What to Do After Enrolment
Attend the Ph.D. Summit
Every year, the UHK organises the Ph.D. Summit for newly enrolled doctoral students in both full-time and combined forms of study.
The Summit is designed to provide you with a strong foundation for your doctoral studies at the UHK. During the course, you will learn about good academic practice and hear inspiring success stories. You will also have the opportunity to meet experienced academics and connect with doctoral students from different faculties and disciplines — one of the most valuable aspects of the programme.
Representatives of the university leadership regularly participate in the event, which is moderated by Mgr. Kateřina Cidlinská, Ph.D., an expert with extensive experience in doctoral education and cooperation with the Czech Association of Doctoral Researchers (ČAD).
The programme focuses on key topics related to doctoral study and academic careers, including academic publishing, selecting suitable journals, research databases, Open Science, and the popularisation of science. The Summit also includes a panel discussion with senior PhD students.
Feedback from previous participants has been overwhelmingly positive, with students particularly appreciating the sessions on publishing strategies, journal selection, promotion of research outputs, and the panel discussion.
Lectures and workshops are delivered by both internal and external experts. A substantial part of the programme is dedicated to academic career planning, led by Dr Cidlinská.
Date: 13–15 September 2026
Venue: Wellness Hotel Říčky
For further information, please contact your supervisor or the coordinator of the UHK Doctoral School, Ing. Martina Janečková, at martina.janeckova@uhk.cz.
Contact Your Supervisor
One of your first steps after enrolment should be to contact your supervisor and arrange regular consultation meetings. These consultations will help you define the focus and scope of your dissertation project and prepare your Individual Study Plan (ISP). From the very beginning, it is important to clarify mutual expectations, discuss your supervisor’s requirements, and agree on the frequency and format of your meetings.
In the natural and technical sciences, doctoral students often discuss their research progress with their supervisors on an almost daily basis. In the social sciences and humanities, consultations are usually less frequent, but regular communication remains equally important.
In 2023, the UHK introduced the Supervisor Standards (Vice-Rector’s Instruction No. 6/2023), which define the rights and responsibilities of supervisors and doctoral students. According to these standards, supervisors and doctoral students are expected to meet at least twice a month during the academic year, excluding the summer holiday period, amounting to a minimum of 40 hours of supervision annually. For students enrolled in combined forms of doctoral study, the scope of consultations is adjusted accordingly. Regular contact with your supervisor can help you stay focused on your dissertation project, overcome challenges more effectively, and make steady progress towards completing your studies. The Supervisor Standards were issued to regulate the rights and duties of supervisors, including their responsibilities in supporting doctoral students. The Supervisor Standards also outline key principles of doctoral supervision, including the supervisor’s role in preparing the ISP, guiding dissertation work, supporting doctoral education, and recommending suitable educational activities for doctoral students.
If you feel that your supervisor is not meeting these standards or that your cooperation is not functioning well, you may contact the guarantor of your doctoral programme, the subject-area board responsible for doctoral supervision, or the dean of the faculty. Additional support, practical information, and networking opportunities may also be available through faculty research departments and faculty coordinators of the UHK Doctoral School.
Contact Senior Students
We recommend getting in touch with doctoral students who have already spent some time at your department. Senior PhD students can help you settle into the programme and provide valuable practical advice, particularly regarding the preparation of your Individual Study Plan (ISP). They can also help you navigate administrative procedures and direct you to important sources of information and opportunities within the department.
Set Up Your Individual Study Plan (ISP)
After enrolling in your doctoral programme, you are required to prepare your Individual Study Plan (ISP) in consultation with your supervisor. Your studies throughout the programme will be structured according to this plan.
The ISP includes
- the topic of your dissertation (which may be refined during your studies),
- the courses and modules you are required to complete,
- activities related to your research (such as study stays, internships conferences, seminars, and summer schools),
- your teaching activities at the UHK,
- general timetable of your studies.
The structure and format of the ISP are determined by the subject-area board. Your ISP, including any later amendments, is prepared together with your supervisor, who subsequently submits it to the subject-area board for comments. The final approval of the ISP and any modifications rests with the Dean.
Your progress in fulfilling the ISP is evaluated once per semester. In this process, your supervisor plays a key role by assessing your progress and proposing an evaluation, which is then reviewed and approved by the subject-area board.
Take sufficient time to prepare your ISP carefully and discuss it with your supervisor and more experienced colleagues. You may also ask the subject-area board whether it can organise a seminar on preparing the ISP correctly. Keep in mind, however, that procedures may differ across subject-area boards; their departmental secretary can explain the specific requirements and processes relevant to your programme.
The ISP should clearly define your study and work obligations. You should therefore not be required to perform tasks that are not explicitly included in your ISP. For example, the payment of your doctoral bursary should not be conditioned on duties outside those specified in your ISP, such as excessive teaching or administrative work. You are entitled to decline activities that go beyond your ISP. At the same time, you may voluntarily take on additional responsibilities, but it is advisable to consider carefully whether these commitments could significantly reduce the time available for your research and dissertation work.
Find Out About Financial Support and Opportunities to Get Involved in Department Activities
Doctoral Study Income
The doctoral study income constitutes the basic source of income for doctoral students. Following the amendment to the Higher Education Act, from 2025 this support may take the form of either a doctoral bursary or a combination of a bursary and salary, provided that the work performed is directly related to the student’s dissertation topic and constitutes creative academic activity. The amount of doctoral study income corresponds to the minimum monthly wage multiplied by a coefficient of 1.2. This support is available only to students enrolled for the first time in a full-time doctoral programme. Unlike in previous years, doctoral students are now required to apply for the doctoral bursary. Applications are submitted using the designated form, which can be obtained through your faculty’s Study Department. It is recommended to submit your application as soon as possible after 1 September 2026 to ensure timely processing and payment of the scholarship.
The bursary is paid monthly on dates determined by the Dean of the respective faculty and is provided throughout the semester. At the end of each semester, your academic progress and fulfilment of study obligations are reviewed.
The UHK offers several other types of bursary support. The conditions and rules governing bursaries are defined in the Scholarship and Bursary Rules of the University of Hradec Králové, the current version of which is available on the UHK Notice Board.
All scholarships and bursaries are paid by bank transfer to the student’s designated bank account. To receive any bursary payments, it is essential that you enter your bank account details in STAG (My Studies – My Details).
We also recommend regularly following announcements issued by your faculty Dean, where you will find up-to-date information concerning doctoral study income, such as faculty-specific rules and guidelines on the scope of the Scholarship and Bursary Rules.
As doctoral studies can be demanding both financially and in terms of time, the UHK also offers additional forms of support for doctoral students.
Institutional and National Grants
If you become part of a larger research team during your doctoral studies, you may also participate in national research projects. In the Czech Republic, basic research projects are primarily funded by the Czech Science Foundation (GA ČR), while applied research is supported by the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic (TA ČR). Research activities are also funded through ministries, often using resources from European Union programmes. As a doctoral student, you may have the opportunity to contribute to grant-funded projects or, in some cases, apply for funding for your own research activities through projects submitted by the university. Funding opportunities may also arise through collaboration with commercial partners or public institutions, such as regional initiatives supporting talented researchers in the Hradec Králové Region.
Specific University Research (SPEV)
Each year, the UHK announces a Student Grant Competition for doctoral students funded through the programme of Specific University Research (SPEV).
The competition is governed by the Instruction of the Vice-Rector for Science, Research and Knowledge Transfer, specifically the University of Hradec Králové Student Grant Competition for the use of specific research funds (for 2026, Vice-Rector’s Instruction No. 08/2025). The Vice-Rector for Science, Research and Knowledge Transfer allocates funding to individual faculties based on their performance in research, experimental development, and innovation. Subsequently, the Dean of each faculty decides on the allocation of funds to individual applicants according to the results of the faculty-level Student Grant Competition.
Faculties may define their own specific competition conditions, including minimum and maximum grant amounts per project.
Internal UHK Connect Competition – Short-Term Projects for Networking, Mobility and Establishing Cooperation (UHK Connect)
Through the UHK Connect programme, doctoral students may apply for funding of up to CZK 80,000 in 2026 to support short-term mobility and networking activities aimed at establishing or developing research cooperation. The programme supports activities such as expert consultations, participation in conferences and the preparation of joint research outputs, including articles, studies, or project proposals. Applications are submitted electronically via the application system.
Applications are accepted on the 15th day of each calendar month. If this date falls on a weekend or public holiday, the next working day is considered the official submission deadline. Each application must include evidence demonstrating a realistic basis for cooperation, such as an invitation from a host institution or expert, a Letter of Intent, a confirmation email expressing interest in cooperation or consultation, or confirmation of a conference paper acceptance, where applicable.
Further details are available in the Vice-Rector’s Directive No. 06/2026 and the Call for Applications for 2026. You may also contact the competition administrator, Ing. Veronika Hrůzová, at veronika.hruzova@uhk.cz or by telephone at +420 777 147 670, or consult your faculty’s research and development officers.
More information is available on the websites of the individual faculties:
