposal for studies in the Law Department.

1. Identify a research question that you wish to explore. The research question can guide you to identifying the main topics for your research, and can also be used to explain why, in your view, the present literature does not address the issue in a satisfactory manner. The research question should also be the basis for you explaining the salience and importance of that question today.
2. Do not be overly ambitious in your research plans. A thesis is normally approximately 120,000 words (a 200 page book) so you cannot write a successful thesis on a wide theme, you will necessarily need to focus your research. Both at interview and during your supervision, you will be advised on how to refine your research and focus it, but it helps if at the preliminary stage you demonstrate a capacity for selecting and delimiting a research topic.
3. Specify your methodology. In law many theses are based upon reading primary sources (cases, statutes, treaties) and consulting secondary sources. This kind of black letter law research is welcomed, although during your studies you will be exposed to other types of methodologies (e.g. using law and economics). If you feel more comfortable in presenting a project in the black letter law tradition then the methodology component in your research project can be relatively short. Of course the method you choose should reflect the kind of research question you have in mind.
4. In terms of resources, the library has an excellent collection of monographs and journals, as well as primary materials from most EU jurisdictions and pertaining to public international law. If you are shortlisted for interview, the library will check the availability of resources based on your research proposal, but it will be helpful if you consider certain specific material necessary for your research, that you spell this out so that we can ensure the library has the materials you need.

Please also note that you will be required to write a Short Abstract of your research proposal (max 1000 characters) directly on the online applications form.

Applicants should register two academic referees in the online application form and ensure that their reference letters are submitted online (directly by the referees) by the applications deadline.

We understand, however, that due to the exceptional circumstances, referees may have difficulties in submitting, and applications are accepted also without reference letters. Applications will not be rejected in case one or more reference letters are missing.

Note for Candidates

Your referees will be contacted and will be allowed to submit the reference only after you have completed and registered the first step of the online application form including the names and contact details of referees. In order to receive the references in time by the deadline, you should register the referee details as soon as possible. This is possible any time and you do not yet need to submit the final version of your application at that time.

Applicants to the Department of Economics must register two referees.

When you register your referees' contact details in the online application form, an email requesting a reference on your behalf - featuring an online submission link and relevant instructions - is automatically sent to the referees. Nevertheless, it is your responsibility to contact referees directly to inform them of your request, to verify that they have received the email request and to ensure that they submit the reference by the deadline. You can check the status of submission of each reference letter directly on the online application form. Referees are not able to consult your online application details (except your name and the programme you applied for). Reference letters can be submitted by the registered referees (before the deadline) even after you have submitted your application.

References must be submitted by academic referees (ie: Professors, Lectures etc.) who are in a position to give an academic evaluation of your research, intellectual qualities, ability and potential.

Letters of reference from current full-time or part-time EUI professors are not accepted except:

• where the application is from a researcher already registered for an EUI degree (i.e. transfer from LL.M. to Ph.D.)
• where the professor is a member of a different EUI department to the one where the candidate is applying, and who is able to comment on the academic qualities of the candidate

Note for Referees

At the moment when the candidate has registered the referee details, you as the referee will receive an automated e-mail with access details for submitting your reference letter through a dedicated online portal. The system guarantees full confidentiality of the documents submitted which are not accessible to candidates. Candidates can however directly verify the status of the submission of the reference letter on their application form.

• You should give your opinion of the candidate's intellectual ability, knowledge in his/her field, motivation for research, capacity to work in a group, oral and written expression.
• Please note that only PDF documents (maximum file size limit is 2.00 MB) can be submitted. Please do not send password protected or secured files.
• You may use your own reference format.
• Do not send a hard copy.
• You may write in a language other than English, but English will guarantee the widest possible reading.

If you have any problems submitting the file or require assistance, please do not hesitate to contact the Admissions Office at the following dedicated e-mail address: [email protected]