Frequently asked questions

General Information

• I am interested in pursuing a doctorate at the University of Salamanca. What is the procedure?

  Please consult the University of Salamanca’s doctoral programme offerings and the research areas of each programme (in the section on human resources) and complete an application or preregistration within the set time frame, which usually starts in May. You can find more information about preregistration here.

  Your preregistration, together with the accompanying documentation, will be studied and evaluated by the Academic Committee for the doctoral programme, which will determine whether or not to admit you (a reason will be given in the case of nonadmission). It can also request other information or documentation not provided with the application. The list of admitted students will be published on the website.

• Can I undertake doctoral studies without attending in person?

  The doctoral programmes include organized aspects of research training that do not require structuring based on ECTS credits. These include both transversal and specific training and are as follows:

  • Research seminars
  • Progress meetings for research results, projects or work
  • Methodological, practical or specialized training courses
  • Attendance at national and international congresses
  • Research publications
  • Visits to other research centres
  • Mobility criteria and activities

  It falls to the Academic Committee for each programme to establish if it is necessary to carry out these activities in person.

• How long is the study programme for a doctorate?

  Doctoral degrees regulated by Royal Decree 99/2011 are established for completion in 3 years (plus 2 extensions of one year each) for full-time students and in 5 years (plus 2 extensions of one year each and, exceptionally, a further 1 year) for part-time students.

  For the purposes of calculating continuance on the programme, sick-leaves, pregnancy or any other causes not envisaged in the current regulations shall not be taken into account.      

• What are the current regulations for Doctoral studies in Spain?

  The current regulations are laid down in Royal Decree 99/2011 of 28 January regulating official doctoral studies. (The consolidated text includes the latest amendment published in the Official State Gazette of 3 February 2015 and the previous one of 13 July 2013. The original text was published on 10 February 2011).

• I wish to receive information regarding scholarships/grants for studies at your University.

  The Doctoral School is only in charge of the annual call for students enrolled in programmes envisaged in Royal Decree 99/2011, referred to publications and conferences. The relevant information can be consulted clicking on the Calls link.

  For other grants, contact the Agency of Research Management or the International Relations Office. 

   

Acess and admission

• Given my current degree, am I eligible for doctoral studies at your University?

  Access

  To be eligible for admission to official doctoral studies it is necessary to fulfil at least one of the following requirements:

  • Holders of one of the official Spanish undergraduate degrees, or equivalent, and a university master’s degree, or equivalent, provided a minimum of 300 ECTS credits have been earned overall.
  • Holders of an official university degree from Spain or any other country in the European Higher Education Area that qualifies holders for master’s degree studies, provided a minimum of 300 ECTS credits of official university studies have been earned overall, of which at least 60 must be at master’s degree level.
  • Holders of an official undergraduate degree from Spain, consisting of at least 300 ECTS credits, as required by European Union regulations. Such degree holders are required to complete bridging courses, unless the curriculum of the undergraduate degree completed includes research training credits whose training value equals the research credits obtained from master’s degree studies.
  • University degree holders who, having passed the entrance examination for specialized medical training, have completed at least two years of a training curriculum leading to an official degree in a health-sciences specialization.
  • Holders of a degree from a foreign education system. In this case, homologation is not required, provided that the university can verify that the level of training of such degree is equivalent to that of the official university master’s degree and that, in the issuing countries, holders of the degree in question are eligible for doctoral studies.
    • Information on the access procedure for students with foreign degrees
  • Holders of a Spanish doctor’s degree.
  • Holders of an official Spanish doctor’s degree, or equivalent, who have achieved research proficiency (pursuant to Royal Decree 185/1985 of 23 January).
  • Holders of an official Spanish degree, or its equivalent, who have obtained a diploma of advanced studies (pursuant to Royal Decree 778/1998 of 30 April).

  Further information on admission can be found in the following chart

  Admission

  On the basis of the pre-enrolment forms submitted, the Academic Committee of each doctoral programme shall apply the specific requirements and merit assessment criteria established for admission to the corresponding programme.

  • The Academic Committee may publish lists of admitted students before the established deadline in September.
  • The Academic Committee shall publish the final list of admitted students on 19 September.

  Admission to doctoral programmes may require specific bridging courses.

• Can I be admitted to more than one Doctoral Programme?

  Yes, by sending a pre-registration form for each of the programmes requested. If admitted in several, you can only enrol in one of them. 

• I was admitted to a doctoral programme but did not enroll. Can I enroll now for the upcoming academic year without repeating the application process?

  No. The admission form is for a specific academic year. Students that are admitted but do not enrol for such year must request admission again to enrol for a different year. 

Enrolling in and continuing the doctorate

• How much is tuition for a doctorate?

  The price of enrolment as a doctoral student, as well as that of the supplementary services, is annually established by Decree issued by the Governing Council of Castile and León for all the public universities of the Region.

  The prices can be consulted by clicking the Public Prices link. 

   

• What happens if one year I fail to formally register?

  You can request a one-year temporary withdrawal from the programme, which can be extended a further year, for justified reasons, submitting the temporary withdrawal form for its approval by the Academic Committee of the Programme.

  If the application for temporary withdrawal is not processed and enrolment is not formalized, you will lose your student of the University of Salamanca status and be withdrawn from the Doctoral Programme. To apply for enrolment reactivation or change to a different doctoral programme in subsequent years, you will be required to pay any outstanding enrolment amounts (art. 15.3 of Decree 10/2016, of 14 April, establishing the prices for public universities of Castile and León for the 2016-17 academic year). 

• What is the supervision agreement?

  The supervision commitment is a document signed by the Head of the Doctoral School on behalf of the USAL, the coordinator of the doctoral programme and the doctoral candidate, once enrolment has been formalized.

  This document will state the academic relationship between the doctoral candidate and the USAL, rights and duties, including any possible intellectual property rights arising from research, and the understanding of the dispute settlement procedure.

  It will also include the respective rights of the doctoral candidate’s tutor and thesis supervisor.

  This commitment will be attached to the doctoral candidate’s Activities Document.  

• What is the Document of Doctoral Activities?

  The activities conducted by the doctoral candidate in the frame of the doctoral programme shall be recorded on the Doctoral Activities Document, which will be individual for each doctoral candidate.  

  Doctoral candidates can access their Activities Document through the Register of Activities in the web-based application, entering the activities carried out and leaving them as “Still in Review” so that they may be authorized and approved by the candidate’s tutor/supervisor.   

  The Doctoral Activities Document will include the relevant annual reports drawn up by the thesis tutor/supervisor, as well as the annual assessments issued by the Academic Committee. 

• When must I present my research plan?

  The Doctoral Regulations of the University of Salamanca establish that the Research Plan is to be presented before the end of the first year. As a general rule, it should be sent to the Doctoral School’s Administration Office before 1 June of the corresponding academic year, so that it may be forwarded to the different Academic Committees for approval.

Doctoral Thesis

• Who is the supervisor in the Doctoral Programme?

  Any holder of a doctoral degree of the University of Salamanca involved in the corresponding Doctoral Programme (consult Human Resources for each Programme) and with proven research experience may act as tutor.

  When possible, tutor and thesis supervisor will be the same person, in which case the annual report on the Research Plan and the Doctoral Activities Document shall be issued as a single document, as drawn up by tutor and supervisor.   

• Who can be a Thesis Director?

  Doctoral theses may be supervised by any Spanish or foreign doctoral degree holder with proven research experience, authorized by the Doctoral Programme’s Academic Committee. If not a member of the Programme (consult Human Resources for each Programme) it will be necessary to appoint a tutor within the Programme. 

• Can I change my Thesis Director or Co-director for my Doctoral Thesis?

  Yes, subject to approval by the Academic Committee, for duly justified reasons, once doctoral candidate and supervisor or co-supervisor/s have been heard.

• After I have submitted my Thesis, can I make any changes?

  No. Article 17 of the Doctoral Regulations of the University of Salamanca on the deposit of doctoral theses established that “Once the deposit request has been made, the doctoral thesis shall not be modified in any way”.