Vacancies

Opportunities & Resources

Last updated: April 2026

The IMPRS Fellowships — the School's dedicated annual call for fully funded doctoral positions — have been discontinued. There will be no further rounds. Other PhD positions at the IMPRS for Language Sciences remain available through multiple routes.

The sections below cover everything you need to get started: finding PhD vacancies and approaching researchers, internship opportunities, application templates, skills development, and further resources for your career.

Interested in pursuing a doctoral programme (PhD)?

Keep an eye on PhD vacancies at the MPI and at our Radboud University partner institutes — the Centre for Language Studies (CLS) and the Donders Institute — throughout the year. 

PhD projects focused on language at CLS and the Donders Institute (Theme 1: Language and Communication) may offer the opportunity to join our IMPRS programme. This depends on whether the supervising researcher is affiliated with IMPRS, so when you apply, ask them about this directly. If you are unsure, feel free to %20imprs [at] mpi.nl (contact us) about the researcher or position you have in mind.

We also encourage you to explore other IMPRS programmes and the Max Planck Schools. There may be a programme that closely matches your research interests. You can also learn more about how to apply for a PhD position at the Max Planck Society.
 

How to approach researchers
Two approaches are common but rarely effective. The first is sending an unsolicited email to a researcher with a CV attached or with other application materials, asking them to review what you have put together. The second is asking a researcher or the coordinator to tell you whether you are a good fit. Both approaches are unlikely to lead anywhere. Researchers almost never respond to emails of this kind — not because they are dismissive, but because neither approach fits how academic recruitment works. Assessing your own fit and making the case for it is precisely the kind of work one would expect of someone wanting to become a researcher.

What does work is reaching out with a clear, specific, and well-prepared message. Researchers respond most positively when a candidate has clearly read their work, explains how their own background and interests connect to the researcher’s current projects, and shares ideas for possible future studies. Be clear about the skills and experience you already have, what you hope to develop, and when you plan to start. This gives the researcher the information they need to tell you honestly whether they can support your goals.

If a researcher does not reply, allow at least two weeks before sending a brief, polite follow-up. Non-responses are common and do not necessarily reflect a lack of interest — researchers are often balancing many demands at once.

A well-prepared, specific inquiry gives you the best chance of a helpful and enthusiastic reply.

Already hold a PhD?

The IMPRS for Language Sciences is designed to train researchers at the start of their doctoral journey. Admission is open only to those who have not yet completed a PhD: there are no exceptions to this.

If you already hold a doctoral degree and have been enquiring about a PhD Fellowship or PhD position here, it is worth knowing that in some national academic systems the term ‘fellowship’ is used for postdoctoral funding rather than doctoral funding. Our fellowships and positions are doctoral — for researchers who are yet to complete their first doctorate.

If you are looking for postdoctoral or other research positions, look for vacancies at MPI-PL and Radboud University.

Interested in gaining practical research experience (internship)?

Browse available internships across our MPI departments and research groups.

If nothing currently fits your interests, consider reaching out directly to researchers whose work appeals to you — here in Nijmegen or at other institutions — to ask about possible future internships. The same principles apply as above: come prepared, be specific about a paper or project that interests you, share your ideas, and be clear about your skills and availability. An internship inquiry is generally less formal than a PhD inquiry, but the quality of your message still matters.

A well-prepared, specific inquiry gives you the best chance of a helpful and enthusiastic reply.

Looking for help with your CV or motivation letter?

We offer a CV template and a motivation letter template here that you are welcome to use when applying for positions advertised here or elsewhere. They were developed with IMPRS applications in mind but are adaptable for academic applications more broadly.

These templates are intended as a practical starting point, particularly for applicants who are less familiar with the conventions of academic applications. We want everyone to be able to present themselves clearly and on equal footing, regardless of their institutional background.

A few things to keep in mind:
•    The templates are a guide, not a formula. The content needs to be genuinely your own — reflecting your background, your interests, and your reasons for applying.
•    Using a template is not a guarantee of anything. A well-structured application still needs to make a compelling case.
•    Always follow any specific instructions given in the vacancy you are applying for. If a vacancy specifies its own format or requirements, those take precedence.

Looking to develop new skills and strengthen your application?

The following course providers may be of interest:
•    Radboud Summer School — intensive summer courses across a wide range of disciplines, based in Nijmegen
•    LOT School — winter and summer schools in linguistics, primarily for students at Dutch and Flemish universities
•    LEMMA — online courses in multilevel modelling and statistical methods
•    Coursera — wide range of online courses from universities worldwide
•    DataCamp — online courses in programming, data analysis, and data science
•    edX — online courses and programmes from universities and institutions worldwide

We are affiliated only with Radboud University and the LOT School. Listing the other providers here is not an endorsement of their services.

Resources for personal and professional growth

Visit the IMPRS Coordinator Kevin Lam’s page and scroll to Food for Thought — a hand-picked collection of books on learning, focus, creativity, and building a fulfilling career, each linked to a short video to get you started.