A.Y.2025/2026 – INFORMATION FOR PhD STUDENTS
The structure of the PhD course
The course is directed by the Coordinator and the Teaching Board. More info about the governance of the PhD can be found in the main menu under THE PHD IN CROP SCIENCE > OUR GOVERNANCE.
The Teaching Board also includes PhD student representatives, who are elected each year and form 15% of the total number.
Teaching
During their first year PhD students are required to attend the Course’s teaching and seminar programme. At the beginning of their first year PhD students will be assigned a supervisor who will agree with the student the research topic.
PhD students must refer to their supervisor with regard to courses, seminars, conferences, mobility abroad and any other matter concerning their research activity. In subsequent years, as the focus becomes more specialised, PhD students will come to an agreement with the supervisor on their research activity.
At the beginning of each year, each doctorate will post a list of the courses and seminars. At the end of each year, at the request of the secretariat, PhD students must submit a detailed report on the activities carried out (a template can be downloaded HERE).
PhD students must activate the email account provided by the Univeristy: name.surname@studenti.unipd.it or name.surname@phd.unipd.it
All communications of interest to PhD students will be made via their University email account. The username and password issued upon activation of the email account will also grant access to the UNIWEB online system where administrative procedures can be dealt with and to all the other institutional services that need a Single Sign on (SSO).
Funds and purchasing
Every year the University assigns funds to each PhD program and for PhD students’ expenses (missions, conference enrollments, participation to seminars, etc.). These funds are managed by the Coordinator of the PhD, and each mission or any other type of expense will be paid only if previously authorised by the Coordinator with approval from the supervisor.
PhD students may check their own funds here: https://apex.cca.unipd.it/pls/apex/f?p=388:1:117088228428164:::::
For purchasing, the instruction and other forms can be downloaded at the following links:
Insurance
Everyone who regularly attends the University of Padova for studying or working purpose is covered by two types of policies:
– Insurance against personal accidents
– Public liability insurance, against damages caused to other people or things.
The University will pay upon the student’s enrollment.
The policy covers injury sustained by the insured in the exercise of her/his institutional activities even outside the University, but in order to be covered by the insurance you need to submit the mission authorisation form before leaving (see the paragraph on missions). Before going abroad, do not take out any insurance with other companies unless specifically requested by the host institution and in any case always contact the secretary of the PhD first. Before going abroad call into the secretary’s office to see if an additional insurance is required.
All the new PhD students must contact Angela Rasori (angela.rasori@unipd.it) as soon as possible in order to comply with safety procedures at the Department: it is mandatory to fill in the risk assessment form (depending on the information provided you may be required to undertake medical exams) and get the completion certificate of the online training course on health and safety in the workplace (please visit the UNIFOR website for more info).
Request to undertake external work
Any external work the PhD student intends to undertake must be authorised by the Teaching Board. The annual gross income earned must not exceed the annual gross amount of PhD grant, otherwise the grant must be paid back.
Missions
PhD students wishing to undertake missions outside the department (for reasons related to the PhD) must:
1) obtain permission from the Course Coordinator to use doctoral funds otherwise refund may not be given;
2) hand in the request for mission authorisation form to the secretary’s office before leaving. This form must be signed by the person in charge of the fund and the Head of Department. It is very important that the form is signed before leaving in order to be covered by the insurance during the mission;
3) keep all supporting documents (official receipts, not just pieces of paper) and hand them in upon return;
4) on return, complete the authorisation form with information on the mission. Enclose supporting documents and a document confirming where you have been and why (e.g. certificates of participation or attestations).
Only expenses incurred personally by the PhD student will be refunded (i.e. no refunds will be given for other people’s expenses).
For reasons related to the supervisor’s research, submit the mission to the department to which the supervisor is affiliated
For doctoral students, only itemised expenses with receipts and paid with traceable means (i.e. credit card) will be refunded.
Remember – receipts for one person only.
Duration of the mission and start date
As a rule, the mission begins the day before the start of the event at the earliest and ends the day after the event at the latest.
Proof must be given of missions beginning earlier than expected or overrunning the anticipated end in order to obtain approval for any costs incurred, especially for travel.
Approved means of transport for missions
The following ordinary means of transport may be used without the need for further approval:
train, metro, bus, plane, ship, buses, shared airport taxi services and the Department’s car. Urban taxis may be used in urgent cases or when no public transport is available.
The following are considered extraordinary means of transport:
car hire, own car. These may be only used if it is DEMONSTRATED that their use is cost efficient or if the mission destination is not served by rail or ordinary means of transport, or if service requirements dictate urgency. If no proof is provided, a refund corresponding to ONLY the equivalent cost of a train ticket will be made.
For reasons of economy, low cost airlines are to be used whenever possible.
In order to claim travel expenses, the original travel ticket and, in the case of air travel, the boarding pass, even when purchased on-line, must be handed in.
Only original tickets and boarding passes where applicable (not copies) will be accepted and grant entitlement to reimbursement of travel expenses.
Point of departure for the mission
The mission’s departure and return point is the student’s institution, not the place of residence (unless it is more economical to take the latter as the departure and return point).
Conferences
All documented expenses incurred for enrolling at a conference will be reimbursed.
A copy of the certificate of participation issued by the Organising Committee, if provided, must also be attached to the claim for reimbursement.
Increased study grant for mobility abroad
The PhD grant is increased for periods of mobility abroad of no less than 20 consecutive days.
1. PRIOR AUTHORISATION
• If authorisation is being requested for the first time for a stay abroad for a period of 6 months or less, or if any past external stay(s) and the current stay together sum up to a period of 6 months or less: authorisation is given by the Course Coordinator, upon the supervisor’s approval.
• If authorisation is being requested for the first time for a stay abroad for a period of more than 6 months, or if any past external stay(s) and the current stay together sum up to a period of more than 6 months: authorisation is given by the Teaching Board, upon the supervisor’s approval.
The form to request the authorisation is available HERE.
2. PROCEDURES
Fill in the appropriate form, have it signed on the basis of the duration of your stay abroad (under 6 months by the Coordinator and over 6 months by the Teaching Board) and submit it to phd@unipd.it and phdcs.dafnae@unipd.it.
Using the Department’s car
Prior booking is required to use the Department’s car. Go to Laurus for booking the car and please read carefully the regulations for the use of cars, which can be downloaded HERE.
Info
For further information, please contact the secretariat:
Francesca Sfragara: +39 049 8272835 – phdcs.dafnae@unipd.it