Open calls for doctoral studies
The University of Tartu admits doctoral researchers through four intakes a year:
- 1–15 February (details published by 15 January) – selected specialisations
- 1–15 May (details published by 20 April) – main intake for all specialisations. Estonian citizens and holders of an Estonian master´s degree can apply between 1–15 June (except for the Faculty of Science and Technology)
- 15–30 September (details published by 1 September) – selected specialisations
- 15–30 November (details published by 1 November) – selected specialisations
In most cases, the admitted doctoral researchers are employed as junior research fellows at the university. The salary is comparable to the Estonian average: in 2026, the minimum full-time salary for junior research fellows is €2,100 per month (net salary approximately €1,580).
In some cases, the doctoral researcher’s position is offered without an employment contract – please refer to the specific open call for details. Read more about status and funding of doctoral researchers.
Please carefully read the requirements for the specific position you are applying for. Additional requirements may apply depending on the chosen specialisation or research project.
All international applicants must provide proof of English proficiency, except those applying to the Russian Language and Literature specialisation, where proof of Russian proficiency is required.
1–15 February 2026
International applicants can apply in DreamApply. Estonian citizens and international applicants with a master's degree from Estonia can apply in SAIS. Admission results will be announced by 15 March.
This specialisation belongs to the doctoral programme in Social Sciences.
There is 1 position available. It is not possible to apply with your own topic during the application period. Admitted doctoral researcher will work as a junior research fellow at the university. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. Studies are expected to start in spring 2026. The final workload and exact starting date will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations.
Research topic open for admission: "International law of the sea and small states" (supervisors Lauri Mälksoo, Alexander Lott)
Applicants must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Social Sciences.
Online entrance interviews take place on 4 March. Applicants will be informed of their interview time by the respective faculty.
This specialisation belongs to the doctoral programme in Life and Earth Sciences.
There is 1 position available. It is not possible to apply with your own topic during the application period. Admitted doctoral researcher will work as a junior research fellow at the university. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. Studies are expected to start in spring 2026. The final workload and exact starting date will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations.
Research project open for admission: "Microbial populations on touch surfaces and their sensitivity to antimicrobial treatments" (supervisors Angela Ivask, Elin Org)
Applicants must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Life and Earth Sciences.
Online entrance interviews take place in the first half of October. Applicants will be informed of their interview date and time by the respective faculty.
This specialisation belongs to the doctoral programme in Humanities.
There is 1 position available. It is not possible to apply with your own topic during the application period. Admitted doctoral researcher will work as a junior research fellow at the university. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. Studies are expected to start in spring 2026. The final workload and exact starting date will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations.
Research topic open for admission: "The end of nature? A relational philosophy and theology of the wild" (supervisor Thomas-Andreas Põder)
Applicants must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Humanities.
Online entrance interviews take place in the second half of February or early March. Applicants will be informed of their interview time by the respective faculty.
Additional intakes:
There are two separate open calls for projects funded by EU Horizon Europe Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions.
There are 3 projects open for applying. The projects are funded by EU Horizon Europe Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions.
Research projects open for admission:
- Electric solar wind sail mission design (supervisors Aditya Savio Paul, Mihkel Pajusalu, Pekka Janhunen (FMI), Iaroslav Iakubivskyi (SA))
- Triangulated celestial navigation (TCN) on-board computer design (Aditya Savio Paul, Mihkel Pajusalu, Andris Slavinskis, Jaan Viru)
- E-sail spin plane orientation and spin rate control design (Aditya Savio Paul, Mihkel Pajusalu, Perttu Yli-Opas (APT))
Admitted students will work as junior research fellow at the University. The workload is 1.0. Doctoral studies and the employment contract is expected to start on 1 May 2026.
Space Research and Technology specialisation belongs to the doctoral programme in Chemical and Physical Sciences.
Further information regarding the study place
There is 1 project open for applying. The project is funded by EU Horizon Europe Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions.
Research project open for admission:
- Enhancing health studies: effective use of continuous health indicators from electronic health records (supervisors Asad Munir, Sulev Reisberg)
Admitted student will work as junior research fellow at the University. The workload is 1.0. Doctoral studies and the employment contract is expected to start on 31 August 2026.
Computer Science specialisation belongs to the doctoral programme in Mathematics and Computer Science.
Further information regarding the study place
This specialisation belongs to the doctoral programme in Social Sciences.
There is 1 position available. You can apply with your own topic.
Admitted doctoral researcher will work as a junior research fellow at the university. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. Studies are expected to start in February 2026. The final workload and exact starting date will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations.
Applicants must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Social Sciences.
Online entrance interviews take place on 10 December. Applicants will be informed of their interview time by the respective faculty.
15–30 September 2025
This specialisation belongs to the doctoral programme in Chemical and Physical Sciences.
There is 1 position available. It is not possible to apply with your own topic during the application period.
Research project open for admission:
SCF technology, the first step towards an integrated holistic biorefinery of pine wood (supervisors Siim Salmar, Siobhan O. Matthews (SCF Processing Ltd, Iirimaa))
Admitted doctoral researcher will work as a junior research fellow at the university. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. Studies are expected to start in autumn 2025. The final workload and exact starting date will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations.
Applicants must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Chemical and Physical Sciences.
Online entrance interviews take place in the first half of October. Applicants will be informed of their interview date and time by the respective faculty.
This specialisation belongs to the doctoral programme in Educational Sciences.
There is 1 position available. It is not possible to apply with your own topic during the application period.
Research topic open for admission:
- Teachers' attitudes, motivation and competence in using CLIL materials and methodology in Estonian-language subject teaching classes in basic school (supervisors Mare Kitsnik, Krista Uibu) - this topic requires proficiency in Estonian language
Admitted doctoral researcher will work as a junior research fellow at the university. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. Studies are expected to start in autumn 2025. The final workload and exact starting date will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations.
Applicants must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Educational Sciences.
Online entrance interviews take place on 10 October. Applicants will be informed of their interview time by the respective faculty.
This specialisation belongs to the doctoral programme in Humanities.
There is 1 position available. It is not possible to apply with your own topic during the application period.
Research topic open for admission:
- Death literacy in Estonia: index-based statistical analysis (supervisor Piret Paal). This topic requires proficiency in Estonian language. When applying, a motivation letter must be submitted instead of a doctoral thesis project. Read more in Estonian.
Admitted doctoral researcher will work as a junior research fellow at the university. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. Studies are expected to start in autumn 2025. The final workload and exact starting date will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations.
Applicants must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Humanities.
Online entrance interviews take place in the first half of October. Applicants will be informed of their interview time by the respective faculty.
This specialisation belongs to the doctoral programme in Life and Earth Sciences..
There is 1 position available. It is not possible to apply with your own topic during the application period.
Research project open for admission:
Geochemical fingerprinting in predictive exploration (supervisor Kalle Kirsimäe)
Admitted doctoral researcher will work as a junior research fellow at the university. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. Studies are expected to start in autumn 2025. The final workload and exact starting date will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations.
Applicants must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Life and Earth Sciences.
Online entrance interviews take place in the first half of October. Applicants will be informed of their interview date and time by the respective faculty.
This specialisation belongs to the doctoral programme in Medicine and Sport.
There is 1 position available. It is not possible to apply with your own topic during the application period.
Research topic open for admission:
- The associations of osteokines and myokines with bone mineral density, body compostion and physical fitness in male adolescents with different physical activity forms (suprervisors Vallo Tillmann, Jaak Jürimäe)
This is not a junior research fellow's position. Read more about doctoral students without an employment contract. Studies are expected to start in autumn 2025. The exact starting date will be fixed after the student is admitted.
Applicants must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Medicine and Sport.
Online entrance interviews take place on 14 October. Applicants will be informed of their interview time by the respective faculty.
This specialisation belongs to the doctoral programme in Engineering and Technology..
There is 1 position available. It is not possible to apply with your own topic during the application period.
Research project open for admission:
Nucleic acid origami assemblies with molecular coatings for gene delivery and genomic engineering (supervisors Veikko Linko, Olavi Reinsalu, Sven Oras)
Admitted doctoral researcher will work as a junior research fellow at the university. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. Studies are expected to start in autumn 2025. The final workload and exact starting date will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations.
Applicants must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Engineering and Technology.
Online entrance interviews take place in the first half of October. Applicants will be informed of their interview date and time by the respective faculty.
This specialisation belongs to the doctoral programme in Medicine and Sport.
There is 1 position available. You can apply with your own topic.
Admitted doctoral researcher will work as a junior research fellow at the university. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. Studies are expected to start in autumn 2025. The final workload and exact starting date will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations.
Applicants must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Medicine and Sport.
Online entrance interviews take place on 8 October. Applicants will be informed of their interview time by the respective faculty.
This specialisation belongs to the doctoral programme in Social Sciences.
There are 3 positions available that are related to an ongoing research and development project. It is not possible to apply with your own topic during the application period.
Research topics open for admission:
- Artificial intelligence in mental health and well-being applications (supervisors Andero Uusberg, Jaan Aru)
- Data-driven approach linking cognitive abilities and personality to external life outcomes (supervisors Uku Vainik, René Mõttus)
- Transactions among personality traits, life events and well-being (supervisors René Mõttus, Uku Vainik, Karin Täht)
Please contact the supervisor before applying.
Admitted doctoral researchers will work as junior research fellows on an ongoing research and development project at the university. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. Studies are expected to start in autumn 2025. The final workload and exact starting date will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations.
Applicants must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Social Sciences.
Online entrance interviews take place on 7 October. Applicants will be informed of their interview time by the respective faculty.
This specialisation belongs to the doctoral programme in Engineering and Technology..
There is 1 position available. It is not possible to apply with your own topic during the application period.
Research project open for admission:
Sustainable electrode materials for high-performance sodium-ion batteries (supervisors Alar Jänes, Maarja Paalo, Enn Lust)
Admitted doctoral researcher will work as a junior research fellow at the university. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. Studies are expected to start in autumn 2025. The final workload and exact starting date will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations.
Applicants must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Engineering and Technology.
Online entrance interviews take place in the first half of October. Applicants will be informed of their interview date and time by the respective faculty.
1–15 May and 1–15 June 2025
You can apply to three specialisations at the Institute of History and Archaeology (one ranking list will be formed). There are 4 study places available. You can apply with your own topic.
Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 1 September 2025.
Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Humanities.
Online entrance interviews take place on 27 June 2025. Applicants will be informed of their interview time by the respective faculty.
You can apply to two specialisations at the Institute of Estonian and General Linguistics (one ranking list will be formed). There are 5 study places available. You can apply with your own topic.
Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 1 September 2025.
Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Humanities.
Online entrance interviews take place on 30 June 2025 in Zoom. Applicants will be informed of their interview time by the respective faculty.
At the Institute of Philosophy and Semiotics there is a separate competition for the specialisation in Philosophy. There are 2 study places available. You can apply with your own topic.
Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 1 September 2025.
Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Humanities.
Online entrance interviews take place on 20 June 2025 in Zoom. Applicants will be informed of their interview time by the respective faculty.
At the Institute of Philosophy and Semiotics there is a separate competition for the specialisation in Semiotics and Culture Studies. There are 4 study places available. You can apply with your own topic.
Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 1 September 2025.
Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Humanities.
Online entrance interviews take place on 20 June 2025 in Zoom. Applicants will be informed of their interview time by the respective faculty.
Admission to the Institute of Cultural Research has been announced as follows:
- general admission to five specialisations - 6 study places (one ranking list will be formed). You can apply with your own topic.
- admission to research topics in Ethnology: End of life philosophy: ethnographic field study in Estonia (supervisor Piret Paal) - 1 study place. This topic requires proficiency in Estonian language. When applying, a motivation letter must be submitted instead of a doctoral thesis project. Read more in Estonian.
- admission to research topics in Ethnology: Death literacy in Estonia: index-based statistical analysis (supervisor Piret Paal) - 1 study place. This topic requires proficiency in Estonian language. When applying, a motivation letter must be submitted instead of a doctoral thesis project. Read more in Estonian.
Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 1 September 2025.
Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Humanities.
Online entrance interviews take place on 30 June 2025 in Zoom. Applicants will be informed of their interview time by the respective faculty.
You can apply to eight specialisations at the Institute of Foreign Language and Cultures (one ranking list will be formed).There are 4 study places available. You can apply with your own topic.
Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 1 September 2025.
Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Humanities.
Online entrance interviews take place on 3 July 2025 in Zoom. Applicants will be informed of their interview time by the respective faculty.
You can apply to two specialisations at the School of Theology and Religious Studies (one ranking list will be formed). There are 3 study places available. You can apply with your own topic.
Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 1 September 2025.
Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Humanities.
Online entrance interviews take place on 18 June 2025. Applicants will be informed of their interview time by the respective faculty.
The Faculty of Arts and Humanities launches a call for applications for one junior research fellow position in Digital Humanities, funded by the European Comission project Digital Text Scholarship (DigiTS). Applicants must have a master's degree in Humanities or Social Sciences and some experience in analysing textual data with digital tools, as well as experience in programming languages, such as Python or R. The successful candidate will start working as a junior research fellow at the Institute of Estonian and General Linguistics, but their specialisation within the doctoral curriculum will depend on the broader context of their research. To apply for a junior researcher position, please contact the project leader Prof. Maciej Eder or Prof. Liina Lindström in advance.
Admitted student will work as a junior research fellow at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 1 September 2025.
Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Humanities.
Online entrance interviews take place on 1 July 2025. Applicants will be informed of their interview time by the respective faculty.
There is a set list of thesis topics, which applicants must choose from. It is not possible to apply with your own topic during the application period.
Admission has been announced as follows:
- admission to Educational Science - 4 study places
- admission to Science Education - 1 study places
Research topics open for admission in Educational Science:
- Oral Language Comprehension Difficulties in Estonian Children with Developmental Language Disorder: Dynamics and Impact on Learning (supervisors Marika Padrik, Piret Soodla) - this topic requires proficiency in Estonian language
- Powerful learning environments in vocational education and training: unlocking the potential of VET teachers and workplace mentors professional learning communities (supervisors Karmen Trasberg, Inge Plackle)
- The production of Education futures in the process of designing and integrating digital learning resources with Generative AI. (supervisor Emanuele Bardone) - this topic requires proficiency in Estonian language
- Enhancing Self-Assessment: A Comparative Study of AI-Powered and Teacher-Guided Feedback (supervisor Katrin Saks) - this topic requires proficiency in Estonian language
- Contextualised Management of Resources in Estonian (supervisor Margus Pedaste) - this topic requires proficiency in Estonian language
- The impact of school week structure on the well-being of general education teachers (supervisor Margus Pedaste) - this topic requires proficiency in Estonian language
- Word retrieval in Estonian-speaking people with aphasia (supervisor Marja-Liisa Mailend) - this topic requires proficiency in Estonian language
Research topic open for admission in Science Education:
- Promoting socio-scientific literacy through science education: a multi-national perspective from Estonia, Finland, Ireland and Portugal (supervisors Tapashi Binte Mahmud Chowdhury, Peeter Burk, Pedro Reis (University of Lisbon))
Read more about all topics
Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 1 September 2025.
Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Educational Sciences.
Online entrance interviews take place on 1 July 2025. Applicants will be informed of their interview time by the respective faculty.
You can apply to two specialisations in the School of Economics and Business Administration (one ranking list will be formed). There are 5 study places available.
You can choose the thesis topic from the list or apply with your own topic. If you choose to apply with your own topic, the topic should be related to the main research fields of the School of Economics and Business Administration.
All applicants (including those who choose the topic from the list) should contact a prospective supervisor before submitting the application. Please note that the prospective supervisor is not in a position to provide extensive comments or help develop project descriptions at the application stage, given the large number of applicants.
Research topics open for admission in Economics:
- Green energy transition: the role of energy efficiency and energy poverty in the development of sustainable technologies (supervisors Diana Eerma, Mariia Chebotareva)
- Relationship between social accounting and corporate financial performance in the banking sector (supervisors Diana Eerma, Mariia Chebotareva)
- Cultural dimension of flexibility vs monumentalism: sources, measurement, and impact (supervisor Anneli Kaasa)
- The impact of global challenges on culture (supervisor Anneli Kaasa)
- Effects of reduced working time, working hours and part-time work on productivity, innovation and firm-performance (supervisor Jaan Masso)
- Growing uncertainty and people’s economic and social resilience (supervisor Tiiu Paas)
- Adjustment of people with labour markets’ developments in the conditions of increased uncertainty (supervisor Tiiu Paas)
- Economic effects of population ageing (supervisor Eve Parts)
- Are we ready for degrowth society - and how to reach there? (supervisor Eve Parts)
- Business readiness of deep tech startups: dimensions, evaluation and policy implications (supervisor Kadri Ukrainski)
- Applied macroeconomics (supervisor Lenno Uusküla)
- Determinants of productivity gap between frontier firms and the rest (supervisor Priit Vahter)
- Gender quotas in corporate leadership (supervisors Maarja Vadi, Jaanika Meriküll)
- On the meaning and impacts of green transition on Estonian enterprices (supervisors Helen Poltimäe, Annela Anger-Kraavi)
- Your own topic. The topic should be related to the main research fields of the School of Economics and Business Administration. Additionally, some supervisors have provided general PhD thesis themes for applying.
Read more about the topics in Economics
Research topics open for admission in Business Administration:
- Succession planning and transfer of control in family businesses in the Baltic countries (supervisor Krista Jaakson) - this topic requires proficiency in Estonian language
- Technological innovation and innovative work behaviour relationship with collectivistic leadership in creation of organizational effectiveness: evidences in Estonian engineering industry (supervisor Kurmet Kivipõld)
- Dialogical turn of accounting and accountability. Linking non-financial and financial sustainability in (integrated) reporting (supervisor Ülle Pärl)
- The role and differences of pre-incubation models in higher education institutions (HEIs): a focus on pre-incubation programs in entrepreneurship education in Estonia (supervisor Mervi Raudsaar) - this topic requires proficiency in Estonian language
- Whistleblowing in an organization (supervisors Anne Reino, Krista Jaakson)
- Firms' internationalization and performance in the (non-) VUCA environment (supervisors Tiia Vissak, Oliver Lukason)
- Linking organizational values with financial performance – the case of Estonian fintech companies (supervisors Maaja Vadi, Mark Kantšukov)
- Juhtimisvaldkonnad ja nende käsitlemine Eestis (supervisors Maaja Vadi, Anne Reino) - this topic requires proficiency in Estonian language
- The change/dynamics of mandate of Estonian subsidiaries of MNCs in the process of restructuring of global value chains (supervisors Urmas Varblane, Maaja Vadi)
- Determinants of productivity gap between frontier firms and the rest (supervisor Priit Vahter)
- Gender quotas in corporate leadership (supervisors Maaja Vadi, Jaanika Meriküll)
- Consumer behavior and the factors influencing behavioral change (supervisor Iuliia Trabskaia)
- Your own topic. The topic should be related to the main research fields of the School of Economics and Business Administration. Additionally, some supervisors have provided general PhD thesis themes for applying.
Read more about the topics in Business Administration
Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 1 September 2025.
Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Social Sciences.
Online entrance interviews take place on 17 June, 18 June and 20 June 2025 in Zoom. Applicants will be informed of their interview time by the respective faculty.
Admission has been announced as follows:
- general admission, where you can apply with your own topic - 4 study places. Admitted students will work as junior research fellows.
- admission to the research topic "The obligation to assess creditworthiness as an instrument for consumer protection in the Nordic-Baltic region" (supervisors Piia Kalamees, Karin Sein) - 1 study place. This is not a junior research fellow study place. Read more about doctoral students without an employment contract.
Admitted students applying with their own topic will work as junior research fellows at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 1 September 2025.
Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Social Sciences.
Online entrance interviews take place on 26 June 2025. Applicants will be informed of their interview time by the respective faculty.
Admission to the Institute of Social Studies has been announced as follows:
- general admission to Media and Communication and Sociology - 6 study places (one ranking list will be formed)
- admission to a research topic in Sociology: Ideational continuities and ruptures of industrial modernity in G20 countries (supervisors Laur Kanger, Andres Karjus) - 1 study place. See further information about the topic and admission requirements.
- admission to a research topic in Sociology: Blocking mechanisms of industrial modernity (supervisors Laur Kanger, Phil Johnstone) - 1 study place. See further information about the topic and admission requirements.
- admission to a research topic in Sociology: Total defense and societal securitization (supervisor Kairi Kasearu) - 1 study place. This topic requires proficiency in Estonian language. Read more in Estonian.
- admission to a research topic in Media and Communication: Securitization in media and social media (supervisors Ragne Kõuts-Klemm, Andra Siibak) - 1 study place. This topic requires proficiency in Estonian language. Read more in Estonian.
General admission to specialisations in Media and Communication and Sociology
You can choose the thesis topic from the list or apply with your own topic. If you choose to apply with your own topic, the topic should be related to the main research fields of the institute. Several topics in the list are interdisciplinary. When applying, you need to decide which speciality you will choose (Media and Communication or Sociology). The decision should be based on your previous experience in the field and your research interests. You can also ask advice from your prospective supervisor.
All applicants (including those who choose the topic from the list) should contact a prospective supervisor before submitting the application. Please note that the prospective supervisor is not in a position to provide extensive comments or help develop project descriptions at the application stage.
Interdisciplinary topics in Sociology and Media and Communication (you can decide which specialisation to choose)
- The use of digital media and artificial intelligence among children and youth in Estonia and Europe: opportunities and risks (supervisors Veronika Kalmus, Andra Siibak, Signe Opermann)
- Social media use among children and youth: policies and mental well-being (supervisors Veronika Kalmus, Signe Opermann)
- Parents’ socialization values in the mediatising society (supervisors Veronika Kalmus, Tiia Tulviste)
- Inclusion gap in disaster risk reduction and strategies for filling the gap (supervisors Kati Orru, Oliver Nahkur)
- Anticipatory innovation in disaster risk reduction (supervisors Kati Orru, Mihkel Solvak, Sten Hansson)
- Communication-related factors of vulnerability and their mitigation in crisis management (supervisors Sten Hansson, Kati Orru)
- Approaches to handling social vulnerabilities to crises: the role of social care (supervisors Kati Orru, Marco Krüger (University of Tübingen))
- Your own topic. The topic should be related to the main research fields of the Institute of Social Studies.
Research topics open for admission in Media and Communication:
- Risk and disaster communication. National security & communication (incl. strategic narratives, disinformation). Government communication (supervisor Sten Hansson)
- Your own topic. The topic should be related to the main research fields of the Institute of Social Studies.
Research topics open for admission in Sociology:
- Meta-analysis of studies on a certain subject. The subject will be selected jointly by the supervisor and the candidate (supervisor Tarmo Strenze)
- Functioning of children’s close relationships in extraordinary times from the perspective of children (supervisors Oliver Nahkur, Dagmar Kutsar)
- Development of social innovation in mental health, focused on social and personal recovery, and development and implementation of experiential knowledge based on lived/living experience of mental health, both in the mental health sector and in communities (supervisor Dagmar Narusson)
- Analysing prefigurative practices and transformative social innovation processes and interactions in communities and social movements, enabling new action, knowledge, relationships and organisation (supervisor Dagmar Narusson)
- Transformative niche clusters for reshaping industrial modernity (supervisor Laur Kanger)
- Your own topic. The topic should be related to the main research fields of the Institute of Social Studies.
Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 1 September 2025.
Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Social Sciences.
Online entrance interviews take place on 8 July 2025. Applicants will be informed of their interview time by the respective faculty.
Admission has been announced as follows:
- general admission, where you can apply with your own topic or choose from the below listed topics - 3 study places
- admission to the research topic "Solidarity in the Late Romanov Empire" (supervisor Catherine Helen Gibson) - 1 study place
You can choose the thesis topic from the list or apply with your own topic. If you choose to apply with your own topic, the topic must be related to the main research fields of the Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies.
Please contact topic supervisor for an approval of your proposal ahead of the application deadline! Please note that the prospective supervisor is not in a position to provide extensive comments or help develop project descriptions at the application stage, given the large number of applicants.
Research topics open for admission:
- Biopolitics, biopower and political analysis (supervisor Andrey Makarychev)
- The crisis of democracy and the comeback of the nation-state? The intersection of domestic and international order (supervisor Eva Piirimäe)
- Democracy in multi-stakeholder governance (supervisor Kristina Muhhina)
- Digital democracy and digital governance: what strengthens good governance in democracies? (supervisor Dmytro Khutkyy)
- EU economic governance and political economy of East Central Europe (with a special focus on the Baltics) (supervisor Edgars Eihmanis)
- Opposing Europe: party-based illiberalism and Eurosceptic politics (supervisor Stefano Braghiroli)
- Behavioural insights in policymaking. How to nudge people towards greater (financial) well-being? (supervisor Leonore Riitsalu)
- Public sector institutional reforms in the EU’s Eastern neighborhood (supervisor Kristina Muhhina)
- Understanding peaceful and violent self-determination and secessionist strategies (supervisor Shpend Kursani)
- Topic of own choosing (matching the supervision competences available)
Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 1 September 2025.
Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Social Sciences.
Online entrance interviews take place on 27 June 2025. Applicants will be informed of their interview time by the respective faculty.
There are 3 study places available. You can apply with your own topic.
Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 1 September 2025.
Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Social Sciences.
Online entrance interviews take place on 20 June 2025. Applicants will be informed of their interview time by the respective faculty.
There are 2 study places available. There is a set list of thesis topics, which applicants must choose from. It is not possible to apply with your own topic during the application period.
Research topics open for admission:
- Occupational physical activity and work-related musculoskeletal disorders of the employees (supervisors Kadri Medijainen, Jarek Mäestu, Minna Majuri)
- The duration and intensity of endurance training and their interaction effects on the acute adaptation (supervisors Jarek Mäestu)
Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 1 September 2025.
Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Medicine and Sport.
Online entrance interviews take place on 26 June 2025. Applicants will be informed of their interview time by the respective faculty.
There are 19 study places available. You can apply with your own topic.
Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 1 September 2025.
Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Medicine and Sport.
Online entrance interviews take place on 19-20 June 2025. Applicants will be informed of their interview time by the respective faculty.
There are 3 study places available. There is a set list of thesis topics, which applicants must choose from. It is not possible to apply with your own topic during the application period.
Research topics open for admission:
- Investigation of the side effects of antipsychotic treatment with a focus on human studies (supervisors Mari-Anne Philips, Eero Vasar)
- Modeling psychosis-like behavior and investigating the side effects of antipsychotic treatment in a mouse model (supervisors Mari-Anne Philips, Este Leidmaa)
- Imaging and enhancing synaptic ATP production in neurodegenerative disease models (supervisor Allen Kaasik)
Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 1 September 2025.
Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Medicine and Sport.
Online entrance interviews take place on 20 June 2025. Applicants will be informed of their interview time by the respective faculty.
There are 2 study places available. You can apply with your own topic.
Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 1 September 2025.
Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Medicine and Sport.
Online entrance interviews take place on 19-20 June 2025. Applicants will be informed of their interview time by the respective faculty.
There are 13 projects open for applying.
Applicants must choose from a set list of thesis projects. It is not possible to apply with your own topic during the application period.
Research projects open for admission:
- Increasing role of non-indigenous fish species in littoral communities in the Eastern Baltic Sea (supervisor Imre Taal)
- Health, physiology and behaviour of hedgehogs and squirrels in urban environment: understanding mechanisms of decline to develop mitigation strategies (supervisors Tuul Sepp, Richard Meitern, Krista Fischer)
- Zoonotic pathogens of dogs and wolves (supervisors Urmas Saarma, Ants Tull)
- Meta-analytic insights into insects’ ability to adapt and evolve in response to climate warming (supervisor Tiit Teder)
- Seasonal belowground growth dynamic of fine roots and fungal hyphae in relation to forest ecosystem water fluxes along soils fertility and moisture gradients (supervisors Ivika Ostonen-Märtin, Priit Kupper, Marili Sell)
- Microbial niche characteristics: alignment with community dynamics and ecosystem processes (supervisors John Davison, Tanel Vahter, Martti Vasar)
- The biodiversity drivers of soil mesofauna (supervisors Inga Hiiesalu, Sten Anslan)
- Utilizing the desert microbiome for habitat restoration (supervisors Leho Tedersoo, Saad Alkahtani (King Saud Univerity))
- Effect of blue economy installations on coastal ecosystem functioning in the Baltic Sea (supervisor Jonne Kotta)
- An endangered population at the range edge – worth the fight? A case of the Baltic Dunlin (supervisors Triin Kaasiku, Riinu Rannap)
- The ability of insects to adapt to climate change: a phylogenetic analysis of empirical data (supervisors Toomas Esperk, Toomas Tammaru)
- Great Cormorant diet in the Baltic Sea area: research methodology and interrelations with fish communities and fisheries (supervisors Anu Albert, Lauri Saks, Markus Vetemaa)
- Benthic biodiversity in shallow coastal waters – scale-specific patterns along environmental gradients (supervisors Georg Martin, Kristjan Herkül)
Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 1 September 2025.
Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Life and Earth Sciences.
Online entrance interviews take place in June or early July. Applicants will be informed of their interview date and time by the respective faculty.
There are 10 projects open for applying.
Applicants must choose from a set list of thesis projects. It is not possible to apply with your own topic during the application period.
Research projects open for admission:
- Designing functional porphyrin layers from ionic liquids (supervisors Liis Siinor, Heigo Ers)
- High-resolution organic residue analysis from archaeological pottery (supervisors Ester Oras, Koit Herodes)
- Development of organic long-lifetime photoluminescence probes for protein kinases (supervisors Kaido Viht, Erki Enkvist)
- Adaption of the on-line analytics to the wood chemical valorisation process control (supervisors Koit Herodes, Ivari Kaljurand)
- Mesoporous non-precious metal catalysts for low- and high-temperature anion-exchange membrane fuel cell cathode (supervisors Kaido Tammeveski, Jaana Lilloja)
- Electrochemical Technology for Methanol Production from Captured CO2 (supervisor Nadežda Kongi)
- Development of novel LA-APCI-MS method for the analysis of various cultural heritage materials (supervisors Signe Vahur, Anu Teearu-Ojakäär, Ivo Leito)
- Nickel and iron composite-based oxygen evolution reaction catalyst preparation and characterisation (supervisors Heiki Erikson, Kaido Tammeveski)
- Development of novel non-precious metal catalysts for air electrodes of rechargeable Zn-air batteries with advanced design (supervisors Marek Mooste, Nadežda Kongi, Kaido Tammeveski)
- Enhancing hydrogen electrode stability via chemical surface modification in solid oxide electrolysis cells (supervisors Gunnar Nurk, Indrek Kivi)
Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 1 September 2025.
Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Chemical and Physical Sciences.
Online entrance interviews take place in June or early July. Applicants will be informed of their interview date and time by the respective faculty.
There are 2 projects open for applying.
Applicants must choose from a set list of thesis projects. It is not possible to apply with your own topic during the application period.
Research projects open for admission:
- Towards robust vision-based high-speed navigation (supervisor Arun Kumar Singh)
- Towards improving the real-world deployability of neural motion planners and controllers (supervisor Arun Kumar Singh)
Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 1 September 2025.
Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Engineering and Technology.
Online entrance interviews take place in June or early July. Applicants will be informed of their interview date and time by the respective faculty.
There are 21 projects open for applying.
Applicants must choose from a set list of thesis projects. It is not possible to apply with your own topic during the application period.
Research projects open for admission:
- Wearables for contact sport monitoring and enhanced health tracking (supervisor Huber Raul Flores Macario)
- Doctored media forensics (supervisors Abbas Cheddad, Kallol Roy, Victor Henrique Cabral Pinheiro)
- Examining misinformation on social media generated by LLM (supervisors Somnath Banerjee, Kallol Roy)
- The AI teaching assistant for computer science: leveraging LLM, RAG and educational prompt engineering (supervisor Marina Lepp)
- Boosting the development of energy-efficient, human-centric AI solutions (supervisor Hina Anwar)
- Postquantum-secure zero-knowedge proofs (supervisor Helger Lipmaa)
- Logics with semiring semantics (supervisor Miika Juhani Hannula)
- Explainable verification (supervisor Vesal Vojdani)
- A framework for designing empathic artificial intelligence systems compliant with human values (supervisor Kuldar Taveter)
- Code-based postquantum-secure zero-knowledge proofs (supervisors Janno Siim, Helger Lipmaa)
- Smart automation in urban environments: integrating IoT and machine learning for monitoring and mitigating road traffic emissions and enhancing carbon sequestration in urban environments (supervisors Amnir Hadachi, Salijona Dyrmishi (University of Luxembourg))
- Building efficient instance-aware transformer-based segmentation models for medical imaging (supervisor Dmytro Fishman)
- Framework for securing smart infrastructures leveraging blockchain and AI (supervisors Mubashar Iqbal, Raimundas Matulevičius)
- Mitigating reward hacking in RLHF via information-theoretic reward modelling (supervisor Victor Henrique Cabral Pinheiro)
- Artificial intelligence applications in life science image processing (supervisor Hedi Peterson)
- Accurate segmentation-guided object classification in medical images (supervisor Dmytro Fishman)
- Memory-efficient deep learning models for full-stack 3D medical image generation (supervisor Dmytro Fishman)
- Automated machine learning for streaming tasks: advancing real-time model adaptation and optimization (supervisor Radwa El Shawi)
- Managing uncertainty in hybrid AI systems (supervisor Meelis Kull)
- Defending split and federated learning deployments from poisoning attacks (supervisor Huber Raul Flores Macario)
- Detecting volatile biomarkers using mass spectrometry and sensor array data with machine learning (supervisors Anna Aljanaki, Kallol Roy, Raivo Jaaniso, Heikki Junninen)
Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University and the monthly salary is at least 2200 euros gross. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 1 September 2025.
Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Mathematics and Computer Science.
Online entrance interviews take place in June or early July. Applicants will be informed of their interview date and time by the respective faculty.
There are 3 projects open for applying.
Applicants must choose from a set list of thesis projects. It is not possible to apply with your own topic during the application period.
Research projects open for admission:
- Optimizing forested peatland management for carbon sequestration and water quality (supervisor Kuno Kasak)
- Factors affecting plants and their biological succession: development of rehabilitation measures for nature-based stormwater solutions in cold climate conditions (supervisors Margit Kõiv-Vainik, Danielle Dagenais (University of Montreal))
- The breeding potential of stomatal traits in barley and tomato (supervisors Ebe Merilo, Hanna Hõrak, Liina Jakobson)
Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 1 September 2025.
Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Engineering and Technology.
Online entrance interviews take place in June or early July. Applicants will be informed of their interview date and time by the respective faculty.
There are 7 projects open for applying.
Applicants must choose from a set list of thesis projects. It is not possible to apply with your own topic during the application period.
Research projects open for admission:
- Genetic basis of host susceptibility to respiratory viruses and chronic respiratory diseases (supervisors Erik Abner, Elin Org)
- The role of exposome in the development of hypertension and its interactions with genetic risk (supervisors Jaanika Kronberg, Oliver Aasmets)
- Ethnicity- and ancestry-specific disease risk prediction models (supervisors Mait Metspalu, Reedik Mägi, Luca Pagani, Vasili Pankratov)
- Understanding the genetic, metabolic, and lifestyle contributions to eye diseases and their associations with systemic disorders (supervisors Teele Palumaa, Priit Palta)
- Elucidating the fine-scale demographic history of the Eastern Baltic by incorporating haplotype-based analyses and modelling (supervisors Lehti Saag, Kristiina Tambets, Alena Kushniarevich)
- Genetics of individual hormone sensitivity (supervisors Triin Laisk, Reedik Mägi)
- Genomics of chronic inflammatory diseases (supervisors Ene Reimann, Reedik Mägi)
Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 1 September 2025.
Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Life and Earth Sciences.
Online entrance interviews take place in June or early July. Applicants will be informed of their interview date and time by the respective faculty.
There are 6 projects open for applying.
Applicants must choose from a set list of thesis projects. It is not possible to apply with your own topic during the application period.
Research projects open for admission:
- Estimating and visualising uncertainty in machine learning based spatial modelling (supervisors Raivo Aunap, Alexander Kmoch, Meelis Kull)
- Microbial patterns in forest phyllosphere and relations to greenhouse gases (supervisors Mikk Espenberg, Ülo Mander)
- Co-creating sustainable mobility: understanding and influencing individual mobility practices through interventions in social groups (supervisors Siiri Silm, Keiu Telve)
- Assessment methodologies for monitoring environmental quality change during the implementation of comprehensive spatial plans (supervisors Kadri Leetmaa, Pille Metspalu)
- Shifts in C storage with land use change (supervisors Evelin Pihlap, Ivika Ostonen-Märtin, Ain Kull)
- Carbon and nitrogen balance of wetlands restored with different methods of peatland restoration (supervisors Kaido Soosaar, Ülo Mander)
Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 1 September 2025.
Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Life and Earth Sciences.
Online entrance interviews take place in June or early July. Applicants will be informed of their interview date and time by the respective faculty.
There are 4 projects open for applying.
Applicants must choose from a set list of thesis projects. It is not possible to apply with your own topic during the application period.
Research projects open for admission:
- Geothermal potential of Estonian crystalline basement (supervisor Argo Jõeleht)
- The impact of climate change and land use alternation on the flow regime and sediment transport of Estonian rivers (supervisor Marko Kohv)
- Circular economy of mining- and industrial waste streams (supervisors Kaarel Lumiste, Peeter Paaver)
- Composition and valorization technologies of Ida-Virumaa mineral waste materials (supervisors Riho Mõtlep, Peeter Somelar)
Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 1 September 2025.
Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Life and Earth Sciences.
Online entrance interviews take place in June or early July. Applicants will be informed of their interview date and time by the respective faculty.
There are 4 projects open for applying.
Applicants must choose from a set list of thesis projects. It is not possible to apply with your own topic during the application period.
Research projects open for admission:
- Heterostructures based on gallium oxide (supervisors Lauri Aarik, Kaupo Kukli)
- Multiscale modelling for soft multi-stimulus responsive actuators with AI-developed force fields (supervisors Alvo Aabloo, Longfei Chang)
- Field-induced surface diffusion on metals: a machine learning-based atomistic models (supervisors Andreas Kyritsakis, Veronika Zadin, Ehsan Moradpur-Tari)
- Sustainable reversible polymer networks for high-performance composites (supervisor Tarmo Tamm)
Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 1 September 2025.
Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Engineering and Technology.
Online entrance interviews take place in June or early July. Applicants will be informed of their interview date and time by the respective faculty.
There are 4 projects open for applying.
Applicants must choose from a set list of thesis projects. It is not possible to apply with your own topic during the application period.
Research projects open for admission:
- Language of Estonian mathematics state examination tests: factors influencing students' comprehension and performance (supervisors Kerli Orav-Puurand, Kateryna Lipmaa, Helen Hint)
- Creative thinking in mathematics education (supervisors Tiina Kraav, Stanislav Nemeržitski (EKI), Maria Fahlgren (Karlstad University))
- Development and application of functional analysis methods for creating optimally parameterized predictive models for patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (supervisors Märt Möls, Maris Alver)
- Transition to higher education in basic mathematics courses and factors supporting adaptation (supervisor Ella Puman)
Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 1 September 2025.
Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Mathematics and Computer Science.
Online entrance interviews take place in June or early July. Applicants will be informed of their interview date and time by the respective faculty.
There are 4 projects open for applying.
Applicants must choose from a set list of thesis projects. It is not possible to apply with your own topic during the application period.
Research projects open for admission:
- Formation of Pseudomonas putida biofilm: investigating regulation of lapG expression (supervisor Riho Teras)
- Metagenomic approach for detecting biofilm and antimicrobial resistance in spoilage-specific microorganisms originated from dairy industry (supervisors Maido Remm, Epp Songisepp (BioCC OÜ))
- The network of phage defence systems of Pseudomonas putida (supervisors Hedvig Tamman, Andres Ainelo)
- Intercellular communication and dynamics of tissue morphogenesis in Drosophila (supervisors Osamu Shimmi, Tambet Tõnissoo)
Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 1 September 2025.
Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Life and Earth Sciences.
Online entrance interviews take place in June or early July. Applicants will be informed of their interview date and time by the respective faculty.
There are 7 projects open for applying.
Applicants must choose from a set list of thesis projects. It is not possible to apply with your own topic during the application period.
Research projects open for admission:
- Use of trans-amplifying RNAs for studies of alphavirus RNA replication and alphavirus-based biotechnology (supervisor Andres Merits)
- The role of small GTPases in the regulation of plant gas exchange (supervisors Hannes Kollist, Dmitry Yarmolinsky)
- Antibacterials against hard-to-treat infections (supervisors Tanel Tenson, Niilo Kaldau, Kristiina Vind)
- Extracellular vesicle mimetics for the delivery of gene editing compounds (supervisors Helena Sork, Taavi Lehto)
- Converting gasified waste into fuels and chemicals by gas fermentation (supervisors Kaspar Valgepea, Clara Carneiro)
- Lignin-derived covalent adaptable polymethacrylate networks (supervisors Lauri Vares, Livia Matt, Patric Jannasch (Lund University))
- Metabolic engineering of the gas-fermenting acetogen Clostridium autoethanogenum guided by cell-free testing of genetic designs (supervisors Kaspar Valgepea, Nilesh Sheshrao Kolhe)
Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 1 September 2025.
Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Engineering and Technology.
Online entrance interviews take place in June or early July. Applicants will be informed of their interview date and time by the respective faculty.
There are 6 projects open for applying.
Applicants must choose from a set list of thesis projects. It is not possible to apply with your own topic during the application period.
Research projects open for admission:
- Highly stable semiconductor gas detectors and an e-nose based on them (supervisors Raivo Jaaniso, Madis Einasto, Valter Kiisk)
- Development of ultrafast scintillators implementing the electronic band structure engineering concept to materials with complex valence bands (supervisors Marco Kirm, Vitali Nagirnõi)
- Winds and storms in the Baltic Sea region and Estonia: past and future (supervisors Piia Post, Hannes Keernik)
- Cosmology with reduced symmetry in teleparallel gravity (supervisors Margus Saal, Manuel Hohmann)
- Spacetime thermodynamics in general parallel relativity (supervisors Laur Järv, Tomi Sebastian Koivisto)
- Gravitational waves in the new gauge theories of spacetime (supervisors Tomi Sebastian Koivisto, Manuel Hohmann, Ville Vaskonen)
Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 1 September 2025.
Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Chemical and Physical Sciences.
Online entrance interviews take place in June or early July. Applicants will be informed of their interview date and time by the respective faculty.
The speciality belongs to the PhD programme in Educational Sciences at the Faculty of Social Sciences. International applicants can apply on 1–15 May in DreamApply. Estonian citizens and international applicants with a master's degree from Estonia can apply on 1-15 June in SAIS.
There is a set list of thesis topics, which applicants must choose from. It is not possible to apply with your own topic during the application period. There is 1 study place open for applying.
Research topic open for admission:
- Promoting socio-scientific literacy through science education: a multi-national perspective from Estonia, Finland, Ireland and Portugal (supervisors Tapashi Binte Mahmud Chowdhury, Peeter Burk, Pedro Reis (University of Lisbon))
Admitted student will work as junior research fellow at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 1 September 2025.
Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Educational Sciences.
Online entrance interviews take place on 1 July 2025. Applicants will be informed of their interview time by the respective faculty.
There are 8 projects open for applying.
Applicants must choose from a set list of thesis projects. It is not possible to apply with your own topic during the application period.
Research projects open for admission:
- Walls and voids in the spatial galaxy distribution: morphology, hierarchical topology and statistical characterization of the cosmic web (supervisors Elmo Tempel, Radu S. Stoica, Rien van de Weijgaert)
- Methods, traceability and validation of the in-water ocean color measurements (supervisors Krista Alikas, Riho Vendt, Viktor Vabson)
- Study of large scale shells around symbiotic binaries (supervisor Tiina Liimets)
- Earth observation tools for monitoring wetlands in the context of climate change and ecosystem restoration (supervisors Lea Hallik, Erko Jakobson, Margit Aun)
- The role of brightest group galaxies in the cosmic web network (supervisors Elmo Tempel, Pekka Heinämäki (University of Turku))
- Dynamics of superclusters and voids (supervisors Shishir Sankhyayan, Elmo Tempel)
- Superbubbles and supernova feedback in galaxies (supervisors Rain Kipper, Indrek Vurm)
- Spectral diversity metrics and machine learning for spatially predictive biodiversity modelling (supervisors Jan Pisek, Evelyn Uuemaa)
Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 1 September 2025.
Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Chemical and Physical Sciences.
Online entrance interviews take place in June or early July. Applicants will be informed of their interview date and time by the respective faculty.
Additional intake: 6 –15 March 2025
PhD project in Physics (funded by EU Horizon Europe Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions)
Research project:
- Involvement of inorganic and organic ions in atmospheric new particle formation (supervisor Heikki Junninen)
Admission is open for a 3-year full-time PhD student and Junior Research Fellow (Early Stage Researcher, ESR) position. Applications are invited from highly-motivated individuals wishing to carry out a PhD thesis on atmospheric research conducted at the CLOUD facility at CERN, with a particular focus on ion processes and their effects on aerosols and clouds.
Admitted student will work as junior research fellow at the University. The workload is 1.0. Doctoral studies and the employment contract is expected to start as soon as possible.
Further information regarding the study place
