Abstract. The article analyzes the peculiarities of scientific personnel training during the integration of national educational system into European educational space. It has been found that there is no single mechanism for PhD or Doctors of Science preparation in European countries, however there are certain traditions with similar or different characteristics. The article shows that the planned time is a significant aspect in the preparation of scientific work. In European countries, there is an uneven distribution of the achievements in the fields that have been awarded scientific degrees, namely, in these countries the number of natural sciences doctors is higher than social sciences doctors. It has been established that in various European countries a significant role is assigned to the policy of systematic definition of criteria for evaluating universities and quality of doctoral programs, when selection of candidates is carried out not only on the basis of examinations, but also taking into account recommendation letters, results of academic activity, topics of dissertation researches. Due to independent scientific activity, PhD students acquire a wide range of skills and knowledge. An important aspect is the application of reform approaches in the structured training of PhD students.