Co-supervision (joint supervision) implies:

• Admission and  enrolment into a doctoral program in one university.
• Two thesis supervisors who co-supervise the research, one at your home university and another one at the other university.
• Only one set of doctoral program requirements to be met.
• Enrolment (registration), academic evaluation and research progress as well as jury appointment, thesis evaluation and defence are carried out in accordance with the regulations and procedures in place at your university of admission.
• You pay tuition fees to the institution where you were admitted according to the tuition fee schedule and payment procedures in effect at that institution.
• One graduation ceremony.
• One doctoral degree (PhD diploma).

Cotutelle implies:

• Two admissions, two doctoral programs, two enrolments in two universities.
• The preparation and signature of a cotutelle agreement between the partner universities.
• Two thesis supervisors who co-direct the academic path and research, one supervisor at the home university and a second at the partner university.
• Two sets of program requirements to be met, one for each program at each institution. This includes successful completion of the courses and seminars within the program (with the possibility of granting equivalences), successful completion of the comprehensive examination as well all matters related to the progress and submission of the thesis (normally, only one thesis to be written).
• The designation at the start of the process of a home university and a partner university.
• The continuous enrollment (registration) in both universities for the duration of the program.
• The residence (location) alternates in each institution according to the cotutelle schedule.
• The tuition fees paid in alternation according to the cotutelle schedule. Tuition fees are normally waived when the doctoral student is at the other institution (cotutelle fees apply and collected if the University of Ottawa is the home university).
• A joint thesis jury composed of internal and external examiners appointed by each university in accordance with each of their regulations and procedures.
• A single defence at the home university.
• Two separate graduation ceremonies.
• Two doctoral degrees (PhD diploma) with mention of cotutelle collaboration (e.g., Doctorate in Philosophy - Cotutelle with the University of Ottawa).

As cotutelles are not part of a university exchange program, there are no specific agreements with other universities.

Each cotutelle agreement is negotiated individually since it must take into account the specificities of the academic path and the administrative and academic rules/procedures of the two partner institutions in relation to the doctoral student’s program.

The cotutelle procedures differ from one university to another. We recommend that students consult the other university's website to find out the conditions for completing a cotutelle. Occasionally, restrictions established by the other university may hinder the development of a cotutelle agreement with the University of Ottawa. 

You can initiate the cotutelle application before, during or after the University of Ottawa admission process, but not later than the third term of your initial doctoral program. You must also take into account that it takes a few months to negotiate the cotutelle agreement. The cotutelle can only be effective when you have been duly admitted and enrolled (registered) in a doctoral program in each institution and the cotutelle agreement is signed by both universities. 

The decision to determine the home institution is a mutual decision, made at the beginning of the partnership, by the thesis supervisors and the doctoral student.

The following criteria may be useful in your decision making:

• Place of research: the university where the majority of the academic career and/or research will take place and where you will spend most of your time.
• Start: the university where you started your doctoral program, i.e. where you were initially enrolled.
• Thesis defence: the university where the defence will take place.

You must obtain the approval of both thesis supervisors to initiate the process of developing a cotutelle.

The signed letter of intent ensures that the two thesis supervisors agree to accompany a doctoral student within the framework of a cotutelle. Please note that other universities  may operate differently, as each university is unique and has its own internal procedures.

The general principle which governs the financing of a cotutelle is:

• Normally, the doctoral student pays tuition fees (and related costs such as ancillary fees) only at the university where she or he is physically located, according to the periods defined in the cotutelle agreement. Please note that there may be other financial requirements that apply, depending on the partner institution.
• If the University of Ottawa is the home university, cotutelle fees will apply for each term that the doctoral student spends at the partner institution.
• Transportation costs and living expenses incurred because of the cotutelle are the doctoral student’s responsibility.

You can obtain more information as follows:

• First, your thesis supervisor, who will be able to help you identify possible individuals or teams working in your field of research.
• The Graduate Studies Office of your faculty will be able to support you with your admission application, academic career as well as with the submission of the cotutelle letter of intent.
• Questions regarding study permits should be directed to uoInternational.
• If you are looking for a doctoral program at the University of Ottawa, you can consult the webpage describing the uOttawa programs. This section will inform you about admission requirements and procedure. The cotutelle process does not constitute an admission to a doctoral program at the University of Ottawa.

You can consult the Thesis Supervision webpage.

Each faculty has a directory of professors (faculty members) and their areas of interest. This information may be found on the web pages of each faculty and departments.

Equivalencies may be granted for compulsory courses and seminars taken at the other university, with the approval of the thesis supervisors, program directors and the Office of Graduate Studies of the faculties. Comprehensive examinations are a compulsory part of University of Ottawa doctoral programs. You must submit a request for evaluating equivalencies of your courses or seminars when applying for admission at the University of Ottawa.

If you have started developing a cotutelle and wish to abandon the process, simply send an email to the Graduate Studies Office of your faculty and notify your two thesis supervisors.

If you wish to continue your doctoral program at the University of Ottawa, you will be integrated into the regular doctoral path.