Admissions
Regular admissions
Admissions to the Doctoral School are awarded on a competitive basis. The competition is conducted by the Admission Committee composed of researchers from the Institutes that run the Doctoral School in order to select the best candidates through evaluation (in the form of scoring) of their study results, scientific achievements, and knowledge in the field of higher education in connection with the subject of their master's thesis and the topic selected for implementation during the doctoral studies. The candidates with the highest scores are admitted to the Doctoral School. Admission to the Doctoral School takes place by enrolling a candidate on the list of doctoral students in a given academic year.
The regular admissions period starts in September and detailed recruitment rules are announced five months in advance. Research topics proposed to candidates, along with the admission limit to the Doctoral School, are announced in early July.
Terms and conditions of admissions
Admission to the Doctoral School takes place through a competition, the rules and requirements of which are approved by the Council of the Doctoral School and the Scientific Council of IB PAS:
- Rules for Admissions to the Doctoral School for the academic year 2026/2027 (PDF).
- Required documents – Appendix 1 to the Rules for Admissions to the Doctoral School for the academic year 2026/2027 (PDF).
- List of Certificates – Appendix 2 the Rules for Admissions to the Doctoral School for the academic year 2026/2027 (PDF).
Admission calendar for the academic year 2026/2027
- Candidates must submit their application documents by August 7, 2026.
- Interviews will take place on September 8, 2026.
- Recruitment results will be announced by September 10, 2026.
Candidates will be notified of the interview process (online or in-person) before September 1, 2026.
Admission Committee
It will be announced in June 2026.
Admissions limit and research topics
It will be announced in June 2026.
Required documents
- Application for admission to the Doctoral School along with reasons therefor and specification of the framework research theme referred to in the announcement of the admission; the candidate may indicate the second research theme (along with the justification of the choice), the implementation of which he/she is interested in if he/she is not accepted for the research theme indicated as the first choice (DOCX).
- Consent to the processing of personal data for the purposes of the admissions procedure (DOCX).
- CV specifying a list of scientific achievements, employment record and participation in scientific projects.
- Personal data form (DOCX).
- Two photos + one photo in electronic form (passport-sized format).
- Diploma certifying completion of Master studies or a document confirming the fulfilment of the conditions set out in §2 sec. 6–8 of Recruitment Rules (useful information: link 1, link 2); in the case of a diploma of study abroad, it should be endorsed with an apostille clause.
- Certificate or diploma certifying completion of studies, confirming English language competencies at no less than B2 level; if English is the applicant’s native language, a certificate or diploma certifying completion of studies, confirming another modern language competencies at no less than B2 level is required; the list of certificates is specified in Appendix No. 2 to these Rules for Admissions.
- Photocopy of the student's record book/diploma supplement containing the relevant entries.
- Statement concerning previously commenced doctoral studies or doctoral programme, or education at another doctoral school.
- Information on the doctoral scholarship received at another doctoral school, and the period for which it has been paid.
- A copy of the abstract of the Master's thesis in Polish or English.
- A statement of no health-related contraindications to carry out the tasks provided for under the research theme concerned.
- A statement to the effect that the person can use electronic equipment in order to attend classes held with the use of distance learning methods and techniques.
- Declaration of disability.
The list of obligatory documents and their form is specified in the Rules for Admission (see above).
Non-standard admissions (research project recruitment)
The competition for a doctoral student for a research project under the Doctoral School takes place on the terms and according to the schedule announced at the Institute, which is the beneficiary of the project.
Current project recruitment: None.
Downloadable Documents
Doctoral School Authorities
Head of the Doctoral School
Dr Grażyna Szarek-Łukaszewska
Phone: +4812‑4241‑706
E-mail:
Deputy head of the Doctoral School
Dr Agnieszka Bednarska
Phone: +4812‑3703‑594
E-mail:
Doctoral School Council
The Council of the Doctoral School of Natural and Agricultural Sciences consists of the directors of the Institutes running the Doctoral School, representatives of the Scientific Councils of these Institutes and representatives of doctoral students.
Members of the Council:
- Dr Grażyna Szarek-Łukaszewska – head of the Doctoral School
- Professor Lucyna Śliwa – director of IB PAS
- Professor Anna Janeczko – director of IPP PAS
- Dr Elżbieta Wilk-Woźniak – director of INC PAS
- Dr Beata Grzywacz – director of ISEA PAS
- Professor Sylwester Świątkiewicz – deputy director of NRIAP
- Dr Paweł Kapusta – representative of the Scientific Council, IB PAS
- Dr Marta Libik-Konieczny – representative of the Scientific Council, IPP PAS
- Professor Henryk Okarma – representative of the Scientific Council, INC PAS
- Professor Łukasz Kajtoch – representative of the Scientific Council, ISEA PAS
- Dr Joanna Nowak – representative of NRIAP
- Katarzyna Karpierz – representative of doctoral students
- Jakub Kurczab – representative of doctoral students
About the Doctoral School
On May 8, 2019, the Directors of five Kraków's Scientific Institutes signed an agreement to establish and jointly run the Doctoral School of Natural and Agricultural Sciences. The Doctoral School is run by four Institutes of the Polish Academy of Sciences (PAS) – the W. Szafer Institute of Botany (IB PAS, coordinating unit), the Franciszek Górski Institute of Plant Physiology (IPP PAS), the Institute of Nature Conservation (INC PAS), the Institute of Systematics and Evolution of Animals (ISEA PAS) – and the National Research Institute of Animal Production (NRIAP). The Doctoral School started operating on October 1, 2019, and educates doctoral students in three scientific disciplines: biological sciences, agriculture and horticulture, animal science and fisheries.
In the Doctoral School of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, students can pursue research topics resulting from the mission of the Institutes, such as:
- biodiversity, taxonomy, ecology, and evolution of plants, animals, fungi, and other microorganisms, both present and fossil;
- physiology, biochemistry, plant and animal genetics;
- protection of the diversity of species, habitats, ecosystems and the processes that shape this diversity;
- animal breeding, plant cultivation, and factors influencing the productivity of organisms.
Education at the Doctoral School lasts four years and ends with the submission of a doctoral dissertation. A doctoral student receives a doctoral scholarship for four years.
The principles of operation, the educational program, as well as the rights and obligations of the doctoral student of the Doctoral School of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, can be found in its Regulations and other relevant documents.
- Terms and Conditions of the Doctoral School (PDF)
- Terms and Conditions of the Doctoral School from 2026/2027 (PDF)
- Oath of the doctoral students of the Doctoral School – Annex no 1 to Terms and Conditions of the Doctoral School (PDF)
- Oath of the doctoral students of the Doctoral School – Annex no 1 to Terms and Conditions of the Doctoral School from 2026/2027 (PDF)
- Principles of mid-term evaluation of the doctoral student and the supervisor in the Doctoral School – Annex no 2 to the Terms and Conditions of the Doctoral School (PDF)
- Principles of mid-term evaluation of the doctoral student and the supervisor in the Doctoral School – Annex no 2 to the Terms and Conditions of the Doctoral School from 2026/2027 (PDF)
- Programme of study at the Doctoral School from 2025/2026 (PDF)
- Learning outcomes at the Doctoral School – Annex no 1 to the Programme of study at the Doctoral School from 2025/2026 (PDF)
Doctoral training programme
In the Doctoral School of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, education lasts four years, but in justified cases, this time may be shortened to three or extended to six years. The doctoral student conducts research and participates in classes included in the education program, which include compulsory and optional classes. The doctoral student takes most of the compulsory classes in the first 4 semesters, i.e. until the mid-term evaluation. The next 4 semesters are intended primarily for the implementation of scientific research in accordance with an Individual Research Plan while supplementing knowledge and skills within optional classes. Education at the Doctoral School ends with the submission of a doctoral dissertation.
Courses
- Advanced Research Communication (PDF)
- Biochemistry and physiology of organisms (PDF)
- Ecology and nature conservation (PDF)
Individual Research Plan
The doctoral student, in consultation with the supervisor, during the first twelve months of education at the doctoral school, prepares an Individual Research Plan to be submitted to the Doctoral School Council for approval. The Individual Research Plan defines the scope, framework, stages, and dates of the doctoral dissertation. The implementation of the Individual Research Plan is evaluated during the mid-term evaluation of the doctoral student and supervisor (Annex No. 2 to the Terms and Conditions of the Doctoral School).
- Individual Research Plan form (DOCX)
- Individual Research Plan progress report form – Mid-term evaluation (DOCX)
Semester Reports
After each semester of studies, the doctoral student submits a report on their scientific activity and implementation of the study program and the Individual Research Plan. At the end of the academic year, the doctoral student participates in the Scientific Reporting Session to present the results and progress in research.
