Admission of New Doctoral Students

These documents confirm the legal and financial setup.

1. Establishment of Doctoral Position Form: Signed by the applying principal supervisor.
2. Green Light Application Form: Signed by applying principal supervisor and head of unit, research group leader or equivalent.

3. Financial Plan, send in A, B OR C

   A) If the planned doctoral student are to be employed at LIME – Fill out the form 'Financing plan' and 'Letter concerning financial support’ below. Both forms are to be signed by those at Karolinska Institutet responsible for financing the doctoral student (research group leader/similar person at LIME authorized to sign).

   Use these forms from the Starter Kit:

   Financial plan Internally funded 

   Letter concerning financial support 

   B) If the planned doctoral student will pursue a doctoral education within an employment outside KI or outside Region funded healthcare: Fill out form 'Financial plan externally funded NOT Region' below. To be signed by those at Karolinska Institutet together with other employer, who are responsible for financing the doctoral student (research group leader at LIME, head of organisation/head of clinic or equivalent). Signatures can be done using EduSign (for KI staff) or scanned originals. Note! Scanned signatures needs to be first, then you can use EduSign. 

   Use this form from the Starter Kit:

   Financial plan Externally funded

   Together with this financial plan you need to draw up an agreement between KI and the other party: "Samverkansavtal". For this matter - contact the Legal Office at KI by e-mail: avtal@ki.se, and they will provide you with a template for agreement of funding: "Samverkansavtal". This agreement needs to be in place and signed as instructed by Legal Office, before application of establishment.

   C) If the planned doctoral student will pursue a doctoral education within an employment at Region Stockholm or by other Region funded healthcare. Fill out form 'Financial plan Region funded' below. Signatures can be done using EduSign (for KI staff) or scanned originals. Note! Scanned signatures needs to be first, then you can use EduSign. 

   Use this form from the Starter Kit:

   Financial plan clinical

This "Portfolio" is what the Board of doctoral education reviews to assess the quality. LIME requests that you merge the following documents into one single PDF to facilitate the Board's review process.

1. Research Plan (LIME Specific template)
   1. Content: Background, Aim, Work plan, Gantt Chart (Timeline), Ethical considerations.
   2. Length: Max 5-7 pages (excl references).
   3. Why? To prove the project is feasible within 4 years and scientifically sound and relevant
   4. See template in "Starter kit".
2. Supervisor constellation and educational enviroment
   1. Content: Describe supervisors competence relevant to the proposed project. Describe who will do what? How often will you meet? Describe the physical workplace, research group meetings, seminar series, and international networks.
   2. Why? To ensure the student is not left alone and has access to necessary expertise. A PhD is not just a project; it is a learning journey. We need to see the "soil" the student will grow in.
   3. See instruction document in "Starter kit".
3. If applicable - the reason for exemption from adverting (for externally funded doctoral position). Write about half a Word page.  Exemptions can be granted for a planned doctoral student that have a position where the student have been selected in a competitive recruitment process.
4. Certificates of supervisor training plus certificate of web course not older than five years.
5. CVs for all supervisors (max two pages for each supervisor)
6. If applicable - CV for externally funded planned doctoral student (max two pages).

Submit the administrative forms (Part A) as three separate documents, and the scientific portfolio (Part B) with documents 1-6 combined into one single pdf. 

Send all documents to ingrid.smedberg@ki.se before deadline (see dates for upcoming board meetings and deadlines for submission at the top of the page).

• Requirement: Positions must be advertised for a minimum of 3 weeks.
• Process: Contact HR (see contact info at the top of the page) for your your advertisement draft and submit the approved Establishment and Green Light.
• System: Applications are handled in Varbi.
• Eligibility: The Central Administration (UFA) vets the candidates' 240 credits/English proficiency. You cannot interview until this is done.

• Criteria: If the student keeps their employment with an external employer (e.g., Region Stockholm or company) or brings their own scholarship.
• Process: Contact doctoral education administrative officer (see contact info on top of the page) to get the link for the eligibility application.
• System: Applications are handled in Varbi.
• Eligibility: The Central Administration (UFA) vets the candidate's 240 credits/English proficiency, usually within 1-2 weeks. Decision is sent to the doctoral student from administrative officer.

Send in required documents to administrative officer:

1. Application for admission Signed by doctoral student and all supervisors. Note that the date of decision is not necessarily the date when the studies start.
2. Eligibility statement.
3. Selection motivation: A written protocol on why this candidate was chosen OR the document for exemption for advertisment used in Step 1.
4. Certificate of supervisor training (principal supervisor).
5. CV of applicant.
6. Documents proving participation in collaboration programme with double degree, if any.
7. Revised financing plan (only if the situation has changed since the financial plan was approved at the time of establishment of the doctoral position).

• Principal supervisor opens a new ISP in the digital ISP system [LINK]
• Pick a date and time for ISP seminar (check availability of director of doctoral education)
• Send an invitation to all LIME-staff 

Format

• Venue: The seminar can be held online, a hybrid version or face-to-face.
• Time: Usually about 1 h
• Agenda:
  • Doctoral student presents their ISP (20 min)
  • Discussion (40 min)

If an application for Green Light is denied the decision has to be accompanied by a clear and articulate written motivation. The applicant has the right to apply again if the situation has changed.

Examples of reasons for a denied application:

• Has already a large number of doctoral students and has neither time nor space for more.
• Has been involved in one or more conflicts with previous doctoral students
• Has done inappropriate ethical assessments at a number of occasions.
• Has shown lack of accessibility or support in the learning process of earlier doctoral students.
• Reached the age where it is not allowed to supervise doctoral students (reached the age when the right to remain in employment ceases)

According to the Higher Education Ordinance a doctoral student who so requests shall be allowed to change supervisor. The department must try to comply with the wishes of the doctoral student, but situations can arise when this is impossible, for example when there is no suitable person available at KI or other factual circumstances. But the doctoral student has no unconditional right to choose supervisor at his/her own discretion. It is the head of department who appoints supervisors. Read more on our LIME web page for this matter: Supervision.