FAQ

Doctoral studies form the third cycle of official university studies and aim to provide advanced scientific research training. The doctorate culminates in the preparation of a doctoral thesis, which is an original piece of research developed within one of the programme’s research lines.

Doctoral studies combine a research phase with a phase of doctoral training. The thesis is completed under the supervision of a director (or co-directors) and its progress is monitored through periodic evaluations. Training and research activities are recorded in the doctoral student’s activity report (DAD), which is supervised by the director and assessed by the programme’s Academic Committee.

For further information, see the FAQ dossier.

The maximum duration from admission to the defence of the doctoral thesis is:

• Full-time: 4 years, which may be extended by one additional year.
• Part-time: 7 years, which may be extended by one additional year.

The minimum period before the thesis can be submitted is two enrolments in the doctoral programme. 

Justified absences (for illness, pregnancy and similar reasons) are excluded from the calculation. Doctoral candidates may request a voluntary temporary leave of one year, which may be extended by an additional year.

For further information, see the FAQ dossier.

The doctorate may be pursued remotely. Meetings with the thesis supervisor, the annual progress review and much of the doctoral training can be carried out online. The Doctoral School offers virtual training activities through the Moodle platform.

The only mandatory in-person requirement is the defence of the doctoral thesis, which must take place on site except in exceptional cases that are duly justified. There is no obligation to reside in Barcelona, although UIC Barcelona is not a distance-learning university and certain in-person activities may not have a virtual alternative.

For further information, see the FAQ dossier.

To access a doctoral programme, applicants must hold an official bachelor’s degree and an official master’s degree, totalling at least 300 ECTS credits. Access is also open to individuals holding a 300-ECTS university qualification with MECES level 3, those who already hold a doctoral degree, or through other legally recognised pathways such as research proficiency or a recognised specialisation in health sciences.

Applicants who completed their studies outside Spain must demonstrate that their qualification grants access to doctoral studies in the country where it was awarded. Documents must be officially translated if they are not in Catalan, Spanish, or English, and they must be duly legalised. Degree recognition (homologation) is not required. Once enrolled, international students may apply for a student visa to undertake the doctorate in Spain.

For further information, see the FAQ dossier.

Admission is completed through an online pre-enrolment during the official period, which usually runs from June to September. The process involves an administrative validation and an academic assessment carried out by the programme’s Academic Committee.

To apply for admission, candidates must submit identification documents, a curriculum vitae, academic documentation, a research proposal, a motivation letter and a letter of support from the thesis supervisor. Applicants who completed their studies abroad will be required to pay a fee for the equivalence assessment of their qualification. The decision is communicated by email and, if admitted, candidates must formalise their enrolment.

For further information, see the FAQ dossier.

Each doctoral candidate is assigned a thesis supervisor, and up to two co-supervisors may also be appointed. In exceptional and duly justified cases, a third supervisor may be authorised where a multidisciplinary approach is necessary.

The thesis supervisor is responsible for providing scientific guidance for the thesis. If the supervisor is external to UIC Barcelona, a university tutor is assigned. The tutor’s role is primarily administrative and serves as an institutional liaison. The supervisor may belong to another university or institution, provided they meet the established academic requirements.

For further information, see the FAQ dossier.

Doctoral enrolment is annual and must be renewed at the start of each academic year. It includes the annual supervision fee, which covers thesis supervision and access to the programme’s training activities.

When the thesis is approved for deposit, candidates must pay a single fee covering the deposit and defence. The cost of the doctorate is published each academic year on the Doctoral School website and payment must be made in a single instalment, as there are no instalment plans available.

For further information, see the FAQ dossier.

Each doctoral programme specifies its compulsory training activities, which are required to acquire research competences. These activities are offered by the Doctoral School and are usually short courses, with materials and recordings available online throughout the academic year.

Compulsory training ensures that at least one option for each competency is offered in Spanish and English, although some optional activities or in-person sessions may be delivered in only one language.

For further information, see the FAQ dossier.

The doctorate may include various distinctions or special formats that appear officially on the final degree certificate.

The international distinction requires periods of research abroad, partial drafting and defence of the thesis in a scientific language other than Spain’s official languages, favourable reports from international expert reviewers and participation of at least one foreign member on the examination committee.

The industrial distinction certifies that the thesis is carried out in collaboration with a company or public entity outside the university, with the doctoral candidate employed for at least one year.

Co-supervision allows the doctorate to be completed jointly between two universities in different countries, granting a doctoral degree from both institutions.

For further information, see the FAQ dossier.

The pre-deposit is the first formal stage in the final phase of the doctorate. At this stage, the doctoral candidate submits the completed thesis together with the documentation required by the Doctoral School, so that the Academic Committee can validate the examination committee and appoint external reviewers. These reviewers issue reports on the thesis, based on which modifications may be requested before producing the final version.

Once favourable reports are received and the Academic Committee approves the proposal, the official deposit is authorised. At this stage, the final version of the thesis is submitted, the deposit and defence fee is paid and the thesis is made publicly available for the established period.

After the deposit period ends, the thesis supervisor, in agreement with the committee and the doctoral candidate, proposes a defence date. Once the thesis has been approved for defence, it must be defended within six months, subject to administrative timelines and the committee availability. Following the defence and approval by the committee, the process of issuing the doctoral degree begins, including any corresponding distinctions.

For further information, see the FAQ dossier.