Admission and Doctoral studies  

Admission

The basic requirements for admission at the ETH Doctorate and procedures are defined by the ETH Zurich DownloadOrdinance on the Doctorate (PDF, 255 KB). Admission to the doctorate in D-MAVT is granted on an individual basis, requires a Master’s degree in engineering or natural sciences and acceptance by a professor, who will act as the supervisor.

D-MAVT aims for excellent students (ranked in the top 10% of their Bachelor/Master programs) from very good institutions. The Department Conference defines selection criteria for admission to ensure minimum quality standards. The D-MAVT Doctoral Committee serves as admission committee for doctoral students at D-MAVT and decides about the admission or rejection of doctoral students – after consultation with the doctoral thesis supervisor. In case of a positive decision about a doctoral student’s admission, the Doctoral Committee decides if the candidate is admitted with regular doctoral studies or extended doctoral studies.

The three objectives of the regular doctoral program are:

  1. to deepen knowledge in the research area of the doctoral thesis and to expand knowledge outside the traditional discipline,
  2. to enable doctoral students to acquire interdisciplinary competences / soft skills;
  3. to integrate doctoral students into the scientific community.

The doctoral student has to achieve, during the doctoral studies a minimum of 12 credit points, according to the specification in the Rector's implementation provisions for the ETH Zurich DownloadOrdinance on the Doctorate (PDF, 255 KB). The list of courses must be included in the Learning Agreement and approved by the doctoral thesis supervisor.

Please read the DownloadDetailed stipulations regarding the Doctorate (PDF, 233 KB) for further information.

Extended doctoral studies in D-MAVT require the acquisition of 12 credit points through graded examinations beyond the 12 credit points required for the regular doctoral studies. The study plan for extended doctoral studies respects the following criteria:

  • At least 12 credits are obtained with ETH exams
  • This includes at least 2 written exams, as stipulated in the Course Catalogue of ETH Zürich
  • All courses are offered at the Master’s level
  • No more than one exam may be given by the student’s doctoral thesis supervisor or a member of his/her team.

It is strongly recommended that the 12 credits of the extended doctoral studies are acquired during the first year of (provisional) doctoral studies.

The doctoral thesis supervisor, in agreement with the doctoral student, defines the coursework to be achieved in the individual study plan and notifies the D-MAVT doctoral administration of these. The courses must be included in the Learning Agreement.

The individual study plan and the schedule of the extended doctoral studies are part of the doctoral plan.

Please read the DownloadDetailed stipulations regarding the Doctorate (PDF, 233 KB) for further information.

Students enrolled before 1 January 2022 have been admitted, with or without additional admission requirements, according to the candidate’s scientific qualifications.

The additional admission requirements (at least 3 exams) must be passed within one year from the date of the provisional admission.

More details about the additional admission requirements are published on the Qualifying exams & Research plan website.

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