FAQ

Frequently asked questions

I am a doctoral student studying a pre-RD99/2011 degree, do I have to present the DAD and Research Plan? 

Only doctoral students who registered for the first time in the 2013-14 academic year have to present the DAD and the Research Plan.

I am a doctoral student studying a pre-RD99/2011 degree. When is the deadline for defending my thesis?

• If you began your doctoral studies at the URV during or before the 2010-11 academic year, you have to defend your thesis before 11 February 2016.
• If you began your doctoral studies at the URV during the 2011-12 academic year you have to defend your thesis before 30 September 2017.

These dates cannot be extended. This is why you have to make sure you do all the administrative procedures before the established deadlines.

I began my doctorate at another university. What must I do to be able to register at the URV?

• You must apply for admission within the specified period and state on your application that you want to adapt/transfer to an RD 99/2011 programme. If you are admitted, the work you have completed at the other university may be recognized as part of your DAD and Research Plan.

Do I have to register for the doctorate every academic year?

• Yes, every year from the date of admission to when you deposit your thesis.

For how many academic years must I have been registered before I can defend my thesis?

• There is no minimum number of academic years. When you apply to deposit your thesis, with the approval of your thesis supervisors, the academic committee will evaluate your work solely on the basis of its quality and will not take into account the time you have taken to produce it.

I have a DEA or my research aptitude has been recognised. Can I continue with my doctorate?

• No, you can't. You must apply for access for a doctoral programme regulated by RD 99/2011 and state on the pre-registrations form that you want to adapt to an RD 99/2011 programme.

How much does part-time registration cost?

• The same as full-time registration. Part-time registration refers to the time taken to complete the thesis. It does not affect the price.

What is the difference between a European Distinction and an International Distinction?

I registered for the first year of a doctoral degree in January 2017. Does that mean I also have to register in January next year?

• The registration is for an academic year (from October to September of the following year. So you have to register every September until you finish your thesis. Check the calendar.

I have a pre-Bologna degree in engineering. Can I apply to study for a doctorate?

• No, you also need to obtain 60 ECTS credits at master's degree level.

Do postgraduate courses allow me to access a doctoral course?

• No, the 60 ECTS credits at master's degree level must be from official master's degrees.

I have a diploma. Can I apply to study for a doctorate?

• Yes, provided that you have obtained a total of 300 ECTS credits during your higher education. Of these ECTS credits, 60 must be at master's degree level.

I need a certificate of admission in order to apply for a grant before the dates specified on the URV admissions timetable. How can I obtain this certificate?

• If you are applying for a grant you may need to demonstrate that you have been admitted to a URV programme. If the deadline is before the admissions dates specified on the URV timetable, the URV can provide you with a letter stating that you have been provisionally admitted pending your successful completion of the access procedures within the specified dates. Write to us at phd(ELIMINAR)@urv.cat giving your name, the grant for which you are applying and the document that you require.

How should I format my URV thesis?

• The URV has a style guide which you can use to resolve any doubts you may have when writing up your thesis. If you want to write your thesis as a series of articles, you should contact your doctoral programme coordinators for guidance on how to do this.

For further information, please contact the Postgraduate and Doctoral School.