Becoming a doctoral student
Being a doctoral (third-cycle) student involves both studies and thesis work. The studies can be, for example, courses, seminars, conferences or literature studies. In your thesis work, you will:
- Plan research projects
- Design experiments or data collections
- Collect data
- Process and interpret data
- Summarise results and discussions in different types of publications and presentations
Finally, you will present your work in a licentiate or doctoral thesis.
For all doctoral students, there must be a general and an individual study plan, and during the studies, we make annual follow-ups of the individual study plan.
Entry requirements for doctoral studies
Admission conditions and eligibility for admittance as a doctoral student are mainly regulated in the Higher Education Ordinance.
To be admitted to doctoral studies, you must:
- Meet the general entry requirements and any special entry requirements that the university may have stipulated
- Be deemed to have the ability in other respects necessary to benefit from the studies
“General entry requirements for doctoral studies include
- a degree at the master’s level;
- at least 240 credits awarded, of which at least 60 are at the master’s level (including a degree project worth at least 15 credits); or
- essentially equivalent knowledge acquired in some other way, in or outside of Sweden.”
The specific entry requirements for doctoral studies in medical and pharmaceutical sciences at the Disciplinary Domain of Medicine and Pharmacy are:
- English 6
- Education in a field relevant to the subject
Apply for admission to doctoral studies
You apply for admission to doctoral studies using an online form. Complete the form with the support of your principal supervisor.
Instructions for the form (pdf)
Apply for admission to doctoral studies
Admission procedures:
2. Apply for admission to doctoral studies
It is important that you complete the application form together with your principal supervisor as it will be locked when you submit it. You can then only make changes through separate additions. Use the save PDF function to easily send the form to your principal supervisor and verify the content before submitting it.
Please note that the department may require additional attachments, such as proof of funding. Contact your principal supervisor for more information.
The Research Training Committee (KUF) must receive your application 12 days before its meeting. Dates for the KUF meetings are available in the Disciplinary Domain calendar under “Områdesgemensamma nämnder och kommittéer”.
Please note that each department has a doctoral studies group (FUG) that reviews all doctoral applications before they are submitted to the KUF. The meetings of the departments’ FUGs align with the KUF meetings. Therefore, check your FUGs’ meeting dates to ensure your application is received in time.
Your completed application forms the basis for your individual study plan (ISP).
3. Processing your case
To find out where your application is in the process, contact the department’s administrator.
4. Admission
After the KUF has met and taken a decision on your case, you will be informed by email whether you have been accepted or need to supplement your application.
5. Revise your ISP
You are admitted with a preliminary ISP based on your application.
Once admitted, you and your supervisors should jointly revise your ISP, including the research plan. Please note that an activity plan for the entire duration of the doctoral studies must be included.
You must finalise your preliminary ISP within 6 net months after admission.