How can I become a doctoral student?

Page reviewed:  01/04/2025

You must meet certain formal requirements before you can become a doctoral student at a Swedish university. These requirements are regulated by the Swedish Higher Education Ordinance and SLU’s admission regulations for doctoral education.

General entry requirements

To be eligible for doctoral education, you must:

  • hold a second-cycle (Master’s) degree, or have completed at least 240 credits of courses required for a higher education qualification, of which at least 60 credits must be at second-cycle level;
  • demonstrate English language proficiency equivalent to English B/6 (see details below);
  • be assessed as having the potential and competence required to successfully complete doctoral studies.

 

Specific entry requirements

Each doctoral subject may have additional specific entry requirements. These will be stated in the vacancy for each doctoral position. Be sure to read the vacancy carefully to understand what is required for the position you are interested in.
 

Selection process

Prospective supervisors assess applicants’ qualifications and suitability based on their degree project or equivalent work. The most suitable candidates will then be invited to an interview. During the interview, the applicant is informed about the position and the specific thesis work. The applicant’s academic background and degree project are discussed in detail.

You only need to submit attested copies of your documents if you are invited to an interview. You will need to include copies of your diplomas and transcripts with your application. If you are invited to an interview, you will receive instructions on how to provide proof of your diplomas and transcripts. Please note that the procedures differ depending on whether your degree was awarded in Sweden or abroad. Read more under the expandable sections further down the page.

One of the candidates is then formally admitted to the doctoral programme by the faculty board.

Doctoral positions are advertised and selected by the departments. Each vacancy includes a designated contact person who can answer questions specific to that position.

After submitting your application, it may take some time before the department contacts you. If you are shortlisted, you may be invited to an interview, during which you will learn more about the position. Prospective supervisors will also have a chance to assess your background, qualifications, and experience.

If you are invited to an interview and have foreign qualifications, you will be asked to bring attested copies of your diplomas, transcripts, and proof of English language proficiency. These documents will then be used by the admissions office to verify the authenticity of your qualifications.

Once the department has selected the most suitable candidate, the head of department submits a recommendation for admission to the faculty. The formal decision on admission is taken at the faculty level.

The faculty office then issues an official letter of admission and further information, both to the admitted candidate and to the department.

If you have academic qualifications from a Swedish higher education institution, SLU must be able to verify them either through the national admissions system or via attested (certified) copies. If your qualifications are not available in the admissions system (for example, if your degree was awarded before 2007), attested copies of your documents are required.

Attestation means that a person confirms that the copy corresponds to the original document. The person attesting must have seen both the original document and the copy and must sign the copy, print their name clearly, and provide a telephone number so that SLU can contact them if needed.

Important points to note:

  • Each copied page must be attested individually. The attestation must be clear and include contact details.
  • A stamp stating only ‘True copy certified’ will not be accepted.
  • Do not send original documents.
  • Copies of copies are not accepted.
  • Attach the attested copies in the original language. If they are written in a language other than Swedish, Danish, Norwegian or English, a certified translation must also be submitted. The translation must be into Swedish or English.

To ensure your application can be processed on time, it is crucial that you submit the correct documents from the beginning. Attested copies of qualifications are required for assessment if the qualifications were awarded by a university abroad.

Do not send original documents – SLU takes no responsibility for returning original documents. All copies must be clearly attested as true copies of the original by the issuing university or a notary public. Attestations by anyone else will not be accepted. A Swedish notary public can certify copies of documents in any language if you present the originals in person.

Attested copies must be made from the originals. Copies of copies are not accepted.

To attest a copy, both the original and the copy must be presented to the issuing university or a notary public. Each page must be individually attested and state:

  • the signature of the certifying official;
  • an official stamp from the issuing institution or notary public;
  • the name and address (or registration number if available) of the attester. This information must be written legibly to enable SLU to contact the attester if necessary. Stamps such as ‘True copy certified’ without additional information will not be accepted). 

Furthermore:

  • Submit attested copies in the original language. If the documents are written in a language other than Swedish, Danish, Norwegian or English, a certified translation must be provided in Swedish or English.
  • If your degree was awarded in Cameroon, Canada, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, or the USA, your academic transcripts must be sent directly from the university to SLU’s registrar, referencing the vacancy’s SLU ID.
  • Some countries may have additional requirements. Please consult www.universityadmissions.se for more information.

For specific questions about document certification, contact: antagning@slu.se.

In some cases, SLU may allow a doctoral position to be funded by a personal scholarship, but only up to the point where three full-time years of study remain according to your individual study plan. Please note that only certain types of scholarships are accepted. More information is available in SLU’s admission regulations for doctoral education.

Doctoral education in Sweden is tuition-free – you do not pay any tuition fees. However, you must demonstrate that you have sufficient financial means to support yourself during your studies. There is a minimum monthly amount you must show, based on net income (after taxes, averaging approximately 32.2 per cent). You can read more about this on the web page about the doctoral student salary agreement.

Important: You are not officially admitted until the faculty board has taken a formal decision. Until then, do not sign any agreements related to scholarships or funding, as all documents and eligibility will undergo a thorough review before admission is finalised.

Contact

  • Directors of study at faculty level

     

    LTV Faculty directors for doctoral studies
    Helene Larsson Jönsson, Alnarp. Phone: +4640415370.  Responsible for doctoral education subjects in Natural Science and Technology. 

    Hanna Fors, Alnarp. Phone: +4640415165. Responsible for doctoral education subjects in the Humanities and Social Sciences.

    NJ Faculty directors for doctoral studies
    Elisabet Lewan, Uppsala, Phone: +4618672629
    Robert Glinwood, Uppsala, Phone: +4618672342

    S Faculty Vice Dean for doctoral studies
    Maja Sundqvist, Umeå. Phone. +46907868273, +46761365079

    VH Faculty directors for doctoral studies
    Carl-Gustaf Thulin, Uppsala. Phone: +46705645358

     

    General questions about doctoral studies at SLU:
    Lotta Jäderlund or Eva Stening