Doctoral Income

Starting in September 2025, doctoral students will be guaranteed a monthly income that will significantly improve the financial conditions of doctoral study. This will enable you to fully devote yourself to scientific research and professional development.

You will be entitled to this income as of 1 September 2025 if:

• you are enrolled in a full-time doctoral degree programme,
• you are studying in your first doctoral programme, and at the same time
• you have not exceeded its standard length of study.

The doctoral income corresponds to 1.2 times the minimum wage valid as of 1 July of the given year in which the academic year begins.

For the academic year 2025/2026, the doctoral income amounts to CZK 24,960.

The concept of doctoral income was introduced by an amendment to the Higher Education Act and may consist of:

• a salary under an employment relationship, the content of which is creative activity related to the preparation of the dissertation,
• a doctoral scholarship,
• a combination of salary and scholarship.

Under the law, two-thirds of the gross salary defined above are included in the doctoral income.

The salary taken into account for doctoral income may arise from employment at Brno University of Technology (BUT) or with a so-called cooperating employer – i.e. an external organisation where the student carries out research activities for their dissertation. In this case, it is possible to make use of the attractive option of an “industrial doctorate”.

Example: A student is entitled to a gross salary of CZK 22,440 at BUT under an employment contract whose content is creative activity related to the preparation of the dissertation. According to the law, two-thirds of the gross salary (i.e. CZK 14,960) are included in the doctoral income, and the student is therefore entitled to a scholarship of CZK 10,000, provided that the other statutory conditions are met.

The adjustment also applies to current students

At BUT, it has been decided that the above-mentioned regulation on doctoral income will apply both to newly admitted students from the academic year 2025/2026 and to current students – provided that they meet the statutory conditions.

How to Apply for a Doctoral Scholarship

A student may apply for the award of a doctoral scholarship at BUT through the Studis application in the section dedicated to scholarships, starting from 1 September 2025.

The application is submitted only once per academic year, ideally during September. During the academic year, an application may be submitted retroactively for at most one month preceding the month of submission. For example, if a student submits an application in December 2025, it may only be submitted retroactively from November; an application for September or October is no longer possible.

Calculation and Payment of the Doctoral Scholarship

The calculation of the doctoral scholarship is based on the salaries recognised for doctoral income and is carried out on the 10th day of the month following the month for which the calculation is made. For September, the calculation is performed on 10 October, for October on 10 November, and so forth throughout the academic year.

If this calculation shows that the student does not have a sufficient income secured by salary, a doctoral scholarship will be granted to supplement their income up to the legally prescribed amount. The doctoral scholarship is awarded by decision of the Dean of the Faculty / the Director of the University Institute. The actual payment of the scholarship takes place in the second half of the month.

If, on the contrary, the calculation shows that the student has been awarded a doctoral scholarship in such an amount that their total income in the given month would exceed the statutory doctoral income, the scholarship may be reduced or withdrawn entirely.

Obligations of Students and Powers of Faculties and Units of BUT

If a student fails to fulfil the obligations set out in their individual study plan, their scholarship may be reduced by 50% or withdrawn entirely. In such a case, the Dean of the Faculty / the Director of the University Institute decides, on the recommendation of the relevant subject-area board.

Individual faculties and units of BUT may set for their students a minimum level of the doctoral scholarship (regardless of the amount of salary included in the doctoral income), increase the coefficient for the calculation of the doctoral income, and award other scholarships for doctoral students that are not part of the statutory doctoral income. The conditions of such scholarships can be found directly on the websites of your faculties and units.

Further Information for Students

If you have additional questions regarding doctoral income, please contact the study department of your Faculty or University Institute.

Regulations and Rules for Doctoral Study

• Study and Examination Regulations of BUT (currently under amendment)
• Scholarship Regulations of BUT (currently under amendment)
• Directive No. 7/2024 – Supervisor Standards
• Directive No. 4/2024 – Industrial Doctorates at BUT