Submission Requirements
One submission covers all three components - poster, PhD Thesis Madness selection, and the Emerging Scholars Collection. All applicants must submit the following:
① 8-Page Research Report (+ 1 or 2 pages of references)
This must be a single-authored submission. Non-anonymous, following the MICCAI template. Main content is limited to 8 pages, with an additional 1 or 2 pages allowed for references. Must include:
- Applicant's name, advisor(s), and institution
- PhD status and expected completion date
- Research motivation, related work, methodology, results, and future directions
- Report covers key aspects: Research Problem & Motivation, Scientific Approach, Proposed Solution, Results & Contributions, Open Challenges & Future Work, Dissertation Status
👉 Download the LaTeX template (ZIP)
② Structured Abstract (250 words max)
Summarizing: the research problem, key contributions, and broader impact.
③ Curriculum Vitae (CV) (2 pages max)
A concise CV summarizing academic and research achievements, including publications separated by status (published, under review, in preparation). If you opt in, your CV may be shared with potential employers or industry partners participating in the conference.
④ Support Letter from Supervisor (submitted confidentially via OpenReview)
See the Support Letter section below for detailed prompts and confidentiality rules. Ask your recommender if they would be willing to provide a support letter before starting a submission.
Submission Process
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OpenReview Submission Portal Opens:
July 10, 2026. Submissions are via OpenReview: MICCAI 2026 Doctoral Symposium on OpenReview
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Submission Deadline:
July 30, 2026 (AOE). You may revise your submission up to the deadline; only the latest version is considered.
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Advisor Support Letter Deadline:
July 31, 2026 (AOE). Submitted separately and confidentially through OpenReview by the supervisor. Students cannot view their supervisor's letter.
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Notification of Acceptance:
August 10, 2026
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PhD Thesis Madness Finalists Notified:
August 12, 2026
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Camera-Ready Deadline:
August 24, 2026 (AOE)
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Publication:
The 8-page report of accepted main-track participants will be published in the MICCAI 2026 Doctoral Symposium Proceedings, indexed in Springer Lecture Notes in Computer Science (LNCS). Exception-track participants (early-stage/pre-doctoral) are not eligible for LNCS publication.
Support Letter - Required Prompts
The support letter is submitted confidentially by the supervisor through OpenReview and is structured around the following prompts:
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Status verification. Confirm the applicant's institution, current role (PhD student, recent graduate, pre-doctoral), PhD start date and expected or actual defense date, and your supervisory relationship.
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Applicant's contribution to the submitted work. Describe what the applicant specifically contributed, particularly where collaborators are involved. What did the applicant drive, and what would not exist without them?
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Significance of the work, in your words. Briefly state the core contribution and why it matters - 2 to 4 sentences. Brevity is preferred.
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Context (optional). If there are circumstances under which this work was produced that reviewers should be aware of (e.g., limited compute or data access, working in an institution less represented at MICCAI, or significant personal circumstances), briefly describe them. This is shared with reviewers to calibrate evaluation, not used as a separate criterion.
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For exception-track applicants only. State explicitly that the submitted work is of doctoral-level depth and significance, and justify this with specific evidence from the work itself. Exception-track applicants include early-stage PhD students, and pre-doctoral students, fellows, research assistants, and research engineers who have been active in research in 2025 or 2026.
Confidentiality
- The status, contribution, and significance prompts are confidential to program chairs and the awards committee only - not shared with reviewers.
- The context prompt, if completed, is shared with reviewers to calibrate evaluation.
- Letters are never shared with the applicant under any circumstances.
- There is no limit on the number of students a supervisor can recommend. Each application generates a separate letter request to the supervisor.
Copyright and Originality Guidelines
- Ensure the report is an original summary written in your own words. Reusing text, figures, or tables from published work may cause copyright issues. We strongly recommend creating new figures that summarize your contributions. If reusing a published figure is essential, obtain written permission and provide proper attribution.
- Your report should cover: Research Problem & Motivation, Relevance & Related Work, Scientific Approach, Proposed Solution, Results & Contributions, Open Challenges & Future Work, and Dissertation Status & Long-Term Goals. If you have questions about overlaps or reuse, contact us for clarification.