Doctoral studies

The Department of Medical Sciences provides high quality postgraduate education in a wide range of topics related to medicine. We have more than 200 doctoral students affiliated with the department. On average, 20 doctoral students defend their thesis every year.

By independently conducting a research project, you will as a doctoral student utilise and develop both your practical and theoretical skills. You learn the latest methods in modern research and the scientific environment provides good opportunities for both specialisation and breadth. The aim is for you to become an independent researcher, ready for highly skilled work, whether in academia, industry, healthcare or government.

Each doctoral student has his or her own doctoral training plan that is tailored to the interests and needs of the individual doctoral student depending on the research project. A doctoral programme is typically 4 years long full-time, or 8 years at 50% if the doctoral student has an employment by the Region. The doctoral programme includes courses and the writing of a doctoral thesis.

Doktorander och handledare som deltar i en forskarskola.

Internal information for registered PhD students at the Department (requires UU-login)

How to become a doctoral student

To become a doctoral student at the Department of Medical Sciences, you need to

Be eligible
Have funding

Eligibility

To be eligible for doctoral studies, you must have:

Basic eligibility
Specific eligibility for the subjects offered by the Department of Medical Sciences

Basic eligibility means a second-cycle degree, approved courses of at least 240 credits – of which at least 60 credits are at second-cycle level – or equivalent knowledge acquired in another way, either in Sweden or abroad.

Specific eligibility for doctoral studies at the Department of Medical Sciences means English 6, or equivalent, and education in an area relevant to the subject.

Funding

You can finance your doctoral studies by applying for and obtaining employment as a doctoral student at Uppsala University. You can find many positions on the University’s website for vacant positions.

Find vacant positions

If you are interested in a particular subject within the Department, you can also contact one of our researchers. A researcher may have funds - or will apply for funds - to hire a doctoral student, especially if they know there are interested candidates.

You can also conduct your doctoral studies as an employee of the Region with guaranteed time to conduct your doctoral studies, as an employee in the industry.

Apply for admission

Once selected for the PhD position, you need to apply for admission to doctoral studies using an online form. The form needs to be completed with the support of your principal supervisor.

Your application is reviewed by the Department of Medical Science's Postgraduate Group (FUG) and then forwarded to the Research Training Committee (KUF) for decision.

The information needed as well as instructions for the application process is described in detail on the Department's staff pages

Decision on admission

All applications for doctoral programmes are processed by the Research Training Committee (KUF), which makes an admission decision. Before the application is taken to the Research Training Committee, it is reviewed in the Department's Postgraduate Group (FUG).

If the Committee approves your application, they will inform you by email.

If you need to supplement your application, the Committee will postpone the decision and inform you by email. Once you have completed your application, the Chair of the Committee will make the admission decision.

Contact

If you have questions about postgraduate education at the Department of Medical Sciences, please contact Enikö Sonkoly, Deputy Head of Department with responsibility for the Department's postgraduate education.

You can also email our mailbox.