Students who have followed a Master’s degree programme are eligible to register for the Pompeu Fabra University PhD programme in history provided they meet the following requisites. Firstly, they will need to certify that they have a suitable level of linguistic aptitude and/or  they will need to clearly demonstrate they have the ability and will to gain such a level. This aptitude shall encompass languages that are essential in order to conduct research (research and drafting), in addition to having a suitable command in order to be able to communicate with the supervisor and tutor, as well as with the community of students and lecturers on the programme. Therefore, the essential linguistic requirements are Catalan, Spanish and English. Students will not need to be proficient in any of those languages, although they will need to have an adequate command in the written language of the programme and in order to engage suitably and fluently with the tutor and supervisor.

The second criterion for admission is that the PhD dissertation project must be suited to the nature of the programme; otherwise, it may not be accepted, although this will not constitute a demerit for the individual applying for admission to the programme. Once this requisite has been met, at the request of the PhD student or following a decision from the programme directors, the student will be assigned a dissertation supervisor who shall ultimately be responsible for ensuring that the dissertation may be completed. It shall be incumbent on the supervisor to certify the progress made on the dissertation as it develops until it is completed.