Doctoral education

How to apply for doctoral studies?

There are different routes to doctoral studies. The admissions to Aalto University's six doctoral programmes are organised separately by each programme. Find out what is required of you and what we offer!
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Doctoral education pilot

We are hiring 178 new doctoral researchers - get your doctorate from Aalto

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What are doctoral studies like?

As a doctoral student, you are part of an international academic community. The doctoral research and studies develop you into an expert of your research topic and build your professional capacity.

Doctoral education
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Research & Art

Our research focuses on seven key areas combining four core competences in the fields of ICT, materials, arts, design and business together with three grand challenges related to energy, living environment, and health.

How to apply?

Two routes to doctoral studies and research

  1. Applying for a doctoral researcher’s salaried position first and then applying for the study right in a doctoral programme after the recruitment process. This route is more common in the field of technology.
  2. Applying for the study right in a doctoral programme and either being hired as a doctoral researcher by the Department later or having funding for doctoral studies from another source. This route is more common in the fields of art and design as well as business.

Application instructions (study right in a doctoral programme)

Each doctoral programme has their own processes, schedules, requirements and instructions for their applicants.

Aalto Doctoral Programme in Arts, Design and Architecture (ARTS)

Aalto Doctoral Programme in Business, Economics and Finance (BIZ)

Aalto Doctoral Programme in Chemical Engineering (CHEM)

Aalto Doctoral Programme in Elecrical Engineering (ELEC)

Aalto Doctoral Programme in Engineering (ENG)

Aalto Doctoral Programme in Science (SCI)

After reading the application instructions you may contact the Doctoral education services of the Doctoral programme you are interested in for more information.

Application schedules (study right in a doctoral programme)

Doctoral programmes Application periods Admission decision and start of studies
Aalto Doctoral Programme in Arts, Design and Architecture (ARTS) Feb-March annually, 2nd phase in April-May Admission results in June, start of studies in Aug/Sep
Aalto Doctoral Programme in Business, Economics and Finance (BIZ) Dec-Jan annually Admission results in Feb, start of studies in Aug/Sep
Aalto Doctoral Programme in Chemical Engineering (CHEM) 4 times a year
in 2024: Jan, June, Sep, Dec
within two months
Aalto Doctoral Programme in Elecrical Engineering (ELEC) continuous within a month (excluding July)
Aalto Doctoral Programme in Engineering (ENG) Twice a year
In 2024: March, Sep
within two months
Aalto Doctoral Programme in Science (SCI) continuous within a month (excluding July)

Schools can decide about additional application periods if necessary.

Applying for the salaried position of a doctoral researcher

Salaried doctoral researcher positions are applied for separately from the admission process to the doctoral programme. If you get accepted to a salaried position first, do note that you will need to separately apply for the study right in a doctoral programme to be able to complete the doctoral degree. 

When salaried doctoral researcher positions are open, they are advertised at Aalto University Open positions. Any questions regarding the advertised salaried positions should be directed to the professors and HR personnel only, not to admission services or Doctoral education services.

Aalto has a great community and infrastructure to conduct research.

Graduate survey 2022

General eligibility and academic evaluation

The general eligibility criteria are fulfilled if the application includes

  • a degree granting eligibility to apply;
  • an accepted proof of language proficiency and
  • all the required application documents by the deadline.

Application fulfilling the general eligibility criteria are evaluated based on the academic evaluation criteria of the doctoral programme.

Language requirements in doctoral admissions

Aalto University's doctoral programme are taught in English, Finnish and Swedish (Doctoral programme in Business, Economics and Finance is taught in English and in some majors in Finnish).

To be eligible to apply, applicants are required to be proficient in one of the languages of the programme, and demonstrate their proficiency by passing a language test, when necessary. The language test scores must meet the minimum requirements set by Aalto University.

Funding

The most common ways to fund doctoral studies are

  • working in a salaried doctoral researcher position
  • personal grant(s) or scholarship(s) from foundations or funding agencies

Most Aalto doctoral students combine different funding sources during their studies. 

How to find and apply for funding for doctoral studies and research?

Generally Aalto University does not offer scholarships for doctoral studies. However, there is an on-going scholarship scheme until 2024 for students from African and South American countries, read more below.

During the academic year 2024-2025, the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture is funding 178 new doctoral researcher positions at Aalto University through a doctoral education pilot.

Doctoral education pilot: 178 doctoral researchers' salaried positions

Fees and costs

Aalto University doctoral studies are free of tuition fees. Aalto University does not charge fees for enrollment to the University. Doctoral students are welcome to join the Aalto University Student Union. The membership of the Student Union is subject to an annual fee. Read more about the membership for doctoral students.

If you need a residence permit for research in Finland, please see more information about income requirement at the Finnish Immigration Services.

Finland Fellowships for doctoral students

Aalto University awards Finland Fellowships to doctoral students as part of a national scholarship programme funded by the Ministry of Education and Culture. The programme runs from 2022 to 2024. Applicants from Africa, Central or South America can apply for the fellowship.

Contact information

If you don't know which doctoral progamme is relevant for your, read more about discovering your research topic and finding a professor.

If you have questions about applying for the study right in one of your doctoral programmes, please contact our Doctoral education services staff. Before contacting us, please read through the instructions for applicants.

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Doctoral education services

We support doctoral students, supervising professors, thesis advisors and doctoral programme directors in matters related to doctoral studies.

Services
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