The PhD students of ARKTIS are selected by using an open call procedure. There is no continuous call of students. The call is organised only when there is funding available to hire new PhD students, or if some positions are vacated. PhD students to so called status positions (associate member tudents with external funding) are called at the same time as PhD students to salaried positions. The calls are published in Finnish newspapers and on the web pages of the Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, partner universities and some other universities. The calls are published in both Finnish and English.

The Directory Board of the graduate school selects the students on the basis of their written applications to the research education program. More detailed instructions of required documents are given with the connection each call.

The application documents normally include:

1. A free-form application letter (maximum one-page)
2. A curriculum vitae and a publication list
3. A research plan for doctoral thesis including a time schedule (maximum 5 pages) and a summary (one-page)
4. An educational plan for a doctoral degree (what courses and exams are undertaken) including a time schedule
5. A list of the grants/scholarships previously granted to postgraduate studies

The criteria for the selections of students are: how well the research fits with the thematic focus areas, quality of the research plan, realistic time-table to ensure graduation, success in previous studies, motivation to participate in the activities of ARKTIS, future potential, how well the school can support the applicant in her/his doctoral studies and multidisciplinary nature of the research. The students who will be selected to the school will conduct their doctoral thesis full-time and actively participate in the education, supervision and other activities of the school.