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Cotutelle Degree | HUJI International

Cotutelle Degree

A Cotutelle is a joint degree between two universities that is student-specific. As a Cotutelle candidate, you’ll be jointly enrolled at two institutions, spending research time at each, and meeting their respective PhD program requirements. You’ll enjoy joint supervision by faculty members at each university and upon successful completion of your program, you’ll receive a joint PhD degree from both institutions.

What Are the Benefits of a Cotutelle?

  • Opportunity to conduct PhD research in Israel and abroad, at an institution with expertise in your specific field of research.
  • Exposure to diverse cultures, academic environments, research training, equipment and technologies.
  • Enhanced international networking and research collaboration.
  • Cultivation of intercultural competencies, adaptability and global research skills.
  • Increased post-PhD employability.

How Does a Cotutelle Work?

Admission and Registration: As a Cotutelle candidate, you’ll be admitted and registered as a full-time student at both participating institutions, simultaneously.

Tuition: As a general rule, you’ll only be required to pay tuition fees to your home institution (unless otherwise stated). While you won’t be required to pay tuition abroad, you will be responsible for paying any travel, immigration, health insurance, and/or living expenses during your mobility.

Scholarships: In addition to the range of PhD scholarships available at HUJI, your Hebrew University supervisor can nominate you for the “HUJI International PhD Talent Scholarship,” which provides supplemental support for international Cotutelle students (for up to 12 months). 

Supervision: You’ll be required to have a principal supervisor at each institution, and you’ll carry out your research under their joint supervision for the duration of your PhD degree. Note that it is your responsibility to approach and secure the commitment of your principal supervisors prior to application.

Mobility: As mentioned above, you’ll spend a research period at both universities, with a minimum of one academic year on each campus. This may be completed in a single visit, or cumulatively, depending on the unique needs of your research program.

Thesis and Examination Process: Upon conclusion of your research, you’ll submit a single thesis for examination by both universities, and a joint decision regarding the award of your degree will be reached between the two.

Conferring of Degree Certificate: Once you successfully complete your program, you may attend a graduation ceremony at either institution. You’ll receive a degree certificate from each university reflecting the joint nature of your degree and mentioning the names of both institutions.

More Information

Should you be interested in pursuing a Cotutelle degree or learning more, we encourage you to reach out to the following experts at our Authority for Research Students:

Once Upon a Cotutelle…

Dr. Natalie Klein-Sela recently earned her joint PhD degree in legal psychology through a Cotutelle framework at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the University of Amsterdam. Klein-Sela’s first encounter with Hebrew University transpired during her master’s degree studies in the Netherlands, when she conducted visiting research in a cognitive psychology lab under the supervision of Prof. Gershon Ben-Shakhar. Following the completion of her master’s degree, Dr. Klein-Sela returned to pursue her PhD degree in this very lab. Recognizing the importance of her continued collaboration and affiliation with her university in the Netherlands, Dr. Klein-Sela recruited the support of Prof. Ben-Shakhar, and a path was created to facilitate her joint research at the two universities. 

“I would recommend to anyone considering a career in academia to pursue joint PhD studies with an international institution. This can lead to international publications, can help build important global connections, and open up future post-doctoral research opportunities abroad,” Dr. Klein-Sela says. “By having this joint base of study, the candidate receives guidance and feedback from two advisors, gains exposure to labs abroad and in Israel, and broadens their understanding of how research is conducted in different parts of the world.”