Interviews and Language Tests

Interview Attendance

In early/mid March shortlisted candidates are invited to attend an interview by the relevant departmental panel at the EUI, in Florence (Italy): Candidates receive an e-mail with all interview details (day, place and time).

Attendance at the interview is mandatory.

Interviews are scheduled to take place between 9-12 April  for the Doctoral Programme -  and between 16-17 April for the LL.M. Programme. The finalised scheduled will be defined by each EUI Department. The schedule cannot be changed.

Interviews are held at the EUI. The EUI provides a travel flat rate and one daily allowance.

The interview lasts approximately 30 minutes; the language used for the interviews is usually English. Departmental panels require candidates to give an oral presentation of their work and interests. There are no written tests set by the departments.                        

Excepted from the mandatory interview in Florence are PhD candidates who are not eligible for any of the grants listed on the Grant Information page and who intend to register at EUI with an external publicly-funded grant. These applicants will nevertheless be interviewed by video conference call by a departmental panel at the same time as all other Ph.D. candidates. Any subsequent offer of admission will be conditional on them providing proof of the external funding by the end of June. 

Language tests

English language tests

All interviewees have to take an English language test. 

The only categories exempt from the English tests are:

• Native speakers of English

There are two types of English Tests: the English language assessment test and the English language placement test:

1. English language assessment tests - spoken and written tests in English (similar to the TOEFL or IELTS test) - are obligatory for:

• Candidates who have not sent proof that they have satisfied the minimum requirements of English language proficiency, and
  • Are non-native speakers of English, or
  • Have not a degree from a university programme entirely taught in English and have not written a thesis in English in such a programme

Test Results: The results of the assessment tests are reported to the interview panels, the departments and to the Entrance Board and will be taken into consideration when the admission of a candidate is decided.

The Entrance Board may recommend or require a candidate to improve his/her language competence before registering at the EUI.

The results of the assessment tests will also be used as placement tests, see below.

2.  English language placement tests - spoken and written tests in academic English - are obligatory for:

• all remaining candidates, with the exception of native speakers of English and candidates to the Department of Economics who have previously sent proof that they have satisfied the minimum requirements or that they are exempt (once admitted to the EUI, Economics researchers will be required to sit a placement test upon their admission to the second year of the doctoral programme).

Test Results:The results of the English placement tests do not affect the selection process. Results are used to place admitted candidates in English pre-sessional academic skills courses in September. See English Language Courses for more information.

Tests in other EUI working languages

When invited for interview, short-listed candidates will be informed by the Language Centre whether they have to take additional language test(s) (French, German, Italian or Spanish) at their interview.

Interview Results: Admission and Reserve Lists

Both successful candidates and reserve candidates are informed of the outcome of their interview by e-mail. The final results are known in late March / early April. Successful candidates should reply to their offer by a specified date.

The admission offer is only valid for the academic year for which the candidate has applied. Admission cannot be deferred. Successful candidates who wish to register at the EUI for the following academic year must re-submit a full application by the annual deadline.

Reserve candidates will be contacted by the EUI only if a candidate selected for admission withdraws. Reserve candidates are usually contacted between April and June, but late admissions (July and August) are not uncommon.

The EUI is not in a position to inform reserve candidates about their ranking or their chances of admission.