The main element of education at the Doctoral School of Exact and Natural Sciences (SDNSP) is  the implementation of an individual PhD project in one of the scientific disciplines (Astronomy, Computer Science, Mathematics, Biological Sciences, Chemical Sciences, Physical Sciences, Earth and Environmental Sciences) that are covered  by the school, under supervision of a faculty member chosen by the doctoral student.

Education at SDNSP includes courses in the form of specialization and monographic lectures, workshops, seminars, two-day symposiums as well as courses and trainings to improve the skills of doctoral students in teaching.

The graduate of the Doctoral School of Exact and Natural Sciences has a highly specialized education acquired under the supervision of leading scientists and is prepared to undertake independent scientific and teaching activities at universities and research institutes. In addition, the graduate will have gained extensive knowledge beyond the discipline in which he/she prepared his doctoral dissertation, as well as skills in conducting scientific and teaching activities.

The school recruits in the following disciplines:

- Astronomy

- Mathematics

- Computer Science

- Biological Sciences

- Chemical Sciences

- Physical Sciences

- Earth and Environmental Sciences  

Education

Education program

The education lasts 4 years. It includes obligatory classes (no more than 300 hours in total during the whole period of education) and the implementation of an individual research program, carried out under the supervision of a supervisor. 

Scholarships

During the four years of study, each PhD student receives a scholarship in the amount of PLN 4 242.00 gross for the first two years of studies (before the mid-term evaluation) and PLN 5340.90 gross in the next two years after the mid-term evaluation. Supplement for people with disabilities: PLN 1040.07.

Compulsory insurance is deducted from the scholarship amount and it’s reduced (by 11%).

IRK registration instruction

Instruction

Recruitment

We invite to read the information about the recruitment [LINK]

Schedule of the Doctoral School enrolment procedure - registration in IRK:

a) registration in the Internet Recruitment for Candidates, referred to as “IRK”, submitting an application to the IRK for admission to the Doctoral School of Exact and Natural Sciences:
from 6th of May to 17th of June 2024;
b) sending recommendation letters: until 27th of June 2024;
c) recruitment procedure:
– publication of the interview schedule: until 2nd of July 2024;
– qualification procedure: from 2th of July to 19th of July 2024;
For 7 days prior to the scheduled interview, the candidates will receive a message via the system of IRK with information about the meeting time.
Schedule of the qualification proceedings 
– announcement of the ranking list: until 2nd of August 2024;
– accepting documents from qualified candidates: from 5th of August to 23rd of September 2024;
– announcement of the list of accepted candidates: until 30th of September 2024

Beginning of education - October, 2024. 

Supervisor

The first step in the application process is finding a candidate for PhD supervisor and obtaining her/his declaration about the willingness to be the candidate’s supervisor. The declaration is one of the required documents (see below).

List of supervisors in physical sciences

Please note that not all potential supervisors are on the list

Admission fee

200 PLN

Form of qualification proceedings and number of points to be awarded

One-stage proceedings

The maximum number of points to be obtained in the qualification proceedings – 100 points.

Language of qualification proceedings, including the interview

The interview shall be held in Polish or English, according to candidate’s preferences indicated in the IRK. If Polish is selected, a part of the interview may be held in English.

Required documents

The candidate shall submit a School admission application only through the IRK. The application shall include the following:

• indication of the selected discipline in which the candidate plans to pursue education. By submitting an application for admission to the Doctoral School is understood as submitting a completed and paid recruitment application via the Internet Recruitment of Candidates (IRK). Submission of an application via the IRK is tantamount to submitting an application for admission to the Doctoral School chosen by the candidate;

•         a scan of the graduation diploma of uniform master’s degree or postgraduate studies or an equivalent diploma obtained under separate regulations, or in the case of candidates pursuing education in the European Higher Education Area – a certificate of holding a master's degree or a statement that the diploma or certificate conforming the award of a master's degree will be delivered by 23rd of September 2024, in the case of a diploma equivalent to a uniform master’s degree or postgraduate studies graduation diploma, a candidate shall justify such equivalence. In case the diploma was issued in a language other than Polish or English, the candidate shall attach its certified translation; 

• a description of the initial research project proposal in English; The description may not exceed four pages, font type: Times New Roman or equivalent, font size: at least 11 points, line spacing: 1, upper and lower margin: at least 1.5 cm, side margins: at least 2 cm, the references shall be include in the page limit;
• a resume or CV outlining the candidate’s scientific activity, including scholarly interests and achievements during the five calendar years preceding the application (if a candidate became a parent during this time, as evidenced by a scan of the child’s birth certificate attached to the application, this period shall be extended by two years for each child), including, but not limited to: publications, research and organizational work at student research groups, participation in scientific conferences, participation in research projects, awards and honorable mentions, research internships, research skills training programs completed, activities promoting science, activity in science movement representative bodies, average of their university grades, professional career, level of proficiency in foreign languages;
• scans of materials evidencing scientific activity mentioned in their CV and/or resume;
• a document confirming at least B2 proficiency level in English or a declaration of the level of proficiency in English allowing education at the School;
• the scan of a declaration by the planned supervisor, confirming their agreement to undertake the duties of a supervisor and of the number of doctoral students, for whom they perform the duties a designated supervisor, in accordance with the template constituting Appendix no.4 to the Resolution no. 17 of the Senate of the University of Warsaw of 20^th January 2021 on rules of admission to doctoral schools at the University of Warsaw (the University of Warsaw Monitor of 2024, item 120), the candidate may also attach a scan of their planned supervisor’s opinion and opinions of other academics about the candidate and their scientific activity and/or proposed research project;
• the photograph of a candidate’s face that allows for their identification;
• a declaration confirming whether the candidate was or is a doctoral student or a participant of doctoral studies or whether they have initiated a doctoral dissertation process or whether proceedings to award them a doctoral degree have been initiated – and if yes, the title of their doctoral dissertation or the research project prepared by a candidate, including the name and last name of the candidate’s tutor or supervisor;
• a declaration confirming that they have reviewed the Resolution no. 17 of the Senate of the University of Warsaw of 20th January 2021 on rules of admission to doctoral schools at the University of Warsaw (the University of Warsaw Monitor of 2024, item 120) and Articles 40 and 41 of the Code of Administrative Procedure;
• contact data of two persons who will send recommendation letters regarding the candidate. Authors of recommendation letters should send them directly in the electronic form to e-mail:

 - sd.nsp.fiz@uw.edu.pl for physical sciences, 

It is the candidate's responsibility to ensure that the person who makes the recommendation sends the letter. Failure to receive the recommendation letters does not mean that the application for admission to the School is incomplete; the letters may be taken into consideration when evaluating the candidate’s scientific potential;

• scanned transcripts of records of the graduate and postgraduate studies or the uniform Master's degree studies, or equivalent documents (e.g. diploma supplement);
• abstract of the master’s thesis or master’s project in English (up to 3,000 characters with spaces).

  All required documents (except photo) shall be attached as PDF files.

Assessment criteria and method

Initial research project proposal (maximum number of points – 5)

When evaluating the initial research project proposal, the following shall be taken into account:

1) the feasibility of the project in the context of documented competencies of the candidate;

2) the academic importance of the project;

3) anticipated added value for the scientific community of the academic discipline.

Scientific activity of the candidate (maximum number of points – 15)

When evaluating scientific activity, the following elements, confirmed by means of scanned documents, shall be taken into account:

1) scientific publications (a scan of the front page is required; in the case of multi-author achievements, the percentage share of the candidate’s participation in the achievement must be defined);

2) confirmed participation in student competitions;

3) confirmed participation in research projects (a scan of the certificate issued by the project coordinator is required);

4) presentations delivered or seminar and conference messages (a scan confirming presentation delivery is required);

5) documented research internships;

6) achievements within students’ research groups (a scan of the certificate signed by the chairperson of the group is required).

Qualification examination (maximum number of points – 40)

Verifying the candidate’s knowledge and skills within the particular academic discipline in writing.

In justified cases (e.g. where the candidate stays abroad), at the written request of the candidate addressed to the chairperson of the qualification team appointed for the particular academic discipline, the written examination may be replaced with an oral examination carried out remotely with the use of generally available online tools.

Interview (maximum number of points – 40)

The interview entails an assessment of the candidate’s scientific potential. The interview may comprise the following elements:

1) discussion of the candidate’s Master’s thesis (understanding of the subject, research hypotheses, their implementation, results obtained and conclusions);

2) questions about the academic record and the course of the graduate and postgraduate studies or the uniform Master's degree studies, including subjects related to the doctoral dissertation;

3) questions pertaining to information included in letters of recommendations, including the nature and results of cooperation of the candidate with the authors of these letters;

4) questions pertaining to the doctoral project and other information included in the documentation submitted by the candidate.

Condition of admission to the School 

The requirement for admission to a School shall be a place on the Ranking list that is within the limit of places and getting no less than 50 points from the entire qualification proceedings.

Recruitment Legislation and Acts to Know 

– Resolution no. 17 of the Senate of the University of Warsaw of 20 January 2021 on rules of admission to doctoral schools at the University of Warsaw (the University of Warsaw Monitor of 2024, item 120);

– Ordinance no. 38 of the Rector of the University of Warsaw of 09 April 2024 on the establishment of an admissions schedule and rules for registering candidates to doctoral schools in the academic year 2024/2025 (the University of Warsaw Monitor of 2024, item 122);

– Resolution no. 4 of the Rector of the University of Warsaw of 18 April 2024 on the admission procedure fee for carrying out the qualification procedure to the doctoral school at the University of Warsaw (the University of Warsaw Monitor of 2024, item 152)

– Resolution no. 57 of the Rector of the University of Warsaw of 29 April 2024 on establishing the limit of places to doctoral schools in the academic year of 2024/2025 (the University of Warsaw Monitor of 2024, item 173).