Admissions to doctoral studies

Planning to apply for a doctoral study right in the Doctoral Programme in Drug Research ? Good choice! Pay attention to the application deadlines, start preparations in good time, and make sure you've acquainted yourself with the selection criteria before you apply.
Admissions periods

The programme admits new doctoral researchers four times a year: twice in the spring and twice in the autumn.

In the spring 2026 only one admissions round is organised.

The spring 2026 application period is from 1 April 2026 at 09:00 AM EEST until 16 April 2026 at 03:00 PM EEST:

  • All enclosures must be submitted by 24 April 2026
  • Admission results will be released by 16 June 2026
  • Offered study places must be accepted by 14 July 2026
  • Granted study rights will start on 1 August 2026

A doctoral study right can only be gained through the admissions process. Applying to the programme outside the set admission periods is not possible.

Admission periods for academic year 2026-2027 will be published on this page in spring 2026.
Who can apply?
Eligibility to apply

In addition to the , the doctoral programme has set the following additional criteria for eligibility:

Previous degree

Your previous degree must be relevant to the planned research topic and discipline. A degree is regarded as relevant if it includes sufficient studies in a discipline which, given the topic of the proposed doctoral dissertation, can be regarded as a suitable basis for doctoral studies.

Applicants to the Doctoral Programme in Drug Research must have completed:

  • An applicable second-cycle university degree
  • An applicable second-cycle degree from a university of applied sciences, or

  • An applicable education at an institution abroad providing eligibility for equivalent higher education in the country in question

     

In addition, applicants who have been admitted to pursue a licentiate degree in medicine and dentistry or a licentiate degree in veterinary medicine at a Finnish university or at a university from EU/EEA country, or at the University of Helsinki can also be admitted to pursue a postgraduate research degree.

Furthermore, applicants licensed as a healthcare professional by the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health or veterinarians licensed by the Finnish Food Authority who have completed applicable education abroad in their home country equivalent to a second-cycle university degree or a second-cycle degree from a university of applied sciences can be admitted.

Supervisory arrangements

Applications must meet the minimum requirements set for supervisory arrangements. The application must include information on the following:

  • Supervisors (1–3), see criteria in the section “Supervision”
  • Coordinating academic

Attach to your application a signed supporting statement / commitment (pdf) stating the planned supervision arrangements. You can find the pdf form below in Doctoral programme's selection criteria, in the subtitle "Supervision".

Ethical permissions

Please confirm in the application that you and/or your supervisor have applied or will apply for all needed ethical permissions: a permit by an Ethical Review Board and/or by the National Animal Experiment Board, if required by the research arrangement. The permission documents do not need to be attached to the application.   

Only applications meeting the formal criteria for eligibility continue to scientific evaluation in the doctoral programmes.
Target degrees and faculties

The target degrees available within the Doctoral Programme in Drug Research are:

Faculty of Pharmacy

  • Doctor of Philosophy (Pharmacy)
  • Doctor of Philosophy

Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences

  • Doctor of Philosophy

Faculty of Medicine

  • Doctor of Health Sciences
  • Doctor of Medical Science
  • Doctor of Odontology
  • Doctor of Philosophy (Psychology)
  • Doctor of Philosophy
  • Doctor of Philosophy

Faculty of Science

  • Doctor of Philosophy

Faculty of Veterinary Medicine

  • Doctor of Veterinary Medicine
  • Doctor of Philosophy

 

Please, check which degree is available in the chosen faculty with your background studies and also, note that your supervisory arrangements must match your chosen target degree and home faculty. , , and   have more specific instructions about their degrees.

Fields of sciences 

A suitable field of science is required in the application form. Please, add one from the list below:

• drug design and synthesis 

• bioactivity screening 

• pharmaceutical microbiology 

• drug formulation 

• nanomedicine 

• industrial manufacturing 

• pharmacokinetics 

• pharmacodynamics 

• analytics 

• drug interactions 

• pharmacogenetics 

• pharmacology and clinical pharmacology 

• clinical drug research 

• pharmacoepidemiology 

• clinical pharmacy 

• pharmacoeconomics 

• toxicology and clinical toxicology

• veterinary drug research.
Doctoral Programme's selection criteria
Supervisory arrangements

Supervisory arrangements

Supervisory arrangements and the quality of the research environment are an important part of the selection criteria. The doctoral programme requires that each applicant must have minimum two supervisors when submitting the application. It is the responsibility of the applicant to find supervisors and discuss and agree on the research plan with them. A good starting point for finding a potential supervisor is .

DPDR requires the following supervision arrangements to be confirmed at the stage of applying for a study right:

• A doctoral candidate must have 1–3 thesis supervisors. The applicant can have more than 3 supervisors when clearly justified. All supervisors should have at least doctor degree. 

• The board highly recommends that at least one supervisor is from the University of Helsinki. 

• At least one of the supervisors must in addition hold the title of docent or have equivalent academic qualifications. 

• If there is a single supervisor, this supervisor cannot also act as a coordinating academic. 

You must attach to your application supporting statement / commitment form (pdf) signed by your supervisors and coordinating academic stating the planned supervision arrangements.

 

Thesis committee members are not required when applying for the study right. A thesis 

committee is gathered during the first six months of studies. 

 

Coordinating academic

You must have a coordinating academic from the faculty they are applying for the study right. The coordinating academic must be employed by the faculty. The coordinating academic is familiar with the instructions concerning doctoral education and doctoral degrees at the University of Helsinki. Your supervisor may also act as the coordinating academic, provided they fulfil the criteria (see below for Faculty specific instructions).

The coordinating academic’s role is 

  • to ensure the continuity of the supervision arrangements,
  • to assist you in acquainting yourself with the rules of doctoral education and the thesis examination process,
  • to make the faculty a formal proposal on the preliminary examiners and opponent to be appointed.

 

Faculty specific instructions for coordinating academics:

In the Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, professors and associate professors may act as the coordinating academics for doctoral researchers.

In the Faculty of Medicine professors, associate professors and docents may act as the coordinating academics for doctoral researchers.

In the Faculty of Pharmacy, professors, associate professors and docents may act as the coordinating academics for doctoral researchers.

In the Faculty of Science, professors and associate professors may act as the coordinating academics for doctoral researchers.

In the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, professors and associate professors and docents may act as the coordinating academics for doctoral researchers.
Criteria for research plan

Your research plan will be evaluated with the following criteria:

  • Motivation and previous knowledge (e.g. CV or equivalent) of the applicant, success in previous studies
  • Demonstration of adequate knowledge in relevant fields and potential of the applicant to develop into an independent researcher.
  • Scientific relevance and ambition of the research plan, use of relevant methodology.
  • Thematic fit of the research plan with the doctoral programme profile.
  • Feasibility of the thesis project within the intended timeframe (net time 4 years).
  • Realistic and detailed funding plan for both salary and research costs.
  • The board recommends that the field of research indicated in the research plan is one of the fields listed in the DPDR profile.
  • Supervisory and follow-up of progress arrangements, quality of the research environment.
  • If AI used, it must be described how it was used in formulating the plan. Any possible usage of AI must be applied according to the AI policies of the University of Helsinki.
Previous academic success

Your motivation and previous knowledge (e.g. CV or equivalent) are an important part of the evaluation criteria.  A preliminary study plan for doctoral studies is not required at application stage.
How to apply?

Acquainted with the selection criteria and all set to apply? Great! Now go back to the , where you will find all the information you need to prepare and submit your application and the needed enclosures. Good luck!
Decision-making

The selection criteria are valid until further notice.

Decisions on admissions for doctoral studies in the programme are made based on the university’s general criteria for doctoral admissions as well as the programme-specific selection criteria presented on this page.

The final decision on admission is made by the faculty awarding the applicant’s target degree, based on a proposal from the board of the doctoral programme.

A  is available in the university's general instructions for doctoral applicants.