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Admission, training and defence

Doctoral students (PhD candidates) at the Institute for the State and the Law at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (ISL-BAS) are trained in compliance with:

  • The Development of Academic Staff in the Republic of Bulgaria Act (DASRBA)
  • The Regulations for the Implementation of the DASRBA
  • The Regulations on the Terms and Procedures for Acquiring Scientific Degrees and Occupying Academic Positions at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS)
  • The Regulations on the Activities of the Training Centre (TC) and the Academic Council (AC) at BAS
  • The Statutes of BAS
  • The Regulations on the Terms and Procedures for Acquiring Scientific Degrees and Occupying Academic Positions at the Institute for State and Law at BAS
  • The Rules and Procedures for Combating Plagiarism

Admission

Full-Time and Part-Time Doctoral Programmes

Admission to full-time and part-time doctoral programmes is competitive and conducted via an official entrance examination process.

Applicants must meet the following criteria

  • Hold a Master’s degree in Law (applicable to all doctoral programs). For the "International Law and International Relations" doctoral program, a Master's degree in a field other than Law is also accepted.
  • Have a cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) from their Master’s diploma of no less than "Very Good" (4.50) under the Bulgarian grading system.

The examination process consists of

  • A specialized exam in the field of the respective doctoral programme.
  • A foreign language exam administered by the Training Centre of BAS (https://edu.bas.bg/index.html).

The specialized exam includes both a written and an oral component. Only applicants who score at least "Very Good" (4.50) on the written exam are admitted to the oral exam. To pass the specialized examination successfully, a combined average score from the written and oral components of no less than "Very Good" (5.00) is required. The foreign language exam is taken only after passing the specialized exam and is considered successful with a score of at least "Good" (4.00).

Following a resolution by the Scientific Council and an official order issued by the Director of ISL, successful candidates are formally enrolled. Upon enrollment, PhD students and their academic supervisors sign a standard tripartite training agreement.

Enrolled full-time and part-time PhD students funded by the state budget pay tuition fees for the first year (for full-time) or the first and second years (for part-time) of training. The fee amounts are determined by the respective annual Decree of the Council of Ministers.

Where to track current admission openings?

The admission of full-time and part-time PhD students is regulated by the Regulations on the Activities of the Training Centre (TC) at BAS and the Academic Council (AC) of the TC. There are two application sessions per academic year: the regular session and the supplementary session.

Openings are officially announced in the State Gazette, on the website of BAS (www.bas.bg), and on the ISL-BAS website (www.ipn-bg.org) under the "News and Events" section. The deadline for submitting application documents is two months from the date of publication in the State Gazette.

Independent Doctoral Study (Independent Research Track)

Admission to the independent form of doctoral study does not require an entrance examination or a competitive application window. Applications are accepted throughout the entire academic year under the conditions set forth in Chapter 2, Section III of the Regulations on the Terms and Procedures for Acquiring Scientific Degrees and Occupying Academic Positions at the Institute for State and Law at BAS.

Requirements for applicants

  • Must hold a Master’s degree in Law for doctoral programs in Law, or a Master’s degree in a relevant field for the "International Law and International Relations" program.
  • A cumulative diploma GPA of no less than "Good" (4.00).
  • Submission of a core draft of the dissertation prospectus/thesis, spanning between 80 and 120 pages, written in Bulgarian.
  • Submission of all supporting documentation specified in Chapter 2, Section III of the Institute's internal regulations.

The submitted draft is reviewed by the respective academic department (section) of ISL, which evaluates its scientific merits, the relevance and significance of the research problem, the feasibility of successfully completing the final dissertation, and the availability of competent academic supervision.

The final decision on enrollment is made by the Scientific Council, based on the formal report submitted by the reviewing department. Upon a favorable decision, the enrolled PhD students and their academic supervisors sign a standard tripartite training agreement. Independent track PhD students pay a tuition fee determined by the Scientific Council of ISL.

Training

Doctoral training integrates specialized academic instruction within the scientific discipline, independent research work, and active engagement in the institutional life of the Institute. Specifically, it encompasses coursework, participation in scientific seminars and academic forums, the preparation of publications related to the dissertation topic, completion of the milestones and examinations outlined in the individual study plan, and the final writing and defense of the doctoral thesis.

Individual Study Plan

Regardless of the form of study, the doctoral program is structured around a scientific curriculum customized via an individual study plan. This plan defines:

  • Annual research and training activities
  • Mandatory examinations
  • Participation in courses, seminars, and conferences
  • Specific milestones and deadlines for the completion of the dissertation

The individual study plan is drafted jointly by the PhD student and their academic supervisor, discussed within the respective department, and formally approved by the Scientific Council of ISL. Progress is reviewed annually, and full-time PhD students are additionally required to submit quarterly progress reports.

Credit System

The educational curriculum for PhD students complies with the credit system established by the Training Centre of BAS (Appendix 2.1 and Appendix 2.2 of the Regulations on the Activities of the Training Centre and the Academic Council at BAS). It mandates a minimum number of credits across different academic activities. To complete the training phase with entitlement to defense ("отчисление с право на защита"), the student must accumulate at least 130 credits. To be formally cleared for the public defense, a minimum of 250 credits is required.

Scholarships

State-funded doctoral scholarships are awarded for a duration of three years upon enrollment in a full-time doctoral program and are disbursed via bank transfer. Extensions of the doctoral term beyond the standard duration are non-funded.

Dissertation Defence

A PhD student is granted the right to defend their dissertation after fulfilling all training requirements, passing the examinations set in their individual study plan, and acquiring a minimum of 250 credits. The candidate must have at least three publications on the topic of the dissertation (one of which may be accepted for publication/in print) and must present a completed dissertation manuscript.

The dissertation must contain original scientific contributions, demonstrate profound theoretical knowledge in the relevant legal field, and showcase the capacity for independent scientific research. The manuscript must adhere to the technical and citation requirements specified in Appendix No. 4 to the Regulations on the Terms and Procedures for Acquiring Scientific Degrees and Occupying Academic Positions at the Institute for State and Law at BAS.

The defense procedure is officially initiated by the PhD student via a formal report. For detailed information regarding the report, completion of training, and potential extensions or suspensions of the doctoral term, please refer to Articles 39, 36, and 35 of the Institute's internal regulations.

Preliminary Discussion (Internal Defense)

Prior to the public defense, the dissertation undergoes a preliminary discussion within the respective department. The department evaluates the readiness of the manuscript. Upon issuing a positive evaluation, the department submits a formal proposal to the Scientific Council regarding the composition of the external Academic Jury and the proposed date for the public defense. The internal defense procedure is governed by Articles 43–44 of the Regulations on the Terms and Procedures for Acquiring Scientific Degrees and Occupying Academic Positions at the Institute for State and Law at BAS.

Academic Jury and Public Defense

Based on the resolution of the Scientific Council, the Director of the Institute issues an official order confirming the members of the Academic Jury and the date of the public defense. Within ten days of the issuance of this order, the candidate must submit all necessary defense documents to the Academic Jury through the ISL administration, in accordance with Article 47 of the Institute's regulations.

The Academic Jury consists of five habilitated scholars (Professors or Associate Professors), at least one of whom is an internal member from the Institute, while the majority are external experts chosen from other universities or research institutions to ensure objectivity.