FAQ

How are PhD programme at the UPM structured?

To obtain a PhD, students must complete a PhD thesis. In the initial years of a PhD programme, students receive research training through Training Activities to acquire the programme competences.

Students are required to submit a Research Plan every year. If this plan is considered satisfactory, students may continue with the development of their PhD thesis, under the supervision at all times of a faculty member associated with the PhD programme.

Which steps must I take to be admitted as a UPM postgraduate student?

The steps are as follows:

1. Apply for the Master or PhD programme you would like to take.
2. Wait for a letter (or e-mail) confirming admission to the programme.
3. Enrol online or at the School.

What are the entry and admission requirements for accredited PhD programmes?

Please see the Entry and Admission sections.

Can I apply by e-mail or fax?

Application by email or fax is not allowed. You must apply online, using the form that is available on the UPM website.

How much does it cost to complete the PhD programme?

Public prices for university postgraduate programmes (fees) are set every year by Madrid's Regional Government within the limits established by the Higher Education Coordination Council. Apart from the cost of living in Madrid, approximated PhD fees for the 2024/25 academic year are as follows:

• Academic tuition for PhD thesis research: 390.00 euros per year
• Bridge courses: 45.02 euros / ECTS. Non-EU nationals shall be charged 84.07 euros / ECTS.
• PhD thesis examination: 143.15 euros
• PhD degree certificate issuance: 229.86 euros
• Opening of academic record: 34.77 euros
• Registry fees and replacement student cards: 6.11 euros
• Student insurance: 1.12 euros
• Compulsory insurance for students aged over 28 years: 5.00 euros
• National mobility insurance: 5.00 euros
• International mobility insurance: 204-280 euros
• Academic transcript transfer: 27.54 euros
• Academic certificates: 27.54 euros
• Certification of documents: 10.43 euros

Where can I do the administrative procedures, such as enroling, applying for the degree...?

There is a Registry at the School where all the students' administrative procedures can be done. For PhD students, the Postgraduate Office will help with all the administrative procedures (enrolment, applying for the degree, changes in personal data, certificates...).

In the specific case of enrolment, it can be done in person at the School's Postgraduate Office or on-line at the Self Enrolment available during the ordinary enrolment periods. Before enrolment, is better to read the self enrolment instructions.

Official academic certificates can be requested both at the Postgraduate Office and through the UPM Electronic Office.

How can I pay the programme fees?

The enrolment should be paid in advance.

The allowed payment options are:

• Using credit/debit card (Visa or MasterCard).
• Direct debit at a Spanish bank. To direct the payment, the data relating to the holder and the account number (IBAN) must be completed. According to the SEPA regulations, students must present a direct debit order, which will be generated at the time of formalizing their enrolment. Once printed and signed by the account holder, a scanned copy must be emailed to School's Registry.
• Bank receipt. The payment letter will be generated at the time of formalizing the enrolment. Once printed, the amount must be paid at any of the banking entities and within the expiration dates indicated in the payment letter.

From the receipt management program it will be possible to consult, print or modify the payment method chosen when registering. Any enquiry related to payments or enrolment should be addressed to the Postgraduate Office.

How can I obtain the university card?

The university card serves as university identification and allows access to all the services and buildings that require entry control: laboratories, libraries, sports facilities..., in addition to being necessary for the loan of books and equipment in the libraries of the UPM.

The Virtual University Card can be obtained in the app of the UPM, which is available for download for Android systems (UPMapp, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Universia, at Google Play) and iOS (Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, UNIVERSIA, at Apple's APP Store).

How should I sign the publications obtained from my PhD Thesis?

As a student of the UPM, you always have to sign your papers as "Universidad Politécnica de Madrid" (no abbreviations, no translation), so it could be taken into account as part of your PhD results. Nevertheless, if you belong to any ohter institution, you could add the affiliation to your institution in addition to "Universidad Politécnica de Madrid".

When will be the next meeting of the PhD Committees at the UPM?

The University PhD Committees and the Doctoral Committee of the EID usually have a meeting each month. The provisional calendar meetings is usually published at the PhD section of UPM's website. The Doctoral area of the EID usually also have a meeting each month, around a couple of weeks before the meeting of the Doctoral Committee. It is important to know the dates, mainly to plan the thesis deposit, and to know when student requests could be approved.

Is the PhD a face to face programme?

The PhD consists mainly in a personal research work; so the place where the work is done is not so important. Nevertheless, the PhD recommends to follow it from Madrid.

In any case, for those PhD students that cannot be in Madrid all the time (due to economical, personal or professional reasons), the recommendation is the following:

1. In the first academic year, at least 6 months in Madrid are recommended. During this time, the student should attend Training Activities and at least 2 Seminars, planning and define the topic of the PhD thesis together with the supervisor, start to study the state of the art and begin the research works.
2. In the following academic years, at least 3 months in Madrid are recommended. During this time, the student should complete the Training Activities and at least 2 Seminars per year, and have thesis tracking meetings with the supervisor.
3. In the last academic year, at least 6 months in Madrid are recommended. During this time, the student should attend at least 2 Seminars, finish the research and the thesis document, do the predefence at the beginning and do the defence.

The planning and length of the stays in Madrid should be established by the supervisor and the student, considering the student's circunstancies and the research.

While the student is not in Madrid, the student should keep working in the thesis, keeping periodical on-line meetings with the supervisor. We remind that the PhD programme duration is based on working 40 hours/week (full-time students) or 20 hours/week (part-time students). To be able to accomplish the thesis deadline, if the student has a work, a reduction of working hours should be requested.

Where will I live?

If you are unable to arrange your accommodation before you arrive to Madrid, a reasonable strategy is to first book provisional accommodation and then look for a longer-term option when you arrive. This page contains links with information on addresses. The Comunidad de Madrid's webpage Vivir en Madrid and the UPM Vice-Rector's Office for Students also offers information on different student accommodation options. Some general advice follows.

September is usually not a good time to find accommodation (especially permanent), because many workers and students come to Madrid after the summer holidays. On the other hand, you may find that in August, although officially open for business as usual, some offices are closed and there is not much on offer. We suggest that, whenever possible, you look for accommodation before the month of August.

How much does it cost to live in Madrid?

Although not as expensive as other European capitals, Madrid is not an inexpensive city to live in. For example, the cost of renting a one-bedroom flat starts at around 400 euros per month. You can find rooms in shared flats starting at 200 euros per month. Of course, all these prices depend on the area and do not include the proportional cost of water, electricity, phone, communal charges, etc.

Note for international students: the Spanish Government will not issue a student's visa required for residence in Spain unless you have a means of guaranteeing your livelihood. An amount of money held in a bank account or a grant award is acceptable proof for this purpose. We suggest that you contact your nearest embassy or consulate sufficiently beforehand.

How can I certify that I have an English-language proficiency level of B2 or equivalent?

To be eligible for a PhD programme at UPM, students must have a specified level of English proficiency, sufficient to ensure that they will be able to research and follow the lectures. The Council of Europe has established a number of language proficiency levels through the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment (CEFR). A person with a B2 level of language proficiency is considered to have the following knowledge and skills:

• Can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in his/her field of specialization.
• Can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible without strain for either party.
• Can produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects and explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options.

To certify that they have an English proficiency level of B2 or higher, students should submit an official certificate specifying that they have attained the above level or any other equivalent examination certificate, such as:

• Escuelas Oficiales de Idiomas Españolas
  • RD 1041/2017: Certificado de Nivel Intermedio B2
  • RD 1629/2006: Certificado de Nivel Avanzado
• Certificates approved by ACLES (Asociación de Centros de Lenguas en la Enseñanza Superior)
  • CertAcles B2
• Cambridge Assessment English ESOL Examinations
  • First Certificate in English
  • Linguaskill / Linguaskill Business: B2
  • BEC (Business English Certificates): Vantage (BEC 2)
  • ICFE / ILEC (International Certificate in Financial / Legal English): PASS B2
  • IELTS (International English Language Testing System) Academic & General: ≥ 5.5
  • BULATS (Business Language Testing System) Four skills: ≥ 60
• Educational Testing System
  • TOEFL – iBT (Test of English as a Foreign Language - Internet Based): ≥ 72
  • TOEIC (Test of English for International Communications) Four skills: ≥ 1095
• APTIS (British Council)
  • B2
• Capman Testing Solutions 360 LPT (Language Proficiency Test) Four Skills
  • B2
• Oxford Test of English B
  • B2
• Certificados homologados UNIcert
  • Nivel 2
• Certificat de Compétences en Langues de l’Enseignement Sup’erieur (CLES)
  • CLES 2
• The European Language Certificates (TELC)
  • TELC B2
• University of Michigan (Cambridge Michigan Language Assessments)
  • Certificate of Competency in English (ECCE)
• Trinity College, London (ISE)
  • Integrated Skills in English examinations (ISE): ISE II
• London Test of English (LTE)
  • Level 3
• PTE (Pearson Test of English)
  • General: level 3
  • Academic: ≥ 59
  • Edexcel certificate in ESOL International: level 1
• Learning Resource Network
  • Certificate in ESOL International, Four skills: LRN Level 1
  • General: IELCA CEF B2
• Anglia ESOL Examinations
  • General: Advanced
  • Business: Advanced
• LanguageCert International ESOL Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking
  • Communicator B2
• Cambridge Boxhill Language Assessment (CBLA) OET (Occupational English Test)
  • B2
• Have completed a bachelor or master’s degree at the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid
• Have passed an internal B2-level language test at the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (based on CAPMAN)
• Be a native English speaker
• Have completed the higher education in English or in an English-speaking country

How can I improve my Spanish or my English?

Students applying for this postgraduate programme should have a good knowledge of Spanish and English. The UPM offers different options for studying languages through the Centro de Lenguas. To this end, several Spanish language and culture courses, as well as courses in other languages, such as English, German, Chinese, etc., are scheduled throughout the year. In any case, there are many language schools with a wide variety of prices and schedules in Madrid.

Will I have WiFi access to the Internet at the UPM?

UPM offers access via the eduroam initiative. Anyone with access to this network can log on from anywhere at the UPM (after installing the appropriate settings). UPM students also have access to this network (instructions for use are given on the UPM website Wireless Network section).

Can I use my own personal or professional email address instead of UPM email?

It is essential to use always the UPM email for everything related to the PhD or the University. The UPM and the PhD programme will only use this email for all the official notifications, so it is mandatory to read it regularly. In addition, any message between students and professors, programme or University should use the UPM email, that allows students identification.

In summary, the UPM email should be used always. If one student does not want to use the webmail service, an email client should be configured to access the UPM email, so the student does not miss important notifications.

Can I have access to software at the UPM?

La UPM offers access to different types of software for use by students. Among the software offered, we can mention MicroSoft Office 365, MicroSoft OneDrive, Moodle, MicroSoft Teams, Zoom..., as well as software from Adobe, Autodesk, Bitdefender, IBM, Maplesoft, MathWorks, Microsoft, Oracle...

To use this software, the registration or activation would be necessary, following the instructions for the student's software.

It is especially important to register trough UPM on the platforms Moodle, MicroSoft Teams (register in Teams) and Zoom, since we can use any of these services during the lessons requiring authorized access with the account of the UPM.

Apart from grants from official institutions, what other funding options are there?

Some private institutions (banks, savings banks, large corporations, etc.) award student grants. However, there is usually a great deal of competition, and they generally target a specific field of study. Even so, it is an option well worth considering.

Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Informáticos professors can, at their discretion, offer internships and research grants generally associated with research and development projects. In this case, the work and research to be carried out are completely dictated by the topic of the project covered by the grant. On the other hand, they offer an unbeatable opportunity for joining the research and education system.

Finally, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Informáticos departments sometimes offer student grants for working part-time on tasks such as systems administration. Although in short supply, this is yet another option.

Where can I obtain information on scholarships and grants?

Where can I obtain other useful information?

Where is the Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Informáticos

The Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Informáticos is located in the outskirts of Madrid, in the district of Boadilla del Monte and, specifically, at the Montegancedo Campus. The transport options for reaching the Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Informáticos are private car (from highway M-40), taxi, regional bus and light rail (linked with the Metro -subway- network).

For directions on how to reach the Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Informáticos, see Our location.

The web is in Spanish and in English. Which one is the official version?

The official version of all the PhD's information, terms and conditions is the Spanish version. We may provide a translation into English as a courtesy, but the Spanish language version shall prevail and be used in any dispute or difference.

I would like to study at the Facultad de Informática at the UPM. Where can I find information?

The Facultad de Informática (IT Faculty) was renamed Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Informáticos in 2013. However, the only thing that has changed is its name: the degree programmes, faculty, location… everything except the name is the same as before.

Do you have any more questions?

We can help you out at: doctorado.ssc@fi.upm.es.