Application form and research plan

Start by providing your personal details and choosing the programme you are applying to. Also choose a faculty and a target degree that match your educational background and planned research.

Tell us about the degree that qualifies you for doctoral studies (e.g., master's degree, licentiate of medicine). If your degree included a thesis, you must write a brief summary of it (max 1500 characters).

You can also include details about one additional relevant degree or studies (e.g., bachelor's degree, second master's degree, specialized training) that you think might be beneficial for your application. This is not compulsory information, and many apply with just the qualifying degree.

University of Helsinki demands an indication of academic level language skills in either Finnish, Swedish or English of all applicants. the language does not need to be the language of your doctoral thesis.

Please see more information on the page for proving your language skills.

You can prove your language skills either with your educational background or a language test. First choose the language you want to prove your proficiency in, and then choose the method of proving your language skills from the drop-down menu.

In addition, you must choose the language of your thesis.

You will write your reasearch plan in the application form's answer fields. Free form reasearch plans are not accepted. Note that the answer fields have character limits. Spaces count as characters.

Research plan

• Preliminary title of the doctoral thesis
• Field of research (Please use Academy of Finland's Research field classification) or a drop-down menu depending on your programme
• Brief summary of the research plan (2000 characters)
• Research plan contains mathematical special characters or chemical formulas. 
  • If your research plan contains mathematical special characters or chemical formulas, you can attach it here in PDF-format. The research plan must contain the same items as the electronic form, not exceeding the maximum number of characters per item. Please see the doctoral programme website for possible additional instructions.
  • A free-form research plan is not accepted.
• Have you used artificial intelligence to draw up your research plan or application?
  • Read the University of Helsinki guidelines on the use of artificial intelligence in studying and research.
  • If yes: How have you used artificial intelligence? (2000 characters).

The background and aims of the research project

• What is the clinical relevance of your research? (2000 characters 
  • Question only for applicants to Doctoral programme in Clinical Research
• Motivation for conducting doctoral research (2000 characters)
  • Describe your motivation for conducting doctoral research in general and for this topic in particular. Also explain why you have chosen the doctoral programme you are applying to.
• Rationale for the research project (2000 characters) 
  • How is the project linked to previous research? What are the most significant theoretical and methodological premises of the project?
• Objectives of the research and scientific impact of research results (2000 characters) 
  • What are the objectives of the project? Shortly present the hypotheses and the research questions. Describe the expected research result and their anticipated novelty value in terms of the research field and the current scientific discussion on the research topic. You may also shortly outline the reach, potential applications and utilization value of the research beyond the scientific community.

Research methods and material

• Research methods and materials to be used and its significance for the project (3500 characters)
  • Except for Doctoral Programme in School, Education, Society and Culture, read the instructions below*
  • Outline the research methods, described so as to explain how they will contribute to answering the research questions/confirming the hypotheses, or how they will support the chosen approach.
• Preliminary plan on the collection, usage and storage of the research material (1500 characters)
  • Except for Doctoral Programme in School, Education, Society and Culture, read the instructions below*
    • Briefly describe how you plan to collect the research material and use it. Are there any data protection or copyright issues related to data storage that need to be taken into account? Is it possible to make the data available for the use of other researchers?
• Ethical issues (1000 characters) 
  • Are there ethical issues (e.g. ethical governance procedures, informed consent, and anonymity of subjects) that need to be taken into account when conducting the research? Does conducting the research require a research permit or a permit from the ethical board and/or the Animal Experiment Board?

*Doctoral Programme in School, Education, Society and Culture:

• Preliminary plan on the collection, usage and storage of the research material; research methods (4000 characters) 
  • Briefly describe how you plan to collect the research material, use and store it. Outline the suitability of the research methods and analytical framework, described so as to explain how they will contribute to answering the research questions/confirming the hypotheses, or how they will support the chosen approach.

Works cited

• The most important literature for the research plan (2500 characters) 

Implementation: Schedule and funding plan

• Form of the dissertation - article based dissertation or monograph
  • An article-based dissertation consists of peer-reviewed scholarly publications or manuscripts intended for publication, discussing a single group of issues, as well as a summarizing report describing the background and objectives of the research, the methods and materials used, as well as the results, discussion and conclusion of the research. The number of articles required depends on their a) scope, b) scientific quality and significance and c) publishing forum, as well as d) the author’s independent contribution. 
  • A monograph dissertation is a consistent scholarly work in the name of the doctoral candidate alone and based on independent research and previously unpublished research results. The maximum scope of a monograph is, as a rule, 250 pages.
• Publication plan and timetable for the articles or Preliminary outline of the monograph (1500 characters)
• Preliminary timetable for your research (2000 characters)
• Planned funding for the research project including received and applied notable funding thus far (1000 characters)

Check the selection criteria for your programme for required supervision arrangements:

• Do you need to have a committed supervisor in the application phase.
• Do you need a signed supervision agreement or some other document showing your supervision arrangements.
• Check your faculty's requirements for the coordinating academic.
• Some programmes expect you to have  already when you are applying. Check your programme's requirements for a thesis committee.

If you have three supervisors you must give reasons for the need for three supervisors (2000 characters).

Here you can describe your skills and experience in a CV-like format.

• Previously acquired research knowledge (1500 characters) 
  • Previous experience in research work, other scientific work and/or scientific merits, including possible academic awards and other academic acknowledgements.
• Possible publications and conference presentations (1500 characters).
• Possible international experience and other work experience relevant to your doctoral research (1500 characters).
• Possible career breaks (1500 characters). 
  • Here you have the option to list reasons that may have caused delay in your studies (for example: possible family leaves, military or civilian service).

Write your study plan in the next fields. Please see the university's Studies service for information on the doctoral degree's scope and structure. 

List the courses that you are interested in:

• Discipline-specific studies (20 ECTS) (1500 characters)
• Transferable skills (10 ECTS) (1500 characters)

If you have already completed some doctoral studies you can indicate the amount of ECTS gained so far.

Please attach below all requested attachments in PDF format that are necessary for your application. Do not combine different documents into one file.

Please note that if your documents are in a language other than Finnish, Swedish or English, official translations must also be attached.

Please read the requirements on supporting documents carefully. Failure to follow these requirements will result in your application being rejected.

Educational documents

The files you attach here will be used as part of the evaluation of your application.

If the files cannot be verified electronically, you can only be conditionally accepted into doctoral studies.

If you are conditionally accepted into doctoral studies, you must submit either electronically verifiable or officially certified copies of all the documents you have attached here.

You can already familiarize yourself with the instructions concerning educational documents.

Degree that gives you eligibility

Degree that gives you eligibility: Degree certificate

Attach here as one pdf file the degree certificate. Name the file "Last name First name Degree document", for example *Doe Jane Master degree certificate*.

If your degree is not completed by the application deadline, please check the instructions on your doctoral programme's website.

Statement on completion of studies (if not yet graduated)

Ask your study programme’s administrational staff for a free-form statement affirming that you have completed all studies included in your degree by the end of the application period.

Degree that gives you eligibility: Transcript of records

Attach here as one pdf file the transcript of records of your Master's degree (or equivalent). Name the file "Last name First name Degree document", for example *Doe Jane Master transcript*.

Other degree or training

Below you can attach documents of another degree or training you have indicated in the "Educational information: other degree" section of the form.

Other degree: Degree certificate

Attach here as one pdf file the degree certificate. Name the file "Last name First name Degree document", for example *Doe Jane Bachelor degree certificate*.

Other degree: Transcript of records

Attach here as one pdf file the transcript of records of your degree. Name the file "Last name First name Degree document", for example *Doe Jane Bachelor transcript*.

Language skills

If you prove your language skills with the Master's degree you are applying with, you don't need to attach the diploma again here.

Otherwise, please attach a document proving your language skills as a single PDF file. Name the file 'Surname First name Language skills', for example *Doe Jane Language skills*.

Please note that you can only prove your language proficiency by means approved by the University of Helsinki, which are listed on our application instructions.

Supervision arrangements

Check whether your programme requires a separate supervisor approval form / supervision agreement / supervisor's email message or other document indicating the supervisor's commitment to be attached to the application.

Fill in the required document according to the doctoral programme's instructions and attach a scanned copy of it to the application form as a single PDF file. You can find the approval form or agreement template in the doctoral programme's application instructions.

Name the file in the following form: "Familyname Givenname ApprovalForm", for example: *Doe Jane ApprovalForm"*.

You do not need to send us a paper copy of the form, just attach it here.

Doctoral programme in Law, supervision arrangements

Ask your prospective supervisor(s) to submit their statement(s) by the application deadline using an electronic form and send the statement also to you.

Upload the statement here in PDF form.

Finally you must indicate your contact language, give consent to electronic communication and affirm that all given information is correct. 

The application cannot be saved as a draft. To avoid losing unsaved data it is advisable to prepare your answers in a separate file so you can easily copy your answers to the application form. 

The saved application can be edited until the end of the application round.

You will receive an email after you have successfully saved the application. Remember to submit your possible paper enclosures and keep an eye on your email for possible requests to supplement your application.