The Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC), through its 1993 written agreement with the University of La Laguna (ULL), assumes the responsibility for its research activity in the field of astrophysics, and participates in the University's doctoral programme.

Given the close relationship between postgraduate training and research, the PhD in Astrophysics Programme is developed on a shared basis between the ULL and the IAC.

The ULL/IAC PhD in Astrophysics Programme has about eighty researchers within highly active research groups in a wide range of areas of modern astrophysics, who have an international reputation for the quality of their research and can serve as potential PhD thesis supervisors.

Every year the IAC offers attractive PhD fellowships for young university graduates, preferably with a solid background in physics (or, occasionally, mathematics or engineering). These fixed-term contracts are renewable annually up to a maximum of four years. The IAC also offers grants to do a PhD in European countries (International Scholarships).

The IAC/ULL hosts an average of 40 PhD students at any one time, with about 10 PhD theses completed every year. Our PhD in Astrophysics Programme has received high ratings for research from the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science. This means that our PhD students learn from world-leading physicists and astronomers. Further information can be found in the ULL doctorate webpage 

The Master's and Doctorate in Astrophysics Academic Committee (CAMyD) is in charge of the academic organisation of the ULL Astrophysics Master’s and Doctoral Degrees programmes. Its composition and membership follows:

• Dr. Pablo Rodríguez-Gil (Director of Masters Programme in Astrophysics; IAC/Department of Astrophysics, ULL)
• Dr. Chris Brook (Director of PhD Programme in Astrophysics; IAC/Department of Astrophysics, ULL)
• Dr. Josefa Becerra González (IAC/Department of Astrophysics, ULL)
• Dr. César Esteban López (IAC/Department of Astrophysics, ULL)
• Dr. Silvana Radescu Cioranescu (Department of Physics, ULL)
• Dr. Daniel Alonso Ramírez (Department of Physics, ULL)

Contact

Dr. Pablo Rodríguez-Gil (e-mail: prguez [at] iac.es (prguez[at]iac[dot]es) / telephone: 922 605 200 Ext. 5506 / 922 318 136)

Dr. Chris Brook (e-mail: cbrook [at] iac.es (cbrook[at]iac[dot]es) / telephone: 922 605 200 Ext. 5765)

• Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias. Via Láctea s/n. 38205 La Laguna (Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain)
• Departamento de Astrofísica, Edificio de Física y Matemáticas, Facultad de Ciencias. Avda. Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez s/n. 38206 La Laguna (Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain).

Our PhD in Astrophysics Programme has several systems to ensure high academic standards:

• The ULL Higher Education Review

  The ULL has its own Internal Guarantee of Academic Standards (SGIC), that includes our PhD in Astrophysics Programme.

• The IAC Higher Education Review 

  Parallel to the ULL's SGIC, the Higher Education Committee at the IAC requests annual reports from each PhD student in order to make sure that theses comply with high academic standards.

  Reports must be signed by both the student and the thesis supervisors, and must discuss the degree of fulfilment of previously stated objectives and present the work to be done in the following years.

  Delays in the completion of the 3-year PhD thesis must be justified by both the student and thesis supervisors over a personal interview to discuss any difficulties and seek possible solutions.

  The committee also keeps a record of the attendance of PhD students to talks and seminars given at the IAC.

General entry requirements to a PhD Programme at ULL

Entry requirements to the PhD in Astrophysics Programme (in Spanish only)

Specific criteria for admission

The Master's and Doctorate in Astrophysics Academic Committee, in agreement with the Higher Education Committee of the IAC, has the following additional entry requirements:

• Funding through a PhD fellowship or any other scholarship or contract for the whole duration of the thesis.
• Having been listed above the cut-off mark in the final list of applicants of the last call for Resident Astrophysicist positions.
• A PhD thesis project submitted by a researcher of the PhD in Astrophysics Programme and approved by the Research Committee at IAC and the Master's and Doctorate in Astrophysics Academic Committee.

PhD theses and thesis projects are regulated by the ULL PhD in Astrophysics Programme. In addition, the Master's and Doctorate in Astrophysics Academic Committee (CAMyD) requires an assessment by a referee prior to thesis submission.

1. Before thesis submission to the ULL, PhD students must submit an electronic copy of their thesis directly to the CAMyD director. An accompanying consent letter from the thesis supervisors must also be submitted. Depending on whether the student applies for Mención Internacional or not, the procedure is the following:

   Without Mención Internacional: The student must submit a proposal for an internal IAC/ULL reviewer. External reviewers can also be accepted. Internal or external experts involved in the student’s PhD work cannot serve as reviewers. Otherwise, they will be rejected by the CAMyD. Corrections and changes to the thesis content suggested by the reviewer must be included in the thesis by the PhD student. On completion of the revision process, the reviewer must submit a thesis assessment report to the CAMyD, that will eventually authorise thesis submission for its defence. With Mención Internacional: The student and supervisors must submit a proposal for two external reviewers to the ULL (not directly to the CAMyD). Again, these two external reviewers must not have been involved in the student’s PhD work. On completion of the revision process, the reviewers must submit their assessment reports before the CAMyD can authorise submission.
2. In case of a positive assessment, the thesis can be submitted (see "Guía para el Depósito de Tesis Doctoral") . If the report is negative, the CAMyD will arrange a meeting with the PhD student and the thesis supervisors and, if necessary, the reviewers and other experts. Depending on the outcome of this meeting, the CAMyD will either appoint a new reviewer or advise the student and the supervisors against thesis submission unless the reviewers' comments and corrections have been adequately implemented.

Changes to PhD thesis projects

Substantial modifications to a PhD thesis project such as title, subject or supervisor changes are possible, but applications must be submitted to the CAMyD at least six months before thesis submission.

The applicant, either the PhD student or thesis supervisor, must justify in writing the proposed changes to the School of Postgraduate Studies at ULL. The School of Postgraduate Studies will forward the application to the CAMyD for its consideration and approval, if applicable.