Program Overview

Program Overview

The Doctoral School of Informatics at Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE) offers a PhD program in Computer Science, providing students with a solid theoretical background and professional knowledge in computer science and information technology.

Program Details

• Title: Doctoral School of Informatics
• Degree: PhD in Computer Science
• Type: Degree program
• Level: Doctoral
• Accreditation number: FF/2274-3/2014
• Faculty: Faculty of Informatics
• Department:
  • Department of Programming Languages And Compilers
  • Department of Software Technology And Methodology
  • Department of Data Science and Engineering
  • Department of Computer Algebra
  • Department of Algorithms And Their Applications
  • Department of Media & Educational Informatics
  • Department of Information Systems
  • Department of Numerical Analysis
• Language: Hungarian, English
• Duration: 8 semesters (4 years)
• ECTS credits: 240
• Minimum number of students: 1
• Maximum number of students: 15

Program Description

The goal of this program is to provide regular courses to students and prepare them for obtaining a scientific degree, as well as offer them teaching experience in higher education. The objective is to train computer science and information technology experts with professional knowledge based on a solid theoretical background. The Doctoral School of Informatics provides PhD education in several doctoral programs, including:

• Doctoral Program of Software and Computer Science
• Doctoral Program of Data Science, Networks, Information Systems
• Doctoral Program of Scientific Computing and Models, Numerical and Symbolic Methods
• Doctoral Program of Informatics Teaching Methodology
• Doctoral Program of Geospatial Information and Spatial Data
• Doctoral Program of IT Solutions in Engineering Sciences

Strength of Program

The high standard of the training is guaranteed by the highly qualified academic staff. Teachers and supervisors come from the Faculty of Informatics and research institutes. Teaching is supported by modern infrastructure and well-equipped computer labs. The library of the Faculty contains several thousand volumes, with access to a wide range of electronic publications and databases. The Faculty has concluded bilateral agreements with numerous universities worldwide, allowing PhD students to study or participate in research projects at partner institutions.

Career Opportunities

Students obtaining the PhD degree can apply for positions in academia or higher education. They can also find excellent jobs in the software industry, with many international companies operating research labs in the region and recruiting CS and ICT experts with PhDs. Small or medium-sized innovative companies employ outstanding professionals as project leaders. A PhD degree is a vantage point in the labor market, and high-quality doctoral research can also culminate in a successful product and a private start-up company.

Job Examples

• Teaching and/or research positions in academia
• CEO of a start-up company
• ICT expert at a company

Tuition Fees

• EU/EEA students: 4,500 EUR per semester
• Non-EU/EEA students: 4,500 EUR per semester
• Application fee: 30 EUR (non-refundable)

Admission Requirements

• Entry requirements: MSc degree and entrance examination
• Language requirements: Minimum level of language proficiency (oral and written): B2
• Documents to submit with application:
  • Online application form
  • Bachelor-level degree
  • Master-level degree
  • Transcript of records
  • Proof of application fee transfer
  • CV
  • Research plan
  • Letter of recommendation
  • Copy of the main pages of the passport (needs to be valid)
  • Passport photo
  • Medical certificate
  • Certificate of clean criminal records
  • Language certificate
  • A statement about the place of the doctoral research work in case the applicant will do the research work at an external institute outside of the university

Application Procedure

The application starts in the online application system. Students need to register in the system, fill in the online application form, upload the required documents, and follow the instructions during the application process.

Entrance Examination

• Type of entrance examination: Oral
• Place of entrance examination: ELTE Faculty of Informatics, 1117 Budapest, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/C
• Evaluation: The ranking is based on a total evaluation of academic excellence (based on submitted documents) and the results of the entrance exam/Skype interview. An entrance committee evaluates applicants during an interview according to general professional intelligence, thorough grounding and skills in the chosen branch of science, diploma with university degree and performance during studies, activity in undergraduate research and other scientific activities, feasibility of the research plan, and language skills.