PhD portal - general information
Information about the university’s PhD portal can be found here: https://www.staff.universiteitleiden.nl/research/phds?_ga=2.165064639.12642422.1586764553-936089048.1480329408&cf=science&cd=leiden-observatory

CSC students
Please click on the following link for more information: CSC-Leiden University Scholarship

Education and Supervision Plan (ESP)
When starting a PhD appointment, the supervisor needs to draw up an Education and Supervision Plan which forms a part of the University Result and Development cycle and serves as a guideline for the yearly evaluations (see PBC). The ESP outlines the targets that the PhD student will have to meet in the areas of research and education and arranges the necessity for supervision and training. The plan also lists both the short and long-term goals that are essential for making progress in the PhD research. Please contact your supervisor for more information.

Admission Graduate School of Science
The Graduate School Office manages the administrative process of the PhD program. All PhD students need to register with the Graduate School of Science within 3 months after start of contract via LUCRIS – the digital system for the registration of all formal steps regarding admission, progress, and graduation during the PhD track. For information about admission procedures, please check the website of the Graduate School: (071) 527 6855 or gsoffice@science.leidenuniv.nl

Annual Performance & Development review PhDs
Once a year, a small committee of staff members – the “Promotie Begeleidings Commissie” (PBC committee) – will discuss research progress with all PhD students and their supervisors.

- Evaluation 1st year PhD’s: 6 month presentation As summarized in the ESP, a ‘go or no-go’ evaluation will be held after ~6 months after the start of the appointment, to access whether or not the appointment is to be continued. The PhD student will present to a small committee an outline of his/her PhD project (30 minutes). This committee consists of the Chair of the PBC, the PhD supervisor, and at least one scientific staff member. The committee will discuss these plans with the student and will provide feedback (annual report). Both the annual report and the presentation slides need to be submitted by the supervisor in the Self Service, together with a Results & Development form.

- Annual evaluation other PhD’s The PBC committee evaluates the progress of each PhD student once a year. Each PhD student should submit an annual progress report, at the latest two days before the interview. For the progress report a template is available which will be mailed to you. The completed form must be sent to Susan Verhoeven: verhoeven@strw.leidenuniv.nl at least two working days prior to the interview.

During the interview the PBC committee will first discuss progress with the PhD student (20 minutes), without the presence of the supervisor(s), and will then speak with the supervisor(s), without the presence of the PhD student. The PBC will provide feedback in the form of an annual report. Both the progress report and the annual PBC report need to be submitted by the supervisor in the Self Service together with a R&D form. Contact: Susan Verhoeven, secretariat STRW: verhoeven@strw.leidenuniv.nl

Training, courses for PhD students
Leiden Observatory offers several trainings and courses for PhD students: - Observatory Introduction program for 1st year PhD’s Each year the Observatory organizes a three day introductory event for all first year PhD students. Usually this event will be held in November. On the first day the program provides the PhD’s with an introduction to the Observatory (staff, research, education, social life) and to “living in The Netherlands”. The other two days are dedicated to training and courses: PhD challenges, Scientific conduct, Effective Communication and Time management. A follow up for the last two courses will be held a couple of weeks later. Contact: Marjan Balkestein, balkestein@strw.leidenuniv.nl

- NOVA fall school The NOVA Fall school is meant to broaden the knowledge of astronomy graduate students. The courses usually correspond to specialized topics that may have been missing in undergraduate studies. All PhD’s must participate in the NOVA Fall school at least once. Participation in two schools is sometimes recommended. The school is offered annually at the ASTRON premises in Dwingeloo, during 5 days in the Fall. Please check the NOVA school website for more information.

- Other courses and training for PhD’s Check the website of the Graduate School and the University website

Graduation
Please check website for PhD defense regulations and the graduation ceremony. Graduate School of Science: (071) 527 6855 or gsoffice@science.leidenuniv.nl

Graduation bonus
The Observatory contributes a graduation bonus on the following conditions: * 500 Euro is offered to those who finish the PhD project within 4 years. The date that counts is the date of submitting your thesis to the printer. * When the thesis is completed in the fifth year, there will be a bonus of 250 Euro (instead of 500).

Expense claims can be submitted either in SAP Self Service (only possible before the end of your contract) or a PNIL statement of expenses form for 'staff not employed' that can be found here: https://hop.leidenuniv.nl/sap/bc/ui5_ui5/sap/yul_dec_appl/index.html?sap-client=400&sap-language=EN

Please use the SAP number that you normally use for travel. In case you do not know what SAP number to use, please contact Els Heijsman: heijsman@strw.leidenuniv.nl.
NB: The Graduation bonus can only be awarded to people that fill in an expense claim form no later than 1 month after the graduation ceremony.

Subsidy for thesis printing and distribution of thesis
There are two sources for a subsidy of the costs for thesis printing:
1. The UB (Library) offers a compensation of 500 Euro if you provide them with an electronic copy and license of your thesis. Please read the information on the following website carefully: https://www.library.universiteitleiden.nl/researchers/submitting-your-phd-dissertation
2. Leiden Observatory can provide a subsidy of maximum 900 Euro towards the costs of the printing of a PhD thesis, on the following conditions:
- The author presents an Observatory colloquium before the PhD defense. This informs everyone about the results of the thesis project, and has the added advantage that the graduate student can practice fielding questions in advance of the real ceremony.
- The author offers copies of the thesis to local staff, including all fellow graduate students and 5 copies for the secretariat. Additionally a number of PhD theses are distributed to senior staff astronomers in other departments in The Netherlands. The author is expected to organize the mailing - address labels can be obtained from the secretariat: seretaries@strw.leidenuniv.nl
- The electronic version of the PhD thesis (.pdf or .ps) is made available for the Observatory archive (deul@strw.leidenuniv.nl).
- The author should apply for subsidy towards the thesis costs with the University Library (500 Euro) and if possible other funds before requesting a subsidy of the Observatory. The subsidy cannot exceed the total amount of printing costs minus other contributions (UB).
Expense claims can be submitted either in SAP Self Service (only possible before the end of your contract) or the PNIL statement of expenses form for 'staff not employed' that can be found on: https://hop.leidenuniv.nl/sap/bc/ui5_ui5/sap/yul_dec_appl/index.html?sap-client=400&sap-language=EN

Please attach a copy of the invoice of the thesis printing and provide information about contributions from other sources. Please use the SAP number that you normally use for travel. In case you do not know what SAP number to use, please contact Els Heijsman: heijsman@strw.leidenuniv.nl.

NB: The subsidy for the thesis printing can only be awarded to people that fill in an expense claim form no later than 1 month after the graduation ceremony.