How many articles are required to defend a dissertation? Are publications in “B” category journals sufficient? Are five Scopus or Web of Science articles now mandatory for a Doctor of Science degree?
Between 2024 and 2026, certain rules regarding the recognition of publications and the procedure for compiling the list of professional journals were revised. For this reason, it is advisable to review any publication plan drawn up according to the old guidelines: not only the number of articles matters, but also their type, co-authorship, and the status of the journal.
Below, we outline the requirements separately for the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) and the Doctor of Science (D.Sc.) degrees. For the PhD, the basis is Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 44 dated January 12, 2022; for publications based on the doctoral dissertation, it is Ministry of Education and Science Order No. 1220 dated September 23, 2019, as amended. Procedure for Awarding a PhD, Requirements for Publications by Doctor of Science Degree Holders.
1. What Has Changed Since 2024
| Question | Change | What does this mean for the applicant? |
|---|---|---|
| Five required articles of the appropriate level for a Doctor of Science degree | Order No. 285 of March 8, 2024, postponed the transition from September 1, 2024, to a date one year after the termination or repeal of martial law | The start of September 2024 did not trigger the requirement for five articles |
| Co-authorship in PhD publications | Resolution No. 507 of May 3, 2024, updated the subparagraph regarding professional articles, the indication of personal contribution, and the recognition of works with co-authors | The factor of 0.5 cannot be applied mechanically to all articles with three or more authors |
| Language of PhD publications | In 2024, language provisions and requirements for Ukrainian abstracts and keywords were added for the corresponding foreign-language publications | The language and accompanying elements of the article need to be checked |
| Category "B" | Order No. 56, dated January 19, 2026, updated the rules for compiling the list of professions | Changes have been made to journal evaluations, cluster-based selection, and the timeline for including publications |
| List of Professional Journals | Order No. 928, dated June 11, 2026, approved the inclusion of the publications listed in the attached lists for the period June 1, 2026–May 31, 2029 | When planning a new publication, you need to verify that a specific journal is currently included |
Reasons: Order No. 285, Resolution No. 44, as amended by Resolution No. 507, Order No. 56, Order No. 928.
The finalized versions of the documents do not include a separate increase in the minimum number of publications required in 2025. At the same time, the 2026 reform of professional journals concerns the selection of journals and does not, in and of itself, establish a new number of articles required for a dissertation defense.
2. How many publications are required to defend a PhD thesis?
Basic Minimum
The scientific findings of a Ph.D. dissertation must be presented in at least three scientific publications in accordance with the rules for their acceptance. Therefore, three articles that have actually been published may result in different counts.
- articles in publications that, as of the date of publication, are included in the List of Scientific and Professional Publications of Ukraine;
- articles in periodicals indexed in Scopus and/or the Web of Science Core Collection, with the exception of publications from the aggressor state;
- no more than one patent for an invention that has passed the substantive examination and is directly related to the findings of the dissertation;
- Single-author monographs recommended for publication by the academic council and peer-reviewed, as well as single-author chapters in collective monographs deemed equivalent to them under established conditions.
General requirements be sure to mother article Scopus or Web of Science for every applicant PhD resolution No. 44 not establishes. Publication at least it is possible to carry out professional articles, if complied with everyone conditions them enrollment. Section 8 of the Procedures for Awarding a PhD.
How do co-authorship and quartiles affect the results?
For the sake of clarity, let’s refer to credit units as “conditional points”: 1 point corresponds to one credited publication. This is an explanatory notation used in this article: the regulatory document specifies the number of publications and the rules for their equivalence. To meet the minimum quantitative requirement for a PhD, a candidate must earn at least 3 such conditional points and comply with other publication requirements.
| Publication | Grade Equivalents for the PhD Program | What does that mean? |
|---|---|---|
| Professional article not indexed in Scopus/WoS CC, with one or two authors along with the applicant | 1 point | Counts as 1 publication |
| The same article, three or more authors along with the doctoral candidate | 0.5 points | Counts as half a publication |
| An article in a relevant Q4 indexed journal | 1 point | Counts as 1 publication |
| An article in a relevant Q1–Q3 journal | 2 points | Counts as 2 publications |
For example, one relevant Q2 article is worth 2 conditional points, and one professional article that is fully credited is worth an additional 1 point. This totals 3 points: two actual articles count as three publications. These provisional scores pertain to the tally of the applicant’s publications and are not related to the scores of the “B” category journals themselves, as discussed in Section 4.
For quartile classification, the procedure refers to the SCImago Journal and Country Rank or the Journal Citation Reports. For a Ph.D., the ranking from the year of publication is used; if that ranking is not yet available as of the date the ad hoc committee is formed, the most recent published ranking is used.
The reduction to 0.5 based on the number of authors does not apply to articles covered by subparagraph 2 of paragraph 8—regarding Scopus and/or the Web of Science Core Collection. An individual’s contribution to a collaborative work remains important in this context. Text of Resolution No. 44.
Calculation Examples
| List of Publications | Calculation | Has the minimum quantity been met? |
|---|---|---|
| Three Category "B" articles, each with one or two authors | 1 + 1 + 1 = 3 | Yes |
| Three non-indexed articles in Category "B," each with three authors | 0,5 + 0,5 + 0,5 = 1,5 | No |
| One relevant Q2 article and one professional article that counts in full | 2 + 1 = 3 | Yes |
| Two peer-reviewed articles with full credit and two non-indexed peer-reviewed articles with three authors | 1 + 1 + 0,5 + 0,5 = 3 | Yes |
These examples illustrate arithmetic enrollment. In to everyone case works also have to cover results dissertations and to answer others requirements. Achievements numbers "3" exactly by for oneself not means automatic approval to protection.
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3. How many publications are required for a Ph.D.?
How do 20 and 10 publications compare?
Order No. 1220 establishes a basic requirement: the main findings of a doctoral dissertation must be presented in at least 20 scholarly publications. At the same time, it allows for the increased crediting of quartile-level works:
| An article in the relevant publication | How is it credited toward a Doctor of Science degree? |
|---|---|
| One Q1 or Q2 item | Counts as 3 publications |
| One Q3 article | Counts as 2 publications |
| One Q4 item or another eligible item without an increased credit | Counts as 1 publication |
For example, a single Q1 article counts as one actually published work, but counts as three toward the overall requirement of 20 publications. Therefore, it is necessary to count the actual number of works separately from the number of works counted toward the requirement.
The actual number of publications cannot be fewer than ten. For example, seven Q1 articles add up to 21 mathematically, but they do not meet the requirement of at least ten actual publications.
The general list may also include other achievements specified by order: no more than two patents for inventions following a substantive examination, no more than two monographs or chapters in collective monographs, and, for the field of educational sciences, no more than one textbook. Paragraph 2 of Order No. 1220.
Three or five Scopus/WoS articles
As of the date this document was prepared, the requirement is that there must be at least three articles in the dissertation’s field of study, published in at least two different journals:
- included in Category “A” of the List of Scientific and Professional Publications of Ukraine; or
- international journals indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection and/or Scopus.
The minimum is set to be raised to five one year after martial law is terminated or lifted. This is how Order No. 285 amended the previous date—September 1, 2024. Martial law has been extended for 90 days starting August 2, 2026. Order No. 285, Statement by the Verkhovna Rada.
Mandatory entries are included in the total count and are not added on top of it. The increased quartile count for the overall tally should not be used as a substitute for the specific requirement to have at least three relevant entries in two journals.
Examples publication set
| Example | Actual quantity | Calculation of Credit Transfer |
|---|---|---|
| 17 professional articles, with 1 and 3 of them, respectively, classified as Q4 articles | 20 | 17 + 3 = 20 |
| 11 professional articles, with 1 and 3 of them, respectively, classified as Q1/Q2 articles | 14 | 11 + 9 = 20 |
| 10 Related Articles for Q3 | 10 | 10 × 2 = 20 |
For each example, the requirement regarding articles in Category “A” or in corresponding international indexed journals must be met separately for at least two different journals. All papers must address the main content of the dissertation. The calculations are presented in accordance with the rules Order No. 1220.
A special case is the defense of a doctoral dissertation in the form of a scientific presentation. For this, the regulation requires at least ten publications presenting the dissertation’s findings in Q1–Q2 journals. Examples of standard calculations do not substitute for this specific requirement.
Publications in Scopus may be counted with a higher weighting: Q1–Q2 as three publications, Q3 as two. We can help you choose the format that best suits your topic, deadlines, and thesis defense requirements.
Preparing or adapting a manuscript to meet the journal's requirements Scopus, linguistic as well as technical formatting, support for the submission process, and communication with the editorial staff.
Joint preparation of the research and publication, with each author's scientific contribution clearly defined and documented.
Let's check the indexing, quartile, the journal's scope, review times, and its compliance with the requirements for a doctoral dissertation.
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4. Category “B” in 2026: How the Rules Have Changed and What the Logbook Points Mean
New Procedure for Evaluating Publications
In 2026, the Ministry of Education and Science updated the procedure for compiling the List of Ukrainian Scientific and Professional Publications. It provides for the submission of applications through URIS, the evaluation of journals according to established criteria, the creation of ranking lists within clusters, and inclusion in Category “B” for three years.
The criteria take into account various characteristics of the journal, including open access, inclusion in the DOAJ, author composition, and citation rates. Greater emphasis is also placed on editorial transparency and publication ethics. Clarification from the Ministry of Education and Science Regarding the New Rules.
Order No. 928 of June 11, 2026, classified the publications listed in the attached lists as Category “B” for the period from June 1, 2026, to May 31, 2029. For a specific journal, you need to check its title, subject areas, and the corresponding decision by the Ministry of Education and Science. Order No. 928 and Lists of Publications.
How Should an Author Use a Scored Evaluation?
The score helps you understand how well the journal meets the evaluation criteria. However, the journal’s score does not translate into a coefficient determining whether your article will be accepted for defense. The quantitative calculation of publications is determined separately by Resolution No. 44 and Order No. 1220.
For the author, this involves two distinct steps: evaluating the journal and determining whether a specific article will meet the requirements for dissertation publications. A high rating for a journal does not replace a review of its official status, the article’s subject matter, and the candidate’s personal contribution.
Use the Article Academy bot: enter the journal's name and get its impact factor.
Result bot use how auxiliary information. Official inclusion magazine to professional list is confirmed by resolution Ministry of Education and Science.
For professional articles meaning has inclusion publication to list on date publication. Therefore magazine, which had category "B" in last, need check before new publication. At the same time his further exception exactly by for oneself not means automatic losses enrollment everyone previous articles: are evaluated status on date output and others terms. Paragraph 8 of Resolution No. 44, Admission Requirements Pursuant to Order No. 1220.
5. What kinds of errors could cause a publication to be rejected
Even having the required number of documents does not eliminate errors in their selection or preparation. Before submitting the documents, it is advisable to check the following points.
The article does not disclose the findings of the dissertation. For both levels, the substance of the work and its connection to the research are important. The mere inclusion of the candidate’s last name in the list of authors does not in itself confirm this.
The journal did not have the required professional status as of the publication date. The designation on the editorial office's website must comply with the orders of the Ministry of Education and Science. You should also check the fields of study under which the publication is listed.
Several articles were published in a single issue. For both PhD and Doctor of Science degrees, no more than one article may be counted toward the requirement per issue of a journal. It is permissible to publish in different issues of the same journal, subject to other requirements, including the rule regarding two different journals for the relevant portion of the doctoral program.
Co-authorship was not properly acknowledged. For PhD candidates, some professional articles with three or more authors are counted as 0.5 each. For candidates of science, this multiplier from Resolution No. 44 is not automatically applied.
There is no active DOI for the PhD thesis. Paragraph 9 of Resolution No. 44 establishes this requirement for articles published after the procedure takes effect, with exceptions for information that constitutes a state secret or is intended for official use only.
The language requirements for the PhD program have not been met. The applicant’s publications issued in Ukraine must be in Ukrainian, English, and/or other official languages of the EU. Publications in Ukraine in English or another official language of the EU must include an abstract and keywords in Ukrainian. For articles in international academic journals published in languages other than English, the committee may require a translation or a brief abstract in Ukrainian.
The same results are counted again. For candidates for the degree of Doctor of Science, Order No. 1220 explicitly excludes publications that repeat results from other works already credited toward the dissertation topic.
Grounds for an audit: Paragraphs 8–9 of Resolution No. 44 and Requirements for the Publication of Dissertation Results, as per Order No. 1220.
For a PhD, the benchmark remains at least three accepted scientific publications, while for a Doctor of Science degree, the baseline is 20, with the possibility of a quartile adjustment and a minimum of ten actual works. The calculation rules for these degrees differ.
The key change for doctors of science is the postponement of the transition to the requirement of five mandatory articles of the appropriate level. For authors who choose Category “B,” the main update in 2026 is the new rules for evaluation and the compilation of the list of journals.
When planning a publication, check the journal’s status, submission guidelines, and whether the article aligns with the findings of your dissertation. You can find out the rating of your chosen Category “B” journal using the Academy of Articles bot.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are three Category "B" articles enough for a PhD?
Yes, if each is credited how complete publication, they highlight results dissertations and correspond to others requirements. For example, three appropriate articles from one or two by the authors may to carry out quantitative at least. Three unindexed professional articles from three and more by the authors will give only 1,5.
How are articles with three or more authors counted?
For PhD professional article, engaged subparagraph 1 item 8 resolutions No. 44, is credited how 0,5, if authors in total from candidate more two. Exception — articles, provided for subparagraph 2, about Scopus/WoS CC. For doctors sciences rule 0,5 from in order PhD not is used automatically; is being checked personal contribution and others requirements. Resolution No. 44, Order No. 1220.
Do you already need five Scopus/WoS articles for a Ph.D.?
As of on 8 September 2026 year — no. Transition from three to five articles corresponding level provided for through year after termination or repeal military condition. Current requirement covers articles in publications categories "A" or relevant foreign indexed publications, at least in two various magazines. Order No. 285.
Does Q4 count?
Yes, if article and publication correspond to applicable requirements. Q4 not provides elevated quarterly enrollment: such article usually is credited how one publication. For doctors sciences she maybe also enter to mandatory parts set for terms compliance categories publication, indexing and scientific directly.
What happens if a journal is removed from the list of professional journals?
For professional articles are checking status magazine on date her publication. If on that one moment publication was included to list, further exception exactly by for oneself not means automatic failure to enroll articles. Others requirements to works remain in force. For new articles after losses status previous inclusion magazine not is sufficient on the basis of. Resolution No. 44, Order No. 1220.
