Notice of public selection for admission to PhD courses for the 42nd cycle
The Call for Applications for the XLII PhD cycle (Academic Year 2026-27) is now open.
- Deadline: May 20, 2026, at 1:00 PM (13:00) CEST.
All candidates are strongly advised to carefully read the full text of the call and the specific course requirements, available at the following link: FULL CALL
Applications must be submitted exclusively via the online procedure specified in the call.
Application Templates
Below, candidates will find the templates to be completed and attached to the application, as required by the selection criteria: (Click on the titles to download the documents)
- Curriculum Vitae – to be downloaded, completed, and signed
- Master’s Thesis Abstract – to be downloaded and completed
- Research Proposal– to be downloaded and completed.
Thematic Scholarships (Reserved Research Topics)
Candidates interested in applying for scholarships with a predefined research topic must submit a research project consistent with the chosen theme. Descriptions of the available topics can be consulted below:
- Scholarship in memory of Rocco de’ Stefani Donati di Celadis – “The Economic History of a Hydroelectric Company: the SAFEV”: FACT SHEET
- Scholarship co-funded by the University of Padua, the Department of Historical and Geographic Sciences and the Ancient World and FBK – within the project “Travellers’ interactions in early modern Italy (TRAVEL)“, FIS-2023-02909, CUP (C53C25000710001) , PI: Sandra Toffolo – FACT SHEET
Letters of Recommendation
Letters of reference must be requested and submitted through the dedicated online procedure following the instructions in the call, no later than May 25th, 2026, at 1:00 PM (13:00) CEST.
Please note: Any letters of reference attached to the application outside of the specified online procedure will not be considered.
Contact Information
If you still have doubts, contact by email the PhD Office at phd.application@unipd.it or by phone at +39 331 6502029 (Monday to Friday, from 10 am to 12:30 pm).
For questions or clarifications regarding the PhD programme, please contact: dottoratogesta@unipd.it
Ordinary call for applications
A call for applications is published every year between April and May. All applicants holding a Master’s Degree or an equivalent 4-year (minimum) foreign qualification may enter the competition, irrespective of their age and nationality. Candidates can submit their application even if they have not obtained their Master’s Degree yet, but they must achieve it by September 30th. Scholarships are awarded on the basis of the submitted qualifications, research project proposed and, when successful, an interview. In addition to ordinary scholarships (about 10 per year), other scholarships may be funded by research programmes featured in the call or by external bodies.
Foreign candidates who have already achieved a scholarship of at least 3 years awarded by an international scientific board (for instance, Marie Curie or Erasmus Mundus) and wish to be admitted to this PhD programme, can submit a request for over quota positions.
China Scholarship Council
The University of Padova and the China Scholarship Council (CSC) award yearly PhD scholarships for Chinese students with excellent academic track-record, so that they have the opportunity to enrol for a PhD at the University of Padova.
The scholarships build on Padova University’s existing relationship with China. It has, in fact, extensive research links with Chinese research institutions and Universities. Successfull candidates are supported jointly by the China Scholarship (on behalf of the Chinese Ministry of Education) and the University of Padova.
The call for admissions is usually published in January.
Cariparo Foundation
Depending on their yearly distribution of funds, CARIPARO Foundation may decide to finance ordinary scholarships or scholarships for students who achieved their qualification abroad and do not reside in Italy. In this latter case, the CARIPARO PhD scholarship also covers expenses for meals and accommodation of international candidates.
International candidates who have not been selected through the call for the CARIPARO Scholarships can still submit an application for the ordinary call.
For cycle XXXVII (a.y.2021-22) the CARIPARO Foundation will finance an ordinary scholarship of the PhD Programme in Historical, Geographical and Anthropological Studies.