The answer first: fully funded PhD does not describe one funding model. It is an umbrella phrase covering legally distinct arrangements, from an employment contract with pension contributions to a scholarship that carries neither leave nor social insurance. The headline figure can look similar while the candidate's position differs entirely.
So the right question to put to an advertisement is not how much it pays. It is what capacity you are being taken on in.
Six models, and how they differ
| Model | Status of the candidate | What it usually includes | Where you meet it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employment contract | Employee of the university | Salary, tax, pension, paid leave | The Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark |
| Studentship | Student | Tuition fee and a stipend for living costs | The United Kingdom |
| Foundation scholarship | Scholarship holder | A monthly payment; usually no employment rights | Germany, international foundations |
| Research assistant contract | Employee, often part-time | Salary on a public pay scale; some duties outside your own research | Germany |
| Place in a project network | Recruited researcher | A living allowance plus a mobility allowance | MSCA projects across Europe |
| Self-funded | Student or external candidate | Nothing; the candidate carries the cost | Anywhere no position exists |
The Netherlands, Sweden and Denmark: you are hired
Study in NL describes a Dutch PhD as a minimum of four years of original research that is expressly not regarded as study, and states that the majority of candidates hold an employment contract with the institution. Funding there comes down to three routes: employment by the PhD-awarding institution, a fellowship or grant from a supporting body, or sponsorship by an employer. About one sixth of candidates are funded by a fellowship or grant, many of them from abroad — in which case you must separately find a supervisor willing to support you.
Sweden puts the same thing more plainly: applying for a PhD programme means applying for a job. There are no tuition fees for doctoral study, the contract usually runs four years, and the candidate receives a monthly salary with paid holiday, parental leave and pension contributions. Up to twenty per cent of the time may go to teaching or other departmental duties — that is part of the contract rather than casual work, and it affects how long the research takes.
Germany: the fee is not the main question
DAAD states that tuition is free for doctoral study for at least the first six semesters at all public universities in Germany, though a semester contribution remains. No fee is not the same as funding: DAAD separately gives a benchmark for living costs, around 800 euros a month on the German Studentenwerk's estimate.
From there two different arrangements are possible. A research assistant contract is employment with a salary, often part-time, and part of the duties lie outside your own research. A scholarship is a payment without an employment relationship. Both may be called funding in an advertisement, but leave, insurance and pension contributions come only with the first.
The United Kingdom: a studentship is a competition, not a status
In the British system the doctoral candidate remains a student and tuition fees exist. A funded studentship covers them and adds living costs. UKRI sets minimums for studentships funded through its training grants: from 1 October 2026 the minimum stipend is £21,805 a year against £20,780 in the preceding period, £23,805 with London weighting, and the minimum fee for 2026 to 2027 is £5,238.
Two clauses matter to international candidates. First, UKRI contributes only up to the value of home fee rates, so an international student may have to make a contribution — the provider states how much. Second, students cannot apply to UKRI directly: the application goes to the provider offering the studentship.
UKRI also sets out what the award carries: a minimum of 30 days' annual leave including bank holidays, medical leave of up to 28 weeks in a rolling 12-month period, family leave, and the stipend continuing during leave. It states separately that a provider cannot ask you to do work that is not part of your studentship in return for your stipend.
Project networks: the funding arrives with the project
Under MSCA Doctoral Networks, positions are created by consortia of organisations, and each beneficiary must recruit at least one doctoral candidate. Support consists of a living allowance, a mobility allowance and, where applicable, family, long-term leave and special needs allowances. Vacancies are published on EURAXESS and candidates apply directly to the institution.
The mobility rule governs eligibility: in general the candidate must not have resided or carried out their main activity in the country of the recruiting organisation for more than 12 months in the 36 immediately before recruitment. Industrial Doctorates add a further condition — at least half the time is spent outside academia.
How to read an advertisement
- Employment contract or scholarship? Leave, insurance and pension follow from this.
- Is the tuition fee covered, and at which rate — home or international.
- How long the funding runs, and what happens if the research overruns.
- Whether teaching is part of the duties, and how much time it takes.
- Whether mobility or nationality conditions apply.
- Who the employer is: the university, an institute or a project consortium.
A figure without a model tells you nothing. A scholarship and a salary of the same size carry different rights, different tax treatment and different grounds for staying in the country.
Frequently asked questions
Is a PhD in Europe free?
Fees and funding are separate questions. Sweden charges no tuition fees for doctoral study at all. German public universities charge none for at least the first six semesters, though a semester contribution remains. In the United Kingdom fees exist and a funded studentship covers them. No fee, however, does not mean there is anything to live on.
Can I apply for a PhD with my own scholarship?
Yes, and in the Netherlands it is a recognised route: on Study in NL's figures about one sixth of candidates are funded by a fellowship or grant. You will need to find a supervisor and an institution willing to host you separately.
How much does a PhD student earn in the United Kingdom?
For studentships funded through UKRI training grants the minimums are set: from 1 October 2026, £21,805 a year, or £23,805 with London weighting. These are minimums rather than ceilings — grant holders may offer more within their budget.
Do doctoral candidates get paid leave and sick leave?
Under an employment contract, yes, according to national rules. In Sweden a doctoral student is entitled to paid holiday, parental leave and pension contributions. Scholarship holders usually have no such rights. UKRI is a separate case: not an employment contract, but leave entitlements are written into the conditions.
Is teaching part of the job?
Often. Study in Sweden notes that up to twenty per cent of the time may go to teaching or other departmental duties. It is worth factoring in when judging how long the research will actually take.
What is the mobility rule in MSCA projects?
A restriction based on where you have recently been. In general the candidate must not have resided or carried out their main activity in the country of the recruiting organisation for more than 12 months in the 36 before recruitment. Nationality is not a factor.
Why continental Europe hires rather than admits its doctoral candidates is set out in a PhD in Europe is a job. How admission itself works across the systems is covered in applying for a PhD abroad. The wider logic of scholarship competitions is discussed in funding a degree in Europe.