Vilnius Gediminas Technical University

Home Research and innovation Doctoral Studies Admission to doctoral studies 2023 Regulations on admission to doctoral studies 2023

CONFIRMED
by the order No 10.8-502 of VILNIUS TECH rector
on 23 May 2023

REGULATIONS FOR ADMISSION TO THE THIRD-CYCLE STUDIES (DOCTORAL STUDIES) OF VILNIUS GEDIMINAS TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY

CHAPTER I
GENERAL PROVISIONS

Regulations for admission to the third-cycle studies (doctoral studies) of Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (hereinafter – the Regulations) determine the procedure of admission to doctoral studies carried out by Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (hereinafter – VILNIUS TECH) and other partner institutions, having joint doctoral degree programmes with VILNIUS TECH.
The admission dates to the doctoral studies are approved every academic year by the order of the rector of VILNIUS TECH and announced on the official website of VILNIUS TECH.
Admission is carried out to state-funded and non-state-funded (full-time and part-time) doctoral studies positions. Individuals who have studied at a state-funded position for more than half of their doctoral studies duration cannot reapply for state-funded doctoral studies positions.
Admission is carried out separately to the full-time and part-time doctoral positions for each partner institution, that has acquired the right to organise doctoral degree studies.
Admission to doctoral studies is carried out through an open competition. The procedure of admission to doctoral studies: submission and registration of applications and documents for admission to doctoral studies; participation of applicants to doctoral studies in the motivational interview conducted by the doctoral studies committees in a relevant science field; signing of the doctoral study contract.
Lists of dissertation topics and their supervisors have been published on the official VILNIUS TECH and its partner institutions, having joint doctoral degree programmes, websites.

CHAPTER II

SUBMISSION OF ADMISSION DOCUMENTS

Applicants, who have attained the specified qualification in the relevant field of science, as outlined in Table 1, are eligible for admission to doctoral studies.

Table 1. Qualification requirements

Code of a science field	Science field	Qualification requirements
Code of a science field	Science field	Qualification requirements
H 003	History and Theory of Arts	Individuals who have obtained a master’s degree in architecture, art studies or a related field or an equivalent qualification
S 003	Management	Individuals who have obtained a master’s degree in management, business, public administration, economics or a related field or an equivalent qualification
S 004	Economics	Individuals who have obtained a master’s degree in economics, management, business, sociology or a related field or an equivalent qualification
S 008	Communication and information	Individuals who have obtained a master’s degree in communication or a related field or an equivalent qualification
T 001	Electrical and Electronic Engineering	Individuals who have obtained a master’s degree in electrical engineering, electronic engineering, informatics (computer science), informatics engineering (computer science engineering) or a related field or an equivalent qualification
T 002	Civil Engineering	Individuals with a master’s degree in civil engineering, safety engineering, geology, materials technology or a related field or an equivalent qualification
T 003	Transport Engineering	Individuals with a master’s degree in transport engineering, aeronautical engineering, mechanical engineering, marine engineering, business or a related field or an equivalent qualification
T 004	Environmental Engineering	Individuals with a master’s degree in environmental engineering, geology, ecology, environmental studies, mechanical engineering or a related field or an equivalent qualification
T 008	Materials Engineering	Individuals with a master’s degree in materials technology, manufacturing engineering, biotechnology or a related field or an equivalent qualification
T 009	Mechanical Engineering	Individuals with a master’s in mechanical engineering, manufacturing engineering, physics, mathematics, a related field degree or equivalent qualification

To enter the competition for a doctoral study position, applicants are required to submit the following documents:

8.1. application form [1];
8.2. a diploma confirming a master’s degree or a qualification corresponding to it and its supplement (the diploma and supplement are returned after completing the documents); if the diploma was obtained at a foreign university, a certificate of recognition of the higher education qualification obtained abroad issued by the Study Quality Assessment Center (SKVC) or VILNIUS TECH International Studies Center, must be submitted together with the diploma;
8.3. curriculum vitae;
8.4. one or more recommendations from scientists are required, with one of them being the recommendation-consent of the scientific supervisor of the dissertation topic to which the applicant is applying. The recommendations should be prepared within the same calendar year as the admission to doctoral studies;
8.5. a list of scientific publications and their copies. If there are no existing publications a research proposal based on the specified topic in the application or a research paper based on the dissertation topic specified in the application (up to 30 pages);
8.6. a copy of the bank transfer receipt as proof of payment for the tuition fee;
8.7. a copy of a passport or a copy of an identity card;
8.8. foreign applicants, who intend to study in English, are required to submit proof of English proficiency, such as an IELTS (score of 5.5 points), a TOEFL (score of 70 points), or a Duolingo certificate indicating a B2 level of English (issued no more than 3 years ago). However, if the first or second-cycle studies were completed in English, the English proficiency certificate is not required.
8.9. consent for the processing of personal data at VILNIUS TECH.

Applicants should submit their application and all mandatory documents to the VILNIUS TECH Doctoral School before the specified deadline, which is publicly announced on the VILNIUS TECH website. In case of failure to submit all the required documents will result in the application not being processed, and the applicant will be notified of this in writing.

CHAPTER III
COMPETITION SCORE AND ITS CALCULATION

Applicants seeking to be admitted to doctoral studies are selected through a competitive process based on their competitive scores. The competitive score (KB) for doctoral studies admission comprises the following components:

KB = 0.15 × TB + 0.15 × VB + 0.7 × PB,

here TB - represents the evaluation of the novelty, relevance, and alignment of the dissertation topic with the priority scientific research areas of the department (subdivision) by the doctoral committee in a relevant science field (with a maximum score of 10 points);
VB – score evaluation of the scientific activity of the prospective supervisor of the candidate for doctoral studies (a number of publications within the last 5 years in technological sciences only WoS, in social and humanities – WoS and/or Scopus) compared with other prospective supervisors’ scientific activity (up to 5 points) and their effectiveness in training doctoral students as well as their activity in applications for competitive doctoral places (up to 5 points, over the last 5 years);
PB - evaluation of the applicant’s preparation for doctoral studies in points (up to 10 points), calculated as follows:

PB = 0,25 × MP + 0,25 × PK + 0,5 × SĮV,

here MP – represents scientific publications, published or accepted for publishing in the relevant field of science, calculating the applicant’s contribution proportionally according to the number of co-authors (up to 10 points): an article in a scientific journal with a citation index in the Clarivate Analytics Web of Science database, and in the areas of social sciences and humanities also Scopus database – 8 points; an article in another scientific journal or in the international conference proceedings (except for the conference of young scientists) – 4 points; an article in the conference proceedings of young scientists or in electronic media – 2 points; if there are no such works, a research proposal (which summarizes the relevance of the topic, scientific novelty and problem, purpose, tasks, significance, methodology and expected results) – up to 3 points or a research paper (the scientific paper must consist of: introduction, literature review, research methodology and bibliography) – up to 1 point. The research proposal and the research paper are evaluated by the chairman and secretary of the doctoral studies committee of the relevant field of science (in which VILNIUS TECH has the right to do doctoral studies);
PK – evaluation of the interview at the doctoral studies committee in a relevant science field for admission to the doctoral studies (up to 10 points). During the interview, the applicant’s scientific qualification, scientific experience, preparation and motivation to study for a doctoral degree and the ability to answer questions in a foreign language are assessed. The assessment includes an evaluation of whether the applicants are working in other institutions, will have sufficient time available to dedicate to research activities, attend lectures, go on internships, and participate in conferences. If the interview with the applicant is evaluated with 4 points or less, the doctoral committee may not recommend the applicant for admission to the doctoral studies;
SĮV - the weighted average of the grades of completed master’s degrees or equivalent studies (not less than 7 points), calculated as follows:

where n is the number of study subjects; DPi – is the subjects grades; DKi is – the number of subject credits.

If applicants have an equal number of competitive points, a higher position in the competitive queue is awarded to the applicant whose published scientific publications (MP) possess a higher rating.

CHAPTER IV
COMPETITION FOR ADMISSION TO THE DOCTORAL STUDIES

Attendance at the doctoral committee meeting (interview) for admission to doctoral studies is mandatory for all applicants; failure to attend will result in the applicant’s candidacy not being considered. The decision regarding the applicant’s participation in the meeting (interview) for admission to doctoral studies is made by the doctoral committee in a relevant science field on a case-by-case basis. It is recommended that the supervisors of the topics for which the applicants are applying would participate in the meeting for admission to doctoral studies. After the interview with the applicants, the doctoral committee calculates the competition score (KB) of each applicant.
Applicants must achieve a minimum competitive score of 6.5. Those who score below the minimum competitive score are ineligible to apply for state-funded doctoral study positions.
Applicants are arranged in descending order of competitive score in the competitive queue of each field of science. The doctoral committee selects the applicants with the highest competitive score from the list of those invited to the doctoral program. Applicants, who were not invited to the state-funded places may be offered to study at their own expense.
If the individuals, who are invited to study, fail to sign the study contract within the specified deadlines, the invitation to study becomes invalid, and the vacant positions are transferred to the next stage of admission.

CHAPTER V

STUDY FEE

According to Paragraph 2, Part 14 of Article 28, paragraph 1-3 of Article 83 of the Law on Science and Studies of the Republic of Lithuania, the VILNIUS TECH Senate determines the tuition fee and the amounts of contributions that are not directly related to the implementation of the study program. Prices and fees are published on the websites of VILNIUS TECH and partner institutions.
The admission fee can only be paid at the specified banks. Details of the admission fee: recipient – Vilnius Gediminas Technical University; recipient’s bank – Swedbank AB, account No. LT32 7300 0100 0245 9012 or AB SEB, account No. LT39 7044 0600 0031 7750; the title of the fee – Doctoral admission fee; payment code - 102918; payer’s code – the personal code of the enrolling person. If the fee is not paid or paid to another account, the admission fee and the application will not be considered. Upon acceptance to the doctoral studies, the admission fee is non-refundable.

CHAPTER VI
FINAL PROVISIONS

Admission to doctoral studies is organised by the VILNIUS TECH Doctoral School and is carried out by the doctoral studies committees in the relevant scientific field. Address: Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (VILNIUS TECH), Doctoral School, Room SRC 803, Saulėtekio al. 11, LT-10223 Vilnius; tel. (8 5) 274 4956; email e-mail crypt:ZG9rdG9yQHZpbG5pdXN0ZWNoLmx0:xx. Applicants’ documents are accepted on working days following the dates and deadlines for admission to doctoral studies as approved by the rector of VILNIUS TECH.
If there are remaining vacancies after the conclusion of the initial admission period for the doctoral studies, an additional competition for admission may be announced.
Appeals are reviewed and decisions for all cases not covered by the rules are made by the Doctoral Student Appeals Examination Commission, established by the rector’s order.

[1] The application form is available on the VILNIUS TECH website. Applicants for doctoral studies may indicate no more than one dissertation topic per one scientific field their application (from the published list of dissertation topics or propose their own topic when enrolling in a non-state-funded study place).

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