PhD Programme

Would you like to conduct advanced research to help accelerate the global transition to sustainability? PhD studies at IHE Delft are designed to have an impact and prepare you for academic and senior technical careers.

The PhD programme is at the core of research at IHE Delft. PhD candidates undertake scientific research structured around themes addressing key societal challenges: research that is problem-focused, solution-orientated and often directly related to water challenges in the candidate’s own country or region. As a PhD Candidate, you may contribute to research in one of the Institute’s ongoing projects, or you may define your own research topic within IHE Delft’s themes. The programme includes PhD candidates from around the world, forming an active and supportive PhD community.

PhD Candidates are guided by a supervisory team comprising research staff from IHE Delft, partner universities in the Netherlands, and researchers from abroad. Each PhD study is linked to a partner university in the Netherlands and the SENSE Research School, which further enriches the PhD experience and expands the available resources. Many additional opportunities for collaboration are available in IHE Delft’s global network of partner institutions.

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IHE Delft is a truly international and vibrant hub with people from a wide array of cultural backgrounds.
Supervision and support by renowned water experts on IHE Delft’s academic staff.
A tailor-made Doctoral Education programme focused on your learning wishes and needs.
As an IHE Delft PhD candidate you are a member of the Netherlands Research School for Socio-Economic and Natural Sciences of the Environment (SENSE), which functions as a school for PhD education and training, a national academic research network in this field and a bridge to society for sustainable solutions.
Opportunities to engage with peers from your own and other regions.
Access to up-to-date data, models, tools and equipment related to water.
After graduation, you will be part of the IHE Delft alumni network.

Candidates for the PhD programme at IHE Delft should have an MSc degree with high qualifications.
A well-written research proposal.
Active contribution to our PhD community by participating in and initiating various events.
An ability to work as an independent researcher and work in teams - you will conduct research in collaboration with your supervisory team.
An academic level of spoken and written English. Applicants whose native language is not English must satisfy the English language requirements for IHE Delft's educational programmes.
Once graduated, stay in touch with the Institute and your peers via our PhD alumni network.

You will become an independent researcher and expert in your field who is able to:

Formulate scientific questions.
Conduct original scientific research.
Publish in scientific journals.
Integrate your research into a framework of the corresponding scientific discipline and against the background of a broader scientific area.
Place the research aims and research results in a societal context.
Postulate concisely worded propositions in scientific and societal areas.

There are two modalities for pursuing your PhD at IHE Delft:

If you can arrange your own funding and propose your own research topic based on the IHE Research themes, you can apply for the programme through our regular application procedure. Visit the Application and Admission webpage below for information about tuition costs, cost of living in Delft and potential scholarship sources.

Apply for a PhD vacancy. IHE Delft occasionally offers PhD positions financed through externally funded research grants. For these positions, the research topic is pre-determined and candidates’ profiles should match those listed in the vacancies. Successful applicants receive an employment contract from IHE Delft for the duration of the PhD programme. Current vacancies are available here.

The PhD programme is a key part of IHE Delft's steadfast dedication to advancing knowledge and confronting global water challenges. Over the course of three decades, the programme has welcomed candidates from 70 different countries who form a diverse and collaborative community devoted to shaping the world’s water future.