The number of admissions per year is set at a maximum of twenty-five (25) postgraduate students. The PSP cannot operate with less than eight (8) students.

The PSP, upon decision of the Department of Chemistry Assembly, announces positions through an open process. Specifically, the announcement includes admission requirements, the number of admissions, candidate categories, admission procedures, selection criteria, etc., as well as application deadlines and required supporting documents.

The announcement for the admission of postgraduate students is published on the Department’s website. Applications, accompanied by the necessary supporting documents, are submitted to the Department’s Secretariat in electronic form.

 

The supporting documents submitted may include:

I. A copy of a first cycle degree/diploma from a domestic or foreign university.

II. Detailed transcript of grades in undergraduate courses relevant to the PSP, including the grade of the Bachelor’s Thesis, where applicable in the first cycle of studies.

III. Copy of the Bachelor’s or Diploma Thesis, where applicable in the first cycle of studies.

IV. Copies of publications and scientific papers.

V. Proof of knowledge of foreign languages or Greek (for foreign students), level B2.

Documentary evidence of any research and/or professional activity.

Failure to submit documents I, II, and proof of knowledge of at least one foreign language (as described below) renders the application invalid.

The candidate may have up to 3 pending courses for the September examination (including possibly the bachelor’s thesis). In the event that he/she has more than 3 pending courses, his/her application is considered invalid.

 

The evaluation criteria for candidates are:

I. Degree or diploma grade.

II. Performance in undergraduate courses related to Organic Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, and Biochemistry.

III. Performance in the Bachelor’s or Diploma thesis conducted during undergraduate studies, and the relevance of the thesis to Organic Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, or Biochemistry.

IV. The number of publications and communications of scientific papers.

V. Possible research and/or professional activity.

VI. The scientific personality of the candidate (as assessed during the interview by the members of the Tripartite Selection Committee).

 

The scoring algorithm for candidates includes the following 6 criteria (I-VI). The minimum score for a candidate to be eligible is 50.00 points, and the maximum score is 100.00 points. The scoring is calculated cumulatively to the second decimal place.

I. Bachelor’s/Diploma Grade 40% (maximum score 40 points): If a candidate has up to 3 pending courses for the September examination (including possibly the bachelor’s thesis), these courses are necessarily calculated in the computer system of the PSP secretariat with a conventional grade of “5”, and until the end of the selection process, the provisionally calculated bachelor’s grade remains unchanged.

II. Courses related to Organic Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, and Biochemistry 35% (maximum score 35 points): They are calculated based on the average of four courses related to Organic Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, and Biochemistry. If there are only three relevant courses, the average is still calculated by summing them up and dividing by 4, considering the fourth one as 0. Similarly, when there are only 2, 1, or 0 relevant courses.

III. Bachelor’s Thesis 10% (maximum score 10 points): A thesis in the field of Organic Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, or Biochemistry has a coefficient of 1. A thesis falling within the broader field of Chemistry has a coefficient of 0.8. A thesis in other scientific fields has a coefficient of 0.5. The score is calculated in each case by multiplying the grade of the thesis by the coefficient. The coefficients decrease proportionally if the thesis does not correspond to 20 ECTS.

IV. Publications in journals/conferences 3% (maximum score 3 points): A published paper in a peer-reviewed journal receives 2 points if it is relevant to Organic Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, or Biochemistry, and 1 point if it is not relevant to these subjects. A conference paper receives 1 point if it is relevant to Organic Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, or Biochemistry. Regardless of the number of publications and communications, the maximum score is 3 points.

V. Professional/Research Experience 2% (maximum score 2 points): Demonstrated and relevant professional or research experience in Organic Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, or Biochemistry, defined as at least six months of professional employment or participation in a research program under contract.

VI. Interview 10% (maximum score 10 points): The non-participation of a candidate in the interview does not award any points.

 

More specifically:

1. Degree/Diploma Grade: The minimum grade for acceptance to the PSP is six (6).
2. A good knowledge (level B2) of at least one European foreign language, such as English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, or Russian, is required for admission to the PSP. Adequate knowledge of a foreign language is considered good knowledge of the foreign language, as evidenced by a certificate according to the Council of Europe system, which is accepted by A.S.E.P. Alternatively, a degree or postgraduate diploma or doctoral degree from a Greek university or a cognate foreign university may be submitted, indicating successful completion of a foreign-language undergraduate or postgraduate program, or a diploma equivalent to Greek Secondary Education Schools, provided it has been obtained after at least six years of regular study abroad (for the corresponding language).
3. Good knowledge of the Greek language is required for a foreign student to be admitted to the PSP. Adequate knowledge of the Greek language is considered to be the possession of a Certificate of Attainment in Greek at level C or the equivalent certificate from the School of Modern Greek Language of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, which is awarded after the candidate undergoes a relevant examination. However, by exception and with a decision of the Coordinating Committee, adequate knowledge of the Greek language may not be required for foreign candidates who are subject to regulations of international research programs and collaborations.
4. The interview fields include: a) assessment of scientific background, b) evaluation of motivations for attending the PSP. The interview fields have equal maximum scoring.
5. Due to the nature of postgraduate studies in Chemistry and the preparation of experimental master theses, simultaneous enrollment in the PSP and another PSP of the Department or in a joint PSP in which the Department participates is not feasible.

 

The selection process of candidates, as decided by the Departmental Assembly, is carried out by a competent three-member Selection and Examination Committee consisting of faculty members of the Department who are involved in teaching in the PSP.

The Selection and Examination Committee compiles a complete list of all candidates and then, after conducting the necessary checks, rejects those who do not meet the minimum criteria specified by this Regulation. It then invites for an interview, where applicable, the eligible candidates who have met the prerequisites.

Once the process of evaluating the files and interviewing the candidates has been completed, the final list of successful candidates is compiled. In case of a tie the final ranking will be based on the degree or diploma grades of the candidates who tied. If there is still a tie, the grades obtained in the Organic or Inorganic Chemistry or Biochemistry courses of the tied candidates are taken into account. If a tie persists, the grading of the Bachelor’s or Diploma thesis of the tied candidates is taken into account. If there is still a tie, the interview scores of the tied candidates are taken into account

The final list of successful candidates and any runners-up, after being validated by the Department Assembly, is posted on the notice board of the Department’s Secretariat and on the Department’s website.

Objections to the results can be submitted within five (5) working days from the announcement of the results.

The registration of successful candidates takes place following a relevant announcement by the secretariat of the PSP within 5 (five) working days, along with the submission of any necessary supporting documents.

In case a candidate fails to register within the specified deadline, it is considered as a refusal to accept the position, and this is covered by the immediately following successful candidate.

In the event of a dropout of a postgraduate student within the first two weeks of the first semester, the first runner up is invited for registration. Any urgent or exceptional changes to the process are regulated by decision of the Coordination Committee.