Each year EPS invites all EPS PhD candidates in their 3rd year (or 3rd year equivalent) for a PhD interview.
The purpose of the personal interview is twofold, namely 1) for the graduate school to get feedback about the PhD experience from the PhD candidates, and 2) to help the PhD candidate to reflect on the planning of and the priorities for the remaining PhD project time with somebody from outside the supervisory team.
Homework beforehand will be to send in an updated training overview, an outline of the (planned) thesis content and a (rough) timeline for the remaining work.
After a call to indicate interest for an interview, the personal interviews will be arranged in the summer period (dates depending on availability of the interviewers). The interested PhD candidates will be matched with an EPS research theme coordinator, a member of the EPS Educational Committee, or the EPS director. The interviews will last about 30 minutes and will, in principle, be hosted at the location of the interviewer (unless it is necessary to do it online).
Detailed information about the whole procedure will be sent to the interested PhD candidates that respond to the call to declare their interest in an interview.
Quotes from PhD candidates that had a 3rd year PhD interview in 2025 & 2026:
“The preparation and interview gave me a lot of perspective on where I am, what I’ve already achieved and created an overview that made the outlook of finishing my PhD over the next two years seem less daunting ”
“Preparing for the third-year interview really helped me see how far I’ve come and where I want to go next. It was challenging but worth it.”
“It is really quite informative to have a detailed discussion about your PhD with someone that has an outside perspective.”
“The PhD interviews were a great way to reflect on your own progress from an outside perspective, the interviewer was very nice, which led to valuable input and a fruitful conversation”
“For better or for worse, the 3rd year PhD interview signals that one is approaching the end”
“It felt less like an interview and more like a wake-up call, a reminder to prioritize what truly matters in order to finish the thesis on time.”