Shortcuts for doctoral students

As a doctoral student, you are entitled to a standard Mecenat Card. Because doctoral students are not registered as full-time students, the student union must register them manually. Since you are registered in Ladok and Mecenat on a per-semester basis, you must resubmit a certificate at the start of each new semester if you wish to continue holding a Mecenat card.  There are two ways of renewing your student card:  

1. Through SöderS: At the bottom of the doctoral support page, you can now fill out a form and upload your employment certificate or other document that validates your study activity. SöderS will then register your study activity so you get the Mecenat card. The processing time is 1–3 business days.  
2. Through Mecenat: You need to download a certificate of registration through your Ladok and submit it through the Mecenat customer service. Application and instructions can be found through this site. Make sure you select the “show activity” button when generating the
   certificate!

The main purpose of the General Assembly (henceforth GA) is to allow members of an association to discuss and vote on the future direction of the organization.    

During this occasion, the members of the Doctoral Council (DC) vote for specific members to represent them in the board of the DC, who also act as doctoral student representatives in central bodies and manage routine activities regarding doctoral student influence across all university levels. Participating in the GA implies being part of the democratic process to decide who represents you.    

You do not need to know how an annual meeting works to attend. There will be people on site to make sure that all the formalities are done correctly. The chairperson of the meeting will also explain the different items so that everyone knows what is going on. You don’t need to prepare in advance nor have previous experience with general assemblies. Simply sit in and listen to what has been done, the suggestions for what can be done, and vote on the student representatives you are interested in.  

All members of the association can attend. Members are all the doctoral students admitted to third cycle studies at Södertörn University, including those in exchange programs organized by the university, with employment at Södertörn University, or those operative at Södertörn University with an employment at a different university.  

Non-members may still attend the meeting but will not have the right to vote.

Extensions due to positions of trust are only given to representatives appointed by SöderS (or through the DC).  

You are entitled to a certain number of hours for you participation and preparation for meetings you attend. The amount should be discussed prior to starting the assignment. You can find a detailed list of bodies with doctoral representation, the formula for calculating extension-based hours, and more information in the Guidelines for extensions to doctoral studentships due to position of trust.

As a substitute representative (sv: suppleant) you are entitled to extension for the meetings you attend instead of the ordinary representative.  

In addition, the Doctoral Council has extension-based hours to distribute within the council’s activities. Thus, board members are given additional hours for participation in DC board meetings, and other doctoral candidates performing assignments for the DC are entitled to hours from the DC budget.

For more information see:

• 📄 Guidelines for extensions to doctoral studentships due to position of trust
• 📄 Doctoral Council Statutes, 2026

Doctoral students themselves have the responsibility to notify their boss about planned assignments (departmental duties and positions of trust).

If you no longer want to continue as a doctoral representative, contact SöderS to be relieved of your duties.  

Make sure you notify your boss and supervisor of any changes to your extension-based activities.