The Doctorate or Third Cycle normally lasts at least 3 years and it is aimed at the degree of Doctor, starts with a Cursus ad doctoratum of one year during in which the student refines the methodology of university research and directs his investigation. The following years are dedicated to personal research and the elaboration of the Doctoral Dissertation. Third Cycle students are required to stay in Rome for at least 2 years of full-time study.

Admission

In order to be admitted to the Third Cycle, a Licentiate in Philosophy obtained in an ecclesiastical Faculty with at least the grade magna cum laude (or equivalent) is required. Those who have not completed philosophical studies in an ecclesiastical Faculty may be admitted after a proper assessment has been made that the students' knowledge is equivalent to that proposed in the Second Cycle of an ecclesiastical Faculty.

For the admission to the Third Cycle in Philosophy, a deadline is indicated in the Faculty Deadlines section every year. The complete curriculum of the First and Second Cycle studies, attached to the application for admission to the Faculty of Philosophy of the Pontifical Gregorian University, must also include an authentic copy of the Licentiate or equivalent (with all the documentation listed in the Admission to the First Cycle) in one of the official languages of the University. By the deadline, the entire documentation must reach the Dean of Philosophy in paper or electronic form. For those who will be admitted, the original documents will be delivered on enrolment. After examination of the entire documentation, the Dean may specify certain conditions that will be required in special cases to complete any gaps.

Those who need a letter of pre-enrolment to obtain a student visa, will have to submit all the documents mentioned above, including the Licentiate Thesis or equivalent. Only after the evaluation and in case of admission to the doctorate, the application for the pre-enrolment letter will be issued. The "Rules of the Third Cycle", which govern admission to all Faculties and Institutes of the Pontifical Gregorian University (in particular the presentation of the Thesis of Licentiate submitted in another institution of the Gregorian University), are available on the relevant page of the website of the Gregorian: https://www.unigre.it/studenti/ammissione/terzo-ciclo/