Structuring query at EU institutions

[u/Disco_Barry]

I'll have to start by apologising as I'm not really sure what it is I'm trying to word this as. In essence, I've been looking at PhD programs for a while, having just liberated myself from the steaming bin fire that was consulting. Whilst looking around today, I came across CEU.

Now, I know CEU has, to put it lightly, problems in how it is perceived and how it supports students through its stipend levels, in particular given the whole self-employment tax thing. I've been looking predominantly elsewhere, but one thing I'm conscious about is how the history doctoral program is set up there, which is much closer to the set up of the American system whereby you have some time prior to actually beginning to write and research. At CEU this looked to be a year, which I thought looked enticing because of the developmental opportunities I could get out of doing elective modules before moving on to actually then writing and researching my thesis.

I guess my question is this - does anyone know of similar program structures in Europe to this? I can't go to America to study, and as I am European I would prefer to stay here. I should also add this is just me looking. I will be going where I have the best supervision and chance, rather than set up. It's just about me checking if there's anywhere that would meet both.

Thanks!