Admissions to doctoral studies

Planning to apply for a doctoral study right in the Doctoral Programme of Social Sciences? Good choice! 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 twice a year: once in the spring (usually April) and once in the autumn (usually September).

 

The spring 2026 application period is from 1 April 2026 at 09:00 AM EEST until 1 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.
Who can apply?
Eligibility to apply

In addition to the , the doctoral programme requires that the following conditions are met:

  • Your previous degree must be relevant to the planned research topic and the 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.
  • You must have the Master’s degrees studies (or equivalent) completed. All the studies required for the degree must be completed, graded and registered by the end of the relevant application period. No exceptions are made to this rule. Applicants who are granted a study right must be able to present a certified copy of their official degree diploma before accepting the offered study place.
  • Applicants who have previously completed a doctoral degree in another field are also recommended to outline the scholarly grounds for reapplying for doctoral studies.

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

Students admitted to the Doctoral Programme in Social Sciences can complete the following degrees:

  • Doctor of Social Sciences (Faculty of Social Sciences)
  • Doctor of Philosophy (Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, Faculty of Humanities, Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Science, Faculty of Theology)
  • Doctor of Theology (Faculty of Theology)

 

All successful applicants are admitted to complete a doctoral degree, but they can choose to first complete a Licentiate degree.

Please, check which degree is available in the chosen faculty with the background studies and, note that the supervisory arrangements must match the chosen target degree and home faculty. At least one of the supervisors must be in a permanent or long-term employment to the faculty the applicant is applying to.

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

will be updated soon
Doctoral programme's selection criteria
Supervisory arrangements
  • You must, in good time before submitting the application, contact the field of science (discipline) of the (target degree) faculty relevant to their research interests and discuss the preliminary study plan and research plan as well as arrangements for dissertation supervision. You are expected to take the initiative in finding a supervisor. The email messages sent to potential supervisors must be accompanied by a preliminary research proposal (max. 5 pages).
  • A favorable e-mail message from the potential supervisor is attached to the application form in the section ‘Approval form of supervision’. Applications can be taken to scientific evaluation also without an approval of a potential supervisor, but a favorable evaluation by a potential supervisor is recommended.
  • The supervisory arrangements are decided by the steering group of the doctoral programme.
  • Thesis committee members are not required in the application.

In this doctoral programme, there are several faculties and fields of science, so addressing the correct field of science and the faculty is crucial for a successful evaluation of the application. You should pay careful attention to:

  1. which faculty you should choose considering the proposed doctoral research,
  2. the primary discipline belonging to this doctoral programme into which your application is intended for
  3. contacting potential supervisor(s) in the field.

 

The chosen field of science will not be changed in the doctoral programme during scientific evaluation of the application.

 

Availability of supervision and related resources is elementary for doctoral research: as a rule, the person who agrees to serve as the supervisor from the faculty can simultaneously supervise no more than six students who are completing their postgraduate degree in a way that is equivalent to full-time studying.

 

A favorable evaluation by a potential supervisor is not a binding commitment to supervise, rather a confirmation that the application is affiliated to the discipline in question. The doctoral programme and the faculty will decide on supervisors and supervision arrangements according to its rules (see section ‘Decision-making’ below in these instructions).
Criteria for research plan

Evaluation of the research plan is based on these general criteria:

  • the scientific quality of the research plan
  • the links between the planned dissertation research and the research conducted in the doctoral programme
  • the research plan must follow the format and scope of research plans defined in the application form

The application text should be written by the applicant, AI may only be used to correct grammar.
Academic success and study plan

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
  • the merits of a previous master's thesis or equivalent
  • 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

A preliminary study plan is not required at this point.
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. Good luck!
Decision-making

Applications meeting the formal eligibility requirements will proceed to the academic assessment of the application, which will take place in three steps. First, the applications are evaluated by evaluation panels consisting of different fields of discipline. Second, the evaluation panels statements are handled by the steering group of the doctoral programme. The final decision on granting the right to pursue a degree will be made by the faculty responsible for the target degree based on a proposal by the steering group of the doctoral programme in question.

In conjunction with admission, the doctoral programme and the title of the doctoral degree to be pursued will be confirmed, and the student will be assigned at least two supervisors who have completed a doctoral degree and of whom at least one has a permanent or long-term employment contract with the faculty in which the student will pursue the doctoral degree. In addition, each student will be assigned a coordinating academic, who may also serve as one of the dissertation supervisors.

Please note, that supervisors mentioned in the application form, are not necessarily appointed to supervise the doctoral research, if they already have too many supervisees or there are more suitable supervisors available in terms of academic qualification, research interests and/or employment to the faculty in question.

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

 

The selection criteria are valid until further notice.