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:

• Dra. Arianna Di Cintio (Academic Director of the Master; Astrophysics Dept. ULL / IAC)
• Dr. Chris Brook (Coordinator of Doctorate Programme; Astrophysics Dept. ULL / IAC)
• Dr. Paul Beck (Astrophysics Dept. ULL / IAC)
• Dr. Fernando Delgado Acosta (Physics Dept. ULL)
• Dr. Tanausú del Pino Alemán (IAC / Astrophysics Dept. ULL)
• Dra. Ginevra Favole (Astrophysics Dept. ULL / IAC)
• Dr. Hugo García Vázquez (IAC / Astrophysics Dept. ULL)
• Dr. Jairo Méndez Abreu ( Astrophysics Dept. ULL/ IAC)

Contact

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.

The ULL Doctorate Program in Astrophysics has internal regulations and procedures related to theses and thesis projects.

1. External Evaluation Requirement:

In accordance with Spanish doctoral regulations, each doctoral thesis must be evaluated by two external reviewers who are not affiliated with the IAC or the ULL.

2. Deposit Process for External Evaluation:

When the doctoral student and his/her supervisors consider that the doctoral thesis is ready to be defended, they must coordinate with the ULL School of Doctoral and Postgraduate Studies to appoint external reviewers, as administered by the ULL doctorate. Reviewers must be qualified experts on the topic of the thesis and meet the criteria established by Spanish doctoral regulations.

You can find here the Procedure for nominating two external reviewers

3. Result and Next Steps:

Once the positive evaluations of both external reviewers have been received, the doctoral student and his/her supervisors will proceed with the formal deposit at the ULL School of Doctoral and Postgraduate Studies for the defense of the thesis, following the official Spanish procedures. If any evaluation is negative, the candidate may be asked to make the revisions recommended by the reviewers, after which the revised thesis will be re-evaluated.

You can find here the Procedure for defence of the thesis and the Complete Guide for the Depposit of the Thesis

4. Project Modifications:

Changes in topic or supervisory team are managed through the ULL "SEDE", managed by the doctorate. Title changes and modifications to the research plan can be made through the RAPI system, to which the student has access.