Admission for doctoral studies

for the academic year 2026/2027

 

Study programs

Applied Informaticsin the field of study of Computer Science

• The programs are internationally accredited by the IET, British Engineering Council UK.
• Teaching is in Slovak and English.
• The full-time study is 3-year (D-AI, D-AIxA), the part-time study is 4-year (D-AI4, D-AI4xA).

 

Application deadline

31 May 2026, 11:59 pm
(with effect from 1 September 2026)

 

E-application

The electronic application form will be launched on 1 April 2026 at 3:00 pm.
Fill out the electronic application in the Academic Information System (AIS):

Academic Information System

Instructions for filling out the e-application

 

Dissertation topics

Dissertation thesis for academic year 2026/2027

 

PhD positions

PhD positions for 4 students are funded by an H2020 project (salary 2 200 EUR/month).

Topics:

1. Scalable AI Infrastructure and Lifecycle Management for Hybrid HPC–Cloud Environments (2 positions)
2. Trustworthy Multimodal AI for Interconnected Humanoid Robotics Using HPC Infrastructure (2 positions)

More details...

This PhD research focuses on the design and implementation of trustworthy multimodal AI architectures for interconnected humanoid robotic systems supported by High-Performance Computing (HPC) infrastructure. The project aligns with the SK:AI:AT initiative’s emphasis on AI lifecycle management, HPC-enabled model training, Natural Language Processing (NLP), and AI compliance with European regulations.

Humanoid robots operating in real-world environments require integrated perception, reasoning, and interaction capabilities. These systems must combine visual perception, speech recognition, language understanding, motor control, and contextual decision-making. Modern multimodal foundation models (e.g., vision-language models and large language models) offer promising capabilities but demand substantial computational resources for training, fine-tuning, and validation. This research proposes a hybrid architecture where large-scale model training and optimization occur within an HPC-enabled AI Factory infrastructure, while efficient inference and control are deployed on edge robotic platforms.

The research will address three key challenges: (1) scalable multimodal learning using distributed GPU environments, (2) safe and explainable decision-making in human–robot interaction, and (3) secure data handling through confidential computing. The candidate will investigate techniques such as Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) for contextual reasoning, federated or privacy-preserving learning for distributed robotic fleets, and model compression strategies for real-time edge deployment.

A core component of the work will involve developing an AI lifecycle framework for humanoid robotics, including dataset management, model validation pipelines, bias detection, performance benchmarking, and compliance assessment aligned with the EU AI Act. Special attention will be given to explainability mechanisms embedded in control loops to ensure transparency in safety-critical decisions.

The expected outcomes include a validated distributed AI architecture for humanoid systems, optimization methods for HPC-to-edge deployment, and a compliance-aware evaluation framework for robotic AI systems. The results will contribute to applications in healthcare assistance, smart public services, industrial robotics, and education, while strengthening the integration between robotics research and AI Factory computing platforms.

Keywords: Multimodal AI Architectures, Humanoid Robotics Systems, High-Performance Computing (HPC), Trustworthy and Explainable AI, AI Lifecycle and Regulatory Compliance

 

Annexes to the application form

In addition to the signed application form, the applicant must provide the following documents:

1. professional curriculum vitae
2. a motivation letter
3. a draft of the thesis of the dissertation project in the range of 1-2 pages
4. a certified copy of the diploma of higher education of the 2nd degree and the state examination certificate (not valid for applicants who are finishing their master´s degree at FIIT STU in the academic year 2025/2026)
5. a transcript of the results of studies/list of completed courses certified by the faculty from which the applicant graduated or a certified copy of the supplement to the engineering/master's diploma
6. a list of his/her published and unpublished works, expert opinions on these works (if any) and a list of the results of other professional or artistic activities
7. other awards (e.g. Dean's Award, Rector's Award, etc.)
8. in the case of a paper application, in addition to the attachments required in the application form, the applicant must enclose a receipt (copy) of the payment of the fee for the material support for the admissions procedure

The documents attached to the application form are not returned to the applicant and remain part of the applicant's documents.

 

Admission fee

Fees for material support of the admission procedure:
• 30 € - study in the state language in full-time or part-time form of study
• 60 € - study in English language in full-time or part-time form of study

Fees for material support of the admission procedure

Method of payment of the fee:	By bank transfer
Account number (IBAN):	SK83 8180 0000 0070 0008 5552
SWIFT:	SPSRSKBA
Variable symbol:	number assigned by the electronic application system or 3101 if the applicant does not use the electronic application system
Constant symbol:	0558
in the "Message to the recipient" section, the applicant must indicate his/her name and surname

If the applicant does not use the e-application form, he/she must also enclose with the application form a receipt for the paymentof the admissions material fee.

 

Admission procedure

1. The admission procedure starts with the submission of an application form.
2. Applicants who meet the basic conditions for admission, or are expected to meet them, and whose application contains all the requirements, will be invited to an entrance examination.
3. The results of the entrance examination will be evaluated.
4. The selection of applicants is based on:
   • on the basis of the rankings established on the basis of the results of the entrance examination,
   • the results of previous studies, publications, and significant achievements in professional activities in the field of computer science and information technology,
   • the number of applicants the faculty plans to admit to doctoral studies.
5. The decision to admit or not to admit an applicant, together with the reasons, shall be delivered to the applicant in writing at the contact/correspondence address indicated in the application form. The admission procedure shall be concluded for the applicant by the issue of a decision on the outcome of the admission procedure.

 

Entrance exam

23 June 2026

The entrance exam is written and oral.

As part of the admission procedure, the PhD candidate will demonstrate knowledge in the field of study. At the same time, he/she presents the thesis of the dissertation project in the context of the knowledge acquired.

More detailed information about the entrance examination will be given to the applicant together with the invitation to the entrance examination.
Each doctoral candidate will be notified in writing of the date and place of the entrance examination.

 

Admission requirements for international students

Applicants from abroad are subject to the same admission requirements as domestic applicants. Applicants who have completed previous studies abroad must submit proof of recognition of their university education for the purpose of continuing their studies in accordance with the applicable laws (www.stuba.sk/9619).

The document must be submitted in documentary form, either as an original or as a notarially certified copy.

 

Conditions of admission

General principles for determining the suitability of applicants

1. The basic condition for admission to the doctoral program is the completion of a second degree study program. This condition is also met by graduates of courses of study under the older regulations. Completion of a combined first- and second-degree program of study shall be considered as completion of a second-degree program of study.
2. The competence of applicants for doctoral studies shall be assessed on the basis of
   • the content and results of previous studies, which shall be supported by appropriate documents,
   • on the basis of the results of the entrance examination.

Further conditions of admission to doctoral study programs at FIIT STU in Bratislava for the academic year 2026/2027 were approved by the Academic Senate of the Faculty on 18 November 2025.

 

Framework content and method of verification of aptitude for study

The main objective of the admission examination is to verify the applicant's competence to study in the chosen study program; to determine the applicant's attitude for independent creative activity in the field of computer science and information technology. The admission examination also includes verification of the applicant's English language skills.

The written examination has a written and an oral part. It is thematically focused on the field of study. The language examination is part of the written part of the examination.

The evaluation of the admission procedure and the proposal of applicants for admission to doctoral studies in the relevant study program shall be carried out by a committee appointed by the dean of the faculty. Only those applicants who have successfully passed the language examination may be admitted to the studies. The selection of applicants is based on the order established on the basis of the results of the entrance examination, the results of previous studies, publication activity, significant achievements in the field of computer science and information technology.

 

Planned number of accepted applicants

Planned number of students admitted to doctoral studies for the academic year 2026/2027
Study program:	Full-time		External
Applied Informatics in the field of study of Computer Science	Slovak (D-AI)	English (D-AIxA)	Slovak (D-AI4)	English (D-AI4xA)
	15	5	1	1