Traditionally, on 21 January, Russia celebrates Postgraduate Student's Day. The holiday was established in 2008 and is dedicated to the event of 1925, when the Council of People's Commissars of the RSFSR regulated the system of training scientists.

Postgraduate studies is the first stage of a scientific career. The future candidate of science undergoes theoretical and practical training in the chosen field, masters a foreign language, history and philosophy of science, and prepares a dissertation in a specific field of knowledge.

Currently, 277 PhD students study at SPbGASU, including 47 from foreign countries. The university has five dissertation councils in 12 specialties.

SPbGASU PhD students successfully participate in prestigious scientific competitions. In 2023, two PhD students became winners of a grant competition for university students in St Petersburg, one PhD student is a holder of the scholarship from the President of Russia in priority areas, two are holders of the scholarship from the Government of the Russian Federation.

Our congratulations to PhD students on their professional holiday! We wish you fruitful scientific research, innovative ideas, unique discoveries and successful defense of your PhD theses!