911±¬ÁÏÍø

Syftet med doktorandstudierna är att ge djupare vetenskaplig kunskap och insikt i vetenskapligt forskningsarbete och i praktisk tillämpning än högre högskoleexamen. Centralt i doktorandstudierna är studier inriktade på forskningsarbete och på förmågan att tillämpa forskningsresultat. Forskning på hög nivå är en ovillkorlig förutsättning för doktorandutbildningen.

Målen för doktorandutbildningen är att den studerande:

1. grundligt gör sig förtrogen med sitt eget forskningsområde och dess samhälleliga betydelse och uppnår förmåga att inom detta forskningsområde självständigt och kritiskt tillämpa vetenskapliga forskningsmetoder och skapa ny vetenskaplig kunskap;
2. gör sig väl förtrogen med utvecklingen, grundproblemen och forskningsmetoderna inom sitt område samt;
3. förvärvar en sådan kännedom om allmän vetenskapsteori och om andra vetenskapsområden som anknyter till forskningsområdet som gör det möjligt att följa utvecklingen inom dem.

Doktorsexamen består av tre helheter:

1. lärdomsprovet, d.v.s. doktorsavhandlingen
2. studier inom forskningsområdet 10–25 ECTS
3. allmänna forskningsfärdighets studier 5–20 ECTS

Doktoranden förbinder sig till att studera och forska långsiktigt och målinriktat. Doktoranden har rätt att studera enligt sin studieplan och få regelbunden och sakkunnig handledning i sina studier. För att få handledning förbinder sig doktoranden till att följa den fastställda studieplanen samt forskningsplanen. Rätt att få handledning förutsätter även att doktoranden har anmält sig som närvarande vid Aalto-universitetet, ett handledningsavtal samt att hen följer högskolans värden och förpliktelser.

Dessutom förbinder sig doktoranden att följa . Att förbinda sig till anvisningarna förutsätter även att etisk praxis för forskning hör till alla doktoranders teoristudier.

Doktorsexamen kan avläggas på fyra år vid heltidsstudier. Mer information om studierna på doktorandprogrammets aalto.fi sida.

Doktorandstudier på heltid

En doktorand som studerar på heltid ska planera sina studier så att hen kan avlägga doktorsexamen inom fyra år från och med att studierätten beviljats. Den som söker in till doktorandstudier på heltid ska ha finansiering för studierna (till exempel finansiering från arbetsgivaren, projektfinansiering eller stipendium). En sökande som är anställd utanför Aalto-universitetet ska till sin ansökan bifoga ett intyg från sin arbetsgivare (chef) över möjligheten till studier på heltid (minst 80 % av arbetstiden kan användas för studier).

Doktorandstudier på deltid

Den som inte uppfyller ovannämnda förutsättningar för heltidsstudier kan bedriva doktorandstudier på deltid. Då planeras doktorandstudierna så att det tar högst åtta år att avlägga doktorsexamen. Till denna grupp hör bland annat sådana doktorander som är anställda någon annanstans än vid högskolan.

Den som söker till doktorandstudier på deltid rekommenderas att diskutera huruvida avhandlingsarbetet är nära kopplat till det egna arbetet och vilka möjligheter arbetsgivaren har att stöda intensiva doktorandstudier vid sidan av arbetet.
 

Heltid och deltid studier 

±«²Ô»å±ð°ù±¹¾±²õ²Ô¾±²Ô²µ²õ²õ±è°ùÃ¥°ìet är huvudsakligen engelska. ExamenssprÃ¥ket kan vara finska, svenska eller engelska beroende pÃ¥ lärdomsprovets sprÃ¥k.

Språken i doktorandstudierna

Finansieringen ska i första hand diskuteras med doktorandstudiernas ansvarsprofessor eller handledare. Finansiering av studierna kan eventuellt ordnas genom att doktoranden arbetar inom ett forskningsprojekt vid Högskolan för kemiteknik.

Lediga arbetsplatserFinansiering av doktorandstudierna 

I högskolans doktorandprogram fästs stor vikt vid internationalisering, både i rekryteringen av doktorander och i doktorandutbildningen. Högskolan för kemiteknik har också nära kontakter till ett flertal toppuniversitet och forskningsinstitut inom högskolans forskningsområden.

Aalto-universitetet uppmuntrar sina doktorander att åka utomlands under studierna, eftersom internationell rörlighet främjar doktorandernas karriärmöjligheter. En vistelse vid ett universitet och en forskningsenhet i utlandet innebär ofta en möjlighet att dela information och kunskap, skapa nya idéer, utvidga sina internationella nätverk och utveckla sina professionella färdigheter. Med hjälp av det internationella forskningsarbetet och de internationella studierna får du nya idéer, synvinklar till ditt forskningsarbete, samt erfarenhet av att arbeta i grupp på olika sätt.

To be eligible to apply in doctoral admissions, you must have a relevant Master’s degree or equivalent.

1. The degree must have been awarded by a higher education institution (university or university of applied sciences in the Finnish education system).
2. The degree must give eligibility to apply for doctoral degree studies at university in the awarding country.
3. The awarding higher education institution has to be a recognised part of the official national education system of the country. It has to be accredited as a degree-granting higher education institution by the country where it is located or by a relevant international organisation (such as UNESCO).

Generally an acceptable master’s degree has been carried out in accordance with the principles of the Bologna Process (3+2 years). As a rule, a higher education degree (or degree combination) earned abroad in a country that does not follow the Bologna Process should include a minimum of 4 years of studies and a master’s thesis.

Field of previous studies

In general, a Master’s degree which corresponds to the Master of Science (Technology) degree granted by 911±¬ÁÏÍø grants eligibility. The completed degree should provide the student with the knowledge and skills required for the doctoral research field applied for. 

If the completed degree does not correspond to the above mentioned Master of Science (Technology) degree, the applicant should demonstrate relevant work experience gained or interest in the field, and should discuss the necessary prerequisites for entry to doctoral studies with an 911±¬ÁÏÍø professor of the research field in question.

Applicants with applicable Master's degree from a university of applied sciences are assessed by School for their potential to complete doctoral studies successfully at 911±¬ÁÏÍø. Such applicants are usually required to complete up to 30 ECTS of supplementary studies. 

Required grades in the master´s degree (on the scale 1 - 5)

1. Applicants have been granted the master’s degree that they are using as the basis for doctoral studies with a weighted average grade of 3.5 / very good excluding the grade of master's thesis (911±¬ÁÏÍø uses the grading scale 1–5). 
   Applicants with a master’s degree earned in accordance with the degree regulations of 1995 must have completed the major studies (minimum 30 ECTS) in the master’s degree used as a basis for doctoral studies with an average grade of 3.5 / 5.
2. Applicants have completed their master’s thesis with a grade of 4.0 / very good (911±¬ÁÏÍø uses the grading scale 1–5).

These two requirements apply to degrees whether they are earned in Finland or abroad.

If an applicant does not meet these criteria but is otherwise suitable for doctoral studies, they have the possibility to attach a transcript of study records to their application, demonstrating that they have completed similar courses with higher grades. Alternatively, if they are accepted, the School may require supplementary studies between 5–10 ECTS. In addition to courses taken at the School of Chemical Engineering, the school may, based on a proposal of the supervising professor, accept courses taken at other universities.

Applying with an incomplete degree

It is possible to apply to the doctoral programme with an incomplete degree, but the applicant must graduate before the right to study can be granted. Only applicants who acquire their master's degree certificate within three months of the application deadline can apply. The applicants with an incomplete degree must also fulfil all the above mentioned grade requirements when they apply. If the applicant’s Master’s degree is not completed or the official degree certificate and transcript is not delivered by a deadline specified by the School, their application is rejected.

Information on another degree can be included in the application

In addition to the degree granting eligibility to apply (i.e. master's degree), you can include one other higher education degree (e.g. bachelor's degree) in the section Other Higher Education Degree on the application form.

If you choose to include another higher education degree, you must upload the required application documents related to this degree to your application form. 

In some cases including an other degree is required to prove that the degree combination fulfills the above-mentioned requirements set for the eligibility granting degree (combination). 

Prerequisites

The following is required for an applicant to be approved for doctoral studies:

1. Adequate knowledge in their confirmed research field, gained through, for example, courses toward the major, courses in an advanced module in Master’s studies, or equivalent studies.
2. Sufficient knowledge that supports the research work and the writing of the research publications and doctoral thesis.
3. When necessary, the School of Chemical Engineering may set supplementary studies to meet the prerequisites of the doctoral degree, for instance, requiring that credits be earned by taking exams related to Master's-level courses.

Criteria for academic evaluation

a. Previous academic study achievements and the duration of studies.

b. Previous research experience and potential for a researcher career: work experience in the research sector, scientific publications and conference presentations etc. Applicant must respect and follow .

c. Appropriateness of the research topic: research orientation on School's and Department's focus areas so that proficient guidance and supervisor’s genuine scientific interest are possible

d. Research plan: theoretical and practical relevance and novelty of the topic, and feasibility of the plan (quality, realism, methodical approach etc.)

 e. Effort and resources for doctoral studies: feasibility of the study plan, realistic time available for studying and research during the forthcoming 3 to 4 years, and motivation and commitment to the work required by doctoral studies

f. Time management, funding and resources: the feasibility of the study plan and the funding, supervision resources and time available for the doctoral studies in the next four (4) years. 

In addition to the above-mentioned criteria, also the resources of Department to supervise and fund doctoral students will be noticed. A minimum of one-year funding is required to start the doctoral research project.

• Last name and all first names: the spelling of names must match your valid passport.
• Definition of full-time and part-times studies.
• Language of the degree: Choose English unless you wish to write your doctoral thesis in Finnish or Swedish.
• Position funding: Choose the length of secured funding. Choose "no funding" if you do not have any secured funding.
• If you want to apply for School of Chemical Engineering funding, please notice a separate deadline for the School's funding. Funding application is a separate application form and funding cannot be applied with the study-right application form.
• If you have not completed your master's degree by the application deadline, verify the graduation schedule with your home university and the date for obtaining your official degree certificate.
• Please attach the required appendices (see below) as PDF files to the application form. All appendices are placed to the electronic application form.

Complete applications are processed within two months of the end of the application period. Incomplete applications will be rejected, unless the missing materials are sent by the given deadline.

Doctoral education services reviews your application and the required documents for the general eligibility requirements, i.e. check the authenticity of the documents, make sure that the application contains all the requisite documents and that the applicant fulfils the admission requirements. Incomplete or ineligible applications can be rejected at this stage and professors are not obliged to process them. 

The academic evaluation of the eligible applications is carried out by the professors. Based on the academic evaluation, the Doctoral Programme Committee makes a proposal of admission or rejection to the Dean of the School. The Dean makes the formal decision on admission or rejection.

911±¬ÁÏÍø is strongly committed to the . Giving misleading information during the application process is not in line with good scientific practice. The applicants’ actions that fall under the will lead to rejection of their application, even if the applicant is otherwise eligible for doctoral studies. Any violation of TENK guidelines will seriously impact any career prospects at 911±¬ÁÏÍø.

Language test reports must be received by 911±¬ÁÏÍø by the end of the application period at the latest. The validity date is calculated from the first day of the application period for all applicants in that application round. For example, the earliest date to have completed a TOEFL test for an applicant applying in the first application round of the admissions 2026 (3.12.2025-27.1.2026) is 3.12.2023 and 911±¬ÁÏÍø must receive that language test report by 27.1.2025 at the latest. Please note that test organizers might not deliver expired test results – order your results on time. See the application periods above.

If you need to submit any information pertaining to your language test or any documents after you have submitted your application, please use the email address doctoral-chem@aalto.fi. 

1. Scanned colour copy of the original Master's degree certificate. Name the file according to this format: Degree-certificate-lastname-firstname.
   If the degree is from 911±¬ÁÏÍø, the degree certificate is not required at this stage. We will verify your degree from the University’s student information system.
2. Scanned colour copy of the all the pages of the original official transcript of study records of the Master’s degree. Name the file according to format: Transcript-lastname-firstname.
3. Diploma supplement OR other official document issued by the University including the grading scale and other relevant information on the degree, if this information is not available on the transcript of study records.
   If the degree is from 911±¬ÁÏÍø, the diploma supplement is not required.
4. If your degree certificate and the official transcript of records are not in Finnish, Swedish or English, scanned colour copies of authorised translations. The instructions for authorised translations are below (see "Translations"). Name the file according to format: Translation-transcript-lastname.
5. Curriculum vitae (CV). Name the file according to format: CV-lastname-firstname.
   Max. two pages, in English. Including a detailed information of scientific activity (publications, submitted publications, conference presentations (talks and posters) and patents). Suggested: .
6. Research plan and funding plan. Name the file according to format: Research-plan-lastname-firstname.
   • Written by the applicant under the supervision of the proposed supervising professor. In English, no more than two pages (including references/bibliography). Supervising professor must sign the research plan and the funding plan.
   • Schedule of the research work and planned publications: time span of 3-4 years for full-time students and 4-8 years for part-time students; the schedule for the publications and completion of doctoral degree
   • Funding plan for the research work made by applicant. Funding plan in one section or as figure - state the start and ending of secured funding time. State clearly for which months the funding has been secured (format: mm/yyyy – mm/yyyy). Please list funding sources from where the missing funding will be acquired (scholarships, projects etc.) and also uncertain funding seasons. Include also a list of all funding applications during the last six months. A minimum of one year funding is required to start the doctoral research project.
   • The Supervising professor must confirm their commitment to supervise the thesis according to the schedule and resources detailed in the research plan.
7. Credit plan. Name the file according to format: Credit_plan-lastname-firstname.
   A preliminary credit plan for the theoretical studies of the degree, 30 ECTS. The plan must follow the curriculum 2024-2026 of the Doctoral programme and include the two compulsory courses: LC-L1000 Research Ethics for Doctoral Students and CHEM-L1100 Toolkit for Doctoral Studies or equivalent.
   PDF template for credit plan
8. Supervision plan. Name the file according to format: Supervision_plan-lastname-firstname.
   • Carefully read the guidelines, which give detailed information about the mutual duties and responsibilities of the supervising professor, thesis advisors and doctoral student, before filling in the responsibilities to the Supervision plan template.
   • You can have  1–3 thesis advisor(s). Theses advisors need to have a doctoral degree (remember to check this especially in case of advisors who work outside 911±¬ÁÏÍø). The supervising professor can be one of the thesis advisors. In case you don't have separate advisor(s), supervising professor will be nominated to both roles.
   • You, your supervising professor and thesis advisor(s) have to sign this document.
9. Description of your previous research experience, for example write a description of your master's thesis and possible other research contributions. Please describe your research experience in your own words. In English, one A4 page. Name the file according to format: Previous_research_experience-lastname-firstname.
10. English abstract of your Master's thesis. Name the file according to format: Masters_thesis_abstract-lastname-firstname. If the degree is from 911±¬ÁÏÍø, the abstract is not required.
11. Copy of a valid passport or an official government-issued identification card with photo and information on citizenship. Name the file according to format: Passport-lastname-firstname.
    Upload a copy only of the personal information page of the passport (not all pages).
12. If required in your case: other required documents pertaining to demonstrating your language proficiency.
13. Any other supporting documents, such as a letter of recommendation, in which case it should include an explanation of the connection between the applicant and the person giving the recommendation. Max. two letters.

This document requirement does not apply to applicants with an incomplete degree. If your degree is incomplete at the application phase, submit a current transcript of study records.

In addition to the documents listed above, your proposed supervising professor at the School of Chemical Engineering must submit a recommendation letter directly to the Doctoral Education Services of the School. With this letter, the professor has an opportunity to highlight your special skills and potential.

All the documents must be in Finnish, Swedish or English. If the original degree certificate or transcript of records was written in some other language, an official translation of the document must be submitted.

The translation is official if it has been done by the higher education institution that awarded the degree or by a certified translator (authorised translator). The translations must have the certified translator’s stamp and signature.

In Finland, the Finnish National Agency for Education () maintains a register of authorised translators who are based in Finland.

The accepted applicants must demonstrate the authenticity of their degree certificate and transcript of records. The authenticity is demonstrated by presenting the original official documents in person; OR by submitting the certified (attested) hard copies of your degree certificates and transcripts of records. 

Note: If you have completed your degree at 911±¬ÁÏÍø (or its predecessors), or if you completed your degree in Finland after 1 January 2003 and have a Finnish personal identification code, you are NOT required to present original documents nor to submit any hard copies. We will verify the authenticity of your electronic documents via a national database. Graduates of Finnish Universities whose degree cannot be verified in the Finnish national portal, must demonstrate the authenticity of the the degree certificate and transcript of records.

Accepted methods of demonstrating the authenticity
(After being accepted to the doctoral programme)

1. Presenting original official documents: Present the original documents (and their translations, if necessary) to the Coordinator within a given deadline; OR
2. Submitting certified copies: Submit your documents according to the instructions for certified copies. Please note that you must also follow the country-specific requirements for submitting documents, if your degree is awarded in: Australia, Bangladesh, Cameroon, Canada, China, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Finland, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Kenya, Malaysia, Nepal, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, the United Kingdom or the United States.

In addition to the above-mentioned ways, we also accept certain electronic services. 

More information in the country-specific requirements

The accepted applicants will be given a deadline and more instructions for submitting their documents. 

You will need to accept the offer in the application system and enrol to the ongoing academic year / term at the same time. The acceptance is binding and cannot be changed. Detailed instructions will be sent to accepted applicants with the admission letter.

According to the ‘one student place per term in higher education’ policy (), applicants who are offered admission to more than one degree programme beginning in the same academic term at a Finnish university or university of applied sciences may only accept one offer of admission. The academic terms run from 1 August to 31 December and from 1 January to 31 July. The policy applies to all degree-granting higher education programmes, whether applying through: joint application procedures, separate admissions procedures, or applying to doctoral education (to earn a licentiate or doctoral degree).

If you are offered admission to more than one study option in different admissions, you can only accept one of the offered study places. It is not possible to cancel the acceptance of a study place. Even if the student postpones the commencement of studies, or interrupts their studies, they cannot accept another study place for a programme starting in the same academic term.

If you are currently an 911±¬ÁÏÍø student, please note that at 911±¬ÁÏÍø, a student may have only one valid study right towards a given degree. If an 911±¬ÁÏÍø student accepts a new study right in a programme leading to the same degree at Aalto, the old study right will be cancelled.

All 911±¬ÁÏÍø doctoral students must acknowledge and commit to the Aalto’s code of conduct, laboratory security instructions, national guidelines for research ethics and authorship by TENK and other policies stated by 911±¬ÁÏÍø and the instructions of the Aalto School of Chemical Engineering.

The right of appeal means that the applicants have the possibility to request for rectification, if they believe that there has been an error in the decision-making process. In the appeal the applicant should specify the error. The right of appeal is not intended as means for receiving feedback or asking for further information about the application process. The admission decisions are based on the information the applicant delivers to 911±¬ÁÏÍø by the given deadline. The letter of appeal is directed to the Dean of the School.

The letter of appeal must be submitted to the Registry of 911±¬ÁÏÍø within 14 days after the publication of the decisions:

911±¬ÁÏÍø
Registry
P.O. Box 11000
FI-00076 Aalto
Finland

or by by e-mail: registry@aalto.fi

Visiting address Otakaari 1 B, Espoo.

Appeals will be processed as soon as possible after the appeal period has ended, but please take into account delays caused by holiday seasons.