Application form PhD positions Tilburg Law School
Annually, Tilburg Law School (TLS) has a number of PhD positions available. The recruitment and
selection procedure of PhD candidates is set up in such a way that candidates from all over the
world can apply.
Please see the vacancy site of Tilburg University for the text of the vacancy.
Application is only possible through the procedure mentioned below.
Procedure
A. Selection of supervisor(s) by candidate
Step 1: Select one or more research institutes or research groups of Tilburg Law School closest
to the discipline in which you have graduated or the field in which you wish to conduct PhD
research.
Step 2: Approach one or more interesting potential supervisors by contacting (a) full professor(s)
of Tilburg Law School who represent the best match with the subject on which you wish to conduct
PhD research. The intention is to realize an interesting match between the proposed supervisor(s)
and the candidate. You need to find a Professor of Tilburg Law School, especially from your field
of knowledge or interest and competence, who is interested in your topic and in your profile as a
PhD-researcher. You need to approach a supervisor yourself, this is part of the selection
procedure. Request the concerning professor(s) to write a letter of nomination for you.
More information: professors/supervisors and ‘Experts and Expertise’.
B. Required documents
The following documents (written in English) must be submitted online:
1. A letter of motivation, including information on your present situation and/or employment.
2. A research proposal in TGLS format, see page 3–7. If you have your own proposal, please
use form 1. If you wish to join research of a supervisor or institute, please use form 2.
3. A letter of nomination of the proposed supervisor (with an appointment at Tilburg Law School).
4. Two letters of recommendation, at least one of which is written by an external expert in the
proposed field of study, preferably a professor from another Law School. Please have the
letters send to: tgls-appl@tilburguniversity.edu by the authors themselves.
5. An European-style CV
6. A copy of your Master’s diploma and a transcript of your academic records.
Exception:
Candidates who expect to graduate in the nearby future but ultimately before 1 September
2016, are admitted to the procedure. If you cannot submit a copy of your diploma yet, please
submit an official student track record with your achievements so far.
7. The original copy of an English Language test: a TOEFL score with a 100 (internet-based)
or Academic IELTS score with a minimum of 7.0 score overall and a minimum score of 6.5
on individual parts of the test.
Exceptions:
a. the submission of TOEFL/IELTS score does not apply to candidates who obtain a diploma
of an English Master program. Please add a certification which confirms that the full master
program was delivered in English.
b. this requirement does not apply when the thesis will be written in Dutch. The selection
committee may require an additional English test during the selection procedure.
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Please note:

The documents mentioned under B will only be accepted in the formats provided by TGLS
and must be submitted online, by using the link “apply directly” in the text of the vacancy.

Candidates may apply two times for a PhD position at TGLS.
C. Criteria Research proposal
The Research proposal forms is the deciding part of the assessment. The criteria are as follows:
Subject

What is the significance of your thesis?

Does it contain an original contribution to the field of existing knowledge?

Is it of specific social or theoretical relevance?
Research question

Has the research question been formulated clearly?

If there are more research questions, is it clear how they relate to each other?

Are the objectives of the project in line with the research question?

Is the level of ambition realistic/feasible?
Research method

Is the research method described fully and clearly?

Is the chosen research method appropriate and effective?

What previous research is referred to?

Is the approach to the literature review/empirical research/comparative law research
sufficiently elaborated?

D.
If the project concerns multidisciplinary research, is this reflected in the research method?
Selection procedure
1. Eligibility.
a. Applicants who already hold a PhD in the area of Law are not admitted into the
procedure. Only in exceptional cases it is possible to deviate from this agreement, e.g.
when the candidate can persuade that his degree is obtained at a university with
deviant qualitative academic assessment criteria and/or deviant less strict assessment
procedures.
b. An applicant will be excluded from the selection procedure when the applicant is
already appointed to Tilburg Law School on a similar or comparative position as PhD
candidate before the application deadline.
c. A mono disciplinary research project other than in the field of law is not eligible.
2. The documents mentioned under B. are submitted to a standing selection committee,
consisting of the Vice dean for Research (chair), four professors of Tilburg Law School and
a secretary.
3. After the file assessment, a selection of candidates is invited for a personal interview with
the selection committee.
4. On the basis of the documents and interviews, the committee writes an appointment advice
to the Board of TLS. The Board decides on the appointment of candidates.
5. Motivation rejected candidates.
All rejected candidates will receive a motivated explanation. Candidates who are rejected
after the selection of written applications will receive an explanation on which basis their
ranking is lower compared to candidates who qualified for a job interview. If the applicant
is rejected after the job interview a short motivation will be given. Rejected candidates
can request an oral explanation from the chair of the selection committee.
Contact: For any remaining questions, please contact tgls-appl@tilburguniversity.edu
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This proposal concerns a project in the framework of Data Science
*please mark the applicable answer
yes / no*
Form 1
Instructions for writing your thesis proposal
Answers on question 1-8 should contain a maximum of 2500 words, including footnotes, written
in Ariel font size 12. Please switch your word count on and put the number of words after every
section and mention the amount on the form. Only applications submitted in this format will be
accepted. Applications with more than 2500 words will be considered as not eligible.
Name applicant
Date proposal
1. Title of the project.
2. A brief description of your project
3. The research question
a. description of the field of study and the existing body of knowledge with reference to that. What
lacunae still exist in this area? What has been ignored so far? The central object of the proposed
research.
b. The core question: which central question would you like to answer with your research? How
do you unfold the central question into sub-questions, so that the joint answers will generate the
answer to the central question?
4. The innovative character of the proposed project: What is the significance of your thesis? Does
it contain an original contribution to the field of existing knowledge? Is it of specific social or
theoretical relevance?
5. Considerations regarding theory and prior research: How does your research fit in with the
present state of research and theoretical discussions in your field? Which scholars in your field
do you find especially relevant to your work?
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6. Proposition, hypotheses and concepts: What is the central proposition? What are the working
hypotheses? What are the main theoretical concepts you intend to use?
7. The data: Describe the sources to be used for answering each of the research questions. How
do you intend to gather your data? Do you have whatever permission might be required? Have
the necessary informants agreed to cooperate? Do you have access to the archives you need?
8. Duration of the research: describe the period in which your PhD thesis can be completed,
including a short planning.
Additional information
9. Organisational context
a. What is the name of the proposed supervisor (professor appointed by Tilburg Law School)
b. Which other staff members would you like to have as members of your supervision committee
during your PhD trajectory?
c. Is your project related to the work of teachers, PhD students or programme objectives of
Tilburg Law School?
10. Who are the authors of the letters of recommendation you submit?
11. List your publications (if applicable) or student papers that are relevant to the project.
12. Provide a short and provisional bibliography that you wish to use in your research (maximum
of one A4 sheet).
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13. Did you recently submit an application for the NWO Research Talent?
Yes/no
Date:
Title:
Supervisor:
Form 2
Instructions for describing your contribution to a research project
Answers on question 1-8 should contain a maximum of 2500 words, including footnotes, written
in Ariel font size 12. Please switch your word count on and put the number of words after every
section and mention the amount on the form. Only applications submitted in this format will be
accepted. Applications with more than 2500 words will be considered as not eligible.
Name applicant
Date proposal
1. Title of the project
1a. Name of the author on whose project your contribution is based.
2. Give a brief description of your contribution to the research project, explaining how your
particular background can help answer the questions that are proposed in the project description.
3. The research question as far as your contribution to the project is concerned.
a. explain how you would want to work with the research questions as stated in the project
description; where you would like to adjust it, and why; and what body of knowledge you would
bring to the project or you would want to study in order to be able to bring it to the project.
b. the core question. Which central question would you like to answer with your project
contribution? How do you unfold the central question into sub-questions, so that the joint answers
will generate the answer to the central question?
4. The innovative character of the proposed project: What is the significance of your thesis? Does
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it contain an original contribution to the field of existing knowledge? Is it of specific social or
theoretical relevance?
5. Considerations regarding theory and prior research. How does your research fit in with the
present state of research and theoretical discussions in your field? Which scholars in your field
do you find especially relevant to your work?
6. Proposition, hypotheses and concepts: Consider the central proposition and the main
theoretical concepts used in the project description and explain how you would elaborate on
them.
7. The data: describe the sources to be used for answering each of the research questions. How
do you intend to gather your data? Do you have whatever permission might be required? Have
the necessary informants agreed to cooperate? Do you have access to the archives you need?
Do you agree with what the project description says in this regard or would you have other
suggestions?
8. Duration of the research: Describe the period in which your PhD thesis can be completed,
including a short planning.
Additional information
9. Organisational context
a. What is the name of the proposed supervisor (professor appointed by Tilburg Law School)
b. Which other staff members would you like to have as members of your supervision committee
during your PhD trajectory?
c. Is your project related to the work of teachers, PhD students or programme objectives of
Tilburg Law School?
10. Who are the authors of the letters of recommendation you submit?
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11. List your publications (if applicable) or student papers that are relevant to the project.
12. Provide a short and provisional bibliography that you wish to use in your research (maximum
of one A4 sheet).
13. Did you recently submit an application for the NWO Research Talent?
Yes/no
Date:
Title:
Supervisor: