About the doctoral studies

The duration of the doctoral studies is 2+2 years, divided into 8 semesters. The semesters start at the beginning of september and february. In the first two years the students take courses and do research as well. At the end of this part there is a so-called complex examination that has two parts: measures the general knowledge in the research field and evaluates the research work has been done. The candidate must present the research plan for the remaining period as well. If the comlex examination is successful, the student can enter to the next two years. In this part there are no courses, only research work must be done. Normally, at the end of this period the dissertation should be completed and the defense process can be started.

Enrolment requirements for the doctoral schools:

1. Master level diploma (i.e. MA, MBA, MD, MJur, MPharm, MSc, etc.) issued by an internationally acknowledged university.
2. Good command of English. In some special cases other languages are also acceptable depending on the doctoral schools (a previous contact is advisable).
3. A successful entry examination (an oral exam and the evaluation of the previous scientific activity).
4. The following documents must be previously submitted:

• official Transcript of Consolidated Academic Record (including postgraduate courses if any),
• a certified copy of the Diploma,
• the title, the grade and a short summary of the master’s diploma thesis, including the name of the supervisor,
• the list of the scientific publications (if any),
• two letters of recommendations from outstanding scholars (in closed envelopes),
• any other relevant documents (if any),
• certificate of no criminal record.

Application

Application for a doctoral program can be done using the electronic application form. Consider the theses topic proposals of our university at the homapage of the Hungarian Doctoral Council. Here you can choose the list by the field of our doctoral schools:

Please choose a topic proposal and contact the doctoral school and the supervisor before submitting your application.

Stipendium Hungaricum Scholarship Programme

The Stipendium Hungaricum programme consists of intergovernmental contracts that are made in favour of the opening towards the East and South in the form of bilateral agreements. For more information and application please visit www.stipendiumhungaricum.hu and www.u-szeged.hu/international-programmes/scholarships/stipendium-hungaricum.

The general requirements of the postgraduate doctoral education:

1. During the eight educational period 240 credits (in average 30/period) have to be acquired under the following conditions

• by theoretical courses,
  
• by individual research work,
• it is possible to get credit points by scientific publications, conference posters or lectures or teaching activity.
  

2. The tuition fee has to be prepaid for each semester.

 
The requirements of the PhD degree:

A thesis based on new scientific results of the applicant. The majority of these results have to be published (or accepted for publication) in scientific periodicals.
The proposal of two independent reviewers.
The successful public defence of the thesis.
Most of the doctoral schools have special requirements: minimum number of publictions, impact factors of the papers or the quality of the periodicals, publishers, etc. To learn more please contact the doctoral schools directly.

The Scientific Degrees and Titles in Hungary

From 1949 to 1993 the so-called Soviet-type scientific evaluation system was used in Hungary. This did not allow universities to issue any scientific degree. Universities had only the right to give the title kisdoktor / egyetemi doktor (Dr. Univ), which was not considered as a scientific degree. The official scientific degrees included kandidátus (CSc) < nagydoktor / tudományok doktora (DSc), which were issued by the Tudományos Minősítő Bizottság, TMB (Commission of Scientific Qualification), an institution that was independent of both the Magyar Tudományos Akadémia, MTA (Hungarian Academy of Sciences, HAS) and the Ministry of Education.

This system was abolished by law in 1993, when universities got back their old rights to issue the only scientific degree in Hungary, the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree and the Dr. Habil. title. At the same time, TMB was dissolved. However, all persons having a former CSc or DSc degree, have the right to hold the PhD degree officially (awarded by a university having the right to issue this degree in the field of the former degree). Presently no more applications for a CSc, DSc degrees are accepted, however the MTA (HAS) has decided to award a new scientific title named as MTA doktora (also abbreviated as DSc). The requirements of this new title are similar to that of the former DSc degree.

Comparing the two systems the former CSc degree had considerably higher demands that of an average PhD, and the DSc degree means a really high scientific reputation. Generally, in almost all faculties of science (theoretical institutes of medical/pharmaceutical faculties) the DSc title/degree is a necessary condition of the professorship.