Examinations
Semester doctoral student report and internal conference
Each student summarizes their activities for the semester in a structured written report and then presents their results in a presentation at the Doctoral Student Internal Conference held at the end of the semester. The members of the Doctoral School Council evaluate the submitted report, the presentation, and the overall academic and professional quality of the responses to questions. Based on this evaluation, they make a recommendation for the recognition of the semester’s research work in terms of credit value, which is then formally approved by the Doctoral School Council.
Accordingly, each student gives eight presentations on their research work during their studies: seven at the Doctoral Student Conferences and one at the complex exam following the fourth semester.
In addition to supervisors and representatives of the Doctoral Council, partners collaborating with the Doctoral School are also invited to the semester doctoral student conference.
The templates for the semester report, consisting of two parts and appendices, are as follows:
PhD programme semester report / PhD programme semester report Part 1
PhD programme semester report / PhD programme semester report Part 2
The program of the doctoral home conferences held to date can be viewed via the following interface:
Complex exam
The doctoral program consists of two stages: the first four semesters form the training and research stage, and the second stage is the research and dissertation phase. At the end of the fourth semester, marking the conclusion of the training and research stage and serving as a prerequisite for the research and dissertation phase, students must pass a complex exam to assess and evaluate their academic and research progress.
During the exam, students are required to demonstrate their knowledge in at least two subjects relevant to their research topic before a three-member examination committee. In addition to demonstrating subject knowledge, students must give a 20-minute presentation on their research results as well as their future plans and activities. Admission to the exam is conditional upon the submission of a report prepared according to the specified criteria. Applications for the complex exam must be submitted electronically by October 15 or March 15.
A detailed description of the complex exam, the application form, and examples of the required documents are available at the following links:
Application for the complex examination
PhD complex exam report / PhD complex exam report Part 1
PhD complex exam report / PhD complex exam report Part 2
Absolutorium
Doctoral students who have earned at least 240 credits (in the composition specified in the credit regulations) and have fulfilled all their reporting obligations will receive a final certificate (absolutorium). The absolutorium is a prerequisite for applying for a doctoral degree, but it does not certify either graduation or a doctoral degree. The document describing the requirements for obtaining the absolutorium and the form for reporting publication credits can be found on the following websites:
Requirements for obtaining the absolutorium
Summary of publication credits for the absolutorium
Home defence
The draft dissertation must be submitted for home defence at the doctoral student’s place of research (university or research institute), organized by the relevant institute or research center, with the participation of the supervisor. In the case of individual preparers, the doctoral school will designate the location of the workplace discussion. Two written preliminary opponent opinions shall be prepared for the draft dissertation for the workplace discussion, taking into account the evaluation criteria listed in Section 22 (5) of the University Doctoral and Habilitation Regulations and in Annex D15/A. If the work is sufficiently prepared, the workplace discussion of the first draft of the dissertation may be organized in the last semester of the program, even before the student has obtained their absolutorium.
Degree acquisition
Doctoral students must submit their doctoral dissertation within three years of passing the comprehensive examination. This deadline may be extended by up to one year in cases deserving special consideration. If a full-time doctoral student receiving a doctoral scholarship submits their application for a degree before the end of their funded semester, they are exempt from paying the procedural fee (the amount of the current monthly doctoral scholarship, or twice that amount in the case of a dissertation written in English).
Language requirement
A prerequisite for obtaining a degree is proof of intermediate (B2 level) proficiency in English.
The degree acquisition process
The degree award process and related documents are available on the following platforms:
Overview of the degree-award process