| Code | DZ_W_W |
|---|---|
| Organizational unit | The Doctoral School of SGGW in Warsaw |
| Area/discipline | Dziedzina - nauki weterynaryjne |
| Form of studies | The education of doctoral students |
| Level of education | - |
| Language(s) of instruction | English, Polish |
| Admission limit | 8 |
| Duration | 4 years |
| Required document | |
| Ask a question | |
- Phase 1 (29.06.2026 00:00 – 06.07.2026 23:59)
Within the discipline of veterinary medicine at the Warsaw University of Life Sciences, research is conducted that contributes significantly to the advancement of science, both on the national and international level. The best academic staff, modern infrastructure and research equipment enable the continuous and fast development of the discipline.
Basic research concerns mammalian and avian morphology with elements of clinical anatomy, cytogenetics, embryology, and ultrastructure of organogenesis, biological basis of animal growth and development and maintenance of animal health, stem cell biology, immuno-oncology, and applications of nanotechnology in biomedical research. In the area of pre-clinical sciences, research focuses on pathomechanisms of infectious and invasive diseases, including infectious agent-host relationships, mechanisms of pathogenicity and antibiotic resistance of selected bacteria, mechanisms of virus-cell interactions. Another area of the research is the use of alternative methods to assess the effects of xenobiotics and feedstuffs on animal health.
In the units dealing with public health, research is carried out on microbiological hazards in food of animal origin, including alternative methods of food preservation, predictive microbiology and the genomic basis of milk production regulation, the incidence of tuberculosis and parasitic diseases in free-living and farm animals, taking into account interspecies transmission and zoonotic potential.
In the field of pathology and diagnostics of selected infectious and non-infectious animal diseases, the research primarily concerns detection, molecular biology and control of swine viruses, diagnostics and monitoring of canine and feline heart diseases, diagnostics of metabolic disorders in cattle, pathophysiology and pathomorphology of neoplastic diseases and diagnostics of functional disorders during effort in animals, prevalence and course of diseases of wild and farm pollinators, as well as diagnostics, pathology and prevention of selected diseases of birds, exotic animals and fish.
Research in the area of clinical sciences includes diagnostics and improvement of conservative and surgical methods of disease treatment in small animals, including epidemiology and diagnostics of infectious myocarditis and endocarditis, improvement of surgical methods of treatment, development of modern methods of diagnostics and treatment of pathological conditions of the reproductive system in small animals, and nanooncological experimental studies in selected canine and feline cancers. Scientific research carried out in the units dealing with diseases of large animals focuses on modern solutions in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the reproductive system and the mammary gland, livestock and equine diseases, including the evaluation of equine exercise, improved methods of treatment of orthopedic diseases and other diseases requiring surgical treatment, and new methods of monitoring during general anesthesia.
Epidemiology of infectious and parasitic diseases in farm, companion and non-domestic animals in Poland is also an important research field within the veterinary medicine discipline.
Recruitment
Recruitment schedule 2026/2027
The following dates are adopted in the recruitment process:
1) 29 June-6 July 2026 – registration in IRK system - submission of an application for admission to the Doctoral School and other required documents
2) 15-17 July 2026 – submission of copies of documents (originals must be available for review) by candidates qualified for the second stage of recruitment (place of submission – Doctoral School office)*
3) by 22 July 2026 – publication of the recruitment interview schedule
4) 27-31 July 2026 – recruitment interviews conducted by recruitment committees appointed for each discipline
5) by 14 August 2026 – announcement of the list of those admitted to the Doctoral School
Start of PhD education – 1 October 2026
The recruitment schedule may change and is always published in the Doctoral School tab on the Warsaw University of Life Sciences website.
*Candidates staying out of Poland, admitted to the Doctoral School, submit the original documents for inspection upon arrival in Poland
Recruitment fee
The Doctoral School charges a fee for the recruitment process. The amount of the recruitment fee for the WULS-SGGW Doctoral School in the academic year 2026/2027 is:
· PLN 300 if the payment is made to an account in PLN
(account number for PLN payments - 68 1240 6003 1111 0011 3480 4676)
· or EUR 80 if the fee is paid to an account in EUR
(account number for EUR payments - 73 1240 6003 1978 0011 3480 4692).
[Transfer title: Name and Surname - SD recruitment fee]
Form of the qualification procedure
The Doctoral School recruitment shall be carried out in the form of an open competition, and it shall consist of four stages:
a) the first recruitment stage consists in filing a recruitment application in the Online Candidate Recruitment system [system Internetowej Rekrutacji Kandydatów] (IRK) and attaching the documents required in the system;
b) the second stage consists in formal verification of the documents filed;
c) the third stage consists in assessment of the content of the documents by the recruitment committee. Those candidates who have successively passed the document verification only are admitted to the third stage;
d) the fourth recruitment stage consists in an interview with the candidate and assessment of the concept of the doctoral dissertation.
The maximum score that may be obtained by a candidate in the qualification procedure is 58 points. The minimum score necessary for admission to the Doctoral School is 30 points. The minimum score does not guarantee admission to the Doctoral School.
Language of the qualification procedure, including the interview
The interview is conducted in Polish, but may be partially conducted in English.
Candidates for learning pathway with English language of instruction shall be interviewed in English.
A candidate to the Doctoral School shall submit the following documents:
- application for admission to the Doctoral School;
- data for the personal questionnaire;
- confirmation of payment of the application fee;
- CV;
- a copy of a diploma confirming the degree of master, master of engineering [magister, magister inżynier] or an equivalent degree, together with a supplement (if issued) or a certificate of having passed the magister examination;
- preliminary concept of the doctoral dissertation containing the working title of the dissertation, purpose of research, proposed research methods, short review of literature with the bibliography (the total of 3 -5 pages);
- the consent from the future supervisor of the candidate’s choice to accept to exercise supervision over the candidate with regard to the proposed concept of the doctoral dissertation; if the future supervisor of the candidate’s choice is not an SGGW employee, the candidate shall attach the consent of the second supervisor or auxiliary supervisor who must be an SGGW employee;
- 1 photograph – complying with the requirements applicable for ID cards;
- documents confirming knowledge of a modern foreign language at least at the proficiency level of B2 according to the requirements of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (originals must be available for review); if the candidate holds a diploma of completion of studies with a supplement, the document confirming knowledge of the foreign language at the B2 level is the diploma supplement;
- a list of publications and other scholarly and research achievements numbered and listed in accordance with the recruitment procedure form;
- numbered copies of documents evidencing such achievements (originals to be presented for inspection); documents evidencing additional qualifications that are important from the point of view of the planned doctoral dissertation (originals to be presented for inspection);
· documents evidencing additional qualifications that are important from the point of view of the planned doctoral dissertation (originals to be presented for inspection);
- scans of documents confirming the secured financing of doctoral research as part of the implemented project (if applicable).
A candidate who has obtained a graduation diploma from studies abroad that are equivalent to master’s studies, shall additionally submit:·
- a scan of the original diploma with an apostille or legalised in the country of issue, together with a translation of the diploma into Polish or English confirmed by authorised persons or institutions;
- document confirming recognition of the diploma or a certificate releasing from the recognition procedure, if required;
- document confirming knowledge of the English language at B2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (applicable to candidates for the learning pathway with the English language of instruction);
- document confirming knowledge of the Polish language at B2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (applicable to candidates for the learning pathway with the Polish language of instruction).
The qualification procedure is initiated at the above-mentioned application for admission to the Doctoral School, submitted by a candidate who registered in the IRK system and paid the recruitment fee.
Assessment criteria
Requirements for admission to the school - obtaining at least 30 points throughout the entire qualification process.
|
Scope |
Maximum score |
Candidate’s score |
|
Part I. Assessment of the contents of documents |
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Scientific publications – evidenced by a printout of the title page (maximum of 3 publications are assessed)*: ● an article with 70 points and more – 4 points; ● an article with 20 and 40 points – 2 points; ● other articles – 1 point; ● a monograph in the English language – 4 points, in the Polish language – 3 points, (at least 10 publishing sheets [Polish: arkusz wydawniczy) ● a monograph chapter – 2 points.
* Points for publications in accordance with the Polish ministerial list.
Implementation activities (maximum of 3 activities are assessed): ● implementation – 4 points ● a patent – 4 points |
12 points |
|
|
Authorship or co-authorship of conference contributions (maximum of 3 activities are subject to assessment): ● presentation at an international conference – 2 points, ● presentation at a national conference – 1 point, ● poster – 1 point |
6 points |
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Other scientific activity (not listed in part I of the assessment questionnaire, e.g., activity in scientific societies and research groups, participation in research projects, minister’s scholarship, awards for diploma thesis, etc.) (maximum of 4 activities, 1 point for each activity) |
4 points |
|
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Total score for Part I |
22 points |
|
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Part II. Interview Each member of the committee shall grant score individually |
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The allocated research project which ensures financing of research and preparation of the doctoral dissertation (8 points) or an application, filed and not examined yet, for a research project under which financing for research and preparation of the doctoral dissertation will be ensured (2 points). |
8 points |
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The concept of the doctoral dissertation: ● working title of the thesis (1 point) ● research objective and scope (research concept) (4 points) ● research methodology and research methods (3 points) ● literature review – short, with bibliography (2 points) |
10 points |
|
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Manner of presenting the concept of the doctoral dissertation before the committee – continuity of reasoning, knowledge of the topic, word choice (scientific/colloquial), answers to questions |
14 points |
|
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Discussing a scientific publication of the candidate’s choice |
4 points |
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Total score for Part II |
36 points |
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Total |
58 points |
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