The programme admits new doctoral researchers four times year: twice in the spring and twice in the autumn.
The first application period in autumn 2026 is from 2 September 2026 at 08:00 AM EEST until 15 September 2026 at 03:00 PM EEST:
The second application period in autumn 2026 is from 3 November 2026 at 08:00 AM EEST until 16 November 2026 at 03:00 PM EEST:
A doctoral study right can only be gained through the admissions process. Applying to the programme outside the set admission periods is not possible.
Application periods in spring 2027:
A doctoral study right can only be gained through the admissions process. Applying to the programme outside the set admission periods is not possible.
In addition to the
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:
In addition, applicants can be admitted to complete a postgraduate research degree if they have a valid right to complete a licentiate or master’s degree in medicine or dentistry at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki.
In addition, applicants can be admitted to complete a postgraduate research degree if they have been admitted to pursue a licentiate degree in veterinary medicine at the University of Helsinki, an other 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:
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.
The target degrees available within the Doctoral Programme in Molecular and Cellular Systems of Life (MaCS) are:
Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences
Faculty of Medicine
Faculty of Pharmacy
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
Faculty of Science
Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry
Please, verify which degree is available in the chosen faculty based on your background degree. The target degree must align with the chosen faculty.
A suitable field of science is required in the application form. Please, add one from the list below:
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:
You must attach to your application this supporting statement form (pdf) signed or digitally signed by your supervisors and coordinating academic stating the planned supervision arrangements:
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.
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
At the Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences (starting from 1 September 2026 onwards) all professors, associate professors, university lecturers, senior university lecturers and docents employed by the faculty may act as coordinating academics for doctoral researchers. Staff from research institutions with partial employment with the faculty can also act as coordinating academics. Supervisors cannot serve as coordinating academics.
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.
Your research plan will be evaluated with the following criteria:
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.
The following are emphasized when assessing the quality and suitability of previous studies:
Acquainted with the selection criteria and all set to apply? Great! Now go back to the
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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.
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