• Do I need to possess a master's degree at the moment of applying?  No, but you certainly will need to complete your master before enrolling (in October).

  • Do I need a support letter from a DTIC researcher to apply? It is highly recommended to have a support letter for the application. In case you do not get one, make sure to write a list of research areas of your interest.

  • How do I get a support letter? You should contact the researcher from our department and ask for it.

  • How can I prove my level of English? The accreditation of a B2 level in English is a mandatory requirement and must be accredited during the pre-enrollment process. If you do not have any official certificate, the accreditation can be done with an online English placement test (it takes less than an hour), which is a level test but not a certifying exam. If the result is at least B2, PhD pre-enrollment can be validated,
    The student must then provide official proof of B2 level English proficiency with an accepted certificate before the PhD enrollment, which takes place in early October

  • How much time do I have to finish my PhD? The duration of the doctoral studies will be a maximum of four years full-time, starting from the date of enrolment in the programme until the date of submission of the doctoral thesis. However, with the prior authorisation of the academic committee responsible for the programme, doctoral studies may be carried out on a part-time basis. In this case, such studies may have a maximum duration of seven years from the date of enrolment in the programme to the date of submission of the doctoral thesis. 

  • Can I change tutor and/or supervisor? Yes. Contact our office to have more information.

  • How do I enroll in the PhD programme? The enrollment is online for all students and usually is done during the first week of October.

  • If my previous studies are from outside the European Education Area, what kind of documents do I have to submit for the enrolment? If your qualification and your academic certificate have not been issued by a member state of the European Union (or Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Switzerland), your university degree and your academic certificate must be legalized with the Apostille of The Hague. This process must take place in the country where the qualification was issued, and before leaving the country, as it is not possible to perform this procedure in Barcelona.

  • Tuition fees: The price of the enrollment for the 2024-25 academic year was € 401,12*. Administrative fees: € 69,80. IMPORTANT: Students with a degree issued by a university outside Spain and have not received homologation must pay € 218,15 during  the first enrollment.

  • Which is the language for teaching and learning? Catalan, English and Spanish are the vehicular languages.

  • When does my (fellowship) Predoctorate Research Contract start? Predoctoral Research Contract starts the first of October. Exceptionally it can start later, but not longer than February, and only in case there was a visa problem and was not possible to arrive on time. If that happens, the student must inform the secretariat and his/her director.

  • Does the fellowship (Predoctorate Research Contract)  involve teaching? 

    • Teaching PRC includes a teaching assistance load of 45 hours per academic year.

    • Teaching-Project PRC includes a teaching assistance load of 45 hours per academic year plus some tasks related to the funded project the PhD candidate joins.

    • Project PRC includes tasks linked to the funded project the PhD candidate joins.

      • Teaching hours will be carried out at UPF undergraduate Engineering degrees according to the PhD student background. A knowledge of Spanish or Catalan will be required after the first year of fellowships for those teaching in 1st or 2nd year.

      • Non-EU students will have a reduction of 24% the three first months (till December, if the contract starts in October). The corresponding taxes will be deducted from January when the new fiscal year starts.

      • Only EU students can reduce this tax to 19% by presenting a certificate of fiscal residence from their country.