PhD in The Robotics Program

Robotics brings together mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and computer science to design machines that sense, plan, and act in physical environments. The field covers topics such as robot kinematics and dynamics, control systems, sensor fusion, motion planning, and increasingly the integration of machine learning for perception and decision-making. The Robotics Program at KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology), located in Yuseong-gu, South Korea, offers a doctoral track in this discipline with courses and research conducted in English. Doctoral students in robotics typically work on problems such as designing manipulators and legged or wheeled locomotion systems, developing algorithms for autonomous navigation, or building human-robot interaction systems for settings like manufacturing, healthcare, or disaster response. Research combines theoretical work in control and optimization with hands-on experimentation using physical robot platforms, and dissertations are expected to make an original contribution to the field. Graduates pursue careers in robotics and automation companies, research institutes, and academia, as well as adjacent fields such as autonomous vehicles and industrial automation. The doctorate takes four years, with intakes beginning in September and March (February for MBA cohorts). As part of a broader science and technology institute, the program benefits from proximity to departments in electrical engineering, computing, and materials science, supporting interdisciplinary robotics research that spans hardware and software. Because instruction is delivered in English, applicants are required to meet the university's English proficiency standards, in addition to the technical and research background expected for admission to a robotics doctoral program.