3rd cycle: PhD / Doctoral training

A PhD is a third cycle degree.

It is awarded after writing and successful defense of a thesis and corresponds to at least 180 credits. You can only embark on a PhD once you have obtained a Master degree (300 credits).

It is also necessary to follow doctoral training while doing your PhD.

> PhD Website

If you meet any of the following admission requirements, we invite yout to visit the ULB web page devoted to PhDs and doctoral training where you will find useful information about PhD programmes at the ULB (scientific fields, funding, joint supervision, etc.).

This website will also help you to find a potential supervisor.

Please note that before initiating registration, you need to find a supervisor who agrees to oversee the preparation of your thesis. Your supervisor will help you to define your thesis project, and also discuss with you its feasibility, possible sources of funding and the composition of your supervisory committee. Once all the details have been finalized, your supervisor will submit a proposal to the Faculty Doctoral Commission for approval. May we also recommend that you take a look at the Phd regulations in force at the ULB.

> Entrance requirements

In order to enrol for a PhD, you must already hold first and second cycle degrees obtained after no less than five years of study, and worth 300 ECTS credits.

More specifically, the following degrees grant access to a PhD programme :

• A Master degree worth 120 credits obtained in the French Community of Belgium;

• An Advanced Master degree (“Master complémentaire”) obtained in the French Community of Belgium;

• A comparable degree from the Flemish Community of Belgium or the Royal Military Academy;

• A degree obtained abroad and recognised by the Ministry of the French Community of Belgium as the academic equivalent of a 120-credits Master degree;

• This official recognition is not, however, required for applicants who have degrees from outside the French Community of Belgium. In their case, the Faculty Doctoral Commission is competent to evaluate the credits obtained during previous studies.

• A first and second cycle degree obtained abroad after no less than five years of study, and evaluated by the Faculty Doctoral Commission to be worth 300 credits;

  A second cycle degree obtained after only four years of study in the Flemish Community, at the Royal Military Academy or abroad, and evaluated by the Faculty Doctoral Commission to be worth at least 240 credits, supplemented by 60 credits obtained through either:

  1.	additional study, modules, or specialised/advanced training accessible only to holders of at least a second cycle degree
  2.	or an additional year of second cycle studies, organised by the French Community of Belgium, and involving 60 training credits determined by the Faculty Doctoral Commission

The following degrees also give access to the PhD programme:

• A “licence” degree obtained in the French Community of Belgium prior to implementation of the Bologna Reform;

• A foreign degree obtained in an education system where degrees are not organized in distinct cycles or in five years or less, but still provide direct access to a PhD programme. In this case, applicants are required to submit an original document to the ULB Registration Department confirming that their degree qualifies them to study for a PhD in their home country.

> Initial registration

Once your research project and the proposed members of your supervisory committee have been determined, you should submit your application as quickly as possible, via one of the links below (depending on your previous degree):

Deadline for submision of applications is 31 October

> Re-registration

You can submit your re-registration file from 26 June to 31 October.
The re-registration form is avaible on the following link : Re-registration from .

> Costs

The full registration fees for the PhD programme (€ 835) are to be paid just once, at the time of initial registration.

In subsequent years, only registration and administrative fees need to be paid (€ 32).

When registering for doctoral training and a PhD at the same time, no fees in addition to the full PhD registration fees (€ 835) or to the registration and administration fees (€ 32) are due.

The registration fees for doctoral training are € 835, payable each year when registration is separate from the PhD.

> Contact

Carine Faniel - carine.faniel@ulb.ac.be
Tel.: +32 2 650 25 67

Location:
Avenue A. Buyl, 87a - 1050 Brussels
Building S, 4th floor, Room S.4.129