DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
The Doctoral School of Psychology welcomes all applicants whose professional foundations are strong and are able to elaborate a research plan.
Please note:
If the applicant takes their final examination during the current semester, and their degree certificate (diploma) is not issued before the application deadline, a certification is required which verifies that the applicant will presumably receive a degree. In case of being accepted as a student, however, the applicant must present the diploma upon enrolment at the latest.
LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS
IELTS 7.0 or C1 level Cambridge Certificae or TOEFL iBT 83-120. If you did your Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in English, it can also be used as proof of language proficiency. The language of instruction for the entire programme is English, so a very good command of English is required during the oral entrance exam and throughout the whole programme.The language knowledge is assessed and evaluated during the interview.
APPLICATION PACKAGE
The application starts on the online application system. Students need to register in the system, fill in the online application form, upload the required documents and follow the instructions during the application process.
List of application documents:
Master's diploma (an official English translation of the MA certificate)
- an official English translation of the MA certificate (The translation is needed only if the language of the original is not English. It can be a translation from the university too.)
Research plan outline (3-4 pages)
Professional CV
Motivation letter
Reference work (it can be any academic paper written in English by the applicant within the field of psychology (MA thesis extract, a research paper, a seminar paper, a research report, a published journal article or a book chapter, a case study, a literature review, etc.) Either a new paper or an improved version of an earlier work can also be written for the current application. The ideal length should be between 5-15 pages excluding references and the appendices. There are no special requirements concerning the format.)
Main pages of the passport
A list of publications (not obligatory)
Recommendations (not obligatory)
Costs per semester for doctoral studies
5500 EUR/semester
You are required to pay 180/240/ EUR application fee (non-refundable) depending on the application period, at the following link: ELTE Online Fizetési Rendszer
Early bird application: until January 31st – discounted application fee 180 EUR. Discount code: EARLY BIRD PPK
Regular application: February 1st – May 31st – regular application fee 240 EUR. Discount code: REGULAR PPK
Payment is required on the https://epay.elte.hu/ platform. Please note that this fee is not subject to reduction or request for special consideration!
PROCEDURE OF THE ENTRANCE EXAMINATION
The entrance exam is an interview, based on the applicant’s research plan. It can be taken via Teams.
The criteria of the evaluation of the research plan and the entrance exam
Weight | Admission criterion | Brief explanation |
| Highly important | Professional grounding, literature integration, development, and feasibility of the research proposal. | Literature embedding, coherence, and feasibility within the training period. |
| Fit and feasibility of the topic within the doctoral training program. | Connection to current topic calls (www.doktori.hu). Admission is possible with a self‑proposed topic, if accepted by a doctoral supervisor. | |
| Availability of a research supervisor with a scientific degree. | The supervisor must hold a scientific degree; for foreign supervisors, a domestic co‑supervisor is also required. Dual supervision is advisable. | |
| Availability of necessary conditions at the research site to implement the program. | Necessary infrastructure and personnel must be available or secured. | |
| Applicant’s deep theoretical and methodological familiarity with the topic. | During the interview it should be clearly evident that the candidate understands the scientific background and methodological foundations. | |
| The candidate’s willingness to debate and openness to scientific discourse during the interview. | Quality of argumentation and response in the interview. | |
| Important | Previous academic record at university. | Considered, but not in itself decisive. |
| Can be an advantage | Previous research achievements (e.g. publications, TDK thesis, participation in a professional college, participation in a research group). | Strengthens research commitment and experience. |
| Knowledge of several foreign languages (other than English). | Facilitates participation in the international scientific community. | |
| Suitability for teaching (involvement in research). | Useful for future teaching tasks. |
If you have any further questions regarding the above, please feel free to contact us at admission@ppk.elte.hu.
You can find more information about the application here: https://apply.elte.hu/courses/course/47-phd-doctoral-school-psychology
General information about the University: http://www.elte.hu/en