Lead the path to knowledge: pursue your doctoral studies at UC

Applications will be open until December in the following areas: the arts, biological sciences, natural sciences and mathematics, engineering and technology, medical and health care sciences, agricultural and Earth sciences, social sciences, and the humanities, as well as interdisciplinary programs. For more information on application start and end dates per program, please follow this link.

Since 1935, 2,515 PhD students have graduated from our university, 160 of which have earned double academic degrees with highly prestigious universities between 2009 and 2021. This year’s call for applications is for professionals, holders of bachelor’s or master’s degrees seeking to expand their knowledge, to build interdisciplinary networks and to be leaders in scientific research, creation and development at UC, an institution that holds the first place on the 2022 QS ranking in Chile and Latin America.

For those who choose to pursue their doctoral studies at UC, the university offers outstanding infrastructure, as well as human and academic resources. This will allow students to conduct their work with internationally renowned researchers, leveraging our laboratories, centers of excellence and regional centers throughout Chile. Using these resources, doctoral students will be able to expand their knowledge and develop solutions with an impact on human welfare, which can be promoted through both national and international alliances and networks during the course of their studies. As the hallmark of UC doctoral programs, all syllabuses include in-depth ethical training pertaining to the field of research, workshops aimed at developing transversal skills beyond the student’s chosen discipline and a comprehensive English language learning program.

One of best resources that UC offers to students is the access to the ongoing research from the 31 science centers of excellence and the 7 stations that make up our university’s network of regional centers and stations. “Beyond the diverse infrastructure available for cutting-edge research in over 1,600 laboratories, those who pursue their doctoral studies at our university are able to conduct research at a high level of excellence in a series of regional stations and centers. With country-wide locations from northern to southern territories and individual site-specific features, these centers enable collaboration with local experts from academia and the community. There is plenty of room for on-site research and creation, as well as unique learning opportunities available to those who join our doctoral programs”, states Diego Cosmelli, director of UC Graduate School.

Funding and scholarships

An important takeaway for applicants is that over 90% of students have full scholarships (covering both tuition and living expenses), thanks to the access to competitive internal and external scholarships. The two main ones are granted by the National Agency for Research and Development (ANID), through their National Doctoral Scholarship Program, and the scholarships awarded by UC’s own Office of the Research Vice President. This figure demonstrates that pursing doctoral studies in Chile is possible, as there are several sources of funding which allow both Chilean and foreign students to advance in their career development. Another important consideration is that, for the seventh year in a row, UC received the greatest number of ANID scholarships in the country.

In terms of other complementary benefits, several competitive funds exist to promote international collaboration, which include joint supervision of doctoral studies abroad, support in overseas stays for doctoral students working on their thesis, as well as funds for foreign professors to participate in the Candidacy Examination or the thesis defense of UC doctoral students. There are several other awards for funding available, such as the support for doctoral students to hold seminars, the 3-minute thesis (3MT® UC) and the Award for Excellence in Doctoral Thesis.

For more information about the funding opportunities UC provides to doctoral students, please follow this link.

2022 Virtual Open House for Doctoral Programs

One of this year’s most important initiatives in the application process is the “Virtual Open House”, which took place on July 20 and 21. There, interested students could access conferences with the academics in charge of leading the doctoral programs and learned about the experiences of current doctoral students and alumni. The conferences can be viewed here.

This virtual event aimed to facilitate the interaction with applicants within and outside Chile. Through the conferences, we open up the doors to our university and doctoral programs so new students can meet the people in charge of the different programs, and learn about their lines of research and their academic bodies. Likewise, the event aimed for potential applicants to interact with alumni and current students who shared their experience and work.

The event also featured interesting sections for future students, such as a Q&A session regarding available funding and international collaboration opportunities, a discussion about the doctoral experience at UC and a Research Speed Dating event, an unprecedented activity where participants scheduled 15-min appointments with an academic and received personalized guidance on their research interests and projects.