PhD studies

Attestation dates on 2021/2022

In the fall semester, a PhD student has to upload their attestation documents  to SIS (ÕIS) the latest on 12th January. Interviews with the Attestation Committee take place on 26th January. 

The following students have to submit their attestation documents in fall semester

1. All first-year PhD students
2. PhD students and external students, if by the end of the fall semester a year has passed from their last attestation
3. External students, if by the end of the fall semester a year has passed from the beginning of their studies.

In the spring semester we have two dates for attestation.

• June attestation interviews 15-16th of June, attestation documents need to be uploaded to SIS (ÕIS) by 30th of May.
• August attestation interviews 22nd of August, attestation documents need to be uploaded to SIS (ÕIS) 8th of August.

The following students have to submit their attestation documents in spring semester:

1. All first-year PhD students
2. PhD students and external students, if by the end of the spring semester a year has passed from their last attestation
3. External students, if by the end of the spring semester a year has passed from the beginning of their studies.

Attestation documents

A PhD student must upload the following documents to the SIS system.

1. The PhD Student's Progress Review
2. The PhD Student's Individual Study Plan for the next year of studies

Both documenst have to be signed by the student and the supervisor(s). If the documents are signed on paper, then the scans should be uploaded to the SIS (ÕIS) system.

Attestation process

If submitted attestation documents contain sufficient information and the members of Attestation Committee have no additional questions to the PhD student, then the student is attested based on the documents. However, should the members of Attestation Committee have additional questions, the PhD student is invited for an interview on the dates above.

Student’s absence from the review is acceptable only on reasonable excuses. The absence must be negotiated at least a week prior to the attestation interview with the Chair of the committee prof. Raul Vicente Zafraga (raul.vicente.zafra@ut.ee)

If the supervisor cannot participate on the interview he must send a written evaluation to the student’s progress. The evaluation must be sent to the Chair no later than one day in advance.

As the Attestation Committee has very limited time to go through all the attestation documents, the final schedule for interviews is announced the latest a day before the attestation interviews. Thank you for your understanding!

Also, please see following links for further guidance:

• Detailed information about PhD degree studies at the University of Tartu
• Evaluation arrangements of PhD students in the field of Science and Technology (a set of guidelines on how to evaluate scientific research)

The process takes around 3 months (not counting the pre-reviewing):

• Decisions by the Institute Council and the Academic Secretary.
• Seminar presentation.
• Agreement with the publisher at least 7 weeks before the defence.
• The dissertation must be public at least one month before the defence.

PhD theses defended at the Institute of Computer Science

Documents

• Submitting the thesis and the defence procedure at the Institute of Computer Science
• Graph of submitting the thesis and the defence procedure at the Institute of Computer Science
• Instructions for opponents
• Official PhD thesis LaTeX template with examples and guidelines
• Official PhD thesis LaTeX template with examples and guidelines (Overleaf)