Competitive call for Department’s co-funded doctoral student positions

The Department of Computer Science opens a competitive funding call for doctoral students. The funding follows a co-funding model for 2 + 2 years (i.e. 24 months department funded + 24 months professor’s own funding).

The present call is targeted to doctoral students who have a committed supervisor at the Department of Computer Science (Aalto). Students participating in this call can be:

• new starting doctoral students
• recently started doctoral students who have maximum of one year experience of doctoral student level research work at the Department of Computer Science (Aalto). Please see the details below in “Eligibility”.

Instructions for applicants

How to apply

Applications are invited for the call between 10th to 28th of May 2021. The application form will close on 28th May 2021, at midnight Finnish time. 

Competitive call application electronic form

Note! Select one of the five HICT research tracks listed below that describes the most of your doctoral studies and research, and indicate it on the online form:

• Algorithms and Machine Learning (AML)
• Life Science Informatics (LSI)
• Networks, Networked Systems and Services (NNSS)
• Software and Service Engineering and Systems (SSES)
• User Centred and Creative Technologies (UCCT)

HICT research tracks are listed also here

Eligibility

The call is meant only for new starting students or current recently started doctoral students who have a committed supervisor at the Department of Computer Science in Aalto University. You can apply:

• If you are a new student. Your M.Sc. degree must be completed by 1st of September 2021 (you must have a degree certificate or other document showing that your degree is completed/will be completed by 31st of August 2021).

• If you are a doctoral student at the Department of Computer Science, with the doctoral study right granted 1st of May 2020 or later.

If you do not have a committed supervisor at the Department of Computer Science (Aalto), you cannot participate in this call. If you are a student in the Doctoral Track of the Department of Computer Science, you cannot apply in this call.

Evaluation process

The call includes an evaluation of applications. Students with a committed supervisor submit an application (incl. study plan, motivation letter, etc.). The student has to select one of the five HICT research tracks in his/her application. Applications are reviewed after 28th of May 2021, and final funding decisions will be made by the end of June by Head of Department.

Usage of the funding

Funding decisions are announced in June 2021. Most of the funded positions commence in late 2021. The department-funded share of the funding can be extended only due to special reasons such as parental leave or military service.

What is required in the application?

All applicants need to provide one single PDF file (submitted via the electronic application form), with the file name "lastname_firstname.pdf". The PDF file should consist of the following sections and attachments:

1. Doctoral study plan and schedule (1 page). Describe your doctoral thesis/research topic and study plan shortly.
2. Motivation letter reflecting your commitment and intentions towards pursuing a doctoral degree, with concrete indications if possible (max 1 page).

3. A curriculum vitae and list of publications (max 2 pages). The CV should indicate your complete study and employment history.

4. A copy of the M.Sc. degree certificate. If the degree is still pending, then a plan for its completion must be provided.
5. A study transcript that lists studies completed and grades achieved

Other mandatory documents:

• Supervisor’s recommendation & commitment letter. Remind your supervisor that he/she needs to send a recommendation letter for the evaluation. Supervisors send the letters to Aija Kukkala ([email protected]) by 2nd of June 2021, 4 pm.

Call schedule

10th of May 2021 – Call opens
28th of May 2021 at midnight Finnish time – Call closes
1st of June –18th June 2021 – Evaluation period
End of June 2021 – Selection announcements

The department will not invite applications for co-funded call in 2022.