Admission Period and General Information

Admission Requirements

MA or MSc degree in social sciences, or related fields (as well as other university-level qualifications relevant to applicant’s research topics) and a successful admission interview.

DOCUMENTS TO SUBMIT

• Copy of the MA/MSc diploma. Students finishing their studies in the year of application may submit their diplomas at a later date.
• Transcript of records
• Curriculum Vitae (1–2 pages) in English with original (not copied) signature
• Motivation letter
• Research proposal signed by the applicant
  • The required structure of the research proposal to be submitted for the admission procedure
  • A brief overview of the items of literature the applicant finds most important for the proposed research
  • The topic of the proposed research (a detailed description including the aims of the research, the questions to be examined, the topic’s connection to the current state of knowledge in the field and to previous research results)
  • The research methods (theoretic and empirical approaches, systematic and historical aspects, dimensions and techniques of analysis, etc.)
  • The progress of the research to date, steps taken, publications (whether the applicant has started the research in question and if so, in what stage the research is now, has he/she published any of the research results)
  • Expected results (what are the new data or findings, theoretical and perhaps practical benefits the applicant expects from the research) Consultations, consultant/supervisor (whom the applicant has consulted and who the applicant wants to collaborate with in future, ideas concerning a prospective supervisor)
  • Research schedule (the planned stages of research with approximate deadlines)
• Certificate of English (oral and written): minimum B2 level or above (CEFR B2; IELTS: 6; TOEFL 72) or, if the applicant’s language of instruction during their previous training was English, a university degree or high school diploma will suffice. For the completion of the programme, an additional complex intermediate level state exam or equivalent in a foreign language (non-Hungarian) is required. Native languages (other than English) can be accepted as a second foreign language. Knowledge of the native language can be proved by a university degree or high school diploma.
• Reference work (length no more than 6000 words), which is a work by the applicant (e.g. workshop paper, shortened version of a thesis or published scientific paper).
• A letter of recommendation in English from a qualified professional is welcome, though it is not prerequisite for the application. (optional) 
• List of publications (optional)
• Statement by the supervisor, that they accept the role of supervisor/tutor until the end of the student's academic career doctoral studies (optional)
• Copy of awards in professional competitions (optional)

Please note that for applicants for the Stipendium Hungaricum Scholarship Programme, the Scholarship Programme for Christian Young People and the Hungarian Diaspora Scholarship Programme the requirements may differ.

For further information, please visit:

• https://apply.stipendiumhungaricum.hu/
• https://hungaryhelps.gov.hu/
• https://diasporascholarship.hu/

Tuition fee: For EU citizens 1200 EUR per semester. For citizens outside the EU the tuition fee is 1750 EUR per semester. Application fee: € 100 (non-refundable).

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

EU citizens who wish to apply for Hungarian state scholarship should apply through https://doktorifelveteli.elte.hu/

Applicants with Hungarian citizenship and/or dual citizenship, should apply through https://doktorifelveteli.elte.hu/

Non-EU citizens or EU citizens applying for self-funded positions should apply through https://apply.elte.hu/

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

ADMISSION INTERVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS

Applications are examined by the Admission Board by May 15, and applicants are notified of the outcome of the selection in the online application system until June 15. Admission letters are sent out in the online application system until June 30. Hungarian applicants and dual citizens are notified of their results by email until July 31.

Structure of the admission interview: Applicants are asked about their motivation to study sociology at a PhD level. Regarding their submitted research plan, the committee can ask additional questions from the applicants about the research question, the theoretical framework, and the methods to be applied, as well as about their basic knowledge and viewpoint of sociology as relevant for the research plan.

Type of admission interview: oral

Place of entrance examination: Online – Skype or Personally at ELTE TáTK Faculty of Social Sciences, Budapest 1117 Pázmány Péter sétány 1/A

Further details of selection and evaluation: The ranking is based on a total evaluation of the academic excellence (based on the submitted documents) and the results of the admission interview.

For further information, please write to the administration of the Doctoral School.

E-mail: doktori@tatk.elte.hu

Supervisors & Proposed Research Topics

About the Programme