Competitive call for department’s co-funded doctoral student positions
The Department of Computer Science launches a competitive funding call for doctoral students. The department offers 10 department-co-funded positions in this call. The funding follows a co-funding model for 2 + 2 years (2 years department-funded, i.e. 24 months + 2 years professor’s own funding).
The present call is targeted to doctoral students who have a committed supervisor at the Department of Computer Science (Aalto). Students participating in this call can be:
1) new starting doctoral students
2) recently started doctoral students who have maximum of one year experience of PhD-level research work at the Department of Computer Science (Aalto). Please see the details below in “Eligibility”.
Instructions for applicants:
How to apply: Applications are invited for the call between 14.9.-15.10.2018. The application form will close on 15th October at midnight.
Note! Select one of the five HICT research tracks that describes the most of your doctoral studies and research in the online form. HICT research tracks are listed here.
Eligibility: The call is meant only for new starting students or current recently started doctoral students who have a committed supervisor at the Department of Computer Science in Aalto University. You can apply:
- If you are a new student. Your M.Sc. degree must be completed by 31.12.2018 (you must have a degree certificate or other document showing that your degree is completed/will be completed by 31.12.2018).
- If you are a recently started student, who has maximum of one year experience of PhD-level research work at the Department of Computer Science (Aalto). This is defined either by the date of receiving a doctoral study right, or by the start date of PhD student-level salary. Whichever of these dates is the earliest will be taken into account. In other words, doctoral study right must have been granted after 1.10.2017 or the start date of the PhD-level salary must be after 1.10.2017, or both the granting date of doctoral study right and the start date of the PhD-level salary must be after 1.10.2017. If a student received his/her doctoral study right or started receiving PhD-level salary prior to 1.10.2017, she/he cannot apply in this call.
If you do not have a committed supervisor at the Department of Computer Science (Aalto), you cannot participate in this call. If you are a student in the Doctoral track of the Department of Computer Science, you cannot apply in this call.
Evaluation process: The call includes an evaluation of applications. Students with a committed supervisor submit an application (incl. study plan, motivation letter, etc.). The student has to select one of the five HICT research tracks in his/her application. Applications are reviewed after 15.10.2018 and final funding decisions will be made in November by Head of Department.
Usage of the funding: Funding decisions are announced in November 2018. Most of the funded positions commence in late 2018 or early 2019. The department-funded share of the funding can be extended only due to parental leave.
What is required in the application?
All applicants need to provide one single PDF file (submitted via the electronic application form), with the file name "lastname_firstname.pdf". The PDF file should consist of the following sections and attachments:
- Doctoral study plan and schedule (1 page). Describe your PhD thesis/research topic and study plan shortly.
- Motivation letter. Describe your motivation toward pursuing a PhD and justify, why you are the right person to receive this funding? (max 1 page)
- A curriculum vitae and list of publications (max 2 pages)
- A copy of the M.Sc. degree certificate. If the degree is still pending, then a plan for its completion must be provided.
- A study transcript that lists studies completed and grades achieved
Other mandatory documents:
- Supervisor’s recommendation & commitment letter. Remind your supervisor that he/she needs to send a recommendation letter for the evaluation. Supervisors send the letters to Aija Kukkala (firstname.lastname [at] aalto [dot] fi) by 15.10.2018 at latest.
Call schedule
- 14.9. – 15.10.2018 - Call open for submissions in SAIMA for new doctoral students and recently started doctoral students
- 15.10.2018 – Deadline for applications
- 16.10.2018 - Review period starts
- November 2018 - Final funding decisions