Why go to study at FI MU?

Have you finished your Bachelor's and are you ready for a PhD? Feeling better in Europe than in the US? Come to us!

You might be feeling puzzled about the differences between the PhD in the US and Europe. However, they are more similar than you might have thought. In the US system, PhD usually takes 6-7 years, with the first 2 years spent to a significant extent on courses and quals, only then followed by full-time research. In most of the European systems, the first 2 years are formally a separate Master's programme, filled with courses and final examination, with research done within the Master's thesis project, as well as within extra student-assistant jobs in research labs. Analogously, in the US, the next 4-5 years are spent with full-time research in the separate PhD programme.

Wait, so the only difference is that there are two parts on the paper instead of one single block? Not everywhere, but with us, yes! While US PhD programmes offer a modest stipend to barely cover the living expenses, European PhD programmes typically offer stipends similar to an average salary but no funding in the Master's phase. In contrast, the "MSc+PhD" programme of FI MU offers you financial remuneration for your work in the research lab already during the Master's stage. We have a long tradition of employing students as research assistants at all undergraduate levels and setting up the amount of work coming with the respective remuneration according to your needs and availability.

The "MSc+PhD" combination targets highly motivated Bachelors with excellent study results who are eager to commit to research as soon as possible and have already demonstrated their potential. Formally, the first part is a regular Master's degree which incurs study fees. Consequently, if you are interested in this programme and waiving the fees, the prerequisite for your application is to reach an agreement with your future supervisor at FI MUNI about you joining the respective lab. To that end, feel free to contact the supervisors directly or, using the email below, list the potential supervisors you are interested in and attach your CV to spark their interest and initiate the discussion.

Want to know more? Contact our Office for Doctoral and International Studies at email: admission@fi.muni.cz for more information, or directly apply here!
The applications for master studies from the autumn semester you can submit by April 15, 2025.
The applications for master studies from the spring semester 2026 you can submit from June 15, 2025 till October 15, 2025.