For non-European PhD students, the PhD programme leaves something to wish for
The differences between Dutch and foreign PhD students have become more pronounced. This is evident from the biennial PhD student survey conducted by the Central PhD Council (CPC). Dutch PhD students are more likely to rate their PhD programme with a score of eight or higher than foreign students, particularly those from outside the EU. The latter group also receives the lowest remuneration.
The UvA must take more action to combat the high workload in PhD programmes and prevent delays. This is one of the recommendations of the Central PhD Council (CPC) in its biennial survey. According to the report, 54 per cent of PhD candidates experience a (too) high workload and 70 per cent work more hours than stated in their contract. Foreign PhD candidates, particularly those from outside the EU, are having a particularly difficult time.
The report, which was published this summer, addressed topics such as supervision, progress, well-being, social safety and income. More than 10 per cent of the total of 4,476 PhD candidates at the UvA completed the survey. On average, UvA PhD students rate their PhD programme with a 7. This is a more than satisfactory score and slightly higher than the 6.85 measured in 2022. This is the second time that PhD students have been asked to score there PhD programme.
What is striking is that Dutch PhD candidates generally rate their PhD programme higher than non-Dutch students. This difference has also increased compared to 2022. At that time, Dutch students gave their PhD programme an 8 or higher on average 10 per cent more often than non-Dutch students; in 2024, this figure is 24 per cent. The difference in scores is most pronounced among PhD students from outside Europe.
Lowest-paid positions
A similar pattern can be seen in the income differences between PhD candidates. On average, a UvA PhD candidate earns €2,750 net per month. 28 per cent of PhD candidates report an income below the minimum wage (€2,369) and 9 per cent report an income close to or below the poverty line (€1,510).
These income differences can be explained by the type of PhD appointment. Among scholarship PhD students, PhD students studying at the UvA on a scholarship from a foreign government, 40 per cent earn less than €2,000 net per month. Many of these PhD students have a scholarship from the Chinese government through the Chinese Scholarship Council. PhD candidates who are doing their PhD in their own time are also more likely to earn less than €2,000 net per month (17 per cent). The same applies to externally funded PhD candidates (14 per cent). By comparison, 3 per cent of PhD candidates employed by the UvA earn less than €2,000 net per month.
The Faculty of Humanities scores highest in terms of poorly paid PhD positions. This can be explained purely by the type of employment contract, as relatively few PhD candidates are employed by the UvA. According to the CPC, this situation may “contribute to perceptions of inequality between faculties”.
Well-being and social safety
A quarter of PhD candidates experience socially undesirable behaviour. Despite the UvA’s measures to improve social safety, this proportion has remained the same in recent years. The CPC has received several reports that the social safety initiatives are not visible enough to PhD candidates.
The wellbeing of PhD candidates has improved slightly in recent years. In 2022, 16 per cent of PhD candidates reported that the PhD programme had a negative impact on their wellbeing, compared to 12 per cent in 2024. Concerns about the length of the PhD programme, which can lead to financial and visa problems, and experiences of social insecurity had a particular impact on wellbeing.
The CPC therefore advocates better supervision to ensure that PhD programmes are completed within the specified time frame. It also advocates sufficient funding to enable a “humane standard of living” for PhD candidates in Amsterdam. In addition, the UvA’s complaints procedure for socially undesirable behaviour must be made more accessible and visible to PhD candidates. The CPC is working with deans, policy officers, the rector and the research institutes to implement these recommendations in policy.
