PhD in Late Antique, Medieval and Early Modern Studies

Central European University – Department of Historical Studies

The Department of Historical Studies at Central European University in Vienna is pleased to announce 5 funded doctoral positions in Late Antique, Medieval and Early Modern Studies. Successful candidates will commence their studies in September 2026, and will receive a tuition-waiver and a living stipend for four years, with opportunities and support to apply for additional funds. Current students have received fully funded fellowships to study in Rome, Prague, Bochum, Uppsala, and Munich.

The PhD in Late Antique, Medieval, and Early Modern Studies covers the time span from approximately 300 to 1700 C.E. We offer specialized guidance in various disciplines and research areas. Our programs are consciously interdisciplinary, and we encourage applications across the range of historical fields, from Art History to Intellectual History, Literary Studies to the History of Science. Applicants are encouraged to contact a potential supervisor in advance of submitting their application. Prospective doctoral candidates wishing to study the later period can consider the department’s PhD in Comparative History.

The international faculty of the Department offers specialized guidance in various disciplines and research areas. Our research is geographically focused on Central and Eastern Europe, and the Mediterranean World, and we are developing our expertise eastwards across Eurasia. Doctoral students will benefit from funding and opportunities given by the Department’s membership of the EurAsian Transformations Austrian Cluster of Excellence. Doctoral researchers receive focused supervision on their dissertation topics and have access to a diverse range of courses, including source languages, archival research, digital humanities, etc. The program also nurtures practical academic skills such as publishing, grant applications, conference presentations, and event organization. International collaborative opportunities enrich the research experience, supporting graduates in securing prestigious scholarships, fellowships, and academic positions.

Successful candidates are expected to have excellent written and spoken English, as well as proven expertise or the willingness to learn the languages of their historical sources. The application includes a CV, a Research Proposal of 1000-1500 words, a Writing Sample of 10-25 pages of English-language academic text, and two Letters of Recommendation.

For informal enquiries please contact Dr Margaretha Boockmann, PhD coordinator (boockmannm@ceu.edu). Prospective students are also encouraged to attend an online info session given by the Department, with the full schedule available on our website.

Closing date: February 4, 2026 @23:45