PhD Program

Doctor of Philosophy – PhD

Doctor degree (PhD), is the highest academic degree awarded by the Technion. It is based on a substantial research and on reaching a professional level that enables independent high-level  research. PhD studies last between three to four years and usually require being full time at Technion. Students devote their time mainly to research, participate in advanced seminars and take courses according to a personal program. Students are required to submit a research proposal within eleven months and to pass a candidacy exam a month after that. During the candidacy exam they will need to demonstrate their ability to conduct independent and original research on the research topic they have chosen. In the final year of their studies, students are required to present their work in a departmental seminar, submit their research Thesis, and pass a final oral exam.

Minimum requirements for applying to a PhD program:

• Candidates with a master’s degree who studied at Technion or an accredited academic institution in Israel or abroad, and who have earned a GPA and thesis paper grade of 80 or above, may apply. Each unit has the right to determine requirements that are greater than the minimum requirements.
• The admission thresholds required for each academic unit can be seen on the websites of the academic units. General information about each unit can be found in “Degree Programs”. 
• PhD candidates are required o find an advisor before applying and submit two academic recommendation letters- one from the Master’s degree advisor. In some of the faculties there are additional requirements, and it is recommended to contact the Graduate studies Coordinator at the academic unit for those requirements. 
• Students who studied abroad may be required to take the general GRE examination. Technion’s exam code is: 0343.
  For more details see GRE for PhD: Policy and Requirements per Academic Unit listed below.
• Graduates of non-research master’s degrees who wish to apply for a PhD may review the information appearing under “Exploratory Research” to see if they are eligible.
• For additional information, please review the Graduate School Regulations.

The course of studies:

The duration of studies for PhD program is twelve semesters. 

Time devoted to research:

As a rule, doctoral students are required to devote their full time to research. However, in exceptional cases, approval may be considered to continue working alongside studies, provided that the candidate can dedicate at least three days per week to research (including weekends, if relevant to the nature of the research).

To obtain approval, a personal letter must be submitted describing how the work will be combined with the studies. The letter must be approved by the prospective advisor.