PhD programmes
The PhD is the highest level of university education and is aimed in particular at training for advanced scientific research and the acquisition of highly specialised professional skills.
You can access the PhD programme, which lasts 3 or 4 years, only after obtaining a master's degree and passing an admission examination, which is announced annually.
At the end of the programme, you will obtain the academic qualification of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).
This is what emerges from the latest Almalaurea surveys, which portray a model based on research quality, internationalisation and dialogue with the productive system. There are 531 PhD positions for 2026/27, with a further 85 places planned in a "summer" call (deadline: 26 August 2026)
A guide to download to help you find your way and make the most of your PhD experience.
A multidisciplinary University, where ideas cross-fertilise through dialogue among people. A University whose research excellence is recognised globally. An educational institution rooted in a splendid area, waiting to be discovered. This is the University of Padua
PhD and businesses
Thanks to a PhD, you can work in research also within, or in close collaboration with, companies with a strong innovative component, including through higher education and research apprenticeship contracts. Companies can participate in funding your career or your research and help to create innovative industrial PhD programmes.
