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The German Doctorate: A Guide For Doctoral Candidates
The German Doctorate: A Guide For Doctoral Candidates
WELCOME
Thank you for looking in! We would like to introduce you to
Germany as a host country and show you how you can suc-
cessfully study for a doctorate here and create new prospects for
your future. Many young international researchers are already
pursuing this path. Roughly 27,000 graduates complete a
doctorate in Germany every year – far more than in any other
European country. Approximately 4,000 of them come from
abroad. Above all, international doctoral candidates appreciate
the great diversity of the German research landscape: along-
side world-class universities, prestigious research institutions
also offer opportunities to study for a doctorate. With their
proximity to industrial practice and swifter career entry, com-
panies also offer many advantages on the path to a doctorate.
3 4
Contents 1. Why complete a doctorate in Germany?
Germany is the ideal place to study and do research. Not
only do education and science enjoy a very high status
here, but Germany also offers an outstanding research
1. WHY COMPLETE A DOCTORATE IN GERMANY? 6 infrastructure. Over 140 higher education institutions –
The advantages of the German research landscape not only in big cities like Berlin and Munich, but also
and the international reputation of a German doctorate Only universities and higher in smaller towns like Greifswald, Weingarten and
education institutions of equal Clausthal-Zellerfeld – have the right to award doctorates.
status have the right to award
The subjects on offer range from agricultural science to
doctorates. Some German
2. PATHS TO A DOCTORATE 10 states are planning to grant
zoology. Some 700 departments allow students to write
The different routes to a doctorate in Germany universities of applied sciences their doctoral theses in English, while students at more
and which approach is best for which student (Fachhochschulen, FHs) the than 260 departments can also use other foreign languages.
right to award doctorates inde-
pendently subject to specific
There are tradition-steeped institutions like Heidelberg
criteria.
3. BEFORE YOU START 16 University, which was founded in 1386, and very large
Finding the right supervisor or programme ones like RWTH Aachen University, which has over
and making a successful application 40,000 students. Both these institutions are among the
44 universities that receive special funding as part of
the Excellence Initiative and they were also distinguished
4. SUPPORT AND FUNDING 28 by the initiative for their institutional strategies. Along-
The cost of a doctorate and living in Germany The Excellence Initiative is a side these big names there are small, specialised private
and where doctoral candidates can receive support government funding pro- universities, such as the Bucerius Law School in Ham-
gramme that was launched in burg. Germany also has some 225 universities of applied
2005 to support outstanding
sciences (Fachhochschulen), which are more oriented
research at German higher
5. LIVABLE GERMANY 34 education institutions. Its total
to the practical application of knowledge. Although they
Leisure and recreation opportunities value is 4.6 billion euros. In all, do not have the right to award doctorates themselves,
and making a good start 45 graduate schools, 43 excel- they often work closely with other universities to enable
lence clusters and 11 institution- their graduates to study for doctorates. However, univer-
al strategies at 44 universities
sities are not the only institutions that conduct first-class
will receive support until 2017.
Imprint 39 research in Germany. Doctoral candidates can also work
at one of the numerous non-university research institu-
tions that form an important pillar of German research.
These include such prestigious organisations as the
Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, the Helmholtz Association, the
Leibniz Association and the Max Planck Society. Inter-
national graduates are also very welcome in industry.
Many companies offer outstanding opportunities for
young researchers.
5 6
Why complete a doctorate in Germany? I 1. 1. I Why complete a doctorate in Germany?
7 8
Why complete a doctorate in Germany? I 1.
LINKS
advisors in the USA Bochum Paderborn
Clausthal-Zellerfeld
Halle
are often im- Dortmund
Essen Witten Göttingen
Hagen Leipzig
You can find additional information about the research landscape pressed with my Düsseldorf
Kassel
Wuppertal
in Germany, career opportunities and scholarships as well as the Dresden
latest news on higher education and research at efficiency and Weimar Freiberg
Köln Erfurt Jena
www.research-in-germany.org fearless manner in Aachen
Alfter St. Augustin
Siegen Marburg
Chemnitz
Bonn Gießen
The Young Germany website presents information about research
which I take on Vallendar
Fulda Ilmenau
in Germany, provides help with career planning and offers useful new challenges Koblenz
Frankfurt a.M.
advice on living in Germany: www.young-germany.de Offenbach
and projects. Geisenheim Wiesbaden
Bayreuth
Colleagues meet Trier
Mainz Darmstadt Würzburg Bamberg
Konstanz Friedrichs-
hafen
A doctoral degree entails independent research.
9 10
2. Paths to a doctorate
A doctorate is the highest academic degree that a univer-
sity can award. In Germany, studying for a doctorate pri- DID YOU
marily means working intensely on a specific subject or KNOW …
research project for a long period of time. How closely
doctoral candidates are supported by the university or re-
search institution and how much independence they have … that roughly
one third of doctor-
in their work depends on the path they have chosen. The
ates in Germany
length of time a doctorate takes also varies. Depending on
are carried out in col-
the path taken, the duration of study is influenced by the
laboration with
student’s personal time plan, the way a doctoral pro-
non-university
gramme is organised or the fixed term of a research job. research institutions?
Three to five years are normal.
... that more than Many doctoral students also have a job at their university.
STRUCTURED OR TRADITIONAL?
one quarter of
doctoral candidates in
If you decide to do a doctorate, you can choose between
Germany receive
different forms of study. Depending on your discipline, consultation with their academic supervisor, they
public funding?
research area, personal circumstances and formal quali- nevertheless work very independently. You can take this
fications, there are various routes to a doctorate. Funda- ... that the highest traditional path to a doctorate at a university, a non-
mentally, there are two different paths. On the one hand, proportion of doctoral university research institution or in industry. In Ger-
there is the traditional approach, sometimes called the students in Germany many, when a doctoral candidate at a university also has
individual doctorate, which is based on independent – roughly 29% – a job there, this is referred to as an “internal doctorate”.
research carried out alone under the supervision of one write their doctoral More than two thirds of the roughly 200,000 doctoral
thesis in the field of
professor. This is the path taken by most doctoral stu- students in Germany take this route. However, a job at
mathematics and
dents in Germany. However, the second path, the struc- the university – or at an institute outside the university –
natural sciences?
tured doctoral programme, is becoming increasingly is not required. You can work on your doctoral thesis
popular. The structured model is more closely based on independently at home if you can find a supervisor and
the doctoral degree programmes found in English- appropriate funding and you satisfy the entrance re-
speaking countries. There are good arguments in favour quirements. This is what people refer to as an “external
of both routes. Below we will outline the requirements doctorate”.
associated with each of these paths and help you to
The student’s doctoral thesis is
discover which model suits you better. supervised by a professor. Be-
A special form of individual doctorate involves research
cause this involves intense aca- in industry. In this case, doctoral students usually write
TRADITIONAL APPROACH demic exchange, in Germany their thesis in collaboration with the company where
The traditional individual model is the most common supervisors are usually known they are employed. In particular, companies in research-
as Doktorvater/Doktormutter
route to a doctorate in Germany. Here, doctoral candidates intensive sectors, such as the automotive industry, co-
(literally, doctor father/mother).
are guided by a supervisor (Doktorvater/Doktormutter). operate with universities and offer doctoral candidates
Although they conduct research on their subject in work contracts and support on their way to a doctorate.
11 12
Paths to a doctorate I 2. 2. I Paths to a doctorate
This model links work experience with applied research to acquire soft skills and additional qualifications.
in the closest possible way. The subject of the doctoral The systematic and intensive support these programmes
thesis must suit the company. Nevertheless, you still need offer often makes it possible to complete a doctorate
a supervisor who is entitled to award doctorates. Ideally, within three years.
the prospective doctoral candidate has already found a
supervising professor. However, some companies also Approximately 8% of doctoral candidates in Germany
help junior researchers find an appropriate supervisor. are currently participating in structured programmes of
this kind – and their numbers are growing. This option
Applied research partnerships between universities is primarily available in over 200 research training groups
and industry also enable individuals to work on a project
and complete a doctorate on the basis of their findings.
One example of this model is the INI.TUM research WHAT KIND OF DOCTORATE SUITS ME BEST? THE DIFFERENCES AT A GLANCE
centre, a collaborative partnership between Audi AG, the
City of Ingolstadt and Technische Universität München
TRADITIONAL APPROACH STRUCTURED PROGRAMME
(TUM). In this case, doctoral students are employed by
the university and work on a doctoral project in consul- As the Selecting a I would like to choose my own I prefer thematic integration in
tation with their supervisors at the university and within research project doctoral subject. a doctoral or research programme.
member of a
the company. I would like to study for my
graduate school, doctorate with a specific researcher.
Non-university research establishments such as Fraun- I am often given
hofer Institutes also offer opportunities to complete a the chance to Organisation I enjoy working independently and I would like to regularly exchange
doctorate in industry-related or application-oriented re- present and dis- taking responsibility for my work. ideas with colleagues.
search projects organised in cooperation with universities. cuss my work with I would like to plan how I use I would prefer to be integrated
In this case, doctoral students work as institute employ- my time myself. in a specific project or have a fixed
other researchers curriculum.
ees on joint research projects with industry partners. The I would like to primarily concentrate
doctoral work is supervised by a professor at a partner from multiple on my research topic. I would like my doctoral study to
institution. This kind of doctorate facilitates research in a disciplines – a I will attend selected subject
have a definite timeframe.
realistic setting and offers opportunities to combine great way to get seminars, if necessary. I would like to receive support
employment with research and gain additional practical feedback and with articles, lectures or partici-
experience. pation in conferences.
to keep on track
I would like to deepen my
with my project’s subject knowledge and key skills
STRUCTURED DOCTORAL PROGRAMMES
In addition to the traditional individual path, a doctorate goals.” in seminars.
Leone Rossetti
can also be completed in Germany as part of a struc-
from Italy is a doctoral
tured programme. These programmes offer a form of candidate in biophysics at Supervision I would prefer in-depth discussions I would like to have several contact
training similar to that found in English-speaking the International Graduate with one supervisor. partners.
countries. Here, a team of supervisors guide their doc- School of Science and
Engineering (IGSSE) I want to find a supervisor accord- I would like to receive support
toral candidates. These programmes include a sup-
at Technische Universität ing to my own criteria. with official formalities such as
porting curriculum, are often organised in an interdis- registration and a work permit.
München (TUM).
ciplinary way and usually provide opportunities
13 14
Paths to a doctorate I 2.
Structured doctoral programmes are particularly attrac- Structured support is also avail-
tive for international doctoral students. They are often in- able at the graduate schools
ternationally oriented and use English as the language (Graduiertenschulen) that have
of instruction or working language. Some programmes – been established within the
Excellence Initiative framework
for example, the Helmholtz Association’s international to promote the subject focus
doctoral programmes – are explicitly aimed at inter- of the respective location in a
national doctoral students. Half of the doctoral candidates targeted way. Compared to
at Max Planck Society research schools already come research training groups, these
from outside Germany. graduate schools are larger
networks that have a broader
thematic scope and seek an-
There are now a large number of structured doctoral swers to overarching questions.
programmes available. In Chapter 3 you can discover how
to find the programme that best suits your expectations
and qualifications.
LINKS
15 16
3. I Before you start
DOCTORATE – YES OR NO? Above and beyond this, the doctoral thesis must satisfy
As well as opening up many opportunities, a doctorate specific formal criteria as laid down in the doctoral de-
The doctoral degree regula-
also involves considerable challenges. Everyone must gree regulations (Promotionsordnung) of the respective de-
tions (Promotionsordnung) con-
carefully consider the advantages and disadvantages be- tain the most important rules partment. In addition to the written thesis, the award of
fore deciding to study for a doctorate. One of the most for the examination procedure. a doctorate also entails an oral examination known as the
important questions is that of personal aptitude. You These include the prerequisites Rigorosum or Disputation. The publication of the thesis
need dedication, discipline and energy to master a doctor- for admission as well as rules completes the doctoral degree process. Generally, the doc-
governing the submission of the
ate. That applies particularly to the traditional individual toral certificate is only awarded to the candidate after the
thesis, the preparation
doctorate, which requires a large degree of independence. of the appraisal and the oral thesis has been made available to an academic audience.
Doctoral candidates must be able to organise their own examination. With the doctoral certificate comes the right to bear the
work and constantly motivate themselves to continue the doctoral title. Departmental doctoral degree regulations
project – even during the most difficult phases. The Rigorosum is a usually non- can usually be found on the website of the respective
public oral examination of the
university or with the aid of the database offered by the
applicant’s academic qualifica-
The following statements should help you determine tion. The doctoral thesis is not German Rectors’ Conference at
whether a doctorate is the right thing for you. Anyone the only subject of the examina- www.higher-education-compass.de.
who wants to do a doctorate ought to be able to agree tion; the candidate’s knowl-
with most of these statements: edge of other relevant areas of Almost half of all departments allow students to gain a
the respective discipline is
doctorate “cumulatively” with a series of publications.
also scrutinised.
Particularly in the natural sciences and medicine, it makes
Doing research is fun. The Disputation is an academic sense for researchers to publish several papers in pres-
“debate”. The candidate pre- tigious journals rather than one extensive monograph.
I enjoy becoming absorbed in a specific subject.
sents his or her doctoral thesis Usually, however, the requirements are very strict: not all
I am prepared to concentrate on a doctoral thesis for three to five years. and defends his or her ideas
publications in all journals are recognised for this pur-
before the members of the
I am capable of laying down work plans for myself and consistently board of examiners and pose. The conditions are defined in the regulations of the
adhering to them. assessors. respective department.
Independence and resilience are important because a doc- The doctoral thesis or disser- GOOD DEGREE
toral student has to plan, structure and write an extensive tation (Doktorarbeit or Disserta- The most important prerequisite for a doctorate is a very
research paper. This doctoral thesis or dissertation is at the tion) is a research treatise that good higher education qualification that is recognised in
the doctoral candidate submits
heart of the doctorate. It is meant to demonstrate the can- Germany. As a rule, this is a qualification equivalent to
for the award of a doctorate.
didate’s ability to engage in profound, independent aca- a master’s degree awarded after at least eight semesters of
17 18
Before you start I 3. 3. I Before you start
Doctoral candidates have to clarify a number of questions before they can start.
19 20
Before you start I 3. 3. I Before you start
Are further entrance requirements listed in the doctoral degree regulations? Invest a lot of time and
work in your search for the
right programme or the
right supervisor.
The doctoral degree regulations list the other require- Choose your thesis topic in
ments for the examination process. You can also receive a way that fits in with the
information from the professors who are responsible programme or the academ-
for a particular subject. Letters of recommendation from ic orientation of your super-
visor. Graduate schools are
your own university teachers can be useful – and are
more broadly based in
occasionally even required. terms of subject matter and
work in an interdisciplinary HOW CAN I FIND
ENROLMENT RECOMMENDED way. Nevertheless, your A SUPERVISOR
Although it is not absolutely necessary, it can be advanta- thesis must fit in with their Finding a suitable doctoral degree supervisor is no
specific fields of research.
geous for international doctoral students to enrol for a simple matter. You should certainly invest enough time
doctoral programme even if they are taking the traditional Make your motivation and energy in your search, since this professor will be
individual path to a doctorate. The prerequisite for this is The decision on admission clear! It is important to an important person in your life for several years. A first
admission to study (Zulassung zum Studium) at the univer- to study (Zulassung zum Studi- clearly show where your step can be a search for a suitable university institute
sity. For this purpose, the university may possibly require um) is taken by the responsible interest lies in your very or non-university research institution. Many of the super-
body at the higher education first contact.
proof of a successfully completed German examination. institution on the basis of the
visors at research centres are also employed at univer-
This can even be the case when the doctoral candidate is current study and/or doctoral Show that you are well- sities and have the right to award doctorates. Helpful
writing a thesis in English. Advice on this subject is avail- degree regulations. Universi- informed: you know the online databases include the Research Explorer, which
able from university international departments. Doctoral ties’ doctoral degree regulations requirements for a doctorate contains details of over 22,000 research institutes,
degree regulations on departmental websites also pro- can be found on their respec- in Germany. and PhDGermany, the DAAD search platform that lists
tive websites or using the data-
vide information on admission requirements. base offered by the German
doctoral programmes especially for international doctoral
Demonstrate your interest:
Rectors’ Conference. you know the doctoral pro- candidates. You can also find out which higher education
At some universities the timeframe for a doctorate is gramme or the potential institutions might come into question with the Higher
limited to three to five years. supervisor’s research field Education Compass offered by the German Rectors’
and you know what to Conference. This database usually presents various links
expect.
The most important step comes after these formal on departments including contact details, doctoral
points have been dealt with: finding the right supervisor study regulations and information about international
or the right doctoral programme. cooperation programmes or research projects.
21 22
Before you start I 3. 3. I Before you start
23
Before you start I 3. 3. I Before you start
25 26
Before you start I 3.
27 28
4. I Support and funding
4. Support and funding Students who opt for a structured doctoral programme
usually already have financial support: doctoral candi-
dates in research training groups and graduate schools or
LIVING AND STUDY COSTS programmes at non-university institutions normally ei-
The most important question that arises when people The semester fee (Semesterbei- ther work on a research project as a research associate or
start preparing for a doctorate is how much it will cost trag) is a levy that students receive a scholarship. Under certain circumstances, stu-
have to pay the higher educa-
and how it can be financed. Although no tuition fees tion institution. Payment is the
dents who have opted for the traditional individual path
are payable for doctoral study in Germany – at least not at precondition for both enrol- to a doctorate can also receive a scholarship or a job at the
public higher education institutions – students naturally ment and re-enrolment in the university. Otherwise, they need to look for other means
need money to live on. In fact, anyone who applies for a visa following semester. As a rule, of funding. In all, 80% of postgraduate students in Ger-
for undergraduate or doctoral study in Germany currently these fees are between 75 and many engage in one or more forms of gainful employ-
250 euros a semester. If a sea-
has to prove access to at least 8,040 euros a year. As a rule, son ticket for the local public
ment, which can involve research work or a part-time job
however, this sum is not enough to cover all the costs. Ac- transport network is included, outside the university. On average, doctoral candidates
cording to a survey by Deutsches Studentenwerk, a student then they are more likely to be spend 28 hours a week engaged in such activities.
in Germany spends an average of roughly 794 euros a at the higher end of this range.
month on rent, food, clothing, travel, working materials, The semester fee should not FUNDING MODELS:
be confused with the tuition
leisure activities and such like. If you are enrolled at a fees that can be charged, for
SCHOL ARSHIPS
higher education institution, you will also have to pay se- example, by private higher If you have very good final grades and references, you can
mester fees (Semesterbeiträge). Students who pay these education institutions. apply for one of the numerous funding programmes that
fees receive a student card that enables them to buy also support foreign doctoral students with a scholarship.
discounted tickets for public transport and eat cheaply in The refectory (Mensa) is the The largest awarder of scholarships, especially for inter-
university canteen run by stu-
the refectory (Mensa). In addition, you can often pay dent services (Studentenwerk).
national doctoral candidates, is the German Academic Ex-
reduced prices at the swimming baths or the cinema. change Service (DAAD). In 2012 alone, the DAAD sup-
ported over 4,700 international doctoral students in
Germany with scholarships. Large organisations that sup-
How much “normal students” spend per month in Germany*: 13 organisations that support
port gifted students (Begabtenförderungswerke) are
gifted students (Begabten-
förderungswerke) have come also possible partners for highly qualified foreign doctoral
together under the umbrella candidates. Acceptance as a doctoral student at a German
€298 Rent (including ancillary costs) of the Federal Ministry of Edu- university is required. There is also a large number of
cation and Research (BMBF). smaller foundations and scholarship programmes that
They provide funding for espe-
€165 Food €82 Travel (car/
award scholarships to gifted international doctoral
cially talented students, includ-
public transport) ing international students. candidates, some of them for specific subjects, countries
or projects. A useful search tool for these programmes is
provided by the DAAD database that can be accessed at
€66 Health insurance,
€68 Leisure, culture and sports doctor’s costs, medicines www.funding-guide.de.
29 30
As a rule, doctoral candidates work at the chair of their
supervising professor as research associates with tempo-
rary part-time contracts. They usually perform duties as
teachers, in research projects or in the administration.
31 32
Support and funding I 4.
33 34
5. I Livable Germany
35 36
5. I Livable Germany
COMPULSORY INSURANCE
Students in Germany are obliged to have health insurance
cover. If you have a work contract, you will automatically
receive health insurance. If you are insured in your count-
ry of origin, you should find out in good time whether
your insurance cover is recognised in Germany. Student
services at many higher education institutions offer ser-
vice packages for international students that include not
only accommodation and meals, but also health insur-
ance.
LINKS
There are lots of opportunities to get to know other young people.
Interesting facts about all aspects of life in Germany – from politics
and business to culture – are presented in the Federal Foreign Of-
POINTS OF CONTACT fice’s online handbook: www.tatsachen-ueber-deutschland.de
37 38
Imprint
Publisher
DAAD
Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst
German Academic Exchange Service
Kennedyallee 50
53175 Bonn (Germany)
www.daad.de
Section International Research Marketing
Project Coordination
Dr. Katja Lasch (responsible), Ruth André, Janina Kimmel, Anna Wohlfarth
Publishing House, Layout and Typesetting
Frankfurter Societäts-Medien GmbH, Frankfurt
Editors: Dr. Helen Sibum (responsible), Dr. Sabine Giehle
Translation
Derek Whitfield
Printed by
W+S Druck und Medien, 53842 Troisdorf-Spich
Print-run
Completely revised and extended edition
January 2015 – 20.000
© DAAD
Any reproduction, even of extracts, is only permitted with appropriate source details, and only with the
publisher’s approval. This publication was funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research.
Note
The DAAD places special emphasis on using language that treats women and men equally. The
grammatical male form is occasionally used alone in this publication purely as a means of improving
legibility. Naturally, these terms are meant in a gender-neutral way.
Photo Credits
Cover: Hüttermann/DAAD;
p. 4: Abbis/DAAD; p. 7: Gombert/DAAD; p. 8: Lichtenscheidt/DAAD; p. 9: Beowulf Sheehan;
p. 12: Lichtenscheidt/DAAD; p. 13: private; p. 16: Lannert/DAAD; p. 19: Lannert/DAAD;
p. 20: Lichtenscheidt/DAAD; p. 22: Lannert/DAAD; p. 24: Bernd Wannenmacher, Lichtenscheidt/DAAD;
p. 26: Ausserhofer/Himsel/DAAD; p. 27: Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg; p. 28: Otto/DAAD;
p. 31: Hagenguth/DAAD; p. 32: Bergmann/DAAD; p. 34: Ebert/DAAD; p. 36: private;
p. 37: Hüttermann/DAAD
About Research in Germany
The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) launched the initiative to “Promote Innovation
and Research in Germany” in 2006. Under the brand “Research in Germany – Land of Ideas”,
various promotional measures and events have been organised to present German innovation and
research in key international markets on behalf of the BMBF. The initiative seeks to strengthen and
expand R&D collaboration between Germany and international partners. For more information,
please visit our website www.research-in-germany.org.
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