Admissions to doctoral studies

Planning to apply for a doctoral study right at the Doctoral Programme in the Doctoral Programme in Molecular and Cellular Systems of Life? We admit new doctoral students four times a year, so pay attention to the application deadlines, start preparations in good time, and make sure you've acquainted yourself with the selection criteria before you apply.
Admissions periods

The programme admits new doctoral researchers four times year: twice in the spring and twice in the autumn. 

The spring 2026 application period is from 1 April 2026 at 08:00 AM EEST until 16 April 2026 at 03:00 PM EEST:

  • All enclosures must be submitted by 24 April 2026
  • Admission results will be released by 16 June 2026
  • Offered study places must be accepted by 14 July 2026
  • Granted study rights will start on 1 August 2026

A doctoral study right can only be gained through the admissions process. Applying to the programme outside the set admission periods is not possible.

Academic year 2026-2027:

  • 2-15 September 2026, all enclosures must be submitted by 22 September 2026
  • 3-16 November 2026, all enclosures must be submitted by 23 November 2026
  • 12-25 January 2027, all enclosures must be submitted by 1 February 2027
  • 2-15 April 2027, all enclosures must be submitted by 22 April 2027
Who can apply?
Eligibility to apply

In addition to the , the doctoral programme has set the following additional criteria for eligibility:

Previous degree

Your previous degree must be relevant to the planned research topic and discipline. A degree is regarded as relevant if it includes sufficient studies in a discipline which, given the topic of the proposed doctoral dissertation, can be regarded as a suitable basis for doctoral studies.

Applicants to the Doctoral Programme in Molecular and Cellular Systems of Life (MaCS) must have completed:

  • An applicable second-cycle university degree
  • An applicable second-cycle degree from a university of applied sciences, or
  • An applicable education at an institution abroad providing eligibility for equivalent higher education in the country in question

In addition, applicants who have been admitted to pursue a licentiate degree in medicine and dentistry or a licentiate degree in veterinary medicine at a Finnish university or at a university from EU/EEA country.

Furthermore, applicants licensed as a healthcare professional by the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health or veterinarians licensed by the Finnish Food Authority who have completed applicable education abroad in their home country equivalent to a second-cycle university degree or a second-cycle degree from a university of applied sciences can be admitted.

Supervisory arrangements

Applications must meet the minimum requirements set for supervisory arrangements. The application must include information on the following:

  • Supervisors (1–3), see criteria in the section “Supervisory arrangements”
  • Coordinating academic

Attach to your application a signed supporting statement form stating the planned supervision arrangements. You can find the pdf form below in Doctoral programme's selection criteria, in the section "Supervisory arrangements".

Ethical permissions

Please confirm in the application that you have, or you have applied for all needed ethical permissions: a permit by an Ethical Review Board and/or by the National Animal Experiment Board, if required by the research arrangement. The permission documents need not to be attached to the application. 

Only applications meeting the formal criteria for eligibility continue to scientific evaluation in the doctoral programmes.
Target degrees and faculties

The target degrees available within the Doctoral Programme in Molecular and Cellular Systems of Life (MaCS) are:

Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences

  • Doctor of Philosophy

Faculty of Medicine

  • Doctor of Philosophy
  • Doctor of Medical Science
  • Doctor of Health Sciences
  • Doctor of Odontology
  • Doctor of Philosophy (Psychology)

Faculty of Pharmacy

  • Doctor of Philosophy
  • Doctor of Philosophy (Pharmacy)

Faculty of Veterinary Medicine

  • Doctor of Philosophy
  • Doctor of Veterinary Medicine 

Faculty of Science

  • Doctor of Philosophy

Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry

  • Doctor of Philosophy
  • Doctor of Science (Agriculture and Forestry)
  • Doctor of Food Sciences

Please, verify which degree is available in the chosen faculty based on your background degree.  The target degree must align with the chosen faculty. , ,  and the  have more specific instructions regarding their degrees.

Fields of sciences 

A suitable field of science is required in the application form. Please, add one from the list below:

  • Molecular and cellular biosciences
  • Genetics and genomics
  • Neurobiology
  • Developmental biology and physiology
  • Bioinformatics and systems biology
Doctoral Programme's selection criteria
Supervisory arrangements

Supervisory arrangements and the quality of the research environment are an important part of the selection criteria. The doctoral programme requires that each applicant must have a supervisor or supervisors when submitting the application. It is the responsibility of the applicant to find a supervisor and discuss and agree on the research plan with them. A good starting point for finding a potential supervisor is .

MaCS requires the following supervision arrangements to be confirmed at the stage of applying a study right:

  • A doctoral candidate must have 1–3 thesis supervisors with doctorate degrees.
  • One supervisor holding the title of a docent or equivalent academic qualifications is required, with a minimum of 3 years of employment (or a tenure track position or equivalent) at the University of Helsinki at the start of the applicant’s doctoral studies.
  • The supervisory arrangements must adequately support the research plan. Final evaluation of the adequacy of supervision is performed by the steering group.
  • More information about potential supervisors can be found from MaCS’s website .

You must attach to your application this supporting statement form (pdf) signed by your supervisors and coordinating academic stating the planned supervision arrangements:

*A NEW SUPERVISION FORM (updated in the beginning of March 2026)

Thesis committee members are not required when applying for the study right. A thesis committee should be gathered during the first 6 months of studies. 

Coordinating academic

Your coordinating academic must be employed by the same Faculty as you are applying for the study right. The coordinating academic is familiar with the instructions concerning doctoral education and doctoral degrees at the University of Helsinki. Your supervisor may also act as the coordinating academic, provided they fulfil the criteria (see below for Faculty specific instructions).

Provide the required information on your coordinating academic on the application form and in the supporting statement, even if your main supervisor is appointed as the coordinating academic. 

The coordinating academic’s role is to

  • ensure the continuity of the supervision arrangements,
  • assist you in acquainting yourself with the rules of doctoral education and the dissertation examination process, and
  • make the faculty a formal proposal on the pre-examiners and opponent to be appointed.
Faculty specific instructions for coordinating academics:

At the Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences professors and associate professors employed by the faculty may act as coordinating academics for doctoral researchers. 

At the Faculty of Medicine professors, associate professors and docents employed by the faculty may act as coordinating academics for doctoral researchers.

At the Faculty of Pharmacy professors, associate professors and docents employed by the faculty may act as coordinating academics for doctoral researchers.

At the Faculty of Science professors, associate professors and docents employed by the faculty may act as coordinating academics for doctoral researchers.

At the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry professors and associate professors employed by the faculty may act as coordinating academics for doctoral researchers. 

At the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine professors, associate professors and docents employed by the faculty may act as coordinating academics for doctoral researchers.
Criteria for research plan and funding

Your research plan will be evaluated with the following criteria:

  • Demonstration of adequate knowledge in relevant fields and potential of the applicant to develop into an independent researcher
  • Research plan must clearly demonstrate the potential to generate new scholarly knowledge
  • Scientific relevance and ambition of the research plan, use of relevant methodology
  • Thematic fit of the research plan with the doctoral programme profile
  • Funding plan (including research costs) and feasibility of the thesis project within the intended timeframe (net time 4 years)
  • The steering group recommends that the field of research indicated in the research plan is one of the fields listed in the profile:
    • Molecular and cellular biosciences
    • Genetics and genomics
    • Neurobiology
    • Developmental biology and physiology

    • Bioinformatics and systems biology

       

  • AI is allowed only for text proof reading. If AI is used, it must be mentioned in the research plan.

Funding 

Funding for the first year, starting from the beginning of the study right, must be secured. This funding and its source (including self-financed funding) must be confirmed by the main supervisor at the application stage. Please, use the pdf-form in the supervisory arrangements section.
Academic success

The following are emphasized when assessing the quality and suitability of previous studies:

  • sufficient background knowledge in theory and methods in relevant master’s programmes
  • relevance of the previous degree to the planned research topic and discipline
  • suitability of previous studies to serve as the basis for the planned doctoral degree

 
How to apply?

Acquainted with the selection criteria and all set to apply? Great! Now go back to the , where you will find all the information you need to prepare and submit your application and the needed enclosures. 
Decision-making

The selection criteria of this doctoral programme are valid until further notice.

Decisions on admissions for doctoral studies in the programme are made based on the university’s general criteria for doctoral admissions as well as the programme-specific selection criteria presented on this page.

The final decision on admission is made by the faculty awarding the applicant’s target degree, based on a proposal from the steering group of the doctoral programme.

A  is available in the university's general instructions for doctoral applicants.