Doctoral Programme in Clinical Research - Admission Criteria and Instructions for Applicants

The Doctoral Programme in Clinical Research (DPCR) promotes high quality clinical research and supports doctoral training in clinical medicine and other closely related research areas focusing on the etiology, diagnostics and treatment of diseases including the translational medicine and studies on health service systems. A basic degree in medical science is not compulsory but other degrees are acceptable too, if the research topic of the applicant relates to questions or methods relevant in clinical medicine.

> The application periods during the academic year 2024-2025

 

The Autumn 2025 Call for applications is open 29 August – 12 September, 4 pm (local time in Finland) 2025.

Autumn 2025, Call for applications

Instructions for filling in each of the application forms. Please note that the there are two separate forms for i) the study right and 2) the fixed term position with employment contract.

>> Apply here

 

Instructions for applicants:

Before applying

The doctoral researchers of DPCR pursue a doctoral degree either in the Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Social Sciences, Faculty of Science, Faculty of Technology or Turku School of Economics.

Please read carefully the instructions of the faculty you are applying to well advance before the actual application period (below), since there are many things that need to be agreed on or arranged before applying (supervisors, research plan, postgraduate study plan, possible language test etc.).

Instructions for the applicants

 

The supervisor

A prerequisite for admission is that at least two persons* have agreed to act as supervisors and fulfill the qualification requirements for supervisors. Finding a supervisor is the responsibility of the applicant.

Please follow the instructions of the faculty in question. Links to the supervision of each faculty and The School of Economics can be found below in the sections Application documents, subsection g). Signed supervision and study plan.

*At Faculty of Medicine: When only one supervisor for doctoral training is proposed, a justified application the supervisor’s justified plea for approval of only one supervisor must be attached to the application.

The Follow-up committee

The aim of the follow-up committee is to ensure the progress of the doctoral researcher’s thesis work and studies, to provide an outside perspective to their research, and to support both the doctoral researcher and the supervisors in possible conflict situations.

The applicant negotiates with their supervisor(s) to assemble the follow-up committee and agrees with the members of the committee on annual monitoring practices. The follow-up committee is mandatory in the Faculty of Medicine but the Doctoral Programme in Clinical Research strongly recommends forming a follow-up committee regardless of the faculty of the applicant.

Check-list for the applicant
  • Check the application period
  • Read the instructions of the faculty in question and the doctoral programme carefully!
  • If you are going to verify your language skills with a language test, make sure that you book your test time well in advance. It is the applicant’s responsibility to make his/her own language test arrangements
  • Get the required signatures in time and prepare the appendices
  • Fill in the electric application form
  • Remember to apply in time
  • Keep your original certificates at hand and prepare to acquire officially certified copies if needed!

 

Application period and what can be applied for

During the application period 29 August – 12 September 2025, you can apply for:

a) The right to study for a doctoral degree at the University of Turku in the Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Social Sciences, Faculty of Science, Faculty of Technology or Turku School of Economics from 1 January 2026 onwards

b) A fixed-term doctoral researcher position with an employment contract

The position of a doctoral researcher is set to begin on 1 January 2026 at the earliest and for the duration of a maximum of four years (up to until 31 December 2029). The positions are intended for full-time doctoral dissertation research. Duties other than those related to doctoral dissertation research, such as teaching duties, must be proportioned so as not to compromise the completion of the doctoral dissertation within the planned schedule. As a rule, up to 5% (a maximum of about 80 hrs per academic year) of the annual working time of the doctoral researcher can consist of teaching.

When determining the length of the employment contract, the funding previously granted for doctoral degree is taken into account, as well as the timetable and the stage of completion of the degree. The maximum duration of doctoral researcher position is four years. A person already awarded with a doctoral degree may not be appointed to a position of doctoral researcher with an employment contract.

The place of employment is the University of Turku. The position of doctoral researcher with employment contract requires working in Finland.

The salary is based on the salary system of the University's teaching and research staff. Salaries will consist of a task-specific salary component and a personal performance salary component. The task-specific salary component of a doctoral researcher varies between levels 2 to 4, depending on the stage of the doctoral degree. In addition, a personal performance salary component is paid. The salary of a doctoral researcher varies between € 2 400 and € 3 300, depending on the progress of the doctoral research and the experience and skills of the person concerned. The task-specific salary component of an entry-level Doctoral researcher is typically on level 2, in which case the salary is about 2519 euros per month at the beginning of the employment relationship.

A probationary period of 6 months applies.

From the Doctoral Programme in Clinical Research funded position can also be applied for short periods to be used e.g., in conjunction with clinical specialist training or for other justified reason (the reasoning must be indicated in the application).

c) Both of the above (a ja b)

Who may apply

What is expected of you


When applying for a right to study

If the applicant has a right to study for a doctoral degree at another university or in another doctoral programme at the University of Turku, the applicant must provide reasons for changing over to the Doctoral Programme in Clinical Research. A doctoral researcher may hold only one doctoral degree study right at the University of Turku at a time.

When applying for a doctoral researcher position with an employment contract

  • You are required to have an active right to study in the doctoral programme in clinical research at the University of Turku. If you have not yet been granted a right to study, you must apply for a right to study for a doctoral degree in the Doctoral Programme in Clinical Resaerch in the Studyinfo system (see instructions in the section How to apply  > How to apply for a right to study). The right to study is a prerequisite for being selected for a position of a doctoral researcher;
  • You are planning to pursue or pursuing your first doctoral degree;
  • You have not previously received four years of full-time funding for a doctoral degree. 
How to apply

Applications for the right to study for a doctoral degree are submitted in the Studyinfo system, and applications for the position of doctoral researcher are submitted in the University of Turku's recruitment system (Talentti) by filling in the electronic application form and attaching pdf attachments to the application. Please note that if you are applying for both the right to study and the doctoral researcher position with an employment contract, you must submit your application with attachments in both application systems (see below for details). The application attachments are described in more detail in the section Attachments to the application . It is requested that application documents are written in English or Finnish.

How to apply for a right to study

To apply, fill in the electronic application form on Studyinfo and submit the required attachments (see Annex 1). The Studyinfo application form will open on 29 August 2025 and close on 12 September 2025 at 4 pm (local time in Finland). Link to the University of Turku Graduate School website where the application forms are published.

In this application round, you can apply for admission to up to two doctoral programmes at the University of Turku. You can only have one valid doctoral degree study right at the University of Turku at a time.

Late applications will not be considered. You cannot change the study programme (doctoral programme) or the application after the application deadline.

Only the right to study for a doctoral degree is applied for in the Studyinfo system. If you also wish to apply for a doctoral researcher position with employment contract, you must apply for the position separately (see the section 'How to apply for a doctoral researcher position').

How to apply for a doctoral researcher position

To apply for a doctoral researcher position with an employment contract, fill in the electronic application form in the University of Turku's recruitment system (Talentti) and submit the required attachments (Annex 2). The application form will open on 29 August 2025 and close on 12 September 2025 at 4 pm (local time in Finland).

The positions will be advertised in the Open Positions of the University of Turku and on the website of the University of Turku Graduate School at the beginning of the application period. Link to the University of Turku Graduate School’s website where the application forms will be published. Late applications will not be considered. It is not possible to change the doctoral programme or the application after the deadline.

To be eligible for the position of a doctoral researcher, applicant must have an active right to study for a doctoral degree in the Doctoral Programme in Clinical Research. If you have not yet been granted a study right for a doctoral degree, you must apply for a right to study to pursue a doctoral degree in the Doctoral Programme in Clinical Research by filling in the electronic form in the Studyinfo system (see the section ‘How to apply for a right to study’).

Attachments to the application

Application documents:

Please see the required attachments from the application call in question!
Below are listed
  1. Attachments to the application when applying for a study right
  2. Attachments to the application when applying for a doctoral researcher position with employment contract

Attachments to the application when applying for a study right

The attachments listed below are submitted as part of the electronic application form in the Studyinfo system. Please ensure that all attachments are good-quality, easy to read, full colour scans or photographs of the complete document required. Attachments should be submitted in PDF format. Attachments that do not meet these requirements may be rejected. The applicant must deliver all required documents by the end of the application period. Any late submissions will not be processed.

In addition to the attachments listed below, the applicant must prepare a summary of the research plan (max 1000 characters) and answer the questions in the application form.

a) Research plan

When applying for the Turku School of Economics, the research plan should be maximum of 10 pages, for more instructions see Applying to Doctoral Studies at Turku School of Economics | University of Turku (utu.fi)

The research plan should follow the guidelines for the responsible conduct of research (see Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) | Finnish National Board on Research Integrity TENK). The research plans can be checked with the Turnitin OriginalityCheck plagiarism detection software. The use of artificial intelligence (AI) to assist in the preparation of the research plan should be clearly indicated in the research plan.

b) Motivation letter

Please describe your motivation for completing a doctoral degree in the Doctoral Programme in Clinical Research and how you think the doctoral degree will affect your career. If you apply for iCANDOC doctoral education pilot please describe your motivation for taking part in the project. The motivation letter is a one page long freeform document

If the applicant has a right to study for a doctoral degree at another university or in another doctoral programme at the University of Turku, the applicant must provide reasons for changing over to DPCR. A student may hold only one doctoral degree study right at the University of Turku at a time.

If you are applying to the Turku School of Economics, please also follow the instructions of the School:

  • A one-page letter of motivation. In the letter, the applicants must state reasons why they are applying specifically to the University of Turku and to the chosen major subject. The applicants must also express the novelty value the intended research would bring to the scientific field. The letter must also include the applicant’s reflections on their professional aspirations.

 

c) CV of the applicant including the list of publications (e.g., Template for researcher's curriculum vitae)

d) CV from one supervisor (max 2 pages) and the list of publications 2023-2025

e) Signed supervision plan including the study plan (a mandatory attachment, use template)

Supervision: A person applying for the right to study for a doctoral degree must first discuss with their supervisor of the supervision of the thesis work, of the choice for a doctoral programme, the contents of the doctoral studies, the composition of the follow-up committee for doctoral training and other details related to the project. NB! At least one of the supervisors must have access to UTU IT-systems (utu user account) to use the UGIS system.

The follow-up group: The aim of the follow-up group (called the follow-up committee in the Faculty of Medicine) is to ensure the progress of the doctoral researcher’s thesis work and studies, to provide an outside perspective to their research, and to support both the doctoral researcher and the supervisors in possible conflict situations. The information concerning the follow-up committee is mandatory in the Faculty of Medicine. In other faculties or the School of Economics, the follow-up group is not mandatory and can consist of one to three persons (two to three persons in the Faculty of Medicine, see faculty instructions!). However, the DPCR recommends you form a follow-up group with two to three persons from outside the research group regardless of your faculty to ensure smooth progress of the doctoral researcher’s work. The doctoral programme also recommends that one member of the follow-up group is from outside the University of Turku.

Use the appropriate template:

NB! At least one of the supervisors should have access to UTU IT-systems (utu user account).

 

f) Degree certificates and transcript of study records

If you have completed your former degree(s) that make you eligible for doctoral studies at a higher education institution in Finland, you must attach your scanned original or the original electronic degree certificates, transcripts of study records and other educational documents which may be of relevance in the selection to the electronic application form.

If you have completed your former degree(s) that make you eligible for doctoral studies at a higher education institution abroad (i.e. outside of Finland), you must attach the following items to the electronic application form:

  • Scans of the original degree certificate or the original electronic degree certificate (in the language that the degree was completed in)
  • Scans of the original transcript of records or the original electronic transcript of records (in the language that the degree was completed in)
  • Other original educational documents which may be of relevance in the student selection and that you are applying based on.
  • If the original degree certificates and other educational documents are not written in English, Finnish or Swedish, official translations to one of these languages must also be submitted. An official translation here refers to a translation of the educational documents issued by the awarding institution or a translation made by an authorized translator. A transcript of records or degree certificate in English can be replaced by a Diploma Supplement (DS) awarded by a European educational institution if it contains the information about completed courses and other study attainments.

g) Verification of language proficiency

The University of Turku follows the Rector’s decision (15.8.2019, supplemented 21.12.2023) on the means of verifying one’s language proficiency. You should carefully read the University of Turku’s guidelines on language proficiency. Link to the website of the language requirements.

You must attach a scanned certificate of language test approved by the University of Turku to your application, unless otherwise stated in the guidelines.

h) Copy of a valid passport

Attach a copy of your valid passport or official identification card with photo and information on citizenship. If you have a Finnish personal identity code and you have entered it on the application form, you do not need to attach a copy of your passport.

i) Letter of support for the collaboration

Provided by the representative of the research organisation/principal investigator, if the data is mainly collected outside the University of Turku or the Varha collaborate area. Attach as “other attachment” in the Studyinfo application form.

j) Supervisor's comment on the funding,

If the thesis work is a main job for the applicant (not required for the Turku School of Economics). Attach as “other attachment” in the Studyinfo application form.

k) A justified application for the approval of a supervisor,

A justified application for the approval of a supervisor, written by the supervisor, when proposing only one supervisor. One supervisor can be appointed only in special and justified situations. (Only when applying to the Faculty of Medicine. In other Faculties minimum two supervisors).

 

When applying for the right to study for a doctoral degree in the Faculty of Social Sciences, Faculty of Science, Faculty of Technology or Turku School of Economics the required attachments may vary from the above-mentioned. Please check and follow the detailed instructions on the web pages of the faculty in question.

The applicant must deliver all required documents by the end of the application period. Any late submissions will not be processed.

 

Attachments to the application when applying for a doctoral researcher position with employment contract

Fill in the electronic application form. The attachments listed below are to be submitted as part of the electronic application form in the Talentti system. Please ensure that all attachments are good-quality, easy to read, full colour scans or photographs of the complete document required. Attachments should be submitted in pdf format. Attachments that do not meet these requirements may be rejected. The applicant must deliver all required documents by the end of the application period. Any late submissions will not be processed.

In addition to the attachments listed below, the applicant must prepare a summary of the research plan (max 1000 characters) and answer the questions in the application form.

a) Research plan

When applying for the Turku School of Economics, the research plan should be maximum of 10 pages, for more instructions see Applying to Doctoral Studies at Turku School of Economics | University of Turku (utu.fi)

The research plan should follow the guidelines for the responsible conduct of research (see Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) | Finnish National Board on Research Integrity TENK). The research plans can be checked with the Turnitin OriginalityCheck plagiarism detection software. The use of artificial intelligence (AI) to assist in the preparation of the research plan should be clearly indicated in the research plan.

b) Motivation letter

Please describe your motivation for completing a doctoral degree in the Doctoral Programme in Clinical Research and how you think the doctoral degree will affect your career. The motivation letter is a one page long freeform document

If the applicant has a right to study for a doctoral degree at another university or in another doctoral programme at the University of Turku, the applicant must provide reasons for changing over to DPCR. A student may hold only one doctoral degree study right at the University of Turku at a time.

If you are applying to the Turku School of Economics, please also follow the instructions of the School:

  • A one-page letter of motivation. In the letter, the applicants must state reasons why they are applying specifically to the University of Turku and to the chosen major subject. The applicants must also express the novelty value the intended research would bring to the scientific field. The letter must also include the applicant’s reflections on their professional aspirations.

c) CV of the applicant including the list of publications (e.g., Template for researcher's curriculum vitae)

d) CV from one supervisor (max 2 pages) and the list of publications 2023-2025

e) Degree certificate and transcript of study records of previous degree

The applicant must deliver all required documents by the end of the application period. Any late submissions will not be processed.

 

Assessment of applications

The steering committee of the DPCR will review the applications. The applications may be sent for evaluation to national and/or international reviewers. The research plans attached to the applications may be checked with the Turnitin OriginalityCheck plagiarism detection software in accordance with the University of Turku quality assurance system.

Those who applied for a fixed-term doctoral researcher position may be interviewed. Applicants will be notified separately for interviews.

In the selection process, the following factors are emphasized: quality and feasibility of the research plan, applicant’s merits and completed studies as well as applicant’s capability and motivation to complete a doctoral degree (if you wish, you can mention the JUFO classification and impact factor of your publications in your application). The applicant’s research topic must fit in with the profile of the Doctoral Programme. Any other funding received by the applicant for doctoral studies and the phase of the thesis are taken into consideration when determining the duration of the Doctoral researcher position.

DPCR is multidisciplinary and aims to further all relevant research fields, which may be taken into account when filling the Doctoral researcher positions.

For the right to study for a doctoral degree, the eligibility criteria of the applicant and the selection criteria of the faculty (see section Who may apply above) are considered in addition to the criteria mentioned above.

Decisions

Decisions on the study rights

The Dean/Vice Dean of research affairs of the faculty decides on granting the right to study for a doctoral degree based on the proposal of the steering committee of the doctoral programme. Additional information on the decision process can be found on the web pages of each faculty.All applicants will be informed of the decisions personally by 28 November 2025 at the latest.

An admitted applicant has to notify the University of Turku of their acceptance of the study place by 3 pm (local time in Finland) on 15 December 2025 according to the instructions given in the admission notification. If the admitted applicant does not give the notification by the end of the allotted time period mentioned above, the applicant forfeits the study place. A person admitted to more than one university or polytechnic degree programme only notifies the one educational institution at which they choose to accept the study place. Notification, i.e. accepting a study place, is binding and may not be cancelled or changed later. According to Finnish university legislation, an applicant may accept only one study place leading to a higher education degree in Finland during one academic term (autumn term 1 Aug – 31 Dec or spring term 1 Jan – 31 Jul). This rule applies to all higher education, i.e. Bachelor’s and Master’s level degrees awarded by Finnish universities of applied sciences, Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees awarded by Finnish universities, and Licentiate and Doctoral degrees awarded by Finnish universities. This regulation is not applied to study rights received in transfer student selections, from the Åland University of Applied Sciences, from the Police University College, and from institutions of higher education outside Finland.

The applicants who have completed their prior degree in a country other than Finland and who are granted a study right in this call, need to deliver either the original degree certificates or certified copies of the original degree certificates and their translations to the University of Turku, as instructed in the admission notification, on 6 March 2026 at the latest. If the admitted applicant does not deliver the required certificates by the deadline, they forfeit the study right. Link to the instructions on delivering certificates and country-specific requirements.

Appeal for rectification

If an applicant is dissatisfied with the result of the student selection (right to study for a doctoral degree), they have the right to submit an application for the rectification of the decision to the Faculty in question within 14 days of the official publishing of the results.

 

Decisions on the doctoral researcher positions

The appointment is decided by the Head of the relevant department on the recommendation of the Doctoral Programme’s Steering Committee. All applicants will be informed personally of the decision. The names of those selected for the position of doctoral researcher will be published on the website of the doctoral programme by 28 November 2025. Doctoral researches selected for the position will be required to notify their acceptance of the position in accordance with the instructions given in the selection decision.

Further instructions

Doctoral Programme Coordinator: Mikko Tähtö-Pakkanen dpcr[at]utu.fi, websites of the Doctoral Programme in Clinical Research, Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Science, Faculty of Technology, Turku School of Economics and Faculty of Social Sciences. 

Information for Accepted Students
Research at the Faculty of Medicine
Keywords
Doctoral Programme in Clinical Research (DPCR)