University of Copenhagen · Copenhagen, Denmark · PhD post
Funded
Deadline 3 Nov 2026, 23:59 CET
The project is on attention in ADHD, not social interaction; the draw is a salaried place inside the strongest centre for the phenomenology of intersubjectivity.
Requirements, funding and how to apply
Requirements:
A master’s-level degree related to the project, such as philosophy or cognitive science
Fluent academic English; the application is in English
Cover letter (1 page), CV (2 pages), diplomas and transcripts
Project abstract (1,200 characters) and project description (12,000 characters)
A single-authored writing sample of about 5,000 words
Funding: Salaried for three years: from about DKK 31,845 plus an 18.07% pension contribution, with 840 hours of departmental work
Starts: 1 February 2027 or soon after (one listing gives 1 March 2027)
How to apply: Through the University of Copenhagen’s job portal, quoting ID 211-2555/26-2H.
Max Planck School of Cognition · Germany (universities and Max Planck institutes) · PhD admissions
Funded
Deadline 1 Dec 2026
Its fellows include Marcel Brass, on joint action and conformity, and Isabel Dziobek, on the socio-emotional effects of synchronisation, both at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin.
Requirements, funding and how to apply
Requirements:
A master’s, or a bachelor’s for the fast track, in a cognition-related field with at least 60 ECTS in related subjects
CV (2 pages), personal statement (1 page), certificates and a passport copy
Three potential supervisors from the school’s fellows; don’t contact them before admission
Two referees, who submit by the same deadline
English proof for non-native speakers (for example IELTS 5.5); GRE optional
Funding: Fully funded: an orientation-year stipend of €1,565 net, then a salaried contract
Starts: 1 September 2027
How to apply: Through the school’s online application portal.
University of Pennsylvania · Philadelphia, USA · Postdoc
Funded
Deadline 1 Dec 2026
For someone who already has a PhD: an independent programme on the mind, built with Penn faculty, which could carry a relational-practice question further.
Requirements, funding and how to apply
Requirements:
A completed PhD by the start, ideally with no more than two years as a postdoc
Saybrook University · Pasadena, USA (largely online) · PhD admissions
Funding varies
Deadline 17 Dec 2026
The closest academic language to Circling’s own, in a largely online programme of five to six years. Humanistic psychology carries little weight in research-intensive departments.
Requirements, funding and how to apply
Requirements:
A master’s degree
Nothing else is listed on the programme page; ask admissions
Funding: Not stated; tuition details are sent on request
Starts: 4 January 2027
How to apply: The programme page has only a form to request admission and tuition details; it doesn’t say how to apply.
Opens 1 Dec 2026 · deadline 15 Feb 2027, both dates expected from the school’s yearly timeline; the 2027 dates aren’t published yet
Leonhard Schilbach, whose second-person neuroscience is the theory nearest to Circling, is on its faculty, so this is the Munich route to his lab. Admission needs a supervision agreement, so ask him early; whether he is taking students isn’t stated.
Requirements, funding and how to apply
Requirements:
An MSc or equivalent in biology, psychology, medicine, physics or a related field, conferred before October; exceptional bachelor’s graduates can apply to the Fast-Track PhD
CV, diplomas, transcripts and a motivation statement
A research experience statement of up to 2,000 characters
Two letters of recommendation
An official supervision agreement, needed for final admission
Funding: Not stated; the school charges no fees, and funded PhD posts are advertised during the application window
Starts: October 2027
How to apply: Through the GSN online portal, which opens only during the window; no applications by email or Uni-Assist. These requirements are from the 2026 round.
Not about interaction: experiments with people who report little or no inner speech, within the IN·SPE project. It suits someone interested in how inner experience differs between people, which matters to a practice built on putting experience into words.
Requirements, funding and how to apply
Requirements:
A master’s equivalent to a Danish master’s, completed by 31 January 2027
A background in cognitive science, psychology, linguistics or similar; experience running and analysing experiments is an advantage
Motivation letter (2,400 characters), CV, and a project description (12,000 characters) with a reference list
A timetable form, a cover sheet and degree certificates
English at TOEFL 83 or IELTS 6.5; apply in Danish or English
Funding: A salaried three-year post (5+3), provided the funding is confirmed
Starts: 1 February 2027
How to apply: Through the Aarhus University application form linked from the call. The contact is Johanne Sofie Krog Nedergård at the School of Communication and Culture.
Max Planck institutes and LMU Munich · Munich, Germany · PhD admissions
Funding varies
Closed 31 Oct 2026
A psychiatry school, so a weak fit. Among its faculty, Christine Falter-Wagner’s group at LMU studies how two people coordinate gaze, gestures and timing, mainly in autism and ADHD. Leonhard Schilbach isn’t among them; his Munich route is LMU’s Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences.
Requirements, funding and how to apply
Requirements:
A master’s or medical degree, or equivalent, in a relevant field before the PhD starts
High-school, bachelor’s and master’s transcripts
Two brief essays: your research experience, and your motivation and research goals
At least three research-group preferences, with an outline of your research interests
Two referees, who send letters of recommendation by 7 November
Funding: Not stated on the application page; interview travel and accommodation are covered where applicable
Starts: September to October 2027
How to apply: In English, through the IMPRS-TP online application tool. The final selection runs from March to May 2027.
Deadlines and rules change, so the official call is the authority. Every entry shows when we last checked it. Funded means the call promises a salary or a stipend to everyone it takes.