Admissions

Applications for entry in 2025/26 open in the beginning of 2025 on DreamApply. Exact dates to be announced.

Doctoral studies info session on 7 February 2024

Nominal duration of doctoral studies is 4 years and study load is 240 ECTS.

Doctoral positions offered by EKA

Architecture and Urban Planning:
1 doctoral student – junior researcher position at the Faculty of Architecture;
1 doctoral student position with an EKA scholarship.

Art History and Visual Culture:
1 doctoral student – junior researcher position at the Faculty of Art and Culture;
1 doctoral student position with EKA scholarship.

Art and Design:
1 doctoral student – junior researcher position at the Faculty of Fine Arts;
1 doctoral student position with EKA scholarship.
1 doctoral student – junior researcher position at the Faculty of Design;
1 doctoral student position with EKA scholarship.

Cultural Heritage and Conservation:
1 doctoral student – junior researcher position at the Faculty of Art and Culture;
1 doctoral student position with EKA scholarship.
Additionally, EKA can create knowledge transfer doctoral student positions in cooperation with companies, public and third sector institutions.

Please specify the position you are applying for in your motivation letter.

In 2024, the salary of a doctoral student – junior researcher is €1,840/month (gross salary) and EKA PhD scholarship is €750/month (net).

Please read more about the status and funding of PhD students HERE.

The Estonian Academy of Arts offers the following PhD level programmes for international applicants:

ART AND DESIGN (detailed curriculum HERE)

ARCHITECTURE AND URBAN PLANNING  (detailed curriculum HERE)

CULTURAL HERITAGE AND CONSERVATION (detailed curriculum HERE)

ART HISTORY AND VISUAL CULTURE (detailed curriculum HERE)

The requirement for admission to doctoral studies is a master’s degree or other relevant qualification that gives access to doctoral level studies in Estonia. Educational qualifications obtained abroad are recognised by the Estonian Academy of Arts on the basis of assessments and opinions of the Estonian ENIC/NARIC Centre.

NB! Students graduating in the summer of 2024 who are unable to submit their educational documents (diploma and transcript of records) before the deadline are required to submit their latest transcript of records containing their current grades, and a written confirmation (email, certificate etc) from their educational institution stating that educational documents will be issued to graduates no lather than at the end of June 2024.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

Application for admission to doctoral studies submitted on DreamApply:

– copies of your bachelor’s and master’s degree certificate or equivalent, and their translation into Estonian or English (both the copy and translation have to be attested)

– transcript of records (for both, the MA and BA level studies), and their translations into Estonian or English (both the copy and translation have to be attested)

– English language proficiency certificate (please check the requirements here)

– copy of the data page of your passport or ID-card

Please note that we also have country specific requirements that can be found here.

NB! Translations are only requested if documents are not in English or Estonian. Both the copies of documents in their original language and translations have to be attested.

ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS

– CV (please find the form here)

– portfolio (including a defended master’s thesis if you wish) is required for an artistic or practice-based doctoral thesis, and a defended master’s thesis is sufficient for a text-based doctoral thesis

– motivation letter (please specify the position you are applying for)

– proposal of the doctoral thesis (form for Art and Design here /form for Architecture and Urban planning here)

– academic CV of the prospective supervisor(s). Please note that having a supervisor is not required for applying. However, if you have a supervisor, you will need to ask their consent for submitting their CV. You will also need to include their name and email in your thesis proposal. If the supervisor is employed at the Estonian Academy of Arts, CV is not required.

The results will be based on the interview, PhD thesis project and portfolio or defended MA thesis. Based on submitted documents the committee will decide who will be invited for an interview. Interviews will take place in April 2024.

Admission documents will only be processed after the application fee (60 EUR) is received by the Estonian Academy of Arts.

NB! International PhD applicants

• who have completed their previous studies in Estonia;

• who are about to graduate from an educational institution in Estonia;

• who have completed their previous studies abroad but have had their qualifications assessed by ENIC/NARIC Centre may apply via SAIS and are exempt from application fee.

Admission information:

Doctoral School Irene Hütsi Coordinator of doctoral studies phone: +372 53 068 909 e-post: irene.hutsi@artun.ee

Admission Helen Jürgens Senior Specialist Phone: +372 6267 305 e-post: helen.jyrgens@artun.ee

Põhja puiestee 7, D206 www.artun.ee