Doctoral Programme in Information and Systems

Application periods and how to apply

The application period for doctoral studies commencing in the Autumn 2020 will be during 1 - 30 October 2020. The application period ends at 15.00 (Finnish time).

The call for applications for the Doctoral Programme in Information and Systems is organised twice per year, in April and in October. Specific application deadlines will be confirmed each year. 

Applications are submitted through an electronic application system at studyinfo.fi. A link to the application form is available during the application period.

Responsible supervisor and co-supervisor(s)

Prior to applying for admission, the applicant must contact the professor of the main subject s/he is applying for, or a possible supervisor of studies, in order to draft the research plan as well as the study and supervisory plan. Every PhD student must have the supervisor and at least one co-supervisor. To find a prospective supervisor, please contact the head of the doctoral programme Associate Professor Poika Isokoski (poika.isokoski(a)tuni.fi).

Application and required enclosures

The application must include the following documents:

• a study and supervisory plan signed by the applicant and the supervisor(s)
• a research plan that outlines the research topic and its foundations. Instructions on how to draft a research plan are below.
• CV with full employment history. Please give the contact information of two referees in the CV, if the Master degree was not taken at Tampere University
• submitting a financing plan is recommended, either as part of your research plan or as a separate document
• copy of the passport ID page, if the student hasn’t previously studied at Tampere University
• photocopies of Bachelor’s and Master’s degree certificates and their authorised translations in English, and transcripts of records (i.e. courses taken, grades and credits received) with their authorised translations in English.
• international applicants must provide a reputable account of his or her language proficiency (see Language requirements)

Please see more instructions on how to apply on the page How to apply for a doctoral programme with application periods twice a year.

Research plan

The research plan should be at most 6 pages long (minimum font size 12 points, 2.5 cm margins all around). It should include the following:

• A clear description of the aims, research questions and importance of the planned study
• Background and central state of the art references
• Description of research methods and materials (i.e. data) to be collected
• Expected results and their contribution in respect to earlier research
• Time schedule and resources including access to required technology, laboratories, funding plan, description of research environment and group, name of the supervisor, description of the needed or planned collaboration during the research.
• Publication and dissemination plan (e.g. planned conference and journal publications, software releases etc.)

Officially certified educational documents

In addition to uploading electronic copies of your educational documents to your application, you must submit officially authenticated copies of your educational documents, if you have not completed your previous degrees in a Finnish university. If the documents are not in English, Finnish or Swedish, both the authenticated copies of the documents in their original language and an officially confirmed, complete and precise translation into one of the languages mentioned above are required.

In addition to the standard document requirements, educational documents issued in certain countries have more specific requirements for submission. Please go through the requirements carefully and check the country- specific requirements for your degree awarding country before applying. Please send your educational documents to Tampere University Admissions Office.