Doctoral studies
This page gives you an overview of doctoral studies at the University of Tartu: the programmes, regulations, planning stages, stipends and more.
The University of Tartu offers eight doctoral programmes, which are coordinated by faculty-based centres for doctoral studies. Each programme contains multiple specialisations offered by the faculty. Doctoral studies are provided by the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, the Faculty of Social Sciences, the Faculty of Medicine, and the Faculty of Science and Technology.
Doctoral studies at the University of Tartu
The University of Tartu has 1,136 doctoral students, comprised of around 30% international students. University in brief
Research is the main component of doctoral studies, constituting at least 75% of the programme. The focus in all the activities of a doctoral programme is the doctoral thesis, other academic activities and study support the research process and provide transferable competencies. If you study on a full-time basis, you can complete your degree in approximately four years. About 120 doctoral degrees are defended annually at the University of Tartu.
Doctoral students conduct research under the guidance of their supervisor, often as a member of a university research group. In addition to a University of Tartu supervisor, doctoral students can have a supervisor from another university or R&D institution. An industrial doctoral student conducts research that is relevant to a company or institution. Doctoral students can make use of one of a number of funding opportunities to gain international experience.
The goal of doctoral education is to cultivate the research mindset, to nurture flexibility of thought, creativity and intellectual autonomy through an original research project.
A doctoral degree prepares you for an academic career and a variety of jobs outside academia as a lead professional specialist. In addition to specialisation and field-specific knowledge and skills, the holder of a PhD has an advanced capacity to formulate research questions and handle complex problems, management and teamwork as well as the ability to communicate clearly.
Organisation of doctoral studies
The University of Tartu's doctoral studies are organised by the Regulations for Doctoral Studies (RDS; see web version). The RDS includes the general rules of supervision, the individual plan, progress reviews and the degree application procedure.
The University's good practices are recommended reading for all doctoral students, especially Good Practice of Doctoral Studies.
For general study-related issues such as registration to courses, recognition of prior learning, etc., see Study Regulations. General study instructions and guidelines are also available here.
Faculty-specific requirements, such as faculty progress review procedures, are available on faculty doctoral studies pages.
Status and funding of doctoral students
This sub-page gives an overview of doctoral student’s status and the different possibilities to fund your doctoral studies. There is no tuition fee for doctoral students at the University of Tartu, including international students. However, it is essential to understand the different conditions and opportunities arising from different statuses. You can find more information on the following link.
Estonian Doctoral school
The Estonian Doctoral School brings together doctoral students and their supervisors from all Estonian universities. Its events enable doctoral students to establish scientific contacts in their fields of specialisation and international cooperation, to gain interdisciplinary knowledge and to develop their general skills. In addition, doctoral students can apply for a short-term mobility grant. A separate series of events supports the activities of supervisors.
The project will be implemented by the University of Tartu, with the Estonian Academy of Arts, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre, Estonian Business School, Tallinn University of Technology and Tallinn University as partners.