Requirements for applicants
Prospective students must apply to participate in the VTE seminar. The steering group of the VTE will evaluate the applications on the basis of scientific quality, the applicants’ competence and prior merits, quality of the research environment and supervision, and whether the planned research fits the VTE profile. For the applicants that have graduated from Finnish universities, usually only those who have acquired magna cum laude approbatur or higher grade from their Master’s thesis can be accepted. Exceptions are, however, possible if the applicant has significant other merits.
In addition, applicants are encouraged to discuss their applications with a member of the VTE steering group before submitting their applications. Applicants must also apply admission to postgraduate studies from their Faculty (for more information on doctoral programme of social sciences, http://www.helsinki.fi/socialsciences/research/postgraduate/doctoral_programmes/dp_social_sciences.html).
On supervision
Most of doctoral students in the VTE are junior members of research projects or institutes, which leads to close collaboration between doctoral candidates and their supervisors. Supervisors must agree to work within the guidelines of supervision as stipulated by the University of Helsinki.
Supervisors are also expected to read and comment the seminar papers prior to the seminar presentation. In order to ensure the quality of the presentations, supervisor must approve the paper to be presented. Supervisors are also expected to attend these seminar meetings.
Applying
In addition to the previously mentioned requirements, prospective students must submit a research proposal and an application form. Please email inquiries concerning the practicalities of applying to the VTE seminar to the current seminar coordinator:
xu.zong@helsinki.fi.