The admission requirements for the PhD program are as follows:

As a general rule, applicants must hold an official Spanish Bachelor’s degree (Grado), or equivalent, and an official Master’s degree.

Also, applicants that fulfil one of the following requirements are eligible:

1. Be in possession of a Spanish or EU university degree that qualifies the holder for access to a Master’s degree, and have completed at least 300 ECTS credits in official university studies, of which at least 60 ECTS must be at the Master’s level.
2. Be in possession of a Spanish Bachelor’s degree with a duration of at least 300 ECTS credits.
3. Be in possession of a university degree obtained in a foreign country, provided that it certifies a level of education equivalent to that of a Spanish Master’s degree (subject to verification by the university), and that it qualifies the holder to pursue doctoral studies in the country where it was issued.
4. Be in possession of a doctoral degree obtained in Spain under previous academic regulations.

A complete description of the admission requirements can be found in the Doctoral Studies Framework that governs PhD studies at the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid.

🔔 NEW – Admission Process

Up to and including the 2025–2026 academic year, applications for pre-registration to the doctoral programme must be submitted through the HELIOS platform.
From the 2026–2027 academic year onwards, applications must be submitted through the TRÁMITES platform of the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM).

For the purpose of admission assessment, applicants must submit a letter of motivation, in accordance with the template established by the programme. This document must identify the intended research area and justify its relevance to the programme, as well as include any additional information supporting the applicant’s interest and the feasibility of the proposed research.

The letter must explicitly refer to a faculty member of the programme with whom prior contact has been established and who has expressed willingness to supervise the doctoral thesis. It must also include the main details of the proposed thesis supervisor and their formal approval. If the proposed supervisor is external to UPM, the approval of an academic tutor must also be provided; this tutor must be a UPM faculty member and a member of the programme.

Applicants who have a proposed external supervisor but do not know a potential academic tutor within the programme should contact the programme in advance via email at pd.iaqm@upm.es

The letter must also demonstrate the applicant’s skills, abilities, and personal competencies, showing a positive attitude, initiative, and motivation to pursue quality and excellence in their work, as well as respect for professional ethics and academic integrity.

When the thesis is carried out within the framework of a collaboration agreement between an external entity and UPM, and meets the requirements established by UPM, it may be considered under the Industrial Doctorate modality.

The following criteria will be evaluated:

A. Adequate academic background, providing the scientific and technical knowledge required to successfully carry out the research within the expected timeframe. Preferred admission profiles will be prioritized if the number of applicants exceeds the available slots.

B. Prior contact with a faculty member of the program who supports the relevance and feasibility of conducting a PhD Thesis within one of the program’s research lines and is willing to supervise it.

C. Scientific, technical, or strategic value of the proposed research for the PhD Program in particular, and for the University in general.

D. Link between the thesis proposal and research projects funded through competitive public calls or private funding and/or the availability of a scholarship or contract supporting the scientific-technical interest and feasibility of the proposal.

E. Professional or research experience relevant to the development of the PhD thesis.

Criteria A and B are mandatory for all applicants. When the number of qualified applicants exceeds the program’s capacity, the Academic Committee will evaluate criteria C, D, and E, and will establish a ranked list accordingly.

Additionally, a personal interview may be required.

To learn about the deadlines and procedures for access, admission, and enrollment in doctoral studies, applicants may consult the updated calendar available at the official website of the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid:
https://www.upm.es/Estudiantes/Estudios_Titulaciones/Estudios_Doctorado/informacion