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The PhD Program in Political Science from the Department of Public Science and Public Policies at Iscte provides theoretical and methodological training that allows doctoral candidates to develop research on current issues with appropriate results in professional and research fields.
The coordination of the PhD programme is managed by:
Applications are now open for Iscte doctoral scholarships: Merit Scholarships, Tuition Fee Scholarships and Pioneer Scholarships.
Applications must be submitted through the following platform: https://recrutamento.iscte-iul.pt/jobs.
Merit Scholarships
These scholarships aim to support doctoral students, through the award of a monthly stipend and a waiver of tuition fees.
Application deadline: July 8, 2026
More information is available on the page https://recrutamento.iscte-iul.pt/jobs/726.
Tuition Fee Scholarships
These scholarships aim to support new doctoral students who are enrolling for the first time in the first year of a doctoral programme and who obtained their master’s degree at Iscte in the two previous academic years, through coverage of the annual tuition fee.
Application deadline: July 8, 2026
More information is available on the page https://recrutamento.iscte-iul.pt/jobs/729.
NOTE: Iscte doctoral scholarships — Merit Scholarships and Tuition Fee Scholarships — are awarded in accordance with the Regulation for the Attribution of Scholarships to Third Cycle Students at Iscte.
The awarding of scholarships depends on compliance with the requirements and eligibility criteria set out in the regulation, as well as the conditions defined in the respective call for applications. Applicants are advised to consult the regulation (available here) and the call for applications (once published) for full information on the applicable conditions.
Pioneer PhD Scholarships
The scholarships are funded by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the Cooperation Agreement between the FCT and Iscte, as part of the PIONEER Alliance, for the funding of the Multi-Annual Plan for Research Grants (BI) for PhD Students, which aims to foster the creation of synergies and the sharing of research environments between Iscte and the Alliance’s partner universities.
Application deadline: June 24, 2026
More information is available on the page https://recrutamento.iscte-iul.pt/jobs/733.
PhD Studentships in All Scientific Fields 2026, under the Regular Line of Application and the Specific Line Application in a Non-academic Environment.
Applications are open between March 2 and 17.00 p.m. (Lisbon time) of March 31, 2026.
For candidates whose applications are approved with CIES-Iscte as the Host Institution, a Zoom session will be organized to support the preparation of applications and to clarify any questions. All interested candidates, including members of the CIES-Iscte team and PhD students from CIES-Iscte doctoral programmes, must submit an expression by email to concursos.cies@iscte-iul.pt until March 10, 2026.
Find out more here.
ESPP International PhD Conferences Cycle
General Regulatory Standards for Iscte Doctorate Degrees (2026) | PT (starting in the 2026/27 academic year)
General Regulatory Standards for Iscte Doctorate Degrees (2026) | EN
Specific Norms of the PhD in Political Science (2016) | PT
Doctoral Project in Political Science [PT/EN] & Advisors Declarations [PT/EN]
Doctoral Research Annual Progress Report in Political Science [PT/EN] & Advisors Evaluation Report [PT/EN]
The comparative study of the interrelationships between societies and political systems, as well as the interrelationships between different states, is fundamental not only to understand, but also to transform the contemporary world.
2026/2027
The PhD Programme in Political Science has a four-year duration, corresponding to the completion of 240 ECTS credits, which are divided among 60 credits in lecture units in the first year and 180 credits for the doctoral thesis in the second, third and fourth years of the course.
| Unidades curriculares | Semester | ECTS |
|---|---|---|
| 2nd Cycle Internship Parte Escolar > Optional Courses | 1 | 6.0 |
| Contemporary Debates and Controversies in Political Science | 1 | 12.0 |
| Political Science and International Relations Seminar | 1 | 12.0 |
| Political Systems, Europeanization and International Relations | 1 | 12.0 |
| Research Project Seminar in Political Science and International Relations | 1 | 18.0 |
Recommended elective
02678 | Political Campaigns Analysis
00529 | Elections, Parties and Political Representation
03426 | Public Opinion and Polls
00527 | Governance and Globalization
Optional courses have a limited number of places. On the other hand, they will only be held if they achieve a minimum number of enrollments.
The optional course may be other course of 6 ECTS credits, of the 2nd or 3rd cycle, with available vacancies, taking place in the 1st semester.
The list of the optional courses, for each new academic year, will be available on Fénix+ for new students to register, during the period defined for that purpose.
For more information on the curricular units running at Iscte, visit the page https://fenix-mais.iscte-iul.pt/units/iscte/informacao-geral.
| Unidades curriculares | Semester | ECTS |
|---|---|---|
| Phd Thesis in Political Science Specialization > Political Science | 1 | 180.0 |
Recommended elective
02678 | Political Campaigns Analysis
00529 | Elections, Parties and Political Representation
03426 | Public Opinion and Polls
00527 | Governance and Globalization
Optional courses have a limited number of places. On the other hand, they will only be held if they achieve a minimum number of enrollments.
The optional course may be other course of 6 ECTS credits, of the 2nd or 3rd cycle, with available vacancies, taking place in the 1st semester.
The list of the optional courses, for each new academic year, will be available on Fénix+ for new students to register, during the period defined for that purpose.
For more information on the curricular units running at Iscte, visit the page https://fenix-mais.iscte-iul.pt/units/iscte/informacao-geral.
| Unidades curriculares | Semester | ECTS |
|---|
Recommended elective
02678 | Political Campaigns Analysis
00529 | Elections, Parties and Political Representation
03426 | Public Opinion and Polls
00527 | Governance and Globalization
Optional courses have a limited number of places. On the other hand, they will only be held if they achieve a minimum number of enrollments.
The optional course may be other course of 6 ECTS credits, of the 2nd or 3rd cycle, with available vacancies, taking place in the 1st semester.
The list of the optional courses, for each new academic year, will be available on Fénix+ for new students to register, during the period defined for that purpose.
For more information on the curricular units running at Iscte, visit the page https://fenix-mais.iscte-iul.pt/units/iscte/informacao-geral.
| Unidades curriculares | Semester | ECTS |
|---|
Recommended elective
02678 | Political Campaigns Analysis
00529 | Elections, Parties and Political Representation
03426 | Public Opinion and Polls
00527 | Governance and Globalization
Optional courses have a limited number of places. On the other hand, they will only be held if they achieve a minimum number of enrollments.
The optional course may be other course of 6 ECTS credits, of the 2nd or 3rd cycle, with available vacancies, taking place in the 1st semester.
The list of the optional courses, for each new academic year, will be available on Fénix+ for new students to register, during the period defined for that purpose.
For more information on the curricular units running at Iscte, visit the page https://fenix-mais.iscte-iul.pt/units/iscte/informacao-geral.
Students are intended to acquire the following set of abilities:
a) A systematic command of the discipline of Political Science;
b) Political Science-related competencies, skills and research methods;
c) The ability to conceive, design and implement original research of scientific value;
d) The capacity to critically assess, analyse and summarise new and complex ideas;
e) The capacity to communicate with scientist peers as well as the community on the topic of his/her scientific area, and to publish his/her scientific work;
f) The ability to contribute, in academic and professional contexts, towards social progress and the wellbeing of all populations.
These skills are acquired through the specific features of the study plan, which include: the renewal of knowledge on the issues of PS and IR, the apprehension and debate of cutting-edge research, theoretical and technical-methodological advancement, and a combination of research theory and practice for the purpose of carrying out socially and politically relevant research projects.
2025/2026
| Round | Start Date | End Date | Vacancies | Application fee | Reservation fee | Reservation fee outside EU |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st round | Doutoramento/PhD | 2025-12-15 09:30 | 2026-01-14 17:00 | 25 | 70.00 € | 350.00 € | € |
| 2nd round | Doutoramento/PhD | 2026-01-15 09:30 | 2026-02-25 17:00 | 70.00 € | 350.00 € | € | |
| 3rd round | Doutoramento/PhD | 2026-02-26 09:30 | 2026-04-06 17:00 | 70.00 € | 350.00 € | € | |
| 4th round | Doutoramento/PhD | 2026-04-07 09:30 | 2026-05-13 17:00 | 70.00 € | 350.00 € | € | |
| 5th round | Doutoramento/PhD | 2026-05-14 09:30 | 2026-06-24 17:00 | 70.00 € | 350.00 € | € | |
| 6th round | Doutoramento/PhD | 2026-06-25 09:30 | 2026-08-26 17:00 | 70.00 € | 350.00 € | € |
a) Master’s degree or the legal equivalent;
b) Bachelor’s degree, together with relevant academic or scientific curriculum which is recognized as attesting the ability to complete this level of study;
c) Relevant academic, scientific or professional curriculum that is recognized as attesting the ability to complete this level of study.
Required documents:
- Updated curriculum vitae;
- Identification document;
- Letter of motivation and research interests (1 page);
- Certificates of the bachelor’s and master’s degrees (and, where applicable, of other courses or diplomas obtained in higher education). Documents certifying the final classification obtained for the completion of the degrees must be submitted, together with the corresponding positive grading scale, for certificates issued by foreign institutions.
- Transcript of records: document proving the course units taken to obtain each degree, respective grades and duration of the course;
- Formal photo (passport-type).
Please consult the Application's specific selection and seriation criteria defined for this doctoral programme.
For information on the application procedure in Fénix+, we also recommend consulting the page https://www.iscte-iul.pt/contents/estudar/1013/candidaturas#.