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:
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.
In addition to the
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 One Health must have completed:
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.
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:
Attach to your application a signed supporting statement / commitment (pdf) stating the planned supervision arrangements. You find the pdf form below in Doctoral programme's selection criteria, 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.
The target degrees available within the Doctoral Programme in One Health (HEAL) are:
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences
Faculty of Medicine
Faculty of Pharmacy
Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry
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.
A suitable field of science is required in the application form. Please, add one from the list below:
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 a supervisor/supervisors when submitting the application. It is the responsibility of the applicant to find a supervisor and discuss and agree on the research and study plans with him/ her. A good starting point for finding a potential supervisor is
You must attach to your application supporting statement / commitment form (pdf) (COMING) 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 year of studies.
Your coordinating academic must be employed by the same Faculty as you are applying for. 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 he or she fulfills the criteria.
Provide the required information on your coordinating academic on the application form and supporting statement although your main supervisor would be appointed to the coordinating academic.
The coordinating academic’s role is
Faculty specific instructions:
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 Agriculture and Forestry professors and associate professors may act as the coordinating academics for doctoral candidates.
In the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine professors, associate professors and docents may act as the coordinating academics for doctoral researchers.
Your research plan will be evaluated with the following criteria:
If AI is used in the application, please describe how it was used.
The board agreed to create a template for applicants (COMING) to guide them in writing the research plan, and to additionally create a matrix of points which will be used in evaluation of applications. Included here will be for instance the requirement to include a risk management plan, detailed requirements for clinical studies, and how you would use AI responsibly in research.
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.
Acquainted with the selection criteria and all set to apply? Great! Now go back to the
The selection criteria of this doctoral programme 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 complementary 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 steering group of the doctoral programme.
Before making the proposal, the doctoral programme will ask for a statement from the relevant discipline. The decision-making of the faculty and the steering group are not bound by the recommendations received from the disciplines.
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