Conditions for PhD students
On this page you can read about:
Funding for studies
Work environment
Accessibility and different types of support
Equal opportunities
Extension of funding for studies
PhD student councils
Read about:
Work environment for PhD students
Insurances
Funding for studies
At Uppsala University, we primarily strive for employment as a PhD student as study funding for research training.
Other types of funding: scholarships or other types of self-funding, should be funds obtained competitively.
A PhD student employed as a PhD student may engage in teaching up to 40 hours per term. In the event the teaching duties exceed this (but not more than 20%), the time the PhD student has dedicated to teaching should be compensated with equivalent time for research training.
Salary ladder for PhD students
Work environment
The Research Training Committee has, in consultation with the Medical and Pharmaceutical PhD student councils, developed a programme of measures for PhD students with psychosocial or physically related work problems. The programme of measures should be seen as a support function primarily for PhD students and supervisors, and the aim is for serious work-related problems to be avoided as far as possible.
The role of supervisor entails a responsibility, but many PhD students may find it difficult to contact their supervisor in relation to problems that do not directly concern their research project. Each PhD student has a network of people to whom they can turn to discuss different types of concerns or problems.
A list of contact people can be found below.
- The director for research studies or the director of studies for the PhD-level programme at the PhD student’s department.
- Director of studies for the PhD-level programme at the Faculty of Pharmacy (Professor Ulf Göransson), Director of studies for the PhD-level programme at the Faculty of Medicine, clinical specialisation (Professor Peter Stålberg), Director of studies for the PhD-level programme at the Faculty of Medicine, preclinical subjects (Per Jemth), Director of studies for PhD-level courses (Sebastian Barg).
- Head of department.
- Members of the Research Training Committee (KUF).
- Chairs of the Medical Postgraduate Students’ Council and Pharmaceutical Postgraduate Students’ Council.
- Student Health Centre (for PhD students who do not have PhD studentships).
- Uppsala University’s occupational health service, Previa (for PhD students with PhD studentships).
- PhD student ombudsman (currently the same as the student ombudsman, at the Uppsala Student Union).
- Occupational health service (for PhD student with an employer other than the University).
Normally, PhD students and/or supervisors should turn to people on the list whom they trust and who are familiar with the conditions of PhD education and conditions within the department so that the issue can be resolved quickly and constructively.
For issues related to the physical work environment, i.e. premises and technical solutions etc., the PhD student should first contact the supervisor, the head of department, the campus facilities manager or coordinator for students with disabilities at Uppsala University.
At the annual PhD programme follow-up, the PhD student and supervisor review the progress of the programme and the thesis, but should also address work environment issues.
Accessibility and different types of support
The University offers a wide variety of support and services to students with disabilities.
Equal opportunities
Equal opportunities for those working at Uppsala University
Extension of funding for studies
A person may be employed as a PhD student for a maximum total of eight years. However, the total period of employment may not be longer than what corresponds to full-time research training for four years. That may be longer if there are special reasons.
Such reasons may include leave due to illness, leave for service in the armed forces, leave for positions of trust in trade unions and student organisations, or parental leave.
PhD students who have worked with positions of trust in the university’s boards, committees and councils are compensated in the form of extended time for the thesis work. The intention is to compensate the PhD student for the time spent, so that the positions of trust are neutral in relation to the net study time.
Guidelines for extending the period of employment and study for PhD students in elected positions
Apply for extension
PhD students who have held positions of trust in one of the university’s boards, committees or councils must apply for compensation for the extension of the period of study. The funding application must be made within the period of the research training but no earlier than six months before the end of the regular PhD period.
The Disciplinary Domain Board makes decisions on positions of trust financed by the Disciplinary Domain Board.
PhD students at the Disciplinary Domain of Medicine and Pharmacy must send an application to the Faculty Office’s administrator for extension cases.
Send an application for extension to the Faculty Office’s administrator for extension cases
In the application, state name, personal ID number, department, assignment and time. Attach copies of signed meeting minutes to the application. The decision is notified to the PhD student and the department’s finance officer.
PhD student councils
- The Pharmaceutical Doctoral Student Council
- The MDR (medical PhD student council)
- Uppsala Student Union
- The Uppsala Student Union student and PhD student ombudsman ombud@us.uu.se