Earning your doctorate in 10 steps

What subject would you like to address in your research?

Find the topic of your doctoral thesis (Dissertation) by exploring the various research areas and working groups available in your discipline. Specific projects might be advertised on the website and through open calls. Developing your own idea (together with a potential supervisor) is also an option. In this case, you should gain an overview of the existing research in your field, who is working in this field and consider where your doctoral thesis can bring new insights.

• What are the admission requirements for your faculty or graduate school?
• Which specific forms and official documents need to be submitted to whom?

An overview of all university faculties can be found here

An overview of all graduate schools at the university can be found here

If you would like to pursue a doctorate, you first have to find a supervisor for your project.

You can find projects through calls for applications or directly via faculties and graduate schools. You can also try to approach a supervisor by directly contacting them with your idea for a research project. Oftentimes, project ideas also develop through a Master thesis or during the work with a professor during your studies.

Outcome: Supervisor Confirmation (Betreuungszusage)

A supervisor confirmation may be followed by a specific application process, for example for admission to one of the graduate schools, for a paid position in a research training group or a paid position at a university institute.

What if I do not have a paid position as a doctoral candidate? Think about the possibilities to finance your doctorate through other means and take action, for example, regarding scholarship applications.

Information on funding opportunities and academic contracts in Germany can be found here

When you have confirmed your research project and supervision, you will be admitted as a doctoral candidate. Submit the relevant documents for admission as a doctoral candidate at the respective faculty or graduate school.

Outcome: Admission as a doctoral candidate

Admission at the faculty or graduate school is usually followed by enrollment (Immatrikulation) at the university. Keep the specific doctoral regulations in mind and also note the matriculation deadlines.

Congratulations – you are officially a doctoral candidate!

Now, you are pursuing your research as a doctoral candidate.

Furthermore, you will have the chance to pursue additional opportunities such as qualification programs within your discipline or more generally, participating in PhD colloquia, working group meetings, teach a course or tutorial, participate in conferences, publish your research, or embark on an international research stay.

You have completed your research project and all other requirements? Now follows the actual doctoral process (Promotionsverfahren) and registration for the doctoral examination.

Inform yourself about specific formalities in the doctoral regulations (Promotionsordnung) at your faculty or graduate school and officially register for the doctoral examination.

After the dissertation has been successfully reviewed, you will be invited to the doctoral defense or examination.

After successful evaluation of your dissertation and passing the doctoral defense or oral examination, you will be issued a confirmation of your doctorate or an examination certificate.

Attention: The confirmation of your doctorate or the examination certificate does not yet authorize you to use the title of a doctoral degree (not even "Dr. des.").

As stipulated in the doctoral regulations, you make your dissertation publicly accessible. This usually occurs within one to two years after the completion of the doctoral process and can take the form of a monograph or peer-reviewed articles in journals.

More information on the publication of your doctoral thesis can be found here

After publication and confirmation by the faculty or graduate school, you will be issued your official doctoral certificate.

You are now allowed to hold the title "doctor" as stipulated in the doctoral regulations of your faculty or graduate school. The doctoral process is complete.