Admission
Students from all over the world can apply for the Ph.D. programme in Psychology. If you are interested, here you can find the FAQ.
When can I apply for the PhD program in Psychology?
You can apply only when there is an open Call. The 2024 Calls are now closed. You can see them and the related documentation here. The 2025 Call will be published in the Spring of 2025.
I have questions related to the enrollment procedure. Who should I contact?
You need to contact the PhD office. See here for contact details.
What do I need to do to apply for the PhD program in Psychology?
You need to follow very carefully all the instructions that are provided in the Call and in the related documents. The selection of candidates proceeds through 2 steps: first, a research proposal and the titles are evaluated by the Admission Board. Then, a number of selected candidates are invited for an interview by the Admission Committee. The admission committee then publishes the ranking, and the selected Ph.D. candidates are requested to enroll in the program officially.
Unsolicited applications (e.g., sending an email with your CV to a professor or the PhD coordinator) are not admissible.
Where can I find information regarding the PhD program in Psychology?
The official main sources of information are the university webpages. They provide all the relevant information regarding PhD programs at the University of Bologna. Furthermore, in the current website you can find additional information regarding specific characteristics of the PhD program in Psychology.
Do I need to find a tutor before applying for the PhD program in Psychology?
No. If your application is successful and you are admitted to the program, a tutor and a co-tutor will be assigned to you by the PhD academic board before the start of the academic year. Nevertheless, Here you can see who are the professors working at the Department of Psychology and get to know about their expertise and research lines. This would be helpful in preparing your application to identify possible intersections between your research interests and the research lines pursued in the Department of Psychology.
If I am selected, am I going to conduct the research project that I have submitted in the application?
No, the research project you submit is only evaluated for selection purposes. If you are selected, a tutor and a co-tutor will be assigned to you by the PhD academic board before the start of the academic year. Under the supervision of your tutors, you will then develop your PhD research project during the first year of the PhD program. See here for the requirements for each year.
Which psychological areas are covered in the PhD program in Psychology?
All psychological fields are represented. Here you can see who are the professors working at the Department of Psychology and get to know about their expertise and research lines.
Is a paid scholarship provided to all PhD students in Psychology?
Generally yes. In the PhD program in Psychology, the general practice is not to open positions for which a scholarship is not provided. For 2024, in the “PhD Programme Table” there is a clear list of all available positions and the financial support for each.
On which topic should I prepare my proposal to apply for the PhD program in Psychology?
In the call, you can check the file called “PhD Programme Table”. In it, you will see which positions are open to any topic in Psychology pursued in the Department of Psychology and which are linked to a specific topic. In your application, you need to specify for which position you are applying.
If you choose to apply for a position linked to a specific research topic, you need to prepare a project related to the specified topic (you can find the list at pp. 1-2 of the file “PhD Programme Table” and the description of each topic in the last pages of the same file).
If you choose to apply for a position not linked to a specific research topic, then you write your project on a topic of your choice.
Can I follow the PhD program in a hybrid mode?
No, all the PhD activities are done in presence.
On which Campus PhD activities are carried out?
The Department of Psychology of the University of Bologna is located in two Campuses: Bologna and Cesena. Some teaching activities are held in the Campus of Bologna and others in the Campus of Cesena. So, to attend teaching lectures, PhD students will move between Bologna and Cesena. Research activities are held primarily in Bologna or Cesena, according to the Lab to which PhD students are assigned.
