Dean´s Measure D134

on Faculty Doctoral Positions

Version 1.1 issued on the 14^th of January 2026

Č.j.: JU/2026/001147

This Dean’s measure sets the rules for the competition for faculty doctoral positions funded by the Faculty of Science of the University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice (hereinafter “FSci USB”).

Article I
Announcement of the Competition and Number of Supported Positions

Effective from January 1, 2026, the FSci USB announces a competition for two faculty doctoral positions funded by FSci USB. The support will be allocated to one faculty doctoral position filled during the winter admission period and one faculty doctoral position filled during the summer admission period for four-year doctoral study programs. The application deadlines for the competition coincide with the deadlines for applications to the admission procedure for four-year doctoral study programs, namely January 20, 2026, and May 20, 2026. In the prescribed form for the planned dissertation project, the method of funding must be indicated as: “Competition for faculty doctoral positions funded by FSci USB”.

The applicant will be informed in writing of the competition results by the Vice-Dean for Doctoral Studies no later than two days before the admission procedure for the relevant doctoral study program.

Article II
Funding of Faculty Doctoral Positions

Each faculty doctoral position is funded annually through a separate budget, which ensures the monthly payment of the student’s stipend at the level of the guaranteed doctoral income (DOSTUP) in accordance with the valid faculty measure and Act No. 111/1998 Coll., on Higher Education Institutions. The budget also includes an amount intended to cover expenses related to the dissertation project, particularly costs for services, materials, and travel expenses. The amount allocated for the dissertation project is CZK 100,000 per year, of which CZK 80,000 is covered by the FSci USB budget and CZK 20,000 represents the financial contribution of the department where the dissertation project is carried out. Funding for the faculty doctoral position is provided for a maximum of the standard study period, i.e., 48 months. Funds intended for the dissertation project are managed similarly to individual GAJU grants.

Article III
Conditions for Participation in the Competition

Applicants for doctoral studies may apply for the competition if, at the time of application, they are master’s students at FSci USB or graduates of FSci USB who successfully completed their master’s studies no later than 12 months before the competition announcement, and whose future supervisors are core employees of FSci USB.

The applicant must be nominated by the head of the department where they completed their master’s thesis. The application must include a statement from the future supervisor, who will provide a brief overview of their grant activities and commit to regularly submitting grant applications at FSci USB, which must include financial support for the student, if permitted by the competition rules, until successful implementation, i.e., obtaining financial support (GAČR, TAČR, NAZV, ERC, AZV, Horizon, etc.). If grant support is obtained, the student funded through the faculty doctoral position is required to switch to funding from this grant project. If the supervisor obtains grant support only in the fourth year of the faculty-funded doctoral student’s studies, this obligation may be waived if the supervisor intends to supervise a new doctoral student.

Article IV
Mandatory Application Requirements

The application submitted through IS STAG as a student request to the dean must include:

• A structured CV of the applicant for the doctoral position, including academic results, publication activity, professional skills, additional involvement in activities at FSci USB and USB, volunteer work, or other relevant activities.
• A one-page annotation of the planned dissertation project defining objectives, methods, and expected contribution, reflecting the budget of the faculty doctoral position, available RVO funds, and a plan for obtaining additional financial resources (e.g., individual GAJU grants, mobility support, etc.).
• A nomination from the head of the department confirming the department’s support, including a written commitment to financial co-participation in the amount of CZK 20,000 per year.
• A supporting statement from the supervisor assessing the applicant’s potential and the dissertation project. Description of the supervisor’s workplace and its facilities, their involvement in organizational and other activities at FSci USB, a brief history of grants obtained by the supervisor, and a commitment to submitting grant proposals as stated above.
• A specific proposal for pedagogical involvement in teaching for at least 26 hours per academic year, including specific courses in which the applicant could participate as a teaching assistant or in a supervisory role.

Article V
Evaluation Committee and Assessment Process

Applications are evaluated by a committee composed of the chairs of the subject-area boards of individual doctoral study programs. The guarantor of the doctoral study program to which the applicant is applying does not participate in the evaluation of applicants for their own program. Each committee member scores all applicants except for the stated restriction, and the final ranking of applicants is determined by the sum of points.

Evaluation Criteria            

Article VI
Obligations of the Supported Doctoral Student

The supported doctoral student is required to duly fulfil their individual study plan and submit a brief annual report on the use of funds for scientific activities, similar to GAJU projects. Part of the obligations includes pedagogical involvement in the minimum scope specified in the competition application. Support is provided for the period during which the dissertation project is not funded under a larger grant project of the supervisor, but no longer than the standard duration of doctoral studies. In the event of serious non-compliance with the individual study plan, the subject-area board may propose withdrawal of support and a corresponding reduction of the guaranteed doctoral income.

Article VII
Final Provisions

This measure enters into force on the date of its issuance.

In case of any divergence or contradiction between the Czech and English texts of this document, the Czech text shall take precedence and be considered the legally binding version.

In České Budějovice, 14^th of January 2026

prof. RNDr. František Vácha, Ph.D.
Dean of the FSci USB