Fully Funded IR PhD, Stockholm University: EU Enlargement Research

Applications close 10 June 2026. That is 20 days from publication. Start your documents now.

Stockholm University is hiring one fully funded PhD student in international relations for a four-year project on public support for EU enlargement. The planned start date is 31 August 2026. The position is based in Stockholm, Sweden.

This is a salaried employment contract. Swedish doctoral positions are not scholarships; you are paid as a university employee for four years, with no tuition fees.

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About the Programme

Stockholm University’s Department of Economic History and International Relations runs three research areas: International Security, International Institutions, and Global Political Economy. For researchers working at the intersection of politics, institutions, and public opinion, this department is a serious home.

The PhD position sits inside a funded project titled Understanding Public Support for EU Enlargement. The project maps how citizens form opinions about EU expansion by examining security concerns, economic anxieties, and social attitudes. The doctoral student will use survey data to capture what citizens think about future enlargement and why. The research feeds into policy recommendations on how the EU can make enlargement more credible and legitimate to actual citizens.

The project has a defined agenda, named supervisors, and specific outputs. You are not arriving at research, whatever interests you. That clarity is unusual in PhD recruitment. Use it when writing your application.

PhD Funding, Salary, and Benefits

• Full salary for four years. Swedish PhD positions are employment contracts under Chapter 5 of the Higher Education Ordinance. You receive a fixed monthly salary, not a stipend.
• No tuition fees. Swedish public universities do not charge tuition to employed doctoral students. This is national policy, not a listed benefit specific to this role.
• Pension, parental leave, and sick pay. Swedish employment law covers PhD employees.
• Up to 20% of contracted time on teaching or administration.
• Relocation support. Not stated in the listing.
• Healthcare. Sweden’s public system covers residents, including international employees.

The employment begins with a maximum one-year contract, renewed for up to two years at a time, for the full four-year period.

PhD Eligibility: Qualifications and Experience Required

You must have:

• A completed bachelor’s degree in international relations or an equivalent field, totalling at least 90 higher education credits.
• A completed master’s degree in international relations or an equivalent field with at least 30 credits, of which at least 15 credits must be an independent thesis at the master’s level (either a 60-credit or 120-credit thesis).
• An additional 60 credits of higher education in subjects theoretically relevant to doctoral studies.
• Sufficient English proficiency to benefit from doctoral-level education. No test score is specified.

The qualification requirements must be met by 10 June 2026, not by the start date.

Strongly preferred:

• Demonstrated experience with quantitative social science methods - survey analysis, experimental design, or large-scale data collection and analysis.
• Experience working in international collaborative research projects.
• Prior research on EU enlargement or related European politics.
• Peer-reviewed publications or evidence of scientific outreach.
• Proven ability to meet deadlines and work independently within teams.

If you have quantitative methods experience, lead with it throughout your application. The listing names it as an explicit selection criterion.

Application Documents for Stockholm University PhD

Documents you will need:

1. Motivation letter. This carries the most weight. The selection panel assesses your ability to “formulate areas of investigation” and show “methodological and scientific maturity.” Write it as a focused research proposal, not a personal statement. Engage directly with the EU enlargement project’s research questions.
2. CV. Lead with publications, thesis titles, and quantitative methods experience.
3. Degree certificates and transcripts. Official documents from every institution. If yours are not in English or Swedish, get certified translations underway now. These can take two to four weeks from international institutions.
4. Completed master’s thesis. The eligibility criteria require at least 15 credits of independent thesis work. Expect your thesis to be reviewed during selection.
5. Any additional attachments listed in the application form.

Three mistakes that end applications early:

• Submitting a generic motivation letter with no reference to the project’s specific research agenda.
• Missing the 10 June 2026 deadline by even one hour. The portal closes at a set time. Submit at least 24 hours early.
• Sending an incomplete document set. The listing is explicit: incomplete applications will not advance.

SEE ALSO: University of Verona: 104 PhD Scholarships in Italy, 2026

Is This Open to International Applicants?

The listing states no nationality restrictions. The university states it strives to be a workplace free of discrimination and with equal opportunities for all.

What international applicants need to know:

• Non-EU applicants will need a Swedish work and residence permit. Your employer typically initiates this process after issuing a job offer.
• Salary is paid in Swedish kronor (SEK) to a Swedish bank account. International transfers are possible through standard banking but carry exchange-rate costs. Factor this into your financial planning.
• Whether the department provides any relocation or settlement support for international hires.

How to Apply

1. Go to the Application form
2. Create an account or log in to the Varbi portal.
3. Complete the application form in full.
4. Upload your motivation letter, CV, degree certificates, transcripts, thesis, and any additional required attachments.
5. Submit before 10 June 2026.

Direct your questions to:

• Karina Shyrokykh, project lead: karina.shyrokykh@su.se
• Lisa Dellmuth, Director of Doctoral Studies: lisa.dellmuth@su.se
• Johan Svanberg, Department Chair: johan.svanberg@su.se

GizPulse Verdict

One of the more strongly funded doctoral positions currently open in European IR four years an employment contract, named supervisors, and a defined project. Most PhD programmes offer stipends tied to uncertain funding cycles. Stockholm University pays a salary. That difference matters.

The ideal candidate has a master’s in international relations, political science, or European studies, with quantitative research experience and a genuine interest in EU politics and public opinion. If you have worked with survey data, run experiments, or published on EU enlargement, you are ahead of the field.

If your master’s thesis was primarily qualitative or theoretical, you will need to make a strong case for your methodological readiness. The listing favours demonstrated quantitative skills, not declared interest in acquiring them.

One tip to stand out: Email Karina Shyrokykh before you submit. Introduce yourself, reference a specific gap in EU enlargement opinion research, and ask one precise question about the project’s scope. Supervisors notice genuine intellectual engagement.

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