Applications for the PhD Fast Track are open until September 2025. This pioneering initiative in Portugal is tailored for a full-time 5-year period (10 semesters) of MSc + PhD, shortening the overall duration of the traditional MSc + PhD combination by a year.
The Técnico PhD Fast Track is open to top-performing students from any institution, national or international, who finish the 3rd year of their undergraduate programme during the current academic year or are enrolled in the 1st year of a master’s programme at Técnico. Top performing students are those who have obtained an “A-Level” classification (on the ECTS grading system, this corresponds to the grades obtained by the best 10% of the course) or a final classification of 17/20 in their undergraduate programme.
The PhD Fast Track application requires the submission of a short CV, a copy of the undergraduate’s grade list with the final score, and two recommendation letters, preferably from former professors of that cycle of studies. Submission of a reference letter from the Técnico professor/researcher that supports the application as prospective scientific supervisor of the MSc and PhD work is strongly encouraged. For students already enrolled in the School’s Master’s programmes, it is also necessary to have one (or more) scientific supervisors at the time of application and to have the possibility of taking Curricular Units (CUs) from the PhD programme during the Master’s programme (2nd year).
Once enrolled in the PhD Fast Track, students can attend a Técnico master’s programme and a doctoral programme at the same time, taking selected subjects from the doctoral curriculum during the master’s programme and developing a master’s thesis oriented towards the doctoral research topic. After concluding the master’s programme, these students are immediately enrolled in the PhD programme.
The Técnico Doctoral School was presented at the most recent edition of the PhD Open Days. The new Técnico Doctoral School will enhance the training of Técnico’s doctoral graduates by increasing company internships and providing interdisciplinary training in fields such as artificial intelligence, entrepreneurship and science communication.
