Admitted doctoral student
The information on this page is intended for those who are admitted to doctoral studies at HIG. The university strives for equal education for all doctoral students regardless of organizational affiliation.
There may be local traditions in your school, department or research subject. To find out what applies to you, talk to your main supervisor, director of studies or the chair of your subject.
General information
Here you can see your time as a doctoral student, from admission to defense, in docx, 31.3 kB. an overall process description. docx, 31.3 kB.
The process is based on you being a full-time student. If you are also teaching or acting as a student/doctoral representative during your studies, you will have the corresponding time extended.
You will be admitted to a General Study Plan (GSP), which will set out what you need to achieve in order to finally apply for a degree.
In addition, you must have an Individual Study Plan (ISP), in which you and your supervisor plan the duration of your studies, in the form of courses and seminars, and research projects. The ISP is adopted by the Academic Board. You follow up the ISP annually together with your supervisors and then the revised ISP must be approved by the Academic Board. The digital ISP can be found in Ladok for students.
As a doctoral student, you will have at least two supervisors to guide you through your education and research. One of these has the role of principal supervisor and the other(s) of assistant supervisor. A practice and a benchmark at the University is that the supervision includes 2h/week, in total from all supervisors.
You will present your ongoing studies and research projects at three quality assurance seminars (start, mid-term and final seminars). The last two are also review sessions where a designated reviewer will examine your work and provide feedback. The way these seminars are carried out may differ slightly depending on the final goal, licentiate or doctoral degree.
During your time as a doctoral student at the University, you will meet people who have different roles (assignments) and in different ways be in contact with different bodies, such as committees and councils. A description of the different roles and bodies is provided in Guidelines for doctoral studies at the University of Gävle pdf, 1.1 MB.
General study plan (ASP)
The rules and prerequisites for the third-cycle subject are set out in the general study plan for the subject. In this way, the general syllabus constitutes a set of rules for the doctoral subject. It is therefore an important guiding document for you during your time as a doctoral student.
The general syllabus is specific to each individual doctoral subject and may differ in terms of requirements for obtaining a degree.
At the University, it is the subject representative who is responsible for preparing the general syllabus, while it is the Academic Board that reviews and approves it.
More information about our third-cycle subject areas and general study plans
Individual study plan (ISP)
What is an individual study plan
The Individual Study Plan (ISP) is one of the most important documents you will have during your time as a doctoral student. The individual study plan is a mutual agreement where your, and the University's, commitments are written down and followed up.
The individual study plan contains what you will do during your time as a doctoral student and what the University will do to create the conditions for you to be able to achieve the degree objectives for a doctoral degree or licentiate degree. The individual study plan contains your planned activities and your completed activities, such as courses, conferences, thesis work (for example, when you are to read up on the subject, collect data or write a manuscript), any academic service and the like.
Do I need to have an individual study plan?
Yes, you do. The university is obliged to ensure that you have an individual study plan and that the plan is written in consultation with you. You and your main supervisor must write your individual study plan together within three months of starting your course. Your individual study plan must then be followed up annually.
Where can I find my individual study plan?
As of September 1, 2025, the University will switch to digital management of the individual study plan. This means that already enrolled doctoral students will gradually switch from a manual file to digital management in Ladok. Contact education administrators at UBS or your main supervisor if you are unsure.
In Ladok, you and your main supervisor write down the activities you will do, how your supervision will be given, your form of funding and the like. The university's process for developing and deciding on ISPs:
- ISP proposals are prepared by the principal supervisor in consultation with the doctoral student
- Proposals for ISP are reviewed by subject representatives for the subject in question
- ISP is approved by the Academic Board after presentation by the principal supervisor
This process is part of the University's quality assurance work for doctoral education.
What should be included in the individual study plan?
Your individual study plan should set out the activities you will undertake to achieve the national degree objectives. It should also state which activities you will do in relation to the general study plan, which includes
- the content, structure and timing of the research project is stated
- it is clear how the program is financed (financing plan),
- who the supervisors are and the scope of the training
- the planned level of activity is stated
- any permits granted, such as ethical approval
- documentation of the supervisory meetings held
For support and further guidance in the work, you can either get support in Guidelines for doctoral studies at the University of Gävle pdf, 1.1 MB. or in Ladok's own material:
Tutorials
At the University of Gävle, the practice is that you receive supervision of 2 hours/week, in total from all supervisors. For doctoral students with a lower activity level, the supervision time is reduced accordingly.
Supervisor's responsibilities and obligations towards doctoral students
The main supervisor has an overall responsibility:
- working with you to write and annually monitor your individual study plan
- working to ensure that you achieve your degree objectives
- ensuring that your doctoral studies are realistic in terms of time and conditions and that they are of good quality.
- ensure that you complete the quality assurance seminars that are included in the general study plan for the third-cycle subject to which you are admitted
- ensure that the thesis is checked for plagiarism
- recruit examiners for the mid-term and final seminars
- be the contact person for the opponent, examiner/grading committee and chairman at the licentiate seminar and the public defense
Division of work between supervisors
The division of work between the main supervisor, supervisors and any external supervisors must be decided between them. The division of labor should be written into your individual study plan.
During the program, you will have different types of supervisory meetings with the supervisors, these are; start-up meeting, annual follow-up meeting, career meeting and other things that the main supervisor finds appropriate in relation to the progression of the current thesis work. These are stated in the digital ISP and it is there that the principal supervisor briefly notes what was said and what was agreed at each meeting.
Start-up meeting: An initial meeting where the doctoral student and supervisor discuss the structure of the program, expectations and available resources.
Annual follow-up meeting: These meetings aim to annually follow up the doctoral student's progress and discuss any adjustments to the individual study plan.
Career discussion: Discussions focusing on the doctoral student's future career opportunities, both within and outside the academy.
The supervisory interview should be seen as an important part of the doctoral education and can contribute to
- creating, maintaining and developing a long-term good and developing relationship between supervisor and doctoral student
- clarifying expectations and roles before and during the doctoral program
- realistic time planning of the doctoral program
Courses
As part of the degree, doctoral students must take courses that correspond to the courses listed in the general syllabus.
The principal supervisor assesses the relevance of courses to an individual doctoral student's education. Within the framework of the doctoral program, doctoral students can also include other credit-bearing elements. The credit-bearing elements must be documented in the individual study plan.
Seminars
During the program, doctoral students must present their ongoing research studies internally but also at public seminars to give the research community and the public insight into the research at the University.
At the University, this is normally done (with the doctoral degree as the goal) at three quality assurance seminars: start, mid-term and final seminars. The purpose of the seminars is to give you the opportunity to discuss your ongoing work and to have it reviewed by internal and external senior researchers. Furthermore, the aim is to ensure the quality of the work and that research ethics rules are followed.
The seminars do not contain any examined elements, but at the mid-term and final seminars, the appointed special reviewer gives an opinion after the seminar.
The compulsory seminars for your subject are listed in the general study plan.
More information about the different seminars, how to know when they should take place and who decides on them can be found in Guidelines for doctoral studies at the University of Gävle pdf, 1.1 MB.
Support for your research
As a doctoral student at the University of Gävle, you have the opportunity to receive support from various parts of the operational support. You can find more information about the operational support on our intranet. For example, you can get support from:
The university library offers various types of seminars and courses designed to support knowledge and skills in, for example, information searching, database management, selecting journals, creating a data management plan, etc.
It is also the university library that supports doctoral students in preparing their thesis for printing and publication.
The Higher Education Pedagogical Center (HPC) is the hub of the university-wide pedagogical development work and pedagogical development consultants work here. HPC is responsible for the courses offered in higher education pedagogy and offers a variety of workshops and inspirational lectures.
Division of Finance, Planning and Procurement
The Department of Finance, Planning and Procurement works across the university with, among other things, external funding and can provide support in applications for external funds.
Division of Educational Support
The Division of Educational Support offers different types of support during your training. These include:
- Ladok and course administration
- Student and doctoral student representatives
- Study techniques, study planning and motivation
- Student health services
The Management Office works across the university with advice on collaboration, utilization, advice on research, agreements and has a coordinating function for support for doctoral education.
Other information
Here we have gathered information that may be useful for you as a doctoral student to know
Student influence is regulated in the Higher Education Act (1992:1434) and the Higher Education Ordinance (1993:100), which state, among other things, that students have the right to exert influence over their education and that the university must work to ensure that they take an active part in the further development of their education. Students are also expected to take an active part in developing and improving their education. As a doctoral student, you are included in the term student.
In addition to participating in various course and program evaluations and thereby influencing your education and your work environment. In addition, as a doctoral student, you can be a student representative for doctoral education in, for example, the University's board, committees and councils. In addition, you can participate in assessment groups/working groups where student representation is requested by special decision, for example in peer review of doctoral education.
It is the Student Union that formally appoints all student representatives. More information about student influence and how to sign up to be a student representative.
The University conducts a doctoral student survey every two years with the aim of getting an overall picture of how you as doctoral students experience your doctoral education. This is done as part of ensuring the quality of the education and to identify areas for development.
The survey is handled by the Academy of Health and Working Life but is sent out to all doctoral students.
Traditionally, doctoral colleges are organized, partly to strengthen and develop the scientific environment, and partly to create a good study and psychosocial work environment. The issues to be addressed are decided by the board. The Doctoral Student Council is not regulated but is a forum that the University encourages doctoral students to organize. The Doctoral College can be likened to a student or staff association.
In accordance with the Higher Education Ordinance, doctoral students who are employed as doctoral students may devote a maximum of 20 percent of their study time to other academic activities such as teaching.
Departmental service is planned through joint discussion between the doctoral student and the head of department. The time you spend on teaching must be documented in your individual study plan and means that your study time and period of employment can be extended by the corresponding time.Even if you are externally funded, you may have the opportunity to devote your study time to other academic activities. These activities may, for you as an externally funded student, amount to more than 20 percent, as the Higher Education Ordinance regulates doctoral employment. However, such activities may not amount to more than 50% as you are still expected to complete your doctorate within a maximum of eight years.
Sometimes situations may arise when it is appropriate for you as a doctoral student to change supervisor, which you are entitled to in accordance with the Higher Education Ordinance. Examples of such situations may be that:
- the supervisor becomes seriously ill
- a too close personal relationship arises between the supervisor and you as a doctoral student or between supervisors in the supervisory group
- the supervisor leaves their employment
- an unresolvable conflict arises between you as a doctoral student and your supervisor
The university has zero tolerance for discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment and victimization, but despite this, a situation may arise where you as a doctoral student feel exposed. More information and how to report harassment can be found here: Report an Injury or Incident
The right to change supervisors is subordinate to the actual limitations of an educational institution. If it turns out that it is not possible to change supervisors or if the decision takes a long time, one way to handle the situation is to change tasks within the supervisory constellation or support by the director of studies attending supervisor meetings.
How to change your supervisor
If a situation arises where you wish to change supervisor, you as a doctoral student contact your director of studies, who then prepares the matter. During the preparation, the director of studies coordinates with existing supervisors, subject representatives and assists the head of department in preparing proposals for a new supervisor. If it is possible to change supervisors, the supervisor reports the matter to the Academic Board for decision.
In the event of a change of supervisor, the individual study plan also needs to be updated and then approved by the Academic Board.
In some cases, it is possible to have previous courses and knowledge credited. The doctoral student must apply for credit transfer themselves. A credit transfer is a decision regulated in the Higher Education Ordinance. It means that one of the credit requirements in the general study plan is replaced by something done before admission to the doctoral program or by courses taken outside HiG.
The duration of your studies may not exceed eight years (doctorate) or four years (licentiate). However, as a doctoral student, you can have this period extended.
The time may only be extended if there are special reasons for it according to Chapter 6, Section 29 of the HF. Such reasons may be
- leave of absence due to illness
- leave for service in the national defense or
- for positions of trust in trade unions and student organizations or
- parental leave.
Study leave & interruption of studies
If the duration of your studies needs to be extended, you as a doctoral student must apply for a study leave and study interruption yourself.
If a doctoral student substantially neglects his or her obligations under the individual study plan, the Vice-Chancellor may decide that the doctoral student shall no longer be entitled to supervision and other resources for the education (Chapter 6, Section 30 of the Higher Education Act).
The resources may not be withdrawn during the period when the doctoral student is employed as a doctoral student. If the resources for the education have been withdrawn, the doctoral student may, upon application to the Vice-Chancellor, regain their right to supervision and other resources (Chapter 6, Section 30 HF).
Here you can find more information about the University's policy documents and procedures
A decision to withdraw resources can be appealed to the Higher Education Appeals Board. External link.
During the course of your studies, about six months after admission and at the halfway point, you will have individual follow-up meetings with your director of studies. The purpose of these meetings is to ensure that you have had a good start to your doctoral studies, and also to pick up on questions and wishes that may be difficult to express in writing in the individual study plan.
Suspicion of dishonesty and cheating
The rules on cheating and disciplinary measures are the same for students regardless of their level of education. This means that the rules also apply to you as a doctoral student. You can find more about cheating and disciplinary matters here.
All research must be conducted in accordance with good research practice. If suspected misconduct is discovered, it can be reported internally to the University's Committee for Good Research Practice (KOF) and to the national Board for Review of Misconduct in Research (Npof). For more information, see:
Reporting study activity and student finance
Every semester, Statistics Sweden (SCB), on behalf of the Swedish Higher Education Authority (UKÄ), collects data on all doctoral students and doctoral degrees from all universities and university colleges. This is to update the Higher Education Register, which provides the basis for the official statistics. The statistics make it possible to follow changes over time in new entrants, active students, funding, credit transfer and degrees.
Participation is compulsory and the University is required by law to submit data to the survey. All doctoral students, including inactive ones, must report data on study activity and funding.
The reporting is done twice a year. UBS administrators will send out a notification to all doctoral students when it is time to report.
You can contact any of the following if you have questions that you feel you cannot discuss with your supervisor(s)
- your head of department who is responsible for the working environment in your department
- the director of studies for doctoral studies
- subject representatives
- the university's student and doctoral student representative
- Head of School
The university has zero tolerance for discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment and victimization, as well as threats and violence.
If you have seen or experienced something that does not feel quite right, you can make a report in the University's system.
Contact:
Liv Nilsson
Student and doctoral student representative
Kontaktpersoner
Guidelines for doctoral studies at the University of Gävle
We have gathered everything that is important for you as a doctoral student in our Guidelines for doctoral studies at the University of Gävle pdf, 1.1 MB.
Tecskill
The EU project Tecskill aims to train five PhD students from four different universities in the fields of "green and digitalization".
Sidan uppdaterades 2025-12-12