20 doctoral (PhD) programmes in Technological, Natural, Social Sciences, Humanities, and Visual Arts.
Learn more about admission procedure, requirements, and scholarships.
Doctoral studies are the third-cycle study programmes that aim to develop the knowledge and skills required for carrying out independent research.
The Doctoral degree is awarded to a doctoral student who completes the doctoral programme and defend their doctoral dissertation (art project). The Doctor of Science (Doctor of Art) degree allows access to the world of scientific research, not limited to the academic world, but also in independent research centres and production facilities.
Duration: 4 years
Language of study: English
Scholarships and funding: state-funded or self-funded positions
Tel.: ++370 608 15 609, +370 608 13 726, +370 626 22 701
Email: phd@ktu.lt
ktu.edu/phd
Choose a programme and a research topic
Fill in the application online and upload all required documents*:
Participate in motivational interview (mandatory)
Sign your learning agreement with Kaunas University of Technology
(Passport or ID is required, as well as originals or apostilled/notarized copies of diplomas).
2022 Regulations for admission to doctoral studies (programmes coordinated by KTU)
Will be announced on February
Dates of additional admission
Submission of admission documents and registration | |
Administrative verification and revision of admission documents | |
Receiving and dealing with appeals against incorrect assessment of admission documents | |
Publication of appeals against incorrect assessment of admission documents | |
Doctoral admissions hearings and informing applicants of the results of the competition | |
Receipt and handling of appeals against admission results | |
Announcement of appeals against admission results | |
Informing applicants to PhD programmes about the final results of the competition | |
Signing of study agreements with those invited to doctoral studies |
More information is available here: KTU Academic Recognition
Application fee is 40 EUR for the citizens of the Republic of Lithuania and any other country of the European Union, and 100 EUR for the citizens of all other countries. The invoice with the bank details is issued as soon as the applicant starts his/her application online.
Students admitted to state-funded positions are exempted of tuition fee.
Self-funded doctoral students pay the tuition fee (valid for those admitted in 2022):
Science Area |
Annual tuition fee, EUR |
Technological Sciences | 9620 |
Natural Sciences | 10646 |
Social Sciences | 9400 |
Humanities | 10646 |
Visual Arts | 10646 |
Students admitted to state-funded places of doctoral studies receive a scholarship of the amount established by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania during the period of studies.
During the first year of studies a state-funded doctoral student receives 19 BSI/month, during 2-4 year of studies the scholarship is 22 BSI/month.
BSI – basic social benefit. Starting from 1 January 2023, the size of BSI = 49 Eur.
For those studying in a state-funded position, there are no tuition fees, but a student is responsible for taking care of the costs of living.
Doctoral students may expect additional funding.
Doctoral School
Kaunas University of Technology
Studentu 50, Kaunas, Student Infocenter
LT-51368, Lithuania
Phone: +370 608 15 609, +370 608 13 726, +370 626 22 701
Email: phd@ktu.lt
ktu.edu/phd
Consultation hours:
I-IV 13:00-17:00
V 13:00-15:45
On this page are answers to some of the questions that applicants frequently ask us.
If you have questions that are not answered here, or elsewhere on our website, please contact us by e-mail phd@ktu.lt
Diploma recognition is the alignment of Lithuanian and foreign education. In order for you to be accepted for study in Lithuania, your previous education needs to be evaluated against the Lithuanian degree structure.
Evaluation and recognition of the education documents is conducted by the University only upon receiving a duly filled-in and approved application form for the participation in the competition for doctoral studies along with all mandatory documents for admission prior to the deadline. More information is available at academic-recognition.
You will be informed by email about the results of recognition within ~1 month.
When we receive a duly filled-in and approved application form for the participation in the competition for doctoral studies along with all mandatory documents, the process of your foreign degree documents evaluation and recognition will be started.
Note that we will not review or assess your degree diploma and academic record without an official application to doctoral studies at Kaunas University of Technology.
For the admission process you have to submit your final degree diploma, a temporary (provisional) degree certificate is not accepted.
A temporary (provisional) degree certificate is a document issued by an institution to a student who has been awarded or conferred an academic degree. The temporary (provisional) degree certificate is issued as a replacement for the actual degree certificate e.g. in case the actual degree certificate cannot be given to the student immediately after the studies have been completed due to technical or administrative reasons. As far as all foreign degree diplomas must be evaluated and recognized, only final certificates are processed, and therefore any temporary / provisional diplomas will be considered as insufficient for final evaluation and recognition.
If your Master’s diploma was issued outside Lithuania, then according to the regulations it must be evaluated and recognized. For diploma recognition process both Bachelor and Master diplomas and their supplements are mandatory.
More information is available on KTU Academic Recognition
All Master’s degree documents issued in languages other than English or Lithuanian should be supplemented with an official translation.
All documents (original language and translation) necessary for the evaluation must be officially certified!
Usually, a translation contains, in addition to the translation, a copy of the certificate in original language. However, translators are only allowed to certify the document issued by themselves. Take both the translation and the original certificate with you to the certifying authority. By this you can ensure that both documents (translation and document in original language) can be certified.
It is required that you list all post-secondary institutions you have attended: you need to list details about your both Bachelor’s and Master’s studies (and PhD, if applicable). If you are currently pursuing your PhD research, you must also indicate that information.
Yes, in such cases is required to provide a notarized name change certificate.
Provided that your studies are in Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and if the Graduation Ceremony is later than the application deadline, you should contact the your Faculty/Academic Office with the request to issue:
– a document certifying the fact that you have completed certain Master programme, and the date of diploma awarding must be indicated;
– an academic transcript of all study semesters in that Master programme, including credits and evaluations, as well as the results of Master thesis defence.
The recommendations have to be issued in the same calendar year when the candidate’s application is submitted. Therefore, if you are applying in 2022, the recommendation is considered valid if issued in 2022.
A recommendation must explicitly specify the institution and the doctoral programme to which the candidate is being recommended. That means, that the refereee should clearly indicate that he/she recommends you for PhD studies in, for example, Informatics Engineering, at Kaunas University of Technology.
In such case, for those programmes where it is mandatory to provide a recommendation by the supervisor of the topic, your application will be considered as incomplete and will be withdrawn from the competition.
According to the Admission Regulations §8.4. A recommendation by the supervisor of the topic to which the candidate is applying is required in the science fields of Physics, Chemistry, Civil Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Informatics Engineering, Materials Engineering and Mechanical Engineering; a consent of the supervisor of the topic to which the candidate is applying to supervise the candidate if he/she is invited to studies is required if the candidate is applying to the science field of Informatics Engineering; if the candidate is applying to the positions of doctoral studies funded in the framework of the invitation to doctoral studies under the competition of the Research Council of Lithuania, a recommendation of the topic to which the candidate is applying is required.
A consent of the supervisor of the topic to which the candidate is applying to Informatics Engineering is required to confirm that the supervisor agrees to supervise the candidate if he/she is invited to studies.
That means that a candidate has to communicate with that researcher (future supervisor) well before the application deadline.
A list of the research works has to be submitted with the unabridged bibliographic description. You may search the internet on “bibliographical references on a list of references” to see what it looks like.
No, only PDF format is acceptable.
Failure to follow the requirements may result in rejection of application.
No, research proposal ≠ research paper.
Note! 2 topics = 2 research proposals, that means if you choose two different topics in the programme that requires research proposal, you will have to write two different proposals, for each of your chosen topic.
How to write a research proposal: Admission regulations Annex 5
Yes, you are eligible apply to all programmes offered by KTU except to Informatics Engineering: for this programme at least one publication is mandatory.
In this case you will have to write a research paper on the topic that you are applying to. If you choose two different topics, you will have to write two different research papers for each of your chosen topic.
How to write a research paper: Admission regulations Annex 4
If there is no English level indicated in your MSc or BSc diploma supplement, register for a test and obtain your certificate at:
– KTU Centre of Foreign Languages
– any institution, certified to provide this service
It now possible to document your English through the TOEFL IBT Special Home Edition Test. The test is a possibility for students to take their test at home rather than at a test center.
Unfortunately no late documents or test results are accepted.
No, all mandatory documents (including copy of application fee transfer) must be submitted by the application deadline.
Yes, as far as another admission process starts, you have to pay application fee again.
Yes, you can if you meet the requirements for both programmes. However, consider:
-the mandatory recommendations of supervisors
-your scientific experience in both science fields
-participation in interviews with each committee
-your motivation
You are eligible (provided that you have certain background and scientific experience in Mechanical Engineering, Technological Sciences).
After admission: possible necessity to take additional courses in the field of science (fee-paying).
No, the minimum required score does not guarantee you a position.
A certain number of state-funded positions can be less than the number of candidates with >min.competition score.
If you believe that the admission decision is incorrect, you may lodge an appeal. Follow the instructions included in the Admission Regulations.
Social Sciences
Social Sciences
Economics
Education
Management
Political Sciences
Sociology