Trial period and Go/No-go

On commencement of the PhD trajectory, the law provides space for an employment contract with a term of 18 months (1,5 years) at most. This term functions as a probationary period, in addition to the usual 2 month probation period. In these first two months, both the employer and the employee can terminate the contract immediately. In the following months until the end of the first contract (of max. 18 months), this is not possible. However, to continue the PhD trajectory and extend the contract until the full 4 years (or other duration if agreed upon), first a go/no-go decision takes place. 

Note: it is possible for employers to make use of this option, but not necessary. It is also possible to receive a contract for 3 or 4 years from the beginning. This sometimes depends on e.g. regulations of the funder. 

If the employer did make use of this option, this first year to 1,5 years is a period in which both parties (i.e. the employer and the PhD candidate) can experience whether the PhD and project is a good match, whether the supervisory team is happy, and whether you, the PhD candidate, are happy. The go/no-go decision is therefore also a moment for you to decide whether they want to continue or not. It is important to know that deciding not to continue still allows you to apply for e.g. unemployment benefits, as this situation does not count as unemployed through own fault. 

The regulation regarding the go/no-go decision is mostly handled locally. Often, the progress in the first year will be discussed with your supervisor(s) within 8 to 14 months after the start of your contract.

Factors influencing a go/no-go-decision can include (as far as these were not yet hard requirements for your initial application):

• A positive master’s diploma evaluation or a positive result of a qualifying examination,
• Proof of proficiency in English,
• Approval of your project proposal,
• Approval of your Training and Supervision Plan,
• Evaluations of your first-year ‘pilot study’,
• A positive formal go/no-go decision by your promotor(es).

If there is doubt about your progress, your supervisors should discuss this with you. As soon as you have received a go for the rest of your PhD, the Human Resources (HR) department is not allowed to raise any more questions, for example about financial backing. This means that the finances should have been made available for the rest of your contract. 

The go/no-go decision shouldn’t come as a surprise. Of course, it is possible that it does come as a surprise. In that case, the local PhD regulations usually state what you can do to appeal such a decision. It is not always possible to reverse a negative go/no-go decision, but in the past there have been several cases of PhD candidates who were successful. 

Go/no-go decisions are only mandatory in case of employed PhD candidates who began their trajectory on a 12-18 month contract. External PhD candidates do not necessarily have to go through this process, but it is sometimes done as a replacement for a year review. This too is organised locally.