Ph.D. Studies: Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Ph.D.?

A Ph.D. is a period of training in skills and abilities required to undertake independent, high-quality research work in the realm of R&D under the supervision of top experts in their respective fields.

What are the terms of access to a Ph.D. program?

As a general rule, candidates are required to hold a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree. Credits for both must amount to at least 300 ECTS credits.

Additionally, specific requirements and candidate profiles are described in each program’s terms of access. Before applying for admission, it is strongly recommended to take the  Ph.D. Programs into consideration, as well as its lines of research, profiles of the scholars involved and final results (theses and scientific publications) as proof of the program’s quality and specialization.

Shat is the duration of a Ph.D.?

The regular duration of a full-time Ph.D. program is 4 years. This period can be extended up to 5 years.

The regular duration of a part-time Ph.D. program is 7 years. This period can be extended up to 8 years. 

You may apply, for justified reasons, for either an extension or a leave of absence from your Ph.D. training period to the Academic Committee of your program. Your request must be endorsed by your tutor/advisor. Further information:  Duration of Ph.D. studies

Can I do my Ph.D. entirely online?

No. All Ph.D. Programs require some face-to-face activity throughout the training period. The duration of face-to-face activity is established by each Program.

How can I apply for a part-time enrollment status?

You can state your part-time enrollment status upon admission or, once you have initiated your training period, by submitting a request for justified reasons to the Academic Committee of your program. Your request must be endorsed by your tutor/advisor. Further information:  Enrollment status for Ph.D. studies

If you are the recipient of a pre-doctoral contract with the UC3M, you must be a full-time student for the entire duration of the contract in application of article 21 of Law 14/2011, of  the1st of June, on Science, Technology and Innovation.

Must I take any other training in addition to my research work?

Yes. There are three different types of additional training to be taken during your Ph.D.:

• Complementary training. Applicable only to students whose terms of admission state this training as required.
• Specific training. Activities within the framework of your Ph.D. program.
• Research Skills training. Courses or activities focused on abilities common to all disciplines (communication, academic writing, stress management, etc.).

Further information on Doctoral Training: Monitoring and Development of these FAQ.

A favorable assessment enables students to apply for their official Ph.D. degree certificate issued by the Spanish Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte. An additional Doctorado Internacional distinction is awarded to students who met a number of specific requirements during their training period.


What is an Interuniversity Ph.D.?

Interuniversity PhDs are joint degree programs by Universidad Carlos III de Madrid in collaboration with other Spanish or international institutions. The outcome of these programs does not translate into multiple degrees but just one equivalent to the training undertaken by the student.

Ph.D. Program. Array of training and activities oriented to the acquisition of abilities required to undertake autonomous research work in the realm of R&D. Each Ph.D. program establishes their own procedures and lines of research for the development of theses within the framework of their respective fields.

Academic Committee. The coordinator/director of the program and two other Ph.D. members constitute a program's Academic Committee, the body in charge of the various training areas and research progress of the program, as well as the authorization of thesis defense of their Ph.D. candidates.

Doctoral School. Academic body in charge of the management and coordination of all Ph.D. programs.

Ph.D. Thesis. Original piece of research carried out by Ph.D. candidates in their field of knowledge. Presented as a written dissertation according to the quality, content and format guidelines set by the Ph.D. program for its public defense.

Tutor. Supervisor in charge of tracking the training progress of the Ph.D. candidate and serving as a communication link between the researcher and the Academic Committee. Tutors must be attached to uc3m faculty with a proven research track record. Tutors are appointed upon approval of admission by the Academic Committee.

Thesis advisor. Supervisor in charge of tracking the training progress of the Ph.D. candidate. Advisors are experts in the field of the Ph.D. candidate's research, not necessarily attached to uc3m faculty (if they are, they can also be appointed as tutors). Advisors are appointed within the first three months of the student's Ph.D. training period. A student may have more than one advisor.

Specific training. Specific activities pertaining to the field of research of each Ph.D., designed to provide students with the knowleddge and opportunity for debate required for the development of their research work: seminars, meetings, conferences/dissertations, international research visits, etc.

Research Skills training. Training activities oriented to the acquisition of skills common to all disciplines. All students are required to earn at least 6 credits (60 hours) throughout their doctoral training period. Enrollment on these courses is performed separately from their regular doctoral training.

Complementary training. Maximum 40 ECTS credits. Training that the Academic Committee may deem necessary in their admission resoluction in order to complement the Ph.D. candidate's previous academic background. Enrollment on these credits will be required in addition to the student's regular doctoral training. These credits are usually earned during the first Ph.D. year. 

Research plan. Document to be drafted within the first six months of Ph.D. training detailing the student’s research project to be subjected to annual evaluation every month of June. It must be approved by the tutor, the thesis advisor and the Academic Committee. This plan must be updated and submitted for review and evaluation purposes on a yearly basis.

Ph.D. Activity report. A registration account of all training activities pertaining to the Ph.D. student's research. The tutor and thesis advisor must endorse these activities for them to be submitted to the Academic Committee for annual evaluation in June. 

Student record. Academic details of every Ph.D. student as registered in uc3m databases, including activities and credits completed. This information is to be attached to the thesis in the final stages of defense approval.

Academic transcript. Official document signed by the Head of Doctoral Studies certifying a student's academic record.

Monitoring and assessment. Annual process by which the research progress and activities of a Ph.D. candidate are subjected to evaluation by the Academic Committee.

Written Agreement. Document signed by all parties involved in a thesis research project (Ph.D. student, tutor, advisor/s, and Academic Committee) stating their roles and specific conditions pertaining to confidentiality agreements, copyright or use and distribution of research outcomes, where applicable, as well as conflict resolution procedures.

Thesis public review. Procedure required to allow the academic community to review the student's thesis and issue comments and observations prior to the defense. The thesis is usually deposited at the university's intranet.

Thesis defense. Academic event open to the public in which Ph.D. candidates defend their research work before a committee of experts in their field. The defense is followed by a question and answer session led by the defense committee in order for it to give their assessment.

Defense committee. Committee consisting of three experts with proven track records of research in the field of the thesis, most of which must be based outside uc3m. The committee gives their assessment of the thesis and awards the cum laude distinction and the Outstanding Thesis Award candidacy, where applicable.