What it means to be a doctoral student in Sweden

A student is by Swedish law an individual who is enrolled at one of the Swedish Higher Education Institutions (HEI) in either a course or educational programme at the first, second, or third cycle level. In Sweden there are two kinds of Higher Education Institutions (lärosäten), universities (universitet) and university-colleges (högskolor). All universities and most university-colleges have doctoral studies. Everything in this guide covers all Higher Education Institutions; therefore we refer to all such institutions as universities, for simplicity. Here you can read more about the different types of Higher Education Institutions.

Doctoral students are those enrolled in third-cycle education,  also called  research education. 

There are two research degrees that can be awarded in Sweden after four years of full time study, or the equivalent of 240 credits: the PhD (or doctorate) and the doctorate in the fine, applied and performing arts. In addition, there are two degrees that can be awarded after two years of full time study, or the equivalent of 120 credits: the licentiate and the licentiate in the fine, applied and performing arts.

On this website, we use doctoral students  to refer to all students enrolled in research education, including those who are pursuing a licentiate rather than a doctorate. We use doctoral and licentiate to include the artistic education as well, since the distinctions between the artistic degrees and the other degrees are not relevant for your conditions. The overview of legislation tells you more about the laws that define these degrees. 

Doctoral programmes consist of four years of full-time study, which corresponds to 240 credits. At least 120 credits have to be obtained through research – the rest can be courses or other curricular activities, with the number of credits that need to be obtained, or can be obtained, from such activities varying from programme to programme. 

The Licentiate consists of two years of full-time study, years of full-time study, which corresponds to 120 credits. At least 60 credits have to be obtained through research – the rest can be courses or other curricular activities, with the number of credits that need to be obtained, or can be obtained, from such activities varying from programme to programme The Licentiate can be awarded to doctoral students who apply for it on their way towards a PhD or doctoral students enrolled for the Licentiate only. Doctoral students originally admitted to a programme leading to a licentiate may only in some cases apply to continue their studies toward a doctorate. Doctoral students who originally planned to complete a doctorate may be permitted to conclude their studies with a licentiate.

Each doctoral or licentiate programme has a General Study Plan or General Syllabus  (allmän studieplan in Swedish). The Higher Education Ordinance states that the General Study Plan should describe the main content of the education, any special requirements that potential doctoral students must fulfill before being admitted and other necessary regulations. The Association of Swedish Higher Education Institutions (Sveriges universitets- och högskoleförbund, or SUHF) recommends that it also includes what is normally required to obtain the degree, and that the ratio between coursework and thesis work is specified.    

Research education is an individual education. In addition to the General Study Plan, for each doctoral student there needs to exist an Individual Study Plan (ISP), decided by the University after discussion with the doctoral student and the supervisors. The ISP is revised regularly and lays out how the education is to progress, establishing the obligations of both the university and the doctoral student.