Admission

Admission is the action whereby the respective PhD programme grants an eligible applicant entry to the specified higher education programme. It is equivalent to the effective acceptance of a student into a specified programme of studies at a specified institution of higher education.

The PhD in Software, Systems and Computing Academic Committee shall first verify that students meet the UPM's entry criteria and then proceed to select and admit students according to the number of vacancies established by the PhD programme.

Students shall be admitted to the PhD in Software, Systems and Computing Programme based on the criteria and weights listed below. Submission of all required documents is mandatory and all submitted documents should be in Spanish or English (if the original documents are in other language, an official translation into Spanish or English is required):

• Curriculum Vitae (20%)
  • Professional and research experience: Consideration shall be given to previous experience, especially related to the PhD programme research areas.
• Academic information: Degree certificates and academic transcripts (25%)
  • For students who have taken the master's degree associated with this PhD programme, consideration shall be given to students' academic achievement.
  • For students of other master's degree programmes, consideration shall be given to academic achievement and the similarity of the skills and knowledge acquired through the master's degree to the PhD's research lines.
  • Consideration shall be given to students' higher education academic record.
• Certification of foreign language proficiency (15%)
  • Students must certify a proficiency level of B2 (CEFR) or equivalent in English.
• Letters of recommendation (15%)
  • At least one letter of endorsement from a PhD programme faculty member, appraising the motivation, expertise and ability of the student and stating their agreement to supervise his or her thesis in the event of admission. (10%)
  • Other letters of recommendation by respected researchers and professionals appraising the student are optional. (5%)
• Letter of motivation (5%)
  • Students must submit a letter of motivation, stating, at minimum, their areas of interest, their basis for applying for admission to this PhD programme and the reasons for wishing to specialize in a particular area.
• Interview (20%)
  • The PhD Programme Academic Committee may invite candidates to a personal interview.

The PhD in Software, Systems and Computing Academic Committee will evaluate the documentation and will publish the decision in the established dates after checking all the documentation. This Committee shall contact candidates, if necessary, to gather any additional or fill in any missing information. Having received the admission letter, students should enrol in the established dates.

Admission to this programme is based on the applicant’s university studies, which must include a significant component of Computer Science. In essence, admission may be granted in the following cases:

• Undergraduate degrees in Computer Science with a Master’s degree in Computer Science.
• Undergraduate degrees in certain fields related to Computer Science, such as Telecommunications and Mathematics (with a significant focus on computer systems development), followed by a Master’s degree in Computer Science (with a significant focus on computer systems development).
• Undergraduate degrees in certain fields related to Computer Science (with a significant component of Computer Science relating to the development and use of computer systems, but for which the development of computer systems has not been the main focus of study) combined with a Master’s degree in Computer Science. Supplementary Bridge Courses will be required.
• Undergraduate degrees in certain fields related to Computer Science (with a significant component of Computer Science relating to the development and use of computer systems, but for which the development of computer systems has not been the main focus of study) combined with a Master’s degree not directly related to Computer Engineering (although with a significant component of Computer Science). Supplementary training modules will be required.

Consequently, the entry profile is broad, allowing for, on the one hand, students whose previous experience has focused on the study of computer systems as an end in itself (students of Computer Science and disciplines most closely related to computer systems, telecommunications systems and mathematics) and, on the other hand, students whose previous field of study has been in science and engineering, where the use of advanced computational techniques (data analysis, simulation, modelling of physical processes) is of great importance.

Students whose profile differs slightly from the standard profile for admission to this PhD programme (university graduates with Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Computing), but who are considered capable of learning the skills required for admission, may be admitted conditionally upon taking a number of Bridge Courses established by the PhD in Software, Systems and Computing Academic Committee.