Program Access Information

Information for prospective PhD students is available on the UPV Doctoral School website:

https://www.upv.es/entidades/edoctorado/

All published information is available in three languages (Spanish, Valencian, and English).

Prospective applicants should take note of the following information:

• Information about the pre-registration process and its deadlines: https://www.upv.es/entidades/edoctorado/presenta-tu-solicitud-2025/
• Information on the various PhD programmes offered: https://www.upv.es/entidades/edoctorado/todos-los-programas-de-doctorado-ofertados-en-upv/
• Guidance for new students: https://www.upv.es/entidades/edoctorado/consejos-para-nuevos-estudiantes/

In addition, the pre-enrolment process for PhD studies is managed through the general pre-enrolment system of the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV). This provides applicants with an online platform that can be accessed from anywhere.

The online application system includes admission quota management, which ensures that the number of admissions established for the programme is not exceeded.

The admission of each applicant requires two approvals: approval from the Doctoral School, which ensures compliance with the minimum requirements established in Royal Decree 99/2011, and approval from the Academic Committee of the PhD Programme (CAPD), which ensures compliance with the requirements set out in the programme verification report, in accordance with the established criteria and the Evaluation Index (IV) score obtained by each applicant.

The recommended admission profile does not require any additional training, whereas the additional admission profiles do.

Recommended admission profile: In addition to the access requirements established in the applicable regulations, the PhD programme is specifically intended for applicants with prior knowledge of automation, robotics and industrial computing who are interested in conducting research in these fields. This prior knowledge may be demonstrated through a Master’s degree in Automation and Industrial Computing or another Master’s degree whose core curriculum focuses on Systems Engineering and Automation, Robotic Systems or Industrial Computing. Examples offered by the UPV include the Master’s Degree in Automation and Industrial Computing, the Automation specialisation within the Master’s Degree in Industrial Engineering, the Master’s Degree in Computer Engineering and the Master’s Degree in Computer and Network Engineering.

Applicants holding former second-cycle degrees in Automation and Industrial Computing, or former Industrial Engineering degrees that included specialisation or elective courses in areas relevant to this PhD programme, may also be admitted. Before entering the programme, applicants are expected to possess the following competences:

a) A systematic understanding of the theoretical foundations of automation, robotics and industrial computing.

b) The ability to design, create, develop and implement projects in automatic control, robotics and industrial computing.

c) The ability to work both independently and as part of a team in multidisciplinary environments.

d) The ability to integrate knowledge, address complexity and make judgements in automation, robotics and industrial computing.

Language profile: Given the international nature of PhD research and the need to consult specialised scientific literature, applicants are recommended to have an adequate command of academic English, equivalent to at least level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. Applicants whose native language is not Spanish should demonstrate an adequate command of Spanish and/or ensure effective communication with their PhD supervisor in a common language.

Other admission profiles: Applicants holding other degrees that meet the access requirements may also be considered where their academic background does not provide sufficient knowledge of Systems Engineering and Automation or Industrial Computing. This may include other engineering degrees in the industrial field, foreign degrees following assessment of the academic record by the Academic Committee, Telecommunications Engineering, Mathematics or Physics.

The Academic Committee shall determine, on a case-by-case basis and according to the applicant’s prior education, the number of credits—up to a maximum of 20 ECTS—and the courses to be completed as specific additional training. The programme does not admit applicants who lack basic knowledge of automation, robotics or industrial computing, or at least the fundamental knowledge of mathematics, physics and computer science on which the programme’s areas of specialisation are based.

Access Requirements

The access requirements are those established in Article 6 of Royal Decree 99/2011 of 28 January, which regulates official PhD studies, as amended by Royal Decree 576/2023 of 4 July:

1. As a general rule, access to an official PhD programme requires an official Spanish Bachelor’s degree, or an equivalent degree, and an official Spanish Master’s degree, or an equivalent degree, provided that at least 300 ECTS credits have been completed across both degree programmes.
2. Access shall also be granted to applicants who meet any of the following conditions:

a) Hold official Spanish University degrees, or equivalent Spanish degrees, provided that at least 300 ECTS credits have been completed through these degree programmes and that level 3 of the Spanish Qualifications Framework for Higher Education has been attained.

b) Hold a degree awarded under an education system within the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), without the need for official recognition, which certifies level 7 of the European Qualifications Framework, provided that the degree grants access to PhD studies in the country in which it was awarded.

c) Hold a degree awarded under an education system outside the EHEA, without the need for official recognition, provided that the University verifies that the degree certifies a level of education equivalent to that of an official Spanish University Master’s degree and grants access to PhD studies in the country in which it was awarded.

d) Hold another PhD degree.

e) University graduates who, having obtained a specialised healthcare training position through the corresponding entrance examination, have successfully completed at least two years of a training programme leading to an official qualification in one of the Health Sciences specialisations may also be admitted.

Admission Criteria

The following specific admission criteria also apply to this programme: 

• Preliminary PhD Dissertation Proposal, using the template available on the programme website.
• Letter of support from the proposed PhD supervisor

The Academic Committee shall assess applications on the basis of the following criteria:

• Academic record: 85 points (Bachelor’s degree average grade × 3.5 × relevance + Master’s degree average grade × 5 × relevance). The relevance of prior education shall be assigned a value of 1 for applicants admitted under the recommended profile, 0.85 for applicants admitted under a non-recommended profile who possess the required basic knowledge but need additional training, and 0 for admission profiles that lack the basic knowledge relevant to the programme.
• Assessment by the Academic Committee of the proposed PhD supervisor’s research activity and the Preliminary PhD Dissertation Proposal: up to 10 points.
• Highest certified English-language proficiency level: B2, 5 points; C1 or C2, 10 points.
• Other additional merits, including other degrees, relevant professional experience, awards, scholarships and previous research publications: up to 15 points.

The scores assigned to all criteria shall total 100 points. A minimum score of 50 points is required for admission.

When applying for admission, applicants with special educational needs arising from a disability may indicate their specific requirements regarding possible curricular adaptations, study pathways or alternative arrangements so that the Academic Committee can take them into account.

There are two distinct admission profiles: the recommended admission profile, which does not require any additional training, and other admission profiles, which do. In the latter case, the Academic Committee may assign up to 20 ECTS credits of additional training in accordance with the following guidelines.

As established by the applicable regulations, this specific additional training must be successfully completed during the initial stage of the PhD dissertation and within a maximum period of one academic year.

For applicants holding degrees that meet the access requirements but whose academic background does not provide sufficient knowledge of Systems Engineering and Automation or Industrial Computing, the Academic Committee shall determine, on a case-by-case basis and according to their prior education, the number of credits and the courses to be completed as specific additional training. These courses shall be selected from those offered in the Master’s Degree in Automation and Industrial Computing at the Universitat Politècnica de València.

Information on course content, learning outcomes, training activities, assessment methods and the number of credits is available on the website and in the corresponding course guides: https://www.upv.es/estudios/master/muaii/