Study and research in Germany

Paths to a Doctorate in Germany

Why do a doctorate?

Photo: Internationale Universität BremenAround 120 universities in Germany offer opportunities for graduates to follow up their academic studies with a doctorate. Each year sees around 25,000 postgraduates gain a doctorate in Germany. They all believe that the effort of crowning their studies with a doctoral cap is certainly worth their while.

Statistics and labour market forecasts prove them right. The demand for highly-qualified, internationally-trained young academics and scientists is growing all the time. And not only in Germany, but all around the world as well.

No matter whether Dr. or PhD – those who complete their doctorate quickly and with an above-average grade and who have, at the same time, learnt how to move on the international stage can look forward to outstanding career opportunities at universities, research institutes and in industry – and not only in Germany.

• The "Master-Apprentice Model": the classical route to a doctorate
• What requirements do I need to meet to be able to take up a course of doctoral studies?
• How do I apply for a course of doctoral studies?
• What language skills must I have?
• How is a structured doctoral programme different from a master-apprentice doctorate?
• What structured doctoral programmes exist?

The "Master-Apprentice Model": the classical route to a doctorate

Germany does not traditionally have a system of Graduate Schools, Graduate Centres or Graduate Colleges that support and guide students to their doctorate in a structured programme; nor is there a binding curriculum that needs to be completed during the doctoral phase. The production of a doctoral thesis or dissertation is the core element of the doctorate. Students agree their topic with a supervising professor and then produce a thesis or dissertation as a piece of independent research work. Since there is no curriculum, there is also no set length for doctoral studies and no obligation to attend courses. The very liberal, traditional system has its advantages and disadvantages. However, it is always important that the doctoral student is very independent and personally motivated and that a good and trustful relationship exists with the academic supervisor.

What requirements do I need to meet to be able to take up a course of doctoral studies?

As a rule, a requirement for acceptance as a doctoral student is an outstanding degree in the corresponding subject area. This degree must have been gained in a university programme after at least eight semesters of study (4 years). However, more and more doctoral degree regulations now also provide opportunities for the admission of particularly qualified graduates who hold a Bachelor's degree. No nationwide ruling exists on this in Germany, because the doctoral regulations are a matter for the respective university faculties. In general, you will be able to find the doctoral regulations on the university website.

How do I apply for a course of doctoral studies?

The best way to find out which universities in Germany offer which doctoral programmes is to consult the following websites:

www.hochschulkompass.de

www.forschungsportal.net

It's important to know that there is no central admissions or selection office for doctoral students. The decision is made solely by the accepting university, with the academic supervisor playing the key role. So, if you want to do a doctorate in Germany, your first job is to find a professor to supervise you. There are several ways of doing this:

• Perhaps you already have an idea of which university teacher you would like to supervise your doctorate. This may be somebody who has published in your subject area or someone you met at a specialist conference. You can use the website of the university in question to find all the contact details of the person in question and then contact him or her direct.
  
• Alternatively, you can use the Internet to find out who the Dean of Faculty / Department is for your subject at your chosen university.
  
• In many cases, the Dean's Office (Dekanat) or the International Office (Akademisches Auslandsamt) will be able to help you.

The next step is to contact the chosen supervisor:

• To do this, please send an e-mail or letter with the following information:
  
• Short description of your research topic
  
• Details on your experience in the relevant research field
  
• Your curriculum vitae

If the prospective supervisor is interested in taking you on as a doctoral student, you will be asked to outline your research project in greater detail (50 to 100 pages). In some cases, you may also be required to take written or oral tests.

Once you've found a supervisor, you have taken the most important hurdle. Now all you need to do is to have your degree checked to ensure that it is equivalent to a German university degree. To do this send a copy of your degree certificate to the Dean of Faculty / Department who, after verifying its equivalence, will send you a letter of confirmation. If you need assistance, please just contact the International Office at the university.

Click here to find a detailed description of how to apply to a supervisor for a doctorate.

What language skills must I have?

If you wish to write your thesis or dissertation in German, you need to be able to prove your proficiency in the language by presenting a DSH or TestDaF certificate. However, many doctoral regulations meanwhile also provide for the opportunity to write the thesis or dissertation in English and to complete the viva voce examination in English as well. The respective doctoral regulations govern all details. And, of course, it is of foremost importance that your supervisor agrees to you submitting your thesis or dissertation in English.

How is a structured doctoral programme different from a master-apprentice doctorate?

Recent years have increasingly seen structured programmes, so-called Doctoral Programmes, Graduate Schools, Doctoral Colleges, Graduate Centres or Graduate Colleges develop. Many of these programmes have an international focus. They offer doctoral students the following advantages:

• Flexible admission for foreign applicants, e.g. graduates holding a Bachelor's degree
  
• English largely used in courses and everyday work
  
• Team-based doctorate, frequently involving joint research projects which ensures that a constant process of exchange takes place with other doctoral students and supervisors
  
• Supervision agreement between the university and the doctoral student which allocates at least two supervisors to each doctoral student
  
• Interdisciplinarity through the participation of several faculties / departments
  
• Research at the cutting edge of science
  
• Intensive supervision under the institutional responsibility of the university
  
• Curricular programmes, both in core subject and cross-disciplinary fields
  
• Delivery of key skills, so-called "soft skills", such as presentation techniques, scientific writing
  
• Extra-departmental supervision and guidance, such as joint leisure activities and assistance with everyday problems.

What structured doctoral programmes exist?

In total, Germany's universities currently offer around 360 programmes, of which around 130 have an international focus. Some of these programmes are listed in our database on "International Degree Programmes in Germany", while we present an outline of other programme providers on the webpage on "Structured Doctoral Programmes".

How do I finance my doctoral studies?

At present, practically all doctoral programmes in Germany are tuition-free. The DAAD offers a wide range of funding opportunities with which you can finance your stay in Germany. For detailed descriptions of these please go to the DAAD Scholarship Database.

And you can find a summary of other sources of funding offered by numerous major scholarship organisations for foreign graduates in Germany on the Researcher's Mobility Portal Germany.

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