At the Faculty of Science at Stockholm University, the individual study plan should include:

  • A research plan and timetable
  • Information about the organisation of supervision and other resources
  • A plan for other academic activities (seminars, literary studies, etc.) and courses
  • Information about the doctoral student’s other commitments during the period of study
  • A financial plan for the entire period of study
  • The doctoral studies’ relevance to the degree objective outlined in the Higher Education Ordinance 

National ordinance (HF) and local regulations concerning ISP

The Higher Education Ordinance (HF)

An individual study plan (ISP) must be drawn up for each doctoral student. The study plan should include the obligations of the university and the doctoral student, as well as a timetable for the doctoral student’s study programme. The study plan should be adopted after consultation with the doctoral student and his or her supervisors.

The individual study plan should be reviewed regularly and, in consultation with the doctoral student and his or her supervisors, be amended to the extent necessary. 

If a doctoral student substantially neglects the obligations described in the individual study plan, the Vice-Chancellor may decide that the doctoral student is no longer entitled to supervision or other study resources (HF 6:30). The Vice-Chancellor will also decide whether or not the doctoral student, on application, should regain his/her rights to supervision and other resources. 

Local regulations at Stockholm University and the Faculty of Science:

The individual study plan should include a financial plan for the doctoral student’s study programme, information relating to how the supervision is organised, and anything else required for the studies to be pursued in an effective manner.

If the training is not funded by means of employment or a doctoral grant, the financial plan should specify what social benefits apply to the type of funding in question, for example in the event of illness or parental leave. (Since January 2014, Stockholm University has a health and parental insurance policy with
Kammarkollegiet for doctoral students with scholarships. Please contact the Human Resources Office
for more information.)

The individual study plan should be reviewed at least once a year. The doctoral student, the principal supervisor, and the assistant supervisor should confirm in writing that they have read the individual study plan and any changes made to it.

If a doctoral student substantially neglects his/her obligations, the department board will recommend to the faculty board that the right to supervision and other resources be revoked. It  should be clear from the report that the department has fulfilled its obligations in accordance with the individual study plan, as well as to what extent the doctoral student is considered to have neglected his/her obligations in accordance with the ISP. The report should include documentation showing that the individual study plan has been drawn up and revised in accordance with the above.

The Board of Science has assigned the head of department to adopt the individual study plan and financial plan for doctoral studies in consultation with the doctoral student and the supervisor, as well as to regularly review this study plan (at least once a year). Decisions to extend the period of study due to parental leave, military service, or elected positions in trade unions or student organisations have also been delegated to the head of department.

The general syllabus for each third-cycle programme stipulates that the individual study plan should contain:

  • a research plan, including a timetable;
  • information relating to how the supervision is organised;
  • a plan of which courses/what type of courses the doctoral student is going to take;
  • a description of other academic activities, such as participation in seminars and reading courses;
  • a description of other obligations the student and the department may have during the period
    of study;
  • a financial plan covering the entire period of study;
  • if the training is not funded by means of employment or a doctoral grant, the financial plan should specify what social benefits apply to the type of funding in question, for example in the event of illness or parental leave.

In addition, the Board of Science has decided that, as the individual study plan is reviewed, it should be specified how the doctoral studies relate to the degree objectives outlined in the Higher Education Ordinance.

The Faculty of Science’s Template for individual study plan meets the requirements listed above, but does not have to be used if these requirements are met by other means. The template for the appendix Supervisor’s review with respect to the degree objectives of the Higher Education Ordinance must be used in the annual review to document any completed activities’ relevance to the degree objectives.