international relations phd netherlands

PhD programme

Celebrating 250 ISS PhD graduates

The stories and knowledge of our doctoral alumni

The International Institute of Social Studies (ISS) offers a four-year programme leading to an internationally recognized degree. 

Our PhD researchers work on topics in the field of global development and social justice based on a strong theoretical footing and using cutting-edge qualitative and quantitative methods.

Providing a creative environment for critically-minded and independent scholars

The ISS’s aim is to provide a creative and lively  environment for  critically minded and independent scholars to contribute to positive social change, as well as global justice and equity. Many of our PhD candidates are experienced professionals with a track record in development, activism, academia and/ or public service, enriching the academic exchange with their experiences and views.

Part of our broader research programme

All PhD researchers are invited to participate in our global research programme and in at least one of the research groups:

• Civic Innovation
• Development Economics
• Political Ecology
• Governance, Law & Social Justice

Collaborative research schools

All PhD researchers at the International Institute of Social Studies are part of the CERES Research School for International Development  which offers a PhD training programme aimed at increasing the skills and knowledge required for writing a viable, implementable and academic research proposal.

They are also part of the Erasmus Graduate School of Social Sciences and the Humanities  which offers  dozens of courses  to nurture innovative and interdisciplinary research excellence.

PhD researchers 'in the driver's seat'

Researchers join a diverse and close-knit community of scholars.

At the moment, 153 PhD candidates from 49 nationalities countries are enrolled in the PhD programme. Many of them work at their own desk in the ISS building, discussing their research with their peers and supervisory team, refining their research proposal, or are in the final phase of writing their thesis. Those in the second and third years of the programme are usually away doing fieldwork, collecting original data to answer their research questions.

Our philosophy is that PhD researchers are 'in the driver’s seat' for their project, working closely with our multidisciplinary and passionate faculty engaged in global development research.

A PhD researcher’s fieldwork activities benefit from belonging to a dynamic and vibrant community,  complimented by rigorous preparation including safety and security training, access to the ISS global network along with experienced and thoughtful guidance and solid institutional support.

ISS occasionally has vacancies for fully-funded PhD candidates, and takes part in several scholarship programmes. However, ISS does not have a scholarship programme of its own, and most PhD candidates organize their own funding , through their government, a foundation, or self-funding.

Candidates find that the PhD trajectory provides them with space to reflect on their experiences and that the degree opens opportunities to continue or change their career path.

PhD researchers speak

Current and past PhD researchers tell us why they decided to do their PhD at ISS.

The dissertation writing exercise was probably the best thing that I ever did in my life.

'Grounded ... in the art of doing independent academic and policy relevant research ...'

Interesting things will only happen if you're willing to listen

International opportunities with our PhD degree 

Contact the PhD team

If you have any questions about doing your PhD at the International Institute of Social Studies, please contact the PhD support team.

PhD vacancies at ISS

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Our phd researchers.

Current PhD research profiles and publications lists

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All you need to know about our MA programme

250 ISS PhD graduates

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PhD Programme Social Sciences

Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research / AISSR

• PhD Application
• PhD Training & Support
• Overview dissertations

Project & activities

During your PhD appointment, which typically lasts three to four years, your primary focus will be conducting research for your doctoral dissertation. However, we also encourage you to engage in other activities such as taking courses offered by the PhD Training Programme, teaching undergraduate courses in the Departments of Social Sciences, and actively participating in the research community, both within AISSR and at national and international levels.

Close-knit community

As a PhD student at AISSR, you will be part of a vibrant community that values your growth and development. We offer coaching, training, and a strong PhD Community to support you throughout your doctoral journey. We encourage our students to publish their research early in their careers, enhancing their academic profiles and fostering their future career prospects.

Programme Groups

You will be assigned to an AISSR programme group where you will conduct your research and be immersed in a supportive and collaborative environment. We are excited about newly interest in pursuing a PhD at the University of Amsterdam and look forward to welcoming postgraduate students to our dynamic academic community at AISSR.

Communication with others, categorizing and identifying people and objects, establishing symbolic and moral boundaries, is strongly influenced by culture. Moreover, culture is the way we try to understand and interact with the world around us. At Cultural Sociology, the way social meanings and expressions associate culture will be questioned. How do people create status differences and maintain boundaries between groups? How are international beauty standards (re)produced?

The Institutions, Inequalities, and Life courses programme (IIL) examines institutions in a broad way as the formal and informal rules and arrangements in society that govern individual behavior and social relationships. Examples of institutions are welfare states, labor market arrangements, educational systems, occupational groups, norms and rules in organizations, and gender role norms.

The programme group Political Sociology researches evolving relations of conflict and cohesion in various national and international settings. Our research on citizenship, politics, policies, social movements and the state extends beyond actor-centred approaches through relational analyses and a keen eye for power differentials.

Governance and Inclusive Development (GID) scrutinizes development dynamics at various geographical, jurisdictional and temporal scales, realizing that these are situated in different but interconnected multi-level processes. GID analyses and rethinks dominant development paradigms, and engages with international, national and local development practices, policies and debates to identify viable and socially just alternatives.

The Political and Economic Geographies (PEG) group investigates the role of multi-scalar relationships that are crucial in understanding contemporary economic and political geographies.

The researchers within Urban Geographies study the socio-spatial processes that shape cities and urban life across the world. Our research concentrates on the formation of urban difference and inequality. It seeks to understand how specific spaces, places and mobilities reflect, reproduce and transform social differentiation in terms of class, ethnicity, generation, gender and sexuality. In addition, it studies how resources, risks and political voice are distributed unevenly across urban spaces and populations, analyzing geographies of inequality within and between city regions.

Urban Planning research and teaching at the University of Amsterdam focuses on the relationships between the social, spatial, and environmental dimensions of urban processes, and on ways of purposefully and positively impacting on them.

The research program Challenges to Democracy studies the consequences of current political developments and their historical roots for democratic governance. How do democratic regimes maintain political stability? To what extent can they deliver political equality, legitimacy and prevent societal polarization?

Ongoing trends towards transnational integration of markets and economic transactions are giving rise to far-­reaching transformations of governance both within and beyond the nation-state. The Political Economy and Transnational Governance (PETGOV) programme group focuses on the drivers, dynamics, and consequences of these epochal developments in political and economic life.

In recent decades, there has been a growing divergence between the organisation of society and the inherited conceptual framework of the 20th century political sciences. The Transnational Configurations, Conflict and Governance group seeks to re-examine established notions of identities, categorizations and boundaries defined by classical political science concepts through different forms of empirical investigation.

We investigate the manifold ways gender, race, class, citizenship, religion, and sexuality are made and unmade in everyday life, including the ways in which differences and similarities among people, communities, and other living things are created, contested, celebrated or distrusted. We are interested in the everyday experiences of belonging and exclusion and how they shape individuals, institutions, and environments in lasting ways. Our research delves into the political dimensions and the impact these have on people's aspirations and pursuits. We investigate the aesthetics of these world making projects, their pasts, presents and futures.

The Health, Care, and Body programme group aims to analyse evolving health experiences, sexual identities, body practices, and social/cultural influences on scientific knowledge utilization in clinical settings. It also examines care and self-help practices, the exercise of biomedical power, and patterns of resistance or acceptance of medical regimes, scientific knowledge, and technology.

The social consequences of the mobility of people, goods, power, and ideas constitute the central focus of the Moving Matters research programme. Members of the research group explore migrating people and moving commodities, as well as the shifting networks that result from such practices. These networks stretch from the local to the transnational and necessarily involve encounters with the state through deportation regimes, access to resources and technologies, border infrastructures, decolonial and postcolonial movements, labour relations, and violence and conflict.

More information can be found on the AISSR wiki. This an informative platform for all (and only) AISSR researchers with internal information like guidelines, policy documents, templates and more.

If you have any questions or require further information, please don't hesitate to reach out to our PhD Coordinator, Mr. Simon Cijsouw.

AISSR PhD Coordinator

[email protected]

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At Maastricht University, a PhD degree is not just a study but a serious research project that adds new knowledge to a given field. There are three ways to become a PhD candidate at UM, which are outlined below. As a PhD candidate, you’ll spend most of your time conducting original research and writing a dissertation. You might also follow courses relevant to your research or have teaching responsibilities as well. Most candidates take four years to complete their dissertation and earn their degree. Requirements for our PhD programmes vary, but you will at least need a master’s degree, a high level of English proficiency and a strong academic record.

There are three ways to obtain a PhD at Maastricht University:

Apply for a paid phd position.

As a paid PhD candidate, you’ll be an employee of the university and will conduct research in conjunction with a faculty, research school or institute. You can search for a PhD vacancy on Academic Transfer or contact a faculty directly.   Paid PhD positions

Note: FHML/MUMC+ discerns 4 types of PhDs.

Enrol in a PhD training programme

Several of our graduate schools and research institutes offer PhD training programmes. In these programmes, you will follow a number of courses as well as write a dissertation. We have both full-time and part-time programmes.

  PhD training programmes

Obtain external funding & pitch your idea

Do you have a specific research proposal that does not match one of our vacancies? Then you can also obtain external funding and pitch your idea to one of our faculties, graduate schools or research institutes.

  Externally funded PhDs

Why Maastricht University?

The Netherlands ranks second worldwide in the number of publications per researcher and third worldwide in the impact of research publications, according to the Netherlands organisation for international cooperation in higher education (NUFFIC). At Maastricht University, PhD candidates are respected as full-fledged members of our research community. You'll be treated as a peer and will be given all the support you need for your research. There is a high level of interdisciplinary and inter-institutional cooperation at UM, and PhDs often complete their dissertation alongside their career. Such a commitment requires hard work and fortitude. And it especially requires the capacity to innovate, to come up with new ideas and new ways of seeing and applying knowledge.

International environment

Maastricht University was the first university in the Netherlands to strive for internationalisation. Almost half of our students and 40% of our academic staff come from abroad. Each faculty, school and institute has extensive international partnership networks and the university encourages international research collaborations. Students and researchers have many opportunities to study and work abroad, and our graduates are eagerly sought in the international labour market and research community.

Active PhD community

At Maastricht University, we have a vibrant PhD community. There are many ways to connect with your peers on a social and professional level:

• PhD Academy Maastricht
• Young Researchers Academy
• Central PhD Candidates Platform
• PhD candidates Network (PNN)
• Meet & Greet Maastricht
• Representative participation for UM
• ProVUM Maastricht
• European Council of Doctoral Candidates and Junior Researchers (Eurodoc)

Current PhD candidates

In the overview for current PhDs, you can find more information on:

• additional courses
• professional development opportunities
• practical matters
• Scholarships

  Overview for current PhDs

Research master's

Have you finished your bachelor’s and would like to pursue a PhD? Then you should consider one of our research master’s programmes, which specifically prepare you to be successful as a doctoral candidate. In some of these programmes, more than 90% of the students go on to become PhD candidates. You can find the research master's programmes in our master's overview.

Master's programmes

Defending your thesis

A PhD Defence ceremony is a formal occasion with strict protocols governing each person’s role, responsibility, and even the language used. It all works a bit like a trial, hence the term ‘PhD defence’. If you are a PhD candidate at the end of your trajectory you need to formally request permission for a public defense ceremony soon. In this website you find information on practical matters you need to arrange before and during your doctoral research and explains how to go about your your PhD defense.

  More information

One step closer to an anti-stress pill

Why are some people more sensitive to stress than others? Dennis Hernaus was hired as a PhD candidate to study the relationship between stress and dopamine levels of patients using PET scanners. He found that low dopamine levels are associated with increased sensitivity to stress and vice versa.  

Wrestling with medical-ethical dilemmas during WWII

Is it okay for a doctor to make someone ill or appear ill if it saves them from being boarded on a train and sent to a death camp? Hannah van den Ende studied the experiences of 534 Dutch-Jewish doctors who wrestled with this type of ethical dilemma during WWII.  

Studying HIV-related stigma in virtual reality

Stigmatising behaviour is often unconscious. People don't usually realise that they treat HIV patients differently. But the consequences are real. Henna Toppenberg and her PhD supervisor Rob Ruiter are using virtual reality to gain more insight into this behaviour so they can help bring about change.  

A Beginner's Guide to Dutch Academia

Detailed information on Dutch research and higher education can be found in  A Beginner's Guide to Dutch Academia. 

Hortense Jongen winner of The 2018 Dissertation Prize

The 2018 Dissertation Prize, this year awarded for the best doctoral dissertation from the inner city faculties, went to Hortense Jongen from the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Her thesis is entitled: ‘Combating corruption the soft way: The authority of peer reviews in the global fight against graft.’

PhD at VU Amsterdam

Follow our youtube channel at  Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam  and  VU Amsterdam International Student .

At Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam we provide three or four year research intensive PhD programs, or part time PhD programs with a duration above four years, organized in graduate schools of nine VU Amsterdam faculties. We expect our doctoral graduates to become internationally engaged scientists with transferable skills and opportunities to plan a career in or outside academia. 

We offer customized training and supervision with a strong emphasis on the development of research as well as professional skills such as the ability to work in teams and collaborate. In short, we wish to develop engaged and responsible academics and future professionals who constantly explore and push back the boundaries of existing knowledge. Our doctorates are internationally-oriented, multi and interdisciplinary, curiosity and results driven, creating an impact in science, society and economy.

Earning a doctorate from VU Amsterdam often leads to a career as a scholar and researcher in universities, and non-universities (universities of applied sciences); non-profits and think tanks; consultancies and corporations.

At VU Amsterdam we have two types of PhD candidates: internal and external. Internal PhD candidates are paid employees of VU Amsterdam and enter into labor agreement with VU Amsterdam. External PhDs candidates undertake a PhD at VU Amsterdam with a foreign funding or scholarship scheme, or are self funded professionals or students. 

More information

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International Relations in Historical Perspective

Doing a Phd

If you have completed your Master's programme, and you are enthusiastic about doing research in your field, then maybe doing a Doctorate (PhD) might be something for you. A Doctor’s degree is the highest academic degree awarded by a Dutch university. You start as 'assistant in training' (aio) or 'researcher in training' (oio).

At Utrecht University

At Utrecht University you take part in education in one of the Graduate Schools and often also teach students. During the four-year PhD programme you work under the guidance of a professor on creating a research project that results in a dissertation or a series of articles in scientific journals. You can search for positions on research projects on offer or a position whereby you are free to submit your own research proposal. Read more on doing a PhD at Utrecht University. 

Other options

The best way to find a PhD position is through networking with the professor in the field you wish to specialize. Another option is to search via www.academictransfer.nl . Here you can also find more information on doing PhD research in the Netherlands. 

Follow Utrecht University

International Relations (Political Science)

International Relations studies the relations between, beyond and across states. As such it is engaged with world affairs and tries to theorise the complex phenomenon of global politics. It goes beyond the exclusive domain of nation states and includes non-state actors such as (social) movements, corporations, and advocacy groups. International Relations increasingly tries to include the challenges of today’s world such as human development, terrorism, (gender) inequality, and climate change.

🎓 Highly ranked programme in a diverse and international setting

Highly ranked programme in a diverse and international setting

Provides students with both academic and professional skills

Research-oriented

Is International Relations right for you?

Are you interested in:

• Deepening your knowledge of peace, security, and the role of transnational processes and institutions?
• Solving complex diplomatic issues?
• Improving your debating and policy briefing skills?
• Studying in an international and inspiring environment?

Then International Relations might be the track for you!

Discover other tracks in this Master’s programme

International Relations is one of the seven tracks in the Master’s programme Political Science . The other tracks are:

• Comparative Politics
• European Politics and External Relations
• Gender and Sexuality
• Political Economy
• Political Theory
• Public Policy and Governance

Making a difference: A Day at the University of Amsterdam

True or false: Writing my thesis was the most challenging part of my Master’s

What surprised you the most about working life?

Is being a student really the best time of your life?

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PhD Political Science & International Relations programs in Netherlands

European governance.

Utrecht University

The Times Higher Education World University Rankings is the only global university performance table to judge research-intensive universities across all of their core missions: teaching, research, knowledge transfer and international outlook.

Political Science

Radboud University

Russian and eurasian studies.

Leiden University

International relations and international organization.

University of Groningen

International relations in historical perspective, international politics, nationalism, ethnic conflict and development, international relations, conflicts, territories and identities, comparative politics, history of politics and society, politics and society.

Maastricht University

Dutch politics, parties, parliaments and democracy, european union studies, international relations (60 ec), international political economy, conflict, power and politics, political science: specialization policy and politics.

Free University Amsterdam

European studies, international organisation, international studies, international relations (90 ec), political science: specialization comparative and european politics, political science: specialization international relations and transnational governance, europe: borders, identity and governance, political theory, political science: specialization global environmental governance, global political economy, politics, psychology, law and economics (pple).

University of Amsterdam

Global project and change management.

Windesheim University of Applied Sciences

Deadline information, best universities with political science & international relations in netherlands.

Bachelor Political Science & International Relations programs in Netherlands

Master Political Science & International Relations programs in Netherlands

Most Popular Political Science & International Relations programs in Netherlands

PhD Political Science & International Relations programs in Netherlands

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Clingendael Institute

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The good, the bad, and the ugly

Strategic minerals are essential to the modern-day technologies that enable the digital and climate transitions, as well as to the development of advanced military systems. However, their production and processing is concentrated in a handful of countries. There are growing concerns across Europe that this creates unwanted economic dependencies and can become a source of geopolitical leverage.

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Audience question: How can the veto on EU decisions be avoided?

Europese verkiezingen 2024

Upcoming training courses, course intercultural communication, cursus cyberveiligheid en cyber governance, inzicht in europa | voor rijksambtenaren, upcoming events, ukraine recovery conference 2024 - side event, welke opvattingen hebben nederlanders over europa, poetins oorlog: geschiedenis als wapen, the leading think tank and diplomatic academy.

Clingendael - the Netherlands Institute of International Relations - is an independent think tank and academy on international affairs, based in The Hague. Through our analyses, training, publications and events we aim to inspire and equip governments, businesses, and civil society in order to contribute to a secure, sustainable and just world.

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Attention incoming students! Apply now for your program and increase your chances of guaranteed* student housing. Due to high demand, we allocate our student housing on a first-come, first-served basis.

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Undergraduate

• Business Administration (BS)
• International Relations (BA)
• Management (BA) with an Emphasis in International Business
• Psychology (BA)
• Psychology (BS)

International Relations (MA)

• Psychology (MA) with an Emphasis in Counseling Psychology
• Sustainability Management (MS)

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The Master of Arts (MA) in International Relations enables students to analyze the complexities and processes involved in world politics and international affairs.

The degree coursework provides thorough exposure to the key subfields of the discipline and relevant issues such as globalization, human rights, humanitarian action, and economic development. The program can help prepare students to compete for work in governmental agencies, intergovernmental organizations, nongovernmental organizations or multinational corporations. This program is also recommended to students planning to pursue a PhD.

Learning Outcomes for the Master's in International Relations

Students who complete this program will be able to:

• Demonstrate a working knowledge of several sub fields of the discipline.
• Demonstrate strong research skills.
• Critically analyze international events and issues.
• Apply theories of international relations to the practice of international affairs.
• Demonstrate effective written and oral communication skills.
• Develop the requisite skills to seek employment relevant to the field by having the necessary education.

Learn More about the International Relations Department on Facebook

“When I deal with negotiations or business with advisors or inventors, I am quite confident, and I am very comfortable because I've been equipped through classes, case studies and even exams.”

MA in International Relations, Webster Leiden

Accreditation

This program is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) in the United States. We have been accredited by the HLC for more than 95 years. This program is not Dutch accredited and does not lead to a degree based on Dutch law, Wet op het Hoger Onderwijs (Law on Higher Education).

Choose Webster Leiden for Your Graduate Degree in International Relations

Program curriculum for ma in international relations.

The 36 credit hours (12 courses) required for the MA in International Relations degree must include the following courses for a major in International Relations:

• INTL 5000 Introduction to International Relations (3 hours)
• INTL 5100 Research Methods and Perspectives (3 hours)
• INTL 6000 Capstone in International Relations (3 hours) or INTL 6250 Thesis* (6 hours) and INTL 6900 University Thesis Requirement (0 hours)

Two courses from the Comparative Politics Cluster (6 hours)

• INTL 5050 Comparative Politics (3 hours)
• INTL 5580 Politics of Development (3 hours)
• INTL 5570 Comparative Foreign Policy (3 hours)
• INTL 5600 Area Studies (3 hours)
• INTL 5605 Topics in Comparative Politics (3 hours)
• INTL 5625 Middle East Area Studies (3 hours)
• INTL 5635 Western European Area Studies (3 hours)
• INTL 5645 Asian Area Studies (3 hours)
• INTL 5655 African Area Studies (3 hours)
• INTL 5665 South and Central Asian Area Studies (3 hours)
• INTL 5675 Central and Eastern European Area Studies (3 hours)
• INTL 5685 Latin American Area Studies (3 hours)

Four courses from the International Politics Cluster (12 hours)

• INGO 5000 Introduction to International and Nongovernmental Organizations (3 hours)
• INTL 5400 International Political Economy (3 hours)
• INTL 5510 Theories of International Relations (3 hours)
• INTL 5530 International Law (3 hours)
• INTL 5535 International Disaster Law (3 hours)
• INTL 5540 International Organizations (3 hours)
• INTL 5545 The United Nations in International Politics (3 hours)
• INTL 5550 War and Diplomacy (3 hours)
• INTL 5560 U.S. Foreign Policy (3 hours)
• INTL 5585 Food and Water Security (3 hours)
• INTL 5590 International Security (3 hours)
• INTL 5595 Energy Security (3 hours)
• INTL 5700 Humanitarian Issues in International Politics (3 hours)
• INTL 5800 Globalization (3 hours)
• INTL 5860 Issues in International Politics (3 hours)
• INTL 5870 International Law and Politics of Outer Space (3 hours)
• INTL 5890 Terrorism in World Politics (3 hours)
• NTSC 5000 Introduction to National Security Studies (3 hours)

Three International Relations Elective Courses (9 hours)

Any additional courses from the two clusters above, or any of the following:

• INTL 5300 Field Work (3-6 hours)
• INTL 5500 Professional Seminars (1-3 hours)
• INTL 5610 Non-Thesis Readings/Research (3 hours)
• INTL 5900 Advanced Research Methods* (3 hours)
• INTL 6500 Internship (3 hours)
• Any other graduate elective course (3 hours)

*Note: Not all courses from the curriculum will be available in one academic year. For more information on course planning, please contact the Graduate Advisor (department coordinator).

Graduate Certificate: International and Nongovernmental Organizations (INGO)

The Graduate Certificate in International and Nongovernmental Organizations (INGO) program educates students interested in understanding the nature of world affairs through the activities of domestic, transnational, regional and international organizations around the world. Coursework focuses on developing skills in project management, grant writing, fundraising, negotiations and other key areas essential to the work in this field.

Prerequisite (3 hours)

• INTL 5000 Introduction to International Relations, or at least two upper-level undergraduate courses in International Relations (6 credits).

Core Course (3 hours)

Electives (3 courses or 9 hours)*.

• INGO 5100 Finance, Budgeting and Accounting for International and Nongovernmental Organizations (3 hours)
• INGO 5300 Human Resources and Staffing for International Nongovernmental Organizations (3 hours)
• INGO 5600 Principles of Negotiation (3 hours)
• INGO 5700 Grant Writing, Fundraising and Development for International and Nongovernmental Organizations (3 hours)
• INGO 5900 Project Management for International and Nongovernmental Organizations (3 hours)
• INGO 6500 Internship in INGO (3 hours)

Position yourself for success in whatever career field you choose to pursue at Webster University.

Live in a studio with a private courtyard, art gallery and lounge for students to kick back and relax.

Connect with us to find out how we can help answer those admission- and financial-related questions.

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• PhD positions in Political Science (9)

Other subfields

• PhD positions in Politics (6)
• PhD positions in International Security and Arms Control (3)
• PhD positions in Information Technology and Politics (2)
• PhD positions in Conflict Processes (1)
• PhD positions in Comparative Democratization (1)

Search results (5)

PhD Candidate in 'EU Counter-terrorism, the United Nations and Local Peacekeeping' (1.0 FTE)

Vacancy number 14879Job type PhD positionsHours (in fte) 1,0External/ internal ExternalLocation Den HaagPlaced on 21 May 2024Closing date 1 June 2024 11 more days to applyPhD Candidate in ‘EU Counter-terrorism, the United Nations and Local Peaceke...

Doctoral scholarship holder international relations

Let’s shape the future - University of AntwerpThe University of Antwerp is a dynamic, forward-thinking university. We offer an innovative academic education to more than 20000 students, conduct pio...

PhD Candidate: History of Global North-South Public Health Cooperation

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Doctoral scholarship holder international relations and international security

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Doctorate in International Relations – PhD (Online)*

Career paths, residencies.

• Faculty & Staff

Tuition & Fees

A doctorate for international affairs professionals seeking to analyze, critique, and improve responses to conflict, displacement, and human security.

At a Glance

For the program beginning summer 2025

Residency Locations

Serbia, Jordan

Priority Deadline

November 1, 2024, followed by rolling admissions

Final Deadline

January 31, 2025

Critical Global Issue of Study

Geopolitics & Power

Program Cost

Why a phd in international relations from sit.

Citizens around the world are witnessing major shifts in world order as new centers of power arise, populist movements grow, and political instability and conflict drive people across national borders. SIT’s PhD in International Relations is a professional doctorate designed for those eager to better understand and tackle these challenges, while also advancing their careers.

This part-time PhD is designed for working professionals in international affairs with an interest in peacebuilding, conflict and refugee response, and humanitarian affairs. Across four years, students critique traditional approaches to geopolitics and offer evidence-based approaches to improved human security.

The program includes two 10-day international residences. During the first-year residency in Serbia, you will examine the refugee crisis and the rise of illiberalism. During the second-year residency in Jordan, you will examine the landscape of conflict and the power of regional and global alliances in shaping foreign affairs. Specialized online courses on forced migration, peace and conflict studies, and global governance and human security complement each residency and provide you with the skills to lead complex projects and influence policy and practice through original research.

Featuring professors, advisors, and diplomats from across the globe, this program draws upon SIT’s 60-year history of experiential education and global partnerships to provide a unique global perspective students can apply, in real-time, to their work contexts as they earn their doctoral degree.

Working professionals who complete this PhD may expect to expand their careers as:

Foreign affairs specialist

Crisis response or operations specialist

Security analyst for intelligence agencies

Policy advisor and consultant

Director of policy for refugees and conflict response agencies

Senior leader in humanitarian and emergency affairs organizations

Risk analyst and early-warning consultant

Crisis operations specialist for international humanitarian agencies

Think tank researcher

University faculty

Read about SIT Graduate Institute alumni careers through the SIT blog and our Career Impact page.

First-Year Residency: Belgrade, Serbia

This 10-day residency focuses on the refugee crisis and the rise of illiberalism. Engage with EU policymakers, local activist organizations, and scholars to learn about the shifting power relations of contemporary Europe in the context of forced migration, war, and shifting European identity.

Second-Year Residency: Amman, Jordan

This 10-day residency focuses on peace and conflict in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Through visits with academics, government officials, local NGOs, and international organizations in Amman, students will examine the landscape of conflict in the MENA region and the power of regional alliances in shaping foreign affairs.

Please note that in order to take advantage of dynamic learning opportunities, program excursions may occasionally vary.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the PhD in International Relations, students will be able to:

• Identify, analyze, and critique contrasting approaches to international political order through the lens of foundational theories, both mainstream and critical.
• Contribute professional scholarship related to discourses on international relations, international peace and conflict studies, refugee and forced migration studies, and human security via presentations at professional conferences and publication of academic scholarship.
• Design and conduct original, ethical research informed by relevant literature and grounded in appropriate methodologies and approaches.
• Interpret original and secondary data to produce actionable findings with a capacity to improve the way policymakers approach critical global issues, particularly those related to conflict, refugees, and crisis response.

Read more about Program Learning Outcomes .

Students complete 64 credit hours of work across four years (12 semesters) of study. Courses focus on theory, research methods, applied practice, professional development, and dissertation preparation. Throughout, you will learn from professors and advisors from across the globe. This PhD draws on SIT’s 60-year history of experiential education and global partnerships to provide students with a unique and powerful learning experience.

Students can request to transfer up to 15 credits of relevant previous graduate coursework upon admission, thereby reducing the overall credit requirement from 64 to 49.

With approval, students can pursue an accelerated pathway to complete the degree in 10 semesters. The research and dissertation writing phase of the program may vary, dependent on individual student progress, outside commitments, and type or scope of research.

Please expand the sections below to see detailed course descriptions and admissions information.

This is SIT

• We value active togetherness, reciprocity, and respect as the essential ingredients for building a sustainable community .

• With open minds, empathy, and courage, we facilitate intercultural understanding and respect for the commonalities and differences between people.
• We champion social inclusion & justice in all that we are and all that we do, from ensuring our community and our programs amplify the voices, agency, and dignity of all people to deliberately instilling the principles and practices of inclusion in all of our work.
• We are committed to human and environmental well-being through sustainability and contributing to a better world for all living and future generations.

Theories and Polemics of International Relations (3 credits)

This course explores the role theory plays in shaping our understanding of international relations and global affairs. Dominant theories which make up the cannon of the field—such as realism and neorealism, liberalism and neoliberalism, constructivism, and Marxism—are explored, as well as critical theories such as feminism, post-colonialism, and indigenous approaches.

Global Governance and Human Security (3 credits)

This course examines the complex field of global governance, focusing on the theoretical underpinnings, institutional structures, and contemporary challenges of designing systems of international governance without international government. Students will engage with advanced literature, conduct original research on a topic related to global governance of their choosing, and critically analyze issues related to global governance, including perspectives from critical theories, realism, and constructivism.

Forced Migration and Humanitarian Response (3 credits)

Conflict-induced and disaster-induced displacements are impacting hundreds of millions of people around the globe annually. In response, humanitarianism—the promotion of the general welfare of people impacted by conflict, disaster, environmental disruption, famine, and political and economic collapse—has become a dominant feature of international affairs. Unfortunately, the international political system remains a flawed vehicle for satisfying global humanitarian demand. Carefully guarded national sovereignty, the relatively weak power of international institutions and non-governmental organizations, and growing skepticism about a liberal global order now threaten the international humanitarian aid system. This class considers these developments as well as the drivers of forced migration, the history of humanitarian response, and the search for new evidence-based frameworks to improve it.

Seminar in Peace and Conflict Studies (3 credits)

This seminar will give students an in-depth understanding of the origins of intra- and inter-state conflicts, the debates over why such conflicts emerge, escalate, and de-escalate, and the pathways and possibilities for sustainable peaceful transformations. Simulations, case studies, and scenario-based exercises are used to give students a realistic understanding of the drivers of violent conflict and the challenges and possibilities of building peace across a variety of settings and contexts. Of particular interest is considering how dominant theories about the nature of conflicts connect to the conflict management strategies adopted by various stakeholders in international politics.

Preliminary Review (0 credits)

At the conclusion of year one of the program, students must pass a preliminary examination. Preliminary exams demonstrate mastery of content covered in core courses and demonstrated progress towards the dissertation research proposal. Upon completion of all coursework, students must pass a comprehensive examination and begin a prospectus (proposal) for their dissertation research.

Quantitative Research Methods (3 credits)

In this course, students will be introduced to statistical concepts and procedures as prerequisites for conducting quantitative and mixed-methods research. Students will learn how to display data distributions using graphs and describe distributions with numbers using measures of central tendency and dispersion. Additionally, students will examine relationships among data and learn how to produce data using various quantitative designs. This course will introduce students to inferential statistics, including simple linear and multiple regression analyses and ANOVA. Students will develop knowledge and skills using and interpreting descriptive and inferential statistical data and will use Stata software to analyze data.

Qualitative Research Methods (3 credits)

In this course, students will be introduced to a range of approaches and methods used in qualitative inquiry. Among the approaches covered are process tracing, discourse analysis, ethnographic research, case studies, comparative historical analysis, archival research, interviewing, ethnography, content analysis, ethnographic research, political profiling, and agent-based modeling. Students will deepen their knowledge about these approaches and enhance their data collection skills by conducting surveys, analytical frameworks, designing case studies, and reflecting on each method’s strengths and limitations. Students will also learn how to code data inductively and deductively, develop codes, look for patterns emerging in data, develop overarching themes, and interpret findings.

Research Colloquium (3 credits)

The Research Colloquium gives a platform for doctoral students to present and discuss possible PhD research projects, exchange ideas, receive constructive feedback, and workshop ways to prepare and improve their dissertation research proposals. Across 10 days, students interact in a conference format, presenting their research ideas, the literature and debates attached to those ideas, and the methods they are considering using in their inquiry process. Students are also expected to critically evaluate the work of their peers, providing constructive criticism to help them advance their research agenda, operationalize their research questions(s), and identify and develop plans for overcoming challenges in the data collection and analysis phases of their research. Prior to the in-person colloquium, students will work with their advisor as needed to develop their presentations.

Electives and Transfer Credits (15 credits)

In addition to the above, students must take 15 credits of elective courses prior to sitting for comprehensive exams. Elective credits can be fulfilled by two means: transferring prior graduate credits earned at SIT or another accredited institution or completing an advisor approved elective offered through one of SIT’s part-time hybrid master’s or PhD programs.

Comprehensive Exams (0 credits)

Comprehensive exams confirm the students’ mastery of their chosen field of study and serve as the basis for their doctoral dissertation literature review. After passing the comprehensive examination and prospectus defense, students enter candidacy.

Proposal Defense, IRB approval (3 credits)

The proposal defense is designed to evaluate the feasibility, significance, and originality of each student’s proposed dissertation research project. It serves as a critical checkpoint to ensure that the research project is well-structured and has a high likelihood of success. The defense is conducted in front of the student’s three dissertation committee members: their primary advisor and their first and second reader. It consists of a formal presentation followed by a question-and-answer session. After the questioning, the committee deliberates, then provides feedback to the student regarding the strengths and weaknesses of the proposal. The outcome of the defense will be one of the following: 1) Pass: the student may proceed with their research, 2) Conditional Pass: the student is allowed to proceed, but they must address specific issues or complete requested revisions to the proposal before doing so, or 3) Fail: the proposal does not meet the required standards, and the student will be required to revise and redefend it at a later date. *Requires successful completion of comprehensive exams.

Doctoral and Professional Development Seminar 1-4 (1 credit each)

The Doctoral and Professional Development Seminars 1-4 seek to build a community of practice of IR PhD students as they work to complete their doctoral dissertations. Students meet bi-weekly with each other and their advisors to share their dissertation progress, problem solve, and share drafts of their work for feedback. The seminar will also feature occasional guest speakers who will share their own doctoral dissertation journeys and their professional transitions after receiving their PhD.

Dissertation (20 credits across 4 semesters)

At least 20 credits of the PhD program of study consists of research and dissertation. After completion of the dissertation, the student must pass an oral examination in defense of the dissertation. The culminating experience for the doctoral degree program is publication of the dissertation. The non-coursework portion of the program usually lasts 2 years.

Dissertation Defense (1 credit)

In this course students will prepare for an oral defense working closely with their primary and secondary advisors, and deliver and defend their work. Students will be able to present their dissertation remotely.

Admissions Criteria

Our admissions staff work one-on-one with every applicant to facilitate a highly informed and multidimensional admissions experience: applicants are required to undertake an interview with SIT faculty during the application process.    

As applicants become familiar with the attributes of an SIT education—grounded in the experiential learning model and focused on social justice and leadership skills in intercultural environments—they determine for themselves  how  SIT can help them meet their educational and career objectives.  

For the PhD in International Relations, admissions will evaluate candidates to ensure they meet the following criteria:

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in a related field from a regionally accredited institution
• Strong academic writing and scholarly potential, as evidenced by a statement of purpose
• Demonstrated English language proficiency (see details below)
• Intercultural and professional experience
• A minimum preferred cumulative grade point average of 3.5 on a scale of 4.0
• Demonstrated ability to use experience as a source of learning
• All applicants are required to interview with program faculty

All applicants must submit:

• graduate admission application and application fee
• official transcripts
• statement of purpose
• three letters of recommendation
• resume or curriculum vitae
• proof of English proficiency

Additional Application Information The statement of purpose should not exceed 600 words and should describe how the applicant’s experience will contribute to success in the program; describe how completion of the degree will support long-term professional goals; and expand on key research questions the applicant aims to address as part of the plan of study. Letters of recommendation must be from three people who can attest to the applicant’s academic and professional achievements. At least one letter should be academic in nature.

Applicants will be able to transfer up to 15 credits of related graduate coursework toward the PhD program. Please contact us for more information .

English Language Ability

Applicants whose first language is not English and who did not graduate from an English-speaking institution must demonstrate English language proficiency.

*This new program is pending accreditation from the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) in accordance with the Commission's Policy on Substantive Change. The approval process is anticipated to be finalized in fall 2024.

Faculty & Staff

International relations – phd (online)*.

Discover the Possibilities

SIT’s Student Financial Services Office  provides guidance on all aspects of funding your degree throughout the application process and during your degree program. Tuition costs vary by program and scholarships are available.

ASML and Eindhoven University of Technology will give collaboration a major boost over the next 10 years

Announcement - Veldhoven, The Netherlands, May 23, 2024

Today ASML and Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) have signed an agreement on a significant expansion of their collaboration. They will conduct more joint research and train more PhD students in areas such as plasma physics, mechatronics, optics and AI, based on common roadmaps. The expansion is an investment in the unique position of the Brainport region in the field of semiconductors and a strong boost for the Future Chips flagship of TU/e.

In close collaboration between the two parties, almost a hundred PhD students will conduct research in areas relevant to the chip sector over the next ten years. This is a win-win: on the one hand, it provides groundbreaking new knowledge and technology that contributes to solutions for society and Dutch earning capacity, and, on the other hand, PhD students are trained to become the top specialists that the semiconductor industry desperately needs. The agreement, now concluded, is the elaboration of the memorandum of understanding that ASML and TU/e signed last year.

In addition, ASML will contribute financially to the new cleanroom building that TU/e will build. This lab building will be a top facility focused on research, education and startups in the field of semiconductors and will be larger and more modern than the existing TU/e cleanroom, which it will replace.

ASML is investing a total of 80 million euros in the collaboration over the next ten years. TU/e is also investing heavily in semicon: an expected total of more than a hundred million for the cleanroom building and the many PhD students who will be appointed. The parties will also involve other companies and institutions in the region and beyond in the collaboration, in order to increase its impact.  

Roger Dassen, Chief Financial Officer of ASML. “With this agreement we are expanding our long-term collaboration with TU/e. TU/e is the purveyor of talent in the region and an important academic partner. The collaboration will increase the availability of PhDs, which our industry has a strong need for, and will provide scientific insights that are relevant to the chip industry and society. With this agreement we are investing in science in the Netherlands and in training experts.”

Robert-Jan Smits, President of the TU/e Executive Board: “We are proud that we are giving an enormous boost to the strong collaboration that we have had for decades. We will invest together, expanding Brainport's position as the Netherlands' most important semicon hotspot. This development once again shows the exceptional strength of TU/e in terms of collaboration with industry and our pivotal position in Brainport. For us, the agreement is extra special because it is our largest agreement ever with an industrial partner. And it is an important recognition of the quality of our university.”

The collaboration between ASML and TU/e is in line with the goals of Project Beethoven. This project, which is financed by national and regional authorities and industry, is aimed at further strengthening the Brainport region and the Netherlands in the field of semiconductors, with a view to creating solutions for society and our future earning capacity. In terms of 'talent', Beethoven's focus includes strengthening relevant education and scientific research. 

With its recently launched Future Chips flagship, TU/e is placing extra emphasis on semiconductors. The university has been conducting leading international research in the various areas of chip technology for more than fifty years. More than seven hundred TU/e researchers from 25 research groups are currently working on semiconductors, and this number is expected to grow considerably.

ASML is a leading supplier to the semiconductor industry. The company provides chipmakers with hardware, software and services to mass produce the patterns of integrated circuits (microchips). Together with its partners, ASML drives the advancement of more affordable, more powerful, more energy-efficient microchips. ASML enables groundbreaking technology to solve some of humanity's toughest challenges, such as in healthcare, energy use and conservation, mobility and agriculture. ASML is a multinational company headquartered in Veldhoven, the Netherlands, with offices across EMEA, the US and Asia. Every day, ASML’s more than 42,700 employees (FTE) challenge the status quo and push technology to new limits. ASML is traded on Euronext Amsterdam and NASDAQ under the symbol ASML. Discover ASML – our products, technology and career opportunities – at www.asml.com .

About Eindhoven University of Technology

TU/e is a top-ranking Dutch university that educates students and advances knowledge in science & technology for the benefit of humanity. We are an internationally renowned academic institution that pushes the frontiers of science & technology. We educate engineers of the future who combine in-depth knowledge about technology with the skills to address challenges out in the world. We create responsible innovations and contributions to societal challenges in tight-knit collaborations with society and industry. And we have a strong and recognizable voice in the academic and public debate about technology and its merits for a sustainable future.

Contact person for the media

Kelsey zeegers.

Media relations manager

Ivo Jongsma

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MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology

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Convening for cultural change

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Whether working with fellow students in the Netherlands to design floating cities or interning for a local community-led environmental justice organization, Cindy Xie wants to help connect people grappling with the implications of linked social and environmental crises.

The MIT senior’s belief that climate action is a collective endeavor grounded in systems change has led her to work at a variety of community organizations, and to travel as far as Malaysia and Cabo Verde to learn about the social and cultural aspects of global environmental change.

“With climate action, there is such a need for collective change. We all need to be a part of creating the solutions,” she says.

Xie recently returned from Kuala Lumpur, where she attended the Planetary Health Annual Meeting hosted by Sunway University, and met researchers, practitioners, and students from around the world who are working to address challenges facing human and planetary health.

Since January 2023, Xie has been involved with the Planetary Health Alliance, a consortium of organizations working at the intersection of human health and global environmental change. As a campus ambassador, she organized events at MIT that built on students’ interests in climate change and health while exploring themes of community and well-being.

“I think doing these events on campus and bringing people together has been my way of trying to understand how to put conceptual ideas into action,” she says.

Grassroots community-building

An urban studies and planning major with minors in anthropology and biology, Xie is also earning her master’s degree in city planning in a dual degree program, which she will finish next year.

Through her studies and numerous community activities, she has developed a multidimensional view of public health and the environment that includes spirituality and the arts as well as science and technology. “What I appreciate about being here at MIT is the opportunities to try to connect the sciences back to other disciplines,” she says.

As a campus ambassador for the Planetary Health Alliance, Xie hosted a club mixer event during Earth Month last year, that brought together climate, health, and social justice groups from across the Institute. She also created a year-long series that concluded its final event last month, called Cultural Transformation for Planetary Health. Organized with the Radius Forum and other partners, the series explored social and cultural implications of the climate crisis, with a focus on how environmental change affects health and well-being.

Xie has also worked with the Planetary Health Alliance’s Constellation Project through a Public Service Fellowship from the PKG Center, which she describes as “an effort to convene people from across different areas of the world to talk about the intersections of spirituality, the climate, and environmental change and planetary health.”

She has also interned at the Comunidades Enraizadas Community Land Trust, the National Institutes of Health, and the World Wildlife Fund U.S. Markets Institute. And, she has taken her studies abroad through MIT International Science and Technology Initiatives (MISTI). In 2023 she spent her Independent Activities Period in a pilot MISTI Global Classroom program in Amsterdam, and in the summer of 2023, she spent two months in Cabo Verde helping to start a new research collaboration tracking the impacts of climate change on human health.

The power of storytelling

Growing up, Xie was drawn to storytelling as a means of understanding the intersections of culture and health within diverse communities. This has largely driven her interest in medical anthropology and medical humanities, and impacts her work as a member of the Asian American Initiative.

The AAI is a student-led organization that provides a space for pan-Asian advocacy and community building on campus. Xie joined the group in 2022 and currently serves as a member of the executive board as well as co-leader of the Mental Health Project Team. She credits this team with inspiring discussions on holistic framings of mental health.

“Conversations on mental health stigma can sometimes frame it as a fault within certain communities,” she says. “It’s also important to highlight alternate paradigms for conceptualizing mental health beyond the highly individualized models often presented in U.S. higher education settings.”

Last spring, the AAI Mental Health team led a listening tour with Asian American clinicians, academic experts, and community organizations in Greater Boston, expanding the group’s connections. That led the group to volunteer last November at the Asian Mental Health Careers Day, hosted by the Let’s Talk! Conference at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. In March, the club also traveled to Yale University to participate in the East Coast Asian American Student Union Conference alongside hundreds of attendees from different college campuses.

On campus, the team hosts dialogue events where students convene in an informal setting to discuss topics such as family ties and burnout and overachievement. Recently, AAI also hosted a storytelling night in partnership with MIT Taara and the newly formed South Asian Initiative. “There’s been something really powerful about being in those kinds of settings and building collective stories among peers,” Xie says.

Community connections

Writing, both creative and non-fiction, is another of Xie’s longstanding interests. From 2022 to 2023, she wrote for The Yappie, a youth-led news publication covering Asian American and Pacific Islander policy and politics. She has also written articles for The Tech , MIT Science Policy Review , MISTI Blogs, and more. Last year, she was a spread writer for MIT’s fashion publication, Infinite Magazine, for which she interviewed the founder of a local streetwear company that aims to support victims of sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

This year, she performed a spoken word piece in the “MIT Monologues,” an annual production at MIT that features stories of gender, relationships, race, and more. Her poetry was recently published in Sine Theta  and included in MassPoetry’s 2024 Intercollegiate Showcase. Xie has previously been involved in the a capella group MIT Muses and enjoys live music and concerts as well. Tapping into her 2023 MISTI experience, Xie recently went to the concert of a Cabo Verdean artist at the Strand Theatre in Dorchester. “The crowd was packed,” she says. “It was just like being back in Cabo Verde. I feel very grateful to have seen these local connections.” After graduating, Xie hopes to continue building interdisciplinary connections. “I’m interested in working in policy or academia or somewhere in between the two, sort of around this idea of partnership and alliance building. My experiences abroad during my time at MIT have also made me more interested in working in an international context in the future.”

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International Relations (MA)

Understanding the complexities of world affairs requires an ability to think critically and to draw insights from a variety of perspectives, sources, and analytic frames. Leiden University’s Master of Arts in International Relations addresses these needs through distinctive humanities-based training in international relations that draws on the University’s internationally-recognised strengths.

Specialisations

• Culture and Politics (MA)
• European Union Studies (MA)
• Global Conflict in the Modern Era (MA)
• Global Order in Historical Perspective (MA)
• Global Political Economy (MA)

Master International Relations at Leiden University

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Why study International Relations at Leiden University?

 You will join the only master's programme in the Netherlands to offer five unique specialisations within the field of international relations. With a broad curriculum and flexible design, the Master’s degree in International Relations allows you to tailor your degree to suit your career goals. You will be able to specialise in areas ranging from the European integration process to the global political economy to the pursuit of global justice. 

The programme is unique in its embrace of a humanities-based approach to international relations.  Ideas in world politics are combined with historiographical, cultural, and area studies teaching and research. This approach demonstrates how humankind in all its variety makes sense of the world and how international relations shapes social conditions and systems of meaning across and within countries. This will help you become a well-rounded professional who is prepared to tackle the challenges and opportunities in the field of international relations.

Learn more about the study programme

What are your career prospects?

This Master's prepares you for a wide range of roles in almost every sector of the job market. Our graduates work at different types of organisations, such as research institutes, international organisations, government bodies, NGOs and academia. Jobs include policy advisor, consultant, communications manager and spokesperson.

Find out more about your career prospects

Is International Relations the programme for you?

Are you interested in international relations? Do you want to know how history and culture influence world politics? Then International Relations at Leiden University is the right Master's programme for you. Find out if you are eligible for this Master's programme by checking the admission requirements.

Check the admission requirements

Do a second MA at Johns Hopkins SAIS Europe: School of Advanced International Studies

Due to a special agreement, students with a Leiden MA degree in International Relations can earn a second degree at the European Campus of Johns Hopkins University SAIS in Bologna, Italy. Successful applicants gain access to the second year of the research focused Master of Arts in International Affairs (MAIA) and will be given a full year’s credit towards this two-year MA. The programme is research-orientated and allows students to personalise their curriculum and focus on the contemporary issues in international affairs aligned with their career interests. The courses offered at SAIS Europe emphasise economics, political science, history and foreign language proficiency, providing a cross-disciplinary approach.

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• PRESS RELEASE

ECB Consumer Expectations Survey results – April 2024

28 May 2024

Compared with March 2024:

• median consumer inflation perceptions over the previous 12 months were unchanged, while median inflation expectations for the next 12 months and for three years ahead both edged down;
• expectations for nominal income growth and nominal spending growth over the next 12 months remained stable;
• expectations for economic growth over the next 12 months became less negative, while the expected unemployment rate in 12 months’ time was higher;
• expectations for growth in the price of homes over the next 12 months increased, while expectations for mortgage interest rates 12 months ahead remained unchanged.

The median rate of perceived inflation over the previous 12 months was unchanged at 5.0%. Median expectations for inflation over the next 12 months edged down to 2.9%, from 3.0% in March. They are now at their lowest level since September 2021. At the same time, median expectations for inflation three years ahead edged down to 2.4%, from 2.5% in March. Inflation expectations at the one-year and three-year horizons remained below the perceived past inflation rate. Uncertainty about inflation expectations over the next 12 months remained unchanged. Developments in inflation perceptions and expectations remained relatively closely aligned across income groups, albeit somewhat lower for the highest income quintile. Younger respondents (aged 18-34) continued to report lower inflation expectations than older respondents (those aged 35-54 and those aged 55-70), although there was a convergence of inflation perceptions across age groups. (Inflation results)

Income and consumption

Consumer expectations for nominal income growth remained stable at 1.3%. Perceptions of nominal spending growth over the previous 12 months decreased slightly to 6.3%, from 6.4% in March. This decline was observed solely in the older respondent groups (those aged 35-54 and those aged 55-70). Expectations for nominal spending growth over the next 12 months remained stable at 3.6%. (Income and consumption results)

Labour market and economic growth

Economic growth expectations for the next 12 months were less negative, at -0.8% compared with -1.1% in March. By contrast, expectations for the unemployment rate 12 months ahead increased to 10.9%, up from 10.7% in March. Consumers continued to expect the future unemployment rate to be only slightly higher than the perceived current unemployment rate (10.6%), implying a broadly stable labour market. Quarterly data showed that unemployed respondents reported a decrease in their expected probability of finding a job over the next three months, which fell to 27.5% in April, from 30.5% in January. Employed respondents also reported that the expected probability of job loss over the next three months increased to 10.6% in April, from 8% in January. ( Labour market and economic growth results )

Housing and credit access

Consumers expected the price of their home to increase by 2.6% over the next 12 months, which was 0.2 percentage points more than in March. Households in the lowest income quintile continued to expect higher growth in house prices than those in the top income quintile (3.2% and 2.3% respectively). Expectations for mortgage interest rates 12 months ahead remained unchanged at 5.0%. As in previous months, the lowest income households expected the highest mortgage interest rates 12 months ahead. The net percentage of households reporting a tightening (relative to those reporting an easing) in the access to credit over the previous 12 months saw a further slight decline, as did the net percentage of those expecting a tightening over the next 12 months. The share of consumers who reported having applied for credit during the past three months, which is measured on a quarterly basis, remained unchanged from January at 16.8%. (Housing and credit access results)

The release of the CES results for May is scheduled for 28 June 2024.

For media queries, please contact Eszter Miltényi-Torstensson , tel.: +49 171 7695305.

• Unless otherwise indicated, the statistics given in this press release refer to the 2% winsorised mean. For further details, see the ECB Consumer Expectations Survey – Aggregate statistics guide published on the CES web page .
• The CES is a monthly online survey of, currently, around 19,000 adult consumers (i.e. aged 18 or over) from 11 euro area countries: Belgium, Germany, Ireland, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal and Finland. The main aggregate results of the CES are published on the ECB’s website every month. The results are used for policy analysis and complement other data sources used by the ECB.
• Further information about the survey and the data collected is available on the CES web page . Detailed information can also be found in the following two publications: Bańkowska et al., “ ECB Consumer Expectations Survey: an overview and first evaluation ”, Occasional Paper Series , No 287, ECB, Frankfurt am Main, December 2021; and Georgarakos, D. and Kenny, G., “ Household spending and fiscal support during the COVID-19 pandemic: Insights from a new consumer survey ”, Journal of Monetary Economics , Vol. 129, Supplement, July 2022, pp. S1-S14.
• The survey results do not represent the views of the ECB’s decision-making bodies or staff.

European Central Bank

Directorate general communications.

• Sonnemannstrasse 20
• 60314 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
• +49 69 1344 7455
• [email protected]

Reproduction is permitted provided that the source is acknowledged.

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Erin Pophal

Erin Pophal (she/her/hers) joins the Center on Poverty and Community Development at the Mandel School with a diverse professional background spanning community engagement with the Illinois Senate, corporate law compliance at Jones Day Law Firm, and entrepreneurial creative direction. She holds a Master of Nonprofit Organizations from Case Western Reserve University and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Fine Arts from Loyola University Chicago. Passionate about the arts and its intersections with social policy and community impact, Erin recently served as Development Manager of the local publication CAN Journal, coordinating grants and donor relations. Erin is excited to be back at the Mandel School in support of the Poverty Center and its mission of fostering community growth and well-being.