PhD scholarship at the Department of Nordic Studies and Linguistics, Faculty of Humanities, University of Copenhagen (UCPH)
Applications are invited for a PhD scholarship at the Department of Nordic Studies and Linguistics. The chosen candidate will be employed and enrol at the Faculty of Humanities under the PhD School at the Faculty of Humanities.
The scholarship is for 3 years starting on 1 May 2026 or as soon as possible thereafter.
The Dark Ages project
The collective research project The Indo-European Dark Ages Illuminated, funded by VELUX FONDEN, aims to reconstruct the cultural vocabulary – words referring to technologies (e.g. the wheel) and socioeconomic phenomena (e.g. dowry) – of the IE “Dark Ages”, the poorly lit period between the dissolution of Proto-Indo-European (PIE) and the emergence of the individual daughter branches. The semantic fields treated in the project are (1) clothing and textiles, (2) metals and metal production, (3) animal husbandry, (4) agriculture, (5) foods and utensils, (6) social structure and jurisdiction, (7) religious practices, (8) warfare, (9) transport, (10) economy and commerce, (11) construction and buildings.
After compiling a comprehensive database of vocabulary items across the IE branches, the project members carry out a computer-assisted phylogenetic analysis to determine the minimal age of each vocabulary item. Since the vocabulary is indicative of the culture of the speakers of a language, the project will lead to new insights, based on historical linguistic evidence, into the cultural and technological stages and transitions in western Eurasia at the dawn of history. It thus corroborates the thriving cross-pollination between historical linguistics, archaeology and historical population genetics.
The PhD project
The main responsibility of the candidate is to carry out their own PhD project within the wider frame of the overall research project. Moreover, as part of the work tasks included in the PhD programme the candidate is responsible for collecting and curating data from one or more branches in which the candidate has special knowledge.
The candidate must draft a preliminary description of a PhD project addressing one or more semantic fields of Indo-European as outlined above. The PhD project should provide a detailed historical account of the relevant lexical items in one or more branch proto-languages of Indo-European (Proto-Italic, Proto-Germanic etc.), including their cultural context. The PhD project should take into account both items inherited from PIE and more recent items present in the branch proto-language, including loan words from known and unknown sources.
The PhD project will be carried out under the supervision of project PI Thomas Olander. The candidate is expected to collaborate closely with the other members of the Dark Ages project, to participate in group meetings at the Roots of Europe research centre and to integrate with the research group Language History. The candidate will be invited to co-author papers to the extent that they can be incorporated into the thesis.
Applicants are invited to familiarise themselves with the the Department of Nordic Studies and Linguistics.
The PhD Programme
PhD studies consist of research programmes at the highest international level that qualify students for independent research, knowledge dissemination and teaching. The main emphasis is on PhD students organising and conducting their own research project (under supervision). The programme culminates in the submission of a PhD thesis, which the student must defend in public. The programme is prescribed to 180 ECTS credits, corresponding to three years of full-time study.
A PhD degree opens a range of career opportunities in academia and elsewhere. As well as writing a thesis, PhD students work in active research environments in Denmark and abroad. They contribute to the academic environment, take research training courses, and convey the results of their research in teaching, at academic conferences and to the public.
Qualification requirements
The candidate must have a high degree of knowledge of historical linguistics and, especially, of Indo-European studies. Candidates with interests and experience in linguistic phylogenetics, database design and/or archaeolinguistics will be prioritised.
Applicants must have qualifications corresponding to master’s level related to the subject area of the project e.g. Indo-European Studies. If you have completed your education in Denmark, you must have a master’s degree covered by the collective agreement for academics in the state sector. If you have completed your education outside of Denmark, you must either have a master’s degree equivalent to a Danish master’s degree (two years) or as minimum a bachelor’s degree equivalent to a Danish bachelor’s degree (three years) and be assessed as having professional qualifications at master's level.
If you have completed your education abroad, we will obtain an assessment of your education from the Danish Research Agency.
Applicants must possess skills in written and spoken academic English at a high level. Reading proficiency in German is an advantage.
For further information about the guidelines for PhD studies at UCPH, please refer to: https://phd.ku.dk/english/.
For further information about the structure of the PhD programme, please refer to: https://phd.humanities.ku.dk/phd-programme/structure/.
Application
All applications must be submitted online via the link “Apply now” at the bottom of this page. The application must be written in English or Danish, and include the following enclosures in Adobe PDF format:
- Cover letter (no more than one page detailing your motivation and background for applying with the specfic PhD project.
- CV.
- Project description (no more than 12,000 characters not including bibliography).
- Project abstract (please fill in the “Project abstract” box in the application form; no more than 1,200 characters).
- Diploma and transcripts of records (bachelor’s and master’s degree).
- Suggested time schedule, including planned change of research environment.
- Other information for consideration, e.g. list of publications.
On the website of the PhD School you can find information about the enclosures to include with your electronic application: https://phd.humanities.ku.dk/how-to-obtain-a-phd-scholarship/admission-requirements/.
Assessment criteria
The following criteria are applied when assessing PhD applications:
- Research qualifications as reflected in the project description as well as its relation to the Dark Ages project.
- Quality and feasibility of the project.
- Qualifications and knowledge in relevant disciplines, as outlined above
- Performance (grades obtained) in graduate and post-graduate studies.
The recruitment process
After the deadline for applications, the Head of Department considers advice from the appointment committee and then selects applicants for assessment. All applicants will be notified whether they have been shortlisted. After this, the Head of Department sets up an expert assessment committee to assess the shortlisted applications. The selected applicants will be informed who is serving on the committee. Each shortlisted applicant will be offered the opportunity to comment on the committee’s assessment of their application before the appointment is announced.
For further information about the recruitment process, please refer to the University of Copenhagen website: https://employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/.
As an applicant to the University of Copenhagen, you should be prepared to undergo a security screening related to international research collaboration as part of the recruitment process. The security screening will be conducted in cases where the University deems it appropriate based on an overall assessment.
Enrolment
It is a prerequisite for employment that successful applicants enrol at the PhD School of the Faculty of Humanities at the University of Copenhagen.
For further information about the structure of the PhD programme, please refer to: https://phd.humanities.ku.dk/phd-programme/structure/.
For further information about the guidelines for PhD studies at UCPH, please refer to: https://phd.ku.dk/english/.
Salary and terms of employment
Terms of appointment and salary will be in accordance with an agreement between the Ministry of Finance and The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (AC). The salary range starts at DKK 31,200 (EUR 4,100) + a 17.1 % contribution to the pension scheme.
According to the agreement, the PhD Fellow is required to carry out tasks at the relevant department to an extent corresponding to 840 working hours (6 months) without additional pay. The work obligation can include teaching, for instance.
An equal opportunity workplace
University of Copenhagen wishes to reflect the diversity of society, and welcomes applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of their personal backgrounds. For more information on the diverse working place environment at the university and the university’s participation in the HRS4R, please see: https://employment.ku.dk/working-at-ucph/eu-charter-for-researchers/.
International applicant?
The University of Copenhagen offers a broad variety of services for international researchers and accompanying families, including support before and during your relocation and career counselling to expat partners. Please find more information about these services as well as information on entering and working in Denmark here: https://ism.ku.dk/.
Contact information
For further information about the structure and rules of the PhD programme, please contact the PhD Administration, email: phd@hrsc.ku.dk.
Information about the recruitment process is available from HR Centre South, email: hr-soendre@adm.ku.dk. Please refer to case number: 211-2297/25-2H #2.
If you have any questions about the academic content of the PhD programme, please contact PhD Coordinator Thomas Olander (olander@hum.ku.dk).
The deadline for applications is 1 February 2026 at 23:59 CET.
Any applications or additional material submitted after the deadline will not be considered. However, changes may be made to the submitted application right up until the deadline.
Part of the International Alliance of Research Universities (IARU), and among Europe’s top-ranking universities, the University of Copenhagen promotes research and teaching of the highest international standard. Rich in tradition and modern in outlook, the University gives students and staff the opportunity to cultivate their talent in an ambitious and informal environment. An effective organisation – with good working conditions and a collaborative work culture – creates the ideal framework for a successful academic career.