The main educational level that people who want to engage in scientific activity in Azerbaijan, build an academic career at a university, develop as a researcher, and become highly qualified specialists in a certain field of science can choose is doctoral studies. Doctoral studies are the highest level of higher education. Unlike a master's degree, education at this stage consists mainly of independent scientific research, preparation of scientific articles, doctoral exams, and dissertation work, rather than lessons.

Doctoral studies in Azerbaijan are planned in two programs:

1. Doctor of Philosophy program
2. Doctor of Science program

In this article, "Hesabla.com" will explain in detail what doctoral education is in Azerbaijan, who can apply for doctoral studies, how the entrance exams are held, what documents are required, the duration of education, the difference between a dissertation and a doctorate, and how to obtain a scientific degree.

# What is a doctoral study in Azerbaijan?

Doctoral studies are a level of higher education that serves to prepare highly qualified scientific and scientific-pedagogical personnel. The main goal of this educational level is to prepare specialists who can obtain new scientific results in a certain field of science, conduct independent research and justify those results before the scientific community. In other words, it is not just an educational program that teaches lessons, but an educational program that mainly chooses a scientific topic, works with a scientific supervisor, and provides a means for conducting research.

Doctoral studies are especially useful for those who have goals such as "Becoming a university teacher", "Working as a researcher", "Becoming an expert in a certain field", "Participating in scientific projects", "Promoting academic leadership positions" and "International academic activity".

# What are the stages of doctoral studies in Azerbaijan?

Doctoral studies in Azerbaijan are carried out in two main programs:

- Persons who have completed a Doctor of Philosophy, Master's degree or equivalent education
- Persons with a Doctor of Science, Doctor of Philosophy or former Candidate of Sciences degree

These two programs are not at the same level. It is not possible to apply directly to the Doctor of Science program with a master's degree diploma. The candidate must first have a PhD.



# What is a Doctor of Philosophy?

A PhD program is the main stage of scientific preparation after a master's degree. The presence of the word "philosophy" in the name of the program does not necessarily mean that the candidate has studied philosophy. The scientific degree is awarded by indicating the field of science.

For example:

* PhD in Economics
* PhD in Law
* PhD in Engineering
* PhD in Pedagogy
* PhD in Philology
* PhD in Biology
* PhD in Mathematics
* PhD in Medicine

# What is a PhD program?

A PhD program is a higher stage of scientific preparation after a PhD.

This program is intended for individuals who have serious scientific or scientific-pedagogical achievements in the chosen field of science, have the ability to conduct fundamental research, and have already received a PhD degree. The dissertation should be broader and more comprehensive than a PhD dissertation. At this stage, the applicant is expected to have results that make a significant theoretical or practical contribution to the field of science.

To receive the degree of Doctor of Sciences, a person must:

1. Have the degree of Doctor of Philosophy or a former Candidate of Sciences.
2. Must show serious scientific results in the relevant field.
3. Must publish scientific works.
4. Must prepare a Doctor of Sciences dissertation.
5. Must pass the defense at the dissertation council.
6. Must complete the relevant procedure of the Higher Attestation Commission.

# How is admission to the doctoral program carried out?

Admission to the doctoral program consists of several stages. Thus,

1. The admission plan and specialties are announced.
2. The candidate applies in the electronic system.
3. Documents are checked by the selected institution.
4. The suitability of the specialty is assessed.
5. An interview is held with the intended scientific supervisor.
6. A foreign language exam is taken.
7. A candidate who passes the foreign language stage is admitted to the philosophy exam.
8. After the philosophy exam, a specialty exam is given.
9. A competition is held based on the exam results.
10. The admissions committee makes a decision.
11. The dissertation topic and scientific supervisor are approved.

# Where is the acceptance of documents for doctoral studies carried out?

In recent years, applications for doctoral studies have been accepted electronically via portal.edu.az.

By creating a personal account, the candidate:

* Selects the institution
* Selects the specialty
* Uploads the required documents
* Sends the application
* Tracks the status of the application
* Sees the institution's decision

After the institution gives a positive opinion on the application, the candidate gains the right to participate in the foreign language exam. ri are announced separately for each academic year. For example, electronic acceptance of documents for the 2026/2027 academic year began on May 19, 2026 and ended on June 9, 2026 at 18:00. These dates do not automatically apply to subsequent years.

# What documents are required for admission to doctoral studies?

According to the general rules, the following documents may be required when applying for a PhD program:

- Application, In the name of the head of the receiving institution
- Personal registration sheet, Personal and labor data of the candidate
- Biography, Information about education and activities
- Photographs, 2 photos in 3x4 size are indicated in the Rules
- Characteristic letter from the workplace, May be required for working candidates
- Extract from the employment record book, For persons with work experience
- List of scientific works, If there are published scientific works
- Abstract, For a candidate without scientific works, In the chosen specialty
- Master's diploma, Certified copy
- Diploma recognition document, For Azerbaijani citizens studying abroad
- Identity card, Document confirming identity

Although these documents are indicated in general regulatory documents, the formats required on the electronic portal and in the announcement of a specific institution may differ. Therefore, the candidate should check both the portal and the announcement of the university or scientific organization he has chosen.



# Is a scientific article mandatory for admission to a doctoral program?

The general admission rules stipulate that the candidate can submit a list of published scientific works or an abstract on the chosen specialty. Therefore, a person who has not previously published a scientific article can also apply with an appropriate abstract. Having an article may give the candidate an advantage. Among those who have equal admission results, preference is given to the candidate who has a higher score on the specialty exam and has published scientific works.

# What are the entrance exams for a doctoral program?

Candidates who want to be admitted to the Doctor of Philosophy program take exams in three areas:

1. Foreign language
2. Philosophy
3. Specialized subject

The exams are prepared taking into account the scope of the current educational programs at the master's level. The foreign language exam is held by the State Examination Center, and the philosophy and specialty exams are held by the institution conducting the admission. The sequence is as follows:

1. Foreign language is held by the State Examination Center.
2. Philosophy is held by the University or scientific organization.
3. The specialty is determined by the University or scientific organization.

It should also be noted that a candidate who does not score a passing score in a foreign language will not be admitted to the next stages!

# How is the foreign language exam for doctoral studies conducted?

The foreign language exam for admission to a doctoral study can be taken in one of the following languages: English, German or French. According to the current information of the State Educational Service, the following skills are tested in the foreign language exam:

* Listening and Comprehension
* Reading and Comprehension
* Lexical and grammatical language knowledge
* Writing
* Speaking

The maximum score for the foreign language exam in the 2026 admission was 50 points. The passing score for admission was set at 25 points, taking into account the minimum restrictions for individual blocks. Candidates who score 25 or more points can enter the philosophy exam, and then the specialty exam.

# How is the specialization exam conducted?

The specialization exam tests the candidate's knowledge and research readiness in the chosen doctoral specialty.

The exam is conducted by a commission established by the higher education institution or scientific organization conducting the admission. The commission must include doctors of sciences or professors in the relevant specialty. The following can be assessed at the time:

* The candidate's fundamental specialized knowledge
* Topics studied at the master's level
* Modern scientific approaches
* Research methods
* Selected dissertation topic
* Scientific novelty of the topic
* Main sources and theories
* Practical problems on the topic

The specialization exam is especially important in the admission competition. In case of equal results, preference may be given to the candidate who received a higher score in the specialization exam.

# How is the educational process in doctoral studies carried out?

After admission to doctoral studies, an individual work plan is prepared for the doctoral student.

The following may be indicated in the individual work plan:

1. Dissertation topic, Main title and direction of the research
2. Literature review, Study of existing scientific sources
3. Research stages, Plan of theoretical or empirical research
4. Scientific articles, Works to be prepared and published
5. Conferences, Approbation of research results
6. Doctoral exams, Exams to be taken
7. Reports, Reports before the department, department and scientific council
8. Dissertation, Duration of preparation of chapters
9. Initial discussion, Evaluation of the dissertation at the institution
10 Defense, Presentation to the dissertation council

The doctoral student regularly reports on the implementation of the individual work plan to the department, laboratory, department or scientific council. The doctoral student must pass attestation at least once a year. Continuing education in the next academic year depends on the results of the attestation.



# What is a dissertation?

A dissertation is a scientific research work conducted independently in a certain field of science and presenting new scientific results.

A dissertation is not just a collection of information from various books and articles. In this work, the candidate must have his own scientific results, analysis and substantiated proposals.

The following are usually expected in a PhD dissertation:

* Justification of the relevance of the topic
* Identification of the research problem
* Analysis of existing scientific literature
* Explanation of research methods
* Presentation of new scientific results
* Theoretical or practical significance of the results
* Demonstration of scientific novelty
* Justification of the results and proposals

The composition of the dissertation and abstract must comply with the rules established by the Higher Attestation Commission.

# How is the admission score for doctoral studies calculated?

Obtaining a passing score in a foreign language exam during admission to doctoral studies does not mean final admission. This result only allows the candidate to participate in the next stages. During the final competition, the results of the philosophy and specialty exams, the candidate's scientific preparation, the presence of scientific works and the assessment of the admission committee are taken into account together.

# Is doctoral education paid or at the state's expense?

General legislation allows for the organization of doctoral education both at the state's expense and on a paid basis. The admission form depends on the approved admission plan for each year.

In 2026, the Ministry of Science and Education reported that:

* 1388 places have been allocated for the Doctor of Philosophy program.
* Admission is planned for about 300 specialties in about 90 institutions.
* 65 percent of the places belonged to higher education institutions, and 35 percent to scientific institutions.
* In the last two years, admission has been carried out only for the Doctor of Philosophy program.
* It was reported that doctoral students admitted to higher education institutions receive education on a state order. This is only current information for the 2026/2027 academic year, and admission places and funding forms may change in the following years.

# Our recommendations for those preparing for the Doctorate level as "Hesabla.com"

Although it is more convenient for each candidate to prepare his own plan, the general preparation plan we will recommend to you is:

1. Determine your scientific interest area
2. Research doctoral specialties
3. Identify potential scientific supervisors
4. Read their recent scientific works
5. Prepare a preliminary plan for the research topic
6. Analyze your master's thesis
7. Prepare a scientific article if possible
8. Check your foreign language level
9. Obtain a philosophy program
10. Study the specialization exam program
11. Check your documents and diploma recognition
12. Regularly follow admission announcements

Just preparing a general plan will not be enough for you. Therefore, special attention should be paid to each subject. For example, to be successful in a foreign language exam, you should pay attention to "Reading Academic Texts", "Listening and Comprehension Exercises", "Grammar and Vocabulary", "Academic Essay", "Speaking Skills", "Time Management" and "Exam Format-Specific Tests".

Unfortunately, it doesn't end there. In addition to making a plan, you should also pay attention to the mistakes made by other candidates. So, the most common mistakes about Doctorate:

- Seeing Doctorate only as another diploma
- Choosing a scientific supervisor randomly
- Choosing a dissertation topic too broadly
- Starting a foreign language late
- Saving articles for the last year
- Focusing only on the entrance exam
- Not paying attention to plagiarism
- Viewing annual reports formally
- Choosing a university only by its name
- Considering the completion of a doctorate as an academic degree
- Relying on old admission dates
- Considering the number of scientific articles the same for all fields



# Frequently Asked Questions

- What is a doctorate in Azerbaijan?

Doctorate is the highest level of higher education and serves to train highly qualified scientific and scientific-pedagogical personnel.

- Who can be admitted to a doctorate?

Individuals who have completed a master's degree or an equivalent higher education level can apply to the Doctor of Philosophy program.

- Is it possible to apply to a doctorate with a bachelor's degree?

As a general rule, no. A master's degree or equivalent is required for the PhD program.

- Can I apply for a doctoral program in the final year of a master's degree?

A candidate must complete a full master's degree and receive a diploma. Studying in a master's degree alone is not sufficient for admission to a doctoral program.

- How many years does a doctoral program last?

Full-time study for the PhD program is 3 years, part-time study is 4 years, and dissertation is 4 years. The corresponding periods for the Doctor of Science program are 4, 5, and 5 years.

- What exams are given for admission to a doctoral program?

During admission to the PhD program, exams are given in a foreign language, philosophy, and a specialized subject.

- Who conducts the foreign language exam?

The foreign language entrance exam is conducted by the State Examination Center. The philosophy and specialized exams are organized by the institution conducting the admission.

- What is the passing score for a foreign language?

The passing score for the 2026 admission was 25 points, taking into account the minimum restriction on blocks. This result may change in future admission years.

- Can a person with an IELTS or TOEFL certificate be exempted from the exam?

Yes. Certain international certificates corresponding to level B2 or higher, valid and approved by the State Educational Service may give the right to exemption from the foreign language exam.

- Is a scientific article mandatory for admission to a doctoral program?

The legislation for admission does not specify the same minimum number of articles for everyone. The candidate can submit a list of scientific works or an abstract on the chosen specialty. However, the presence of scientific articles may give an advantage in the competition.

- Is doctoral education free of charge?

The legislation provides for the possibility of both state-funded and paid doctoral studies. The actual form of financing depends on the admission plan of each year.

- Does one automatically become a Doctor of Philosophy upon completion of the doctoral program?

No. Completion of the doctoral program does not automatically grant an academic degree. A dissertation must be prepared, undergo an initial discussion and defense, and then the procedure for confirming the academic degree must be completed.

- Are dissertations and doctoral studies the same?

No. Doctoral studies are formal full-time or part-time forms of education. Dissertation studies are a form of preparation of a dissertation by a working specialist without leaving the production.

- Can a person who has completed a master's degree abroad study for a doctoral degree in Azerbaijan?

Yes. However, recognition of a foreign master's degree in Azerbaijan is required.

- Is it possible to work during doctoral studies?

It is possible to work during doctoral studies in part-time. The main activity of a full-time doctoral student is research, but with the consent of the scientific supervisor, he or she may be involved in 0.5 full-time scientific or scientific-pedagogical work at the institution where he or she studies.

- Who can apply for the Doctor of Sciences program?

Persons with a Doctor of Philosophy degree or a former Candidate of Sciences degree and showing serious scientific achievements in the relevant field can apply.