online phd programs germany

Germany’s State Distance-Learning University

The FernUniversität in Hagen is Germany’s only state distance-learning university, and its largest in terms of student numbers. Its flexible degree programs and continuing education options make higher education accessible to students in a variety of life situations. Its five faculties conduct a wide range of theoretical and applied research in their subject areas of Humanities and Social Sciences, Psychology, Mathematics and Computer Science, Economics and Business Administration, and Law.

“Knowledge is built on the exchange of ideas. Through international projects, collaborations, and partnerships, we carry out innovative research across borders and enable our students to gain international experience while meeting the needs of our diverse student body.” Prof. Dr. Uwe Elsholz, Vice-President for Continuing Education, Knowledge Transfer, and International Affairs

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How to Apply for a PhD in Germany: Programs, Funding, & FAQs

Germany is an excellent destination for both young and experienced researchers. 

The European country is third behind the U.S. and China for research & development expenditure . Plus, it is home to some of the most prestigious (and affordable!) research universities in the world.

If you’re considering doing a PhD in Germany, you will need to follow these steps:

The main steps to doing a PhD in Germany:

• Find a PhD Program and a Supervisor
• Decide Between Individual and Structured PhD Programs
• Meet All Requirements & Prepare Your Application
• Apply for Doctoral Studies
• Secure Funding
• Get a Student Visa or Resident Permit
• Arrive in Germany and Begin Your PhD Program

[Infographic Below]

Why Pursue a PhD in Germany?

If you’re not yet sure if you should choose Germany for your PhD studies, here are some compelling reasons why you should consider it:

Important Tip: To Maximize Your Chances of Getting Your German Student Visa You Should Use a Blocked Account as Proof of Financial Resources.

A blocked account is a special type of bank account , to prove you have enough funds to live in Germany for one year.

As of 2024, as a foreigner in Germany you need a minimum of €992 euros per month for living expenses. So, you are required to have a total of €11,904 in your bank account before you apply for a German internship visa.

Click here to learn more about the German Blocked Account

• Top-tier universities. Four German universities are ranked in the top 100 global universities, and many more are in the top 200.
• Large international student community. Germany welcomes a diverse and thriving international student community. Over 458,210 international students are currently studying in the country.
• Quality research institutions. There are over a thousand publicly funded research institutions (universities, universities of applied sciences, research institutes, businesses, and government bodies) that you can choose from in Germany.
• High investment in research and development. Germany’s public expenditure in the research and development sector reached a record high of 112.6 billion euros in 2021.
• Strong economy. Germany is known for its strong and stable economy. After completing your PhD, there are plenty of employment opportunities in the academic, business, and research sectors.

How to Apply for a PhD in Germany

From finding the perfect program for you to submitting your application and starting your PhD, here are all the steps you need to take:

1. Find a PhD Program and a Supervisor

After all the years of studying leading up to this step, you most likely have a few areas of interest you want to do your research in.

This is the first important step: define your research focus by considering your interests and academic background. If you need more help, you can consult online resources from research universities. Or, even better, you can discuss your decision to pursue a PhD with academic communities online or offline and seek advice from current PhD students in Germany who can tell you more about their individual experiences.

If you already know what your research direction is, you can begin searching for suitable programs right ahead. 

• The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) has an extensive list of current opportunities, which you can look up at the  DAAD PhD Database . 
• Another option is to research universities in Germany individually to find the newest opportunities and offerings at each institution.

You will also have to find a supervisor. The best way to do this is to go to university websites and find faculty directories with profiles of professors and their research fields/current projects. Contact professors whose work aligns with your interests via email to inquire about supervision opportunities.

> Search PhD programs from 31,000 research institutions listed on the GERiT database .

Types of PhD Programs in Germany

There are two different paths you can take when pursuing a PhD: individual PhD programs and structured PhD programs. Each comes with its own set of advantages and requirements.

2. Verify That You Meet All Requirements & Prepare the Application

Requirements and application documents to apply for a PhD in Germany are specific to the institution and research area you’re applying to. But, as a general guideline, you should prepare the following:

• Academic degree recognized in Germany. You need a master’s degree or a German state examination (Staatsexamen) in a field relevant to the PhD program to qualify.
• Copy of master’s thesis. Submit a copy of your master’s thesis. The work should demonstrate your research skills and the depth of your academic work.
• Research proposal. Craft a clear and detailed research proposal that includes your intended research topic, objectives, methodology, and significance. 
• Statement of purpose. Write a statement of purpose why you want to do a PhD in your chosen field, your academic and career goals, and how this program aligns with them.
• Curriculum Vitae (CV). Prepare a detailed CV highlighting your academic achievements, research experience, relevant coursework, publications, and any other qualifications.
• Proof of language proficiency. Depending on the language of instruction, you may have to provide proof of language proficiency in English and/or German. You can do this with certificates like TestDaF and DSH for German or TOEFL and IELTS for English. Proof of previous studies in the language is also sufficient.
• Academic references. Provide contact information or recommendation letters from professors/ academic advisors who can attest to your academic abilities and potential.
• Predoctoral examination. Some programs ask that you pass a predoctoral examination as part of the application process.

3. Apply for Doctoral Studies

After finding a suitable PhD program and mentor, and making sure your academic qualifications are recognized, you can send in your application.

You can send in your application online or by post, depending on the hosting institution’s preferences. To make sure, check their guidelines and specifications. Admission committees are selective, so you may also have to attend an interview soon in the application process.

4. Secure Funding

You must demonstrate access to a minimum of €992 per month (€11,908 per year) to meet visa requirements and live comfortably while you’re in Germany. You can prove this through an admission agreement or relevant PhD contract, or you can open a blocked account with individual funds.

There are many ways to support yourself financially while pursuing a PhD in Germany:

• PhD scholarships. DAAD offers the highest number of doctoral scholarships. PhD students get an average monthly stipend of €1,139. 
• Paid PhD positions. Many universities and research institutions offer paid PhD positions in Germany. You will work on specific research projects on a contract and receive a salary.
• Research associate positions. You can also work as a research associate in a university, research institution, or company and receive a salary as compensation.
• Part-time jobs. Some PhD students/researchers work part-time jobs that are not related to their studies for extra income.

> Read more about the costs of studying in Germany.

> Discover PhD scholarships in Germany.

5. Get a Student Visa or Resident Permit

If the institution confirms your place in the PhD program, next in line is applying for a student visa or residence permit. The requirements for a German PhD visa or permit can vary depending on your nationality and circumstances: 

Visa Requirements

If you’re a citizen of the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA), or Switzerland, you don’t need a special permit or visa for a PhD in Germany. You can enter the country for research and work purposes with a valid passport or ID card.

Otherwise, you will need a visa and/or a residence permit to do your PhD in Germany. Nationals of some countries, including the United States, Australia, Israel, Japan, and Korea, don’t need a visa but must apply for a residence permit.

Depending on the circumstances, you need one of the following visas:

• Study visa. If you’re pursuing a full-time doctoral program.
• Research visa. If your focus is on research and you have a formal affiliation with a research institution in Germany.
• EU Blue Card. If your PhD contract pays a gross annual salary of at least €45,300 (or €41,041.80 in certain professions), you can apply for an EU Blue Card . This is a special residence title for international academics and other professionals.

Residence Permit Requirements

If you come to Germany on a visa, you will need to apply for a residence permit within three months of arrival. This also applies to nationals of countries outside the EU, EEA, and Switzerland who are exempt from the visa requirement.

You can apply for one of the following residence permits:

• Study permit. If you’re accepted into a PhD program at a German university, apply for a study-based residence permit. It lasts up to two years, extendable.
• Research permit. If you’re a researcher with the right qualifications for doctoral programs, apply for a research permit. This requires a contract with a research institution for your project.
• EU Blue Card. With a PhD offer that has a minimum salary of €45,300 per year, or €41,041.80 for some bottleneck professions , you may be eligible for the EU Blue Card. Apply for this permit if you meet the criteria.

> For more specific information tailored to your situation, we recommend contacting the German embassy or consulate in your home country. You can also use this visa navigator.

6. Arrive in Germany and Begin Your PhD Program

The most exciting step of all is near—time to unpack your bags and begin your life as a PhD student or researcher in Germany. Once you’re settled in, there are some formalities you need to take care of.

The international office at the university or another representative can guide you best on this. However, here are some of the main things you need to do once you arrive in Germany:

Register Your Residence

Shortly after your arrival, you must register your residence at the local registration office (Einwohnermeldeamt or Bürgeramt). This is mandatory, and you typically have a window of two weeks to complete this process. 

Get Health Insurance

Everyone in Germany is required by law to have health insurance coverage. This includes international PhD students. Depending on the source of your funding, you are eligible for one of the following health insurance coverages: 

• Doctoral candidates with an employment contract are automatically insured with a state-regulated health insurance provider (Gesetzliche Krankenversicherung-GKV) in most cases.
• Doctoral candidates without an employment contract (with a fellowship or private funding) can choose between:
• Voluntary health insurance coverage with a state-regulated provider.
• Coverage with a private health insurance company.

There are some exceptions in which you can use your insurance from your home country. These apply to students from a European Union (EU) country or other countries with social security agreements with Germany.

Open a Bank Account 

You should open a German bank account as soon as possible. Most financial transactions in Germany, including receiving your stipend or salary, are done through a German bank account.

Enroll at the University

If your PhD program is part of a university degree, you need to enroll as a student at the university. Follow your university’s instructions to submit the necessary documents to the enrollment office. These usually include your admission letter, passport, proof of health insurance, and semester fee.

After you complete this process, you will receive an Enrollment Certificate (Immatrikulationsbescheinigung). This is a very important document that you most likely need in the future.

How to Apply for a PhD in Germany [Infographic]

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

There’s a lot of planning involved if you’re considering doing a PhD, especially if it’s in a foreign country. We’re sure you’ve got more questions, and we’re here to help.

How Long Does It Take to Get a PhD in Germany?

A PhD in Germany usually takes between three to six years to complete. Just like in other countries, it can take longer or shorter than expected, depending on several factors. The type of PhD you choose (structured programs can be more rigid), your subject area, and individual progress can all make a difference in the time it takes to get a PhD in Germany.

Are PhD Programs in Germany Tuition-Free?

The majority of PhD programs in Germany are tuition-free, at least for the first six semesters. However, if need to enroll at a university for your PhD, there is a small semester fee you need to cover. The fee can be higher or lower depending on the university, but it usually falls within the range of €100 to €350.

Is German Mandatory to Pursue a PhD in Germany?

You don’t necessarily have to know German to do a PhD in Germany. In fact, most PhD programs in Germany are in English, especially in fields such as science, engineering, and humanities. In these programs, you can both write your thesis and communicate with your advisor and peers in English.

There is of course the chance that the program you’ve chosen is in German or requires knowledge of German (in most cases, in addition to English). In this case, you have to prove your proficiency through a recognized language certificate or proof of previous studies in German.

Even if German isn’t mandatory, we strongly encourage you to learn the basics. They will be super helpful in daily interactions and getting accustomed to life in Germany.

How Much Does a PhD Student Earn in Germany?

Most PhD candidates in Germany receive financial support in the form of a salary or grant. This includes candidates affiliated with universities, research institutes, or company collaborations.

The majority of doctoral positions are structured under either the Collective Agreement for Civil Service TVöD (Tarifvertrag für den öffentlichen Dienst or the Collective Agreement for the Civil Service of Individual Federal States TV-L (Tarifvertrag der Länder). Since universities are funded by their respective federal government, if your PhD is affiliated with one, your salary will be structured under the TV-L.

Doctoral positions fall within the TV-L 13 category, with a salary range spanning from €4,188 (Tier 1) to €6,037 (Tier 6). The difference between the tiers (Stufe) depends on prior experience in the field. If you don’t have any research experience, you will fall under Tier 1 and progress to the other tiers throughout your PhD.

Your salary will ultimately be determined based on a wage agreement that specifies the contract tier (Stufe) and working hours (percentage-based). Many entry-level PhD students start with tier 1 contracts that are not full-time. For example, if your contract places you in Pay Group E-13 Tier 1 of the TV-L and you work at 75% capacity, your monthly gross salary will be €3,141.

> Learn more about pay ranges for PhD students using this convenient calculator .

Can I Work While Pursuing a PhD in Germany?

Part-time work is an option in most cases unless it’s strictly stated otherwise in your contract. Whether or not you are allowed to work on the side as a PhD in Germany depends on the working hours stated in your PhD contract, supervisor, and other specific circumstances. 

However, since the PhD is considered a job in itself, it’s usually frowned upon to have a side hustle. Even if you have a 50% contract, a PhD is demanding and requires long hours of work and research. If you choose to work on the side, make sure to find the right balance between work and your PhD commitments. To be on the safe side, it’s best to talk to your supervisor and go over all the legal and contractual obligations related to your PhD.

What Is the Process for Defending a PhD Thesis in Germany?

Here are the main steps to defending your PhD thesis in Germany:

• Submit your thesis. The first step is submitting submit your thesis and supporting documents in adherence to all the formal requirements. A commission will be formed, and in some cases, you can suggest reviewers.
• Oral defense. The next step is preparing and undergoing an oral defense, which can take between 30 minutes to 2 hours. During this time, you will present your research and discuss it with the committee. The defense can be either public or private.
• Receive the title and publish your work. The outcome of the discussion determines your final grade, to be received after the defense. If everything goes well, you’re granted the Ph.D. title and have about two years to publish your dissertation.

What Are the Career Prospects Like After Doing a PhD in Germany?

Career prospects after a PhD in Germany are quite promising. 

The most common paths for PhD holders in Germany are either in academia as professors or post-doctorate researchers or in industry positions. 

Technology, healthcare, and finance, in particular, are some of the most in-demand industries in Germany. The country’s strong economy and research-oriented environment make it an attractive place to develop your career.

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Doctoral degree programs

The University of Stuttgart has graduate schools, PhD research groups, and doctoral degree programs in an interdisciplinary research environment for doctoral researchers from Germany and abroad.

The University of Stuttgart offers multiple structured programs leading to a doctoral degree in a variety of subjects. Please refer to the respective homepages of individual programs to find out how to apply.

Cooperative doctoral degree programs Thanks to the University of Stuttgart’s cooperation with both post-secondary technical schools (universities of applied sciences that lack the right to confer doctorates) and with private sector companies, students in cooperative doctoral degree programs get an excellent scientific education with strong practical relevance. As a student in one of these programs, you will have two supervisors, one from the University and one other from the technical school or business enterprise.

Doctoral Degree Programs

Cooperative doctoral degree programs.

Engineering and Natural Sciences

• German-French doctoral student research group: Analyse intelligenter Systeme unter Berücksichtigung von Mehrfeldkopplungen
• Doctoral student research group: Aerothermodynamic design of a scramjet propulstion system for future space transportation systems
• Graduate School: Advanced Manufacturing Engineering (GSaME)
• Graduate School: Simulation Technology (SimTech)
• Graduiertenkolleg: Intelligent Methods for Test and Reliability (GS-IMTR)
• International doctoral degree studies program: Environment Water (ENWAT)
• Integrated doctoral student program: CRC/TRR Biological Design and Integrative Structures
• Integrated doctoral student program: Interface-Driven Multi-Field Processes in Porous Media (IRTG-IMPM)
• International Research Training Group: Droplet Interaction Technologies (DROPIT)
• Graduate and Research School: Efficient Use of Energy Stuttgart (GREES)
• Research Training Group 2543: Intraoperative Multisensoric Tissue Differentiation in Oncology

Completed projects

• Doctoral student research group: Non-linearities and upscaling in porous media (NUPUS)
• Graduate School  KIC InnoEnergy , a European consortium for promoting sustainable energy supply that has some 160 partners from industry, universities, research facilites and business schools. The University of Stuttgart is one of its founding members.
• Doctoral degree studies research group: HYBRID (University of Stuttgart, Esslingen University, Daimler AG, Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Doctoral degree studies research group: PROMISE 4.0 – Intelligent production systems and methods in the Industry 4.0 context for smaller and mid-size enterprises (University of Stuttgart, Esslingen University, Aalen University, Heilbronn University) (in formation).
• Doctoral degree studies research group: Windy Cities (University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart Technology University, Esslingen University)
• Doctoral degree studies research group: Robert Bosch Center for Power Electronics
• Doctoral degree studies research group: Services Computing (University of Stuttgart, Reutlingen University)
• Doctoral degree studies research group: Soft Tissue Robotics (University of Stuttgart, University of Auckland)  

Media studies

• Doctoral degree studies research group:  Digital Media (University of Stuttgart, University of Tübingen, Stuttgart Media University)

Team of the Graduate Academy GRADUS

Pfaffenwaldring 5c, 70569 stuttgart.

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Jürgen Hädrich

Managing Director GRADUS

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Structured Doctoral Programs

Each of our structured doctoral programs offers a comprehensive and cross-disciplinary curriculum designed to help you realize your full potential and prepare for a successful career. The programs include innovative, personalized advising with regular progress checks, as well as extensive opportunities to broaden your research network and connect with peers in your field.

The University of Bonn offers a wide range of funding opportunities, which have been summarized for you on this page, divided into the following categories:

Bonn International Graduate Schools (BIGS)

Phd programs within our cluster of excellence.

• Structured Doctoral Programs by Discipline 

Third-Party Funded Programs

Doctoral education at the highest level: BIGS enable doctoral studies in outstanding research contexts with attractive international collaborations and a qualification program tailored to the needs of graduate students.

Located at the Hausdorff Center for Mathematics and supported by Germany’s Excellence Initiative, BIGS-M  is home to all of the University’s doctoral candidates in mathematics and contributes to Bonn’s excellent international reputation in the field.

BGSE offers a structured program that is tailored to the needs of doctoral candidates, including an internationally recognized research network.

Supported by Germany’s Excellence Initiative and jointly administered by the renowned Physics Institutes at the Universities of Bonn and Cologne, BCGS  offers doctoral studies through an integrated honors program.

Home to an international community of talented biomedical scientists, BIGS DrugS 6 6 is the hub for doctoral candidates from pharma research institutes within the University’s Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences and Faculty of Medicine.

BIGS-OAS offers a wide range of courses within a research context, focused on the cultures and societies of Asia and Asia Minor.

BIGS Neuroscience provides a top-level, internationally competitive program in this rapidly growing field.

BIGS CPS's interdisciplinary approach combines medical, agricultural and pharmaceutical research.

BIGS Chemistry 10 doctoral candidates enjoy an exceptional and ambitious program covering all fields of chemistry.

This three-year doctoral program  is offered in conjunction with the University’s ImmunoSensation Cluster, which is funded by Germany’s Excellence Initiative.

Part of the University of Bonn’s Center for Development Research, BIGS-DR   trains students for an international career in development cooperation, policy or research through a combination of academic study and intensive tutorship.

The BIGS Land and Food combines the research at the agricultural Faculty with an interdisciplinary study program.

BIGS-LIMES offers a graduate program for doctoral students in Bonn specializing in biochemistry, life sciences and biomedicine.

Clusters of Excellence stand for international and interdisciplinary elite research and offer young scientists excellent funding and career conditions. The University of Bonn currently has six clusters of excellence, more than any other university in Germany, and thus opens up a broad spectrum of possible research topics to doctoral candidates. Here you will find an overview of the university's clusters of excellence.

PhD Programs within our Excellence Cluster

The goal of the Hausdorff Center of Mathematics is to identify and address mathematical challenges of the 21st century, to advance groundbreaking fundamental mathematical research worldwide, and to develop the mathematical methods and tools required by science and society.

Part of the Hausdorff Center is also a graduate school: The Bonn International Graduate School of Mathematics (BIGS-M) hosts all doctoral students of mathematics and contributes to the outstanding international reputation of the university in this field. The duration of the program is usually 3 years, and the doctorate (Dr. rer nat.) can be earned as a degree.

More information: https://www.bigs-math.uni-bonn.de/de/studies/ 14 15 15

ImmunoSensation2 aims to continue the success story of the existing ImmunoSensation cluster. While the emphasis so far has been on fundamental research in particular of the innate immune system, now the mechanisms of immune intelligence are to be uncovered, i.e. the question of how the body succeeds in adapting immune responses to specific situations and then remembers this in order to be optimally prepared for similar challenges in the future. The cluster's graduate school, the Bonn International Graduate School Immunosciences and Infection offers a structured, three-year doctoral program.

You can find further information about this program here: 

https://www.immunosensation.de/opportunities/young-scientists

Until today, dependency studies has almost exclusively dealt with slavery on the American continent or in antiquity. The Cluster of Excellence "Bonn Center for Dependency and Slavery Studies (BCDSS)" aims to broaden this perspective in terms of content, space and time. Within the framework of the cluster, a structured doctoral program with a duration of 4 years is offered.

Further information can be found at:  https://www.dependency.uni-bonn.de/en 15 16

Over the last few decades, computer hardware has become smaller and smaller, but their technology remains more or less the same. Slowly, this development is reaching its limits.Thus, we need new technologies that satisfy our growing hunger for even more powerful hardware.

Quantum physics could be a solution.

Together with the University of Cologne and the RWTH Aachen, Bonn researchers want to work on making this new technology usable. To achieve this, quantum bits or even qubits - the quantum counterpart to our previous bits - quantum communication channels that build networks and error correction methods have to be explored from the ground up. As part of the Excellence Initiative, the Bonn-Cologne Graduate School of Physics and Astronomy (BCGS) offers a doctoral program with an integrated honors program.

Further information can be found at:  http://www.gradschool.physics.uni-bonn.de/. 4 4

The ECONtribute researches the functioning of markets as well as reasons for their failure. In doing so, the cluster goes beyond traditional analyses by systematically combining model-based theoretical approaches and behavioral explanatory models while incorporating legal and political frameworks. Within the cluster, the Bonn Graduate School of Economics (BGSE) offers doctoral students a tailored structured doctoral program that includes an internationally recognized research network.

Further information can be found at:  https://www.bgse.uni-bonn.de. 3 3

Increasing agricultural production despite limited land while reducing the ecological footprint of agriculture - this is one of the challenges of our time. For this reason, the University of Bonn and Forschungszentrum Jülich are jointly developing methods and new technologies to observe, analyze, better understand and more specifically treat plants. The cluster's graduate school, the Theodor Brinkmann Graduate School, offers an interdisciplinary study program to master's students and doctoral candidates at the Faculty of Agriculture.

More information: https://www.phenorob.de/ .

The Third-Party Funded Programs at the University of Bonn offer structured doctoral studies on selected research topics. They enable close networking among doctoral students conducting research on related topics.

Bonn International Graduate School of Mathematics (BIGS-M) 2 17 18 18 Located at the Hausdorff Center for Mathematics, BIGS-M provides an umbrella for all Bonn PhD students in mathematics. Thus, the BIGS-M contributes to the excellent national and international reputation of mathematics at Bonn.

Bonn International Graduate School Immunosciences and Infection The BIGS Immunosciences and Infection is a structured 3-year PhD program in conjunction with the ImmunoSensation Cluster/Bonn. The ImmunoSensation Cluster is part of the Excellence Strategy.

DFG Research Training Group "Gegenwart/Literatur. Geschichte, Theorie und Praxeologie eines Verhältnisses" (GRK 2291) [only in German] The Research Training group supported by the DFG  aims at the exploration and analysis of the constitutive dimensions of the concept of contemporary literature.  

DFG international Research Training Group "Myeloid antigen presenting cells and the induction of adaptive immunity" GRK (2168) 19 19 19 19 The DFG-funded project is a cooperation of the University of Bonn and the University of Melbourne. The principal research focus is the intersection between innate and adaptive immunity in the context of infection.

DFG Research Training Group "Template-designed Organic Electronics (TIDE)" (GRK 2591) 21 21 21 The Graduate Program 'Template-Designed Optoelectronic Devices' (TIDE) aims to provide comprehensive doctoral education in the field of Organic Electronics (OE) to meet the requirements of highly qualified and multidisciplinary professionals. 

DFG Research Training Group "Tools and Drugs of the Future - Innovative Methods and New Modalities in Medicinal Chemistry" (GRK 2873) The goal of the RTG " Tools and Drugs of the Future" is to modernize medicinal chemistry and train a new generation of medicinal chemists and researchers at the interface with interconnected disciplines. In addition, the projects are intended to contribute to the development of new drug substances.

Integrated Research Training Group at the DFG Collaborative Research Centre "Synaptic Micronetworks in Health and Disease" (SFB 1089) 22 22 27 27 Located at the newly inaugurated SFB 1089 on neuronal networks, the Integrated Research Training Group offers a structured graduate program for all doctoral researchers at the Centre.

Integrated Research Training Group at theDFG Collaborative Research Centre "Future Rural Africa" (SFB/TRR 228) The integrated research group is investigating the relationship between land use change and shaping the future in rural Africa in a total of 14 subprojects.

Integrated Research Training Group at the DFG Collaborative Research Centre "Open System Control of Atomic and Photonic Matter" (SFB/TRR 185) 24 The collaborative research centre Oscar will explore the physics of open systems.

Integrated Research Training Group at the DFG Collaborative Research Centre "Aortic Diseases" (SFB/TRR 259) 25 The aim of this research initiative is to better understand the molecular and cellular mechanisms of resident and non-resident cells in aortic diseases.

Integrated Research Training Group at the DFG Collaborative Research Centre "Regional Climate Change: Disentangling the Role of Land Use and Water Management" (SFB 1502) The SFB combines the strengths of the University of Bonn and its project partners to answer one of the most difficult questions in understanding climate change.

Integrated Research Training Group at the DFG Collaborative Research Centre "Brown and Beige Fat - Organ Crosstalk, Signaling and Energetics (BATenergy)" (SFB/TRR 333) The CRC investigates metabolism/diabetes and focusses on brown adipose tissue. 

One Health and Urban Transformation

The NRW Forschungskolleg One Health and Urban Transformation is a transdisciplinary graduate school that aims to find interventions to achieve optimal health for humans, animals, plants and the environment with a special focus on developments in NRW, Saõ Paulo, Accra and Ahmedabad.

International Max Planck Research School Moduli Spaces 27 27 In cooperation with the University of Bonn, the renowned Bonn Max-Planck-Institute for Mathematics offers a PhD program with a special focus on the study of moduli.

International Max Planck Research School for Astronomy and Astrophysics 28 28 In cooperation between the Max-Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy and the Universities of Bonn and of Cologne, the Research School facilitates 3 years of PhD studies with a curriculum tailored to the individual student.

International Max Planck Research School for Brain and Behavior 29 The IMPRS for Brain & Behavior is a cooperation between the Max Planck Institute for Neurobiology of Behavior - caesar, the University of Bonn and the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) in Bonn

International Max Planck Research School - Recharge IMPRS-RECHARGE focuses on interdisciplinary research between chemistry and physics with an emphasis on catalytic mechanisms, physical-chemical analysis and energy topics. Scientific challenges shall be looked at from different angles. Furthermore the combination of theory and practice is a vital aim of the IMPRS-RECHARGE.

Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Network "Macro and Microplastic in Agricultural Soil Systems“ (SOPLAS) The SOPLAS project will assemble a multidisciplinary team to study the nexus of plastic–agriculture–soil. It will also train a new generation of leading experts. The project aims to identify the plastic cycle within agricultural soil systems and support the development of environmental policies related to mitigating the impact of plastics. The findings will advance our knowledge about the sustainable use of plastics in European agriculture.

Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Network "Early Stage Researchers EDUCational Program on Factor VIII Immunogenicity“ (EDUC8 ) 32 37 The EDUC8 program is a multidisciplinary training program with exposure of the enrolled ESRs to a core common educational package and development of individual PhD researchprojects dedicated to decreasing the societal burden associated with the development of anti-FVIII antibodies in Europe.

Tools4Teams - "Research Training to Design and Implement Tools Supporting Safe Teamwork in Healthcare"

The Tools4Teams research project will prepare the next generation of teamwork experts to contribute new insights and smart technologies for safe and effective care. Tools4Teams brings together expertise from social and technical sciences, human-centered design, education, and clinical specialties.

Trinational Graduate College "Mass and Integration in Antique Societies" [in German/French] Supported by the Deutsch-Französische Hochschule since 2011, the tri-national Graduate School in Ancient History offers curriculum events in Bonn, Berne, and Strasbourg.

Structured Doctoral Programs by Discipline

Find the right structured doctoral program at the University of Bonn in your discipline here:

• Cross-Disciplinary Options
• Medicine and Life Sciences
• Mathematics and Natural Sciences
• Agriculture

Faculties at the University of Bonn work together to design interdisciplinary programs that combine key perspectives and offer unique insights.

Cross-Disciplinary Programs

Bonn International Graduate School for Development Research (BIGS-DR) 42 Unique in Europe, BIGS-DR links perspectives from the Faculties of Philosophy, Agriculture, and Law and Economics – with an international focus.

Bonn International Graduate School of Neuroscience (BIGS Neuroscience) 8 8 A collaboration between the University’s Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, as well as external partners, BIGS Neuroscience offers a medical program alongside five research areas in medicine.

SciMed Doctoral College 43 42 The Doctoral College offers scientific training for students in medicine and dental medicine, leading to a dual Dr. med. and Dr. med. dent. degree.

Researchers at the University of Bonn explore a wide variety of issues in economics, including game theory, applied microeconomics, monetary and international macroeconomics, contract theory, labor economics and finance.

Economics Programs

Bonn Graduate School of Economics (BGSE) BGSE offers a structured program that is tailored to the needs of doctoral candidates, including an internationally recognized research network.

Law Programs

Graduate School of Law and Political Science Department of Law The Graduate School of the Faculty of Law and Political Science was founded in the summer semester of 2018 and supports the doctoral students in preparing their doctoral studies.

The University of Bonn’s Faculty of Medicine offers doctoral programs in medical biochemistry, neurosciences and pharmacology. With the exception of the SciMed Doctoral College, all programs are administered in cooperation with the University’s Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences.

Cross-Disciplinary Program

SciMed Doctoral College The Doctoral College offers scientific training for students in medicine and dental medicine, leading to a dual Dr. med. and Dr. med. dent. degree.

Neuroscience

Bonn International Graduate School of Neuroscience (BIGS Neuroscience) BIGS Neuroscience provides a top-level, internationally competitive program in this rapidly growing field.

Synaptic Micronetworks in Health and Disease (SFB 1089) Supported by the German Research Foundation (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft – DFG) collaborative research centers, this integrated research training group works to identify fundamental rules that govern neuronal behavior at the network level and translate network dynamics to mammalian and human behavior.

International Max Planck Research School for Brain and Behavior A joint venture of the University of Bonn, the Max-Planck-associated Center of Advanced European Studies and Research, the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience, and Florida Atlantic University, this graduate school offers a complete doctoral and research program in the neurosciences.

Pharma Research

Bonn International Graduate School of Drug Sciences (BIGS DrugS) Home to an international community of talented biomedical scientists, BIGS DrugS is the hub for doctoral candidates from pharma research institutes within the University’s Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences and Faculty of Medicine.

Bonn International Graduate School of Immunosciences and Infection

This three-year doctoral program is offered in conjunction with the University's ImmunoSensation Cluster , which is funded by Germany’s Excellence Initiative.

DFG Research Training Group "Myeloid antigen presenting cells and the induction of adaptive immunity" GRK (2168) The DFG-funded project is a cooperation of the University of Bonn and the University of Melbourne.

At the University of Bonn’s Faculty of Arts, you’ll find a highly international environment with students and researchers in a wide range of fields.

German Studies, Comparative Literature and Culture 

Structured Doctoral Program in German Studies (SPP) [website in German] Taught in German, the SPP supports doctoral candidates’ initiatives within the Institute for German, Comparative Literature and Cultural Studies.

German-Italian Doctoral College [website in German] Taught in German, this three-year grant program provides structured doctoral studies for researchers in German and Italian, with time in both Bonn and Florence.

History and Ancient History 

Mass and Integration in Antique Societies [website in German and French] Supported by Franco-German University and taught in German and French, this trinational doctoral program includes study in Bonn; Berne, Switzerland; and Strasbourg, France.

Oriental and Asian Studies Bonn

International Graduate School of Oriental and Asian Studies (BIGS-OAS) BIGS-OAS offers a wide range of courses within a research context, focused on the cultures and societies of Asia and Asia Minor.

Romance Studies

Italian Studies [website in German and Italian] Offered in cooperation with the Universities of Florence and Paris-Sorbonne IV, this trinational doctoral program is taught in German and Italian.

Structured DPhil program at the Faculty of Arts The program supports qualified doctoral candidates from all disciplines in their doctoral projects. It provides the opportunity for networking, interdisciplinary exchange in diverse social sciences and humanities subjects, progress monitoring and financial support for travel, workshops or research funding as part of the doctorate.

European Founding Myths in Literature, Arts and Music [website in German, French and Italian] This trinational program is jointly organized by the Universities of Bonn, Florence and Paris-Sorbonne IV and taught in German, French and Italian.

Bonn International Graduate School for Development Research (BIGS-DR) Part of the University of Bonn’s Center for Development Research, BIGS-DR trains students for an international career in development cooperation, policy or research through a combination of academic study and intensive tutorship.

The University’s Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences offers numerous externally funded doctoral programs in areas including mathematics and informatics, physics, biology, pharmacology and molecular biomedicine.

Programs in neuroscience, pharma research, immunoscience, and infection and molecular biomedicine are offered in cooperation with the Faculty of Medicine.

Mathematics

Bonn International Graduate School of Mathematics (BIGS-M) 2 2 Located at the Hausdorff Center for Mathematics, BIGS-M is home to all of the University’s doctoral candidates in mathematics and contributes to Bonn’s excellent international reputation in the field.

International Max Planck Research School on Moduli Spaces 53 53 This program includes courses, seminars and activities focused on the geometric spaces whose points represent fixed algebro-geometric objects (or isomorphism classes of such objects).

Physics und Astronomy

Bonn-Cologne Graduate School of Physics and Astronomy (BCGS) 4 4 Supported by Germany’s Excellence Initiative and jointly administered by the renowned Physics Institutes at the Universities of Bonn and Cologne, BCGS offers doctoral studies through an integrated honors program.

International Max Planck Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics 55 55 This program offers a broad spectrum of topics in observational and theoretical galactic and extragalactic astrophysics, observational and theoretical cosmology, and fundamental physics – using astronomical tools and instrumentation.

Leibniz Graduate School on Genomic Biodiversity Research Based at Bonn’s Alexander Koenig Research Museum, this school is focused primarily on insect genome evolution.

Bonn International Graduate School of Chemistry (BIGS Chemistry) 57 57 BIGS Chemistry offers an internationally competitive doctoral program and opportunities to perform cutting-edge research.

Neurosciences

Bonn International Graduate School of Neuroscience (BIGS Neuroscience) 8 8 BIGS Neuroscience provides a top-level, internationally competitive program in this rapidly growing field.

Synaptic Micronetworks in Health and Disease (SFB 1089) 22 22 Supported by DFG collaborative research centers, this integrated research training group works to identify fundamental rules that govern neuronal behavior at the network level and translate network dynamics to mammalian and human behavior.

International Max Planck Research School for Brain and Behavior 29 29 The IMPRS for Brain & Behavior is a cooperation between the Max Planck Institute for Neurobiology of Behavior - caesar, the University of Bonn and the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) in Bonn.

Bonn International Graduate School of Drug Sciences (BIGS DrugS) 6 6 Home to an international community of talented biomedical scientists, BIGS DrugS is the hub for doctoral candidates from pharma research institutes within the University’s Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences and Faculty of Medicine.

BIGS Immunoscience and Infection A structured, three-year doctoral program, IITB is offered in conjunction with the ImmunoSensation Cluster at the University of Bonn.

Doctoral candidates in the field of agriculture may choose to study through the Faculty of Agriculture’s Theodor Brinkmann Graduate School or earn their degree through the University of Bonn’s Center for Development Research.

Agriculture Programs

Bonn International Graduate School for Land and Food (BIGS Land and Food)  Founded in 2008, the Brinkmann School is home to master's and doctoral candidates in the Faculty of Agriculture, combining research with an interdisciplinary study program.

Bonn International Graduate School for Development Research (BIGS-DR) 12 Part of the University of Bonn’s Center for Development Research 59 , BIGS-DR trains researchers for an international career in development cooperation, policy or research through a combination of academic study and intensive tutorship.

Dr. Robert Radu

[email protected]

+49 228 73-60222

Poppelsdorfer Allee 47

Office Hours

Questions about the structured doctorate? Register for the (virtual) office hours and get advice:

• Tuesday 2.00 p.m. - 4.00 p.m.

Additional Qualification: Doctorate plus

Expand your skills with our training program Doctorate plus.

Learn about the numerous funding opportunities and grants for doctoral students.

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• Study for a PhD in Germany: Programs, Funding & Opportunities
• International

When considering a  PhD in Germany , you’ll encounter a diverse and globally recognised academic environment rich in opportunities for research and academic growth. To apply, you’ll typically need a Master’s degree or equivalent , and language requirements vary by program. Germany offers internationally-oriented  structured PhD programs , which last three years and include compulsory units for ECTS credits. You’ll work closely with a PhD supervisor and research training group. As an international candidate, you’ll find various  scholarships and grants  to support your studies. With tuition fees waived at  public universities  and diverse PhD programs often taught in English, Germany provides an ideal destination to study abroad.

Key Takeaways

• Applying for a PhD in Germany requires a minimum of eight semesters of academic study, usually a Master’s degree or equivalent.
• Language prerequisites for PhD programs in Germany vary, but many are taught in English, especially structured programs.
• Financial support options include DAAD grants, stipendiums, and research positions at universities, which cover living expenses and provide income.
• Structured PhD programs in Germany last typically three years and involve compulsory units for ECTS credits.
• International students without a Master’s degree may be admitted with a Bachelor’s degree in exceptional cases.

Why Undertake a PhD in Germany?

Germany offers many compelling reasons to pursue a PhD:

• High-quality research and education : German universities and research institutions have an outstanding reputation globally, providing access to cutting-edge research facilities and expertise across various disciplines.
• No tuition fees : Most public universities in Germany do not charge tuition fees for PhD students, regardless of nationality, making it an affordable option for international students.
• Excellent funding opportunities : There are numerous scholarships and funding programs available for PhD students in Germany. The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) alone supports over 4,000 international doctoral students annually.
• Strong industry connections : Germany has a robust research ecosystem with close ties between academia and industry. Many PhD programs offer collaborations with companies, providing valuable experience and potential career opportunities.
• International environment : German universities welcome international researchers, creating a diverse and multicultural academic community. PhD theses and dissertations can often be written in English.
• Career prospects : A German PhD is highly respected globally and can lead to excellent career opportunities in academia, international research institutions, or industry. Many PhD graduates find employment in Germany’s thriving industrial sector, making it a favourable place to work in Germany post-study.
• Work-life balance : PhD students in Germany typically receive employment contracts with benefits such as health insurance, pension contributions, and vacation days.
• Research freedom : Germany values academic freedom highly, with constitutional protection for research and scientific pursuits.
• European mobility : As a PhD student in Germany, you can easily travel to other European Union countries for research or study purposes.
• Cultural experience : Germany offers a rich cultural landscape, high quality of life, and relatively moderate living costs compared to other developed countries.

In short, Germany provides an ideal environment for pursuing a PhD, combining academic excellence, affordability, strong funding support, and promising career prospects in both academia and industry.

What is it like to study and live in Germany as a research student?

Academic environment.

The research culture in Germany places a strong emphasis on independent research and critical thinking, with high expectations for original contributions to your field. Students regularly participate in seminars and colloquia to present and discuss their ongoing research. Supervision tends to be less structured than in some other countries, with regular meetings with supervisors but an expectation that students will take significant initiative in their work. Being part of a research group often offers additional opportunities for collaboration.

German universities are well-equipped with extensive digital resources and state-of-the-art laboratories. Students also have numerous opportunities to attend and present at international conferences. While many PhD programs, especially in STEM fields, are conducted in English, learning German can greatly enhance your overall experience and career prospects.

Day-to-Day Life

Germany is known for valuing a healthy work-life balance. PhD students typically work 38-40 hours per week and enjoy generous vacation time, usually around 30 days per year. Most PhD students live in shared apartments (WGs) or student dormitories, with rent in major cities ranging from €300 to €800 per month. The country boasts excellent public transportation systems, and many students use bicycles for daily commuting. Often, a student ID includes a public transport ticket for the local area.

The social life for students in Germany is vibrant, with active student communities organising regular events and activities. There are numerous opportunities to join sports clubs, cultural groups, and student organisations, along with international student networks that offer support and socialising opportunities.

Financial Aspects

Many PhD positions in Germany are funded, providing a salary rather than requiring tuition payments. Typical monthly salaries range from €1,500 to €2,500 before taxes. Additional funding opportunities are available through scholarships and research grants. Average monthly expenses, including rent, range from €850 to €1,000, and health insurance, which is mandatory, costs around €80 to €100 per month. Students can also take advantage of various discounts for cultural activities and museums.

Support Services

German universities offer robust support services for abroad students. International offices assist with visa processes, accommodation, and integration, providing orientation programs and language courses. Career services offer guidance on job searching and career development, organising career fairs and networking events. Mental health support and counseling services are also available, ensuring access to quality healthcare through the German health insurance system.

Challenges and Opportunities

While navigating German bureaucracy can be challenging, patience and attention to detail can help manage administrative processes. Initial culture shock is common but typically subsides over time, offering the opportunity to experience German culture and traditions firsthand. Building an international network of researchers and professionals is a significant benefit, with potential collaborations with industry partners. The strong job market for PhD graduates, especially in STEM fields, is an added advantage, and the option to stay in Germany for job searching after graduation (with an 18-month visa extension) provides further opportunities.

The Two Paths to a PhD in Germany

In Germany, doctoral candidates can choose between Individual Doctorates and Structured PhD Programs. The Individual Doctorate remains the most common path, chosen by over 75% of doctoral students, while Structured PhD Programs are gaining popularity, especially among international students, with about 25% opting for this route.

Individual Doctorates: Flexibility and Independence

Supervision and Structure : Individual Doctorates are characterised by their flexibility and self-directed nature. Candidates are supervised by a single professor, known as the Doktorvater or Doktormutter, and the research process is highly flexible. This approach demands a high degree of personal initiative and responsibility, with no fixed curriculum or mandatory coursework.

Research Focus and Duration : In this model, candidates often propose their own research topics, enjoying greater freedom in choosing their research direction and methodology. The duration of an Individual Doctorate typically spans 5-6 years, though there’s no strict timeframe as it depends on individual progress and the specific research project.

Funding and Employment : Individual Doctorate candidates often work as part-time research associates at universities. However, they may need to secure their own funding or scholarships, which requires proactive effort on the part of the doctoral student.

Structured PhD Programs: Guidance and Collaborative Learning

Supervision and Structure : Structured PhD Programs offer a more defined approach to doctoral studies. Candidates are supervised by a team of advisors and follow a predefined curriculum. This model includes regular progress checks, guidance, and mandatory coursework, seminars, and colloquia.

Research Focus and Duration : Research topics in Structured PhD Programs often align with existing program themes or research groups, and candidates may be part of larger research projects or collaborations. These programs are usually completed in 3-4 years, following a more defined timeline due to their structured nature.

Funding and Additional Benefits : Structured PhD Programs often come with funding or stipends and may offer more opportunities for paid doctoral positions. They also provide training in academic and scientific methods, as well as opportunities to develop soft skills such as presentation techniques.

Comparing the Two Approaches

International Orientation : While Individual Doctorates can be conducted in German or other languages depending on the field and supervisor, Structured PhD Programs often have a strong international orientation and frequently use English as the primary language.

Networking and Collaboration : Structured PhD Programs offer extensive opportunities to broaden research networks and encourage collaboration with peers and interdisciplinary work. In contrast, networking in Individual Doctorates depends largely on individual initiative, with fewer built-in opportunities for peer collaboration.

Entry Requirements for undertaking a PhD in Germany

The entry requirements for undertaking a PhD in Germany are generally similar for both home and international students, with some additional steps for international applicants.

Here are the specific requirements:

General Requirements for All Applicants

• A master’s degree or equivalent (e.g., German Staatsexamen) in a relevant field
• Strong academic record, typically with a GPA of 3.0 or higher
• Research Proposal : A detailed outline of your intended research topic , objectives, methodology, and significance
• Curriculum Vitae (CV) : Highlighting academic achievements, research experience, publications, and relevant qualifications
• Statement of Purpose : Explaining your motivation for pursuing a PhD , academic goals, and how the program aligns with your objectives
• Academic References : Letters of recommendation or contact information for professors/advisors who can attest to your academic abilities
• Master’s Thesis : A copy of your master’s thesis or equivalent research work
• For German-taught programs: TestDaF or DSH certificates
• For English-taught programs: TOEFL or IELTS scores
• Interview : Many programs include an interview stage

Additional Requirements for International Students

• Qualification Recognition : Ensure your foreign degree is recognised in Germany. You may need to submit your credentials to uni-assist for evaluation
• Visa Application : Apply for a student visa at the German embassy in your home country
• Health Insurance : Obtain valid health insurance coverage for Germany
• Residence Permit : Apply for a residence permit for study upon arrival in Germany

Application process for applying to a PhD in Germany

The application process for a PhD degree in Germany can vary depending on whether you’re pursuing an individual doctorate or a structured PhD program, and whether you’re a home or international student.

Here are the key steps and requirements:

General Application Process

• Choose your path : Decide between an individual doctorate (traditional route) or a structured PhD program.
• A master’s degree or equivalent in a relevant field
• Strong academic record (typically a GPA of 3.0 or higher)
• Proficiency in English and/or German, depending on the program
• For individual doctorates, contact potential supervisors directly
• For structured programs, search for openings at universities or research institutions
• Curriculum vitae (CV)
• Copy of your master’s degree certificate
• Master’s thesis (or a copy)
• Research proposal
• Statement of purpose
• Academic references
• Language proficiency certificates (e.g., TestDaF, DSH for German; TOEFL, IELTS for English)
• Follow the specific guidelines of the university or program
• Applications may be submitted online or by post
• Many programs, especially structured ones, include an interview stage
• This may be in person or via video conference

Considerations for International Students

International students face some additional steps and requirements:

• Qualification recognition : Ensure your foreign degree is recognised in Germany. You may need to submit your credentials to uni-assist for evaluation.
• Provide proof of German proficiency (TestDaF or DSH) for German-taught programs
• For English-taught programs, submit TOEFL or IELTS scores
• Apply for a student visa at the German embassy in your home country
• You’ll need an admission letter from a German university
• Health insurance : Obtain valid health insurance coverage for Germany
• Residence permit : Apply for a residence permit for study purposes upon arrival in Germany. This typically lasts for two years and is extendable.

Application Process for Structured PhD Programs

Structured programs often have a more formalised application process:

• Check for specific application deadlines, which may occur once or twice a year
• Submit initial application materials online
• Visits to the institution
• Meetings with potential supervisors and current students
• A short presentation of your previous research
• A panel interview

Application Process for Individual Doctorates

For individual doctorates, the process is more flexible:

• Identify a potential supervisor whose research aligns with your interests
• Contact the professor directly with a brief inquiry
• If the professor expresses interest, submit a full application including your research proposal
• The professor may invite you for an interview or further discussion
• If accepted, you’ll need to formally enroll at the university

Remember that the specific requirements and processes can vary between universities and programs. Always check the official website of the institution you’re applying to for the most up-to-date and accurate information.

Typical Cost of a PhD in Germany

The costs of pursuing a PhD in Germany are generally similar for both home and international students, with a few key differences:

Tuition Fees

• Most public universities in Germany charge no tuition fees for PhD students, regardless of nationality
• There is a small semester contribution (administrative fee) of up to €300 per semester for all students, which typically covers student services and public transport

Living Costs

• The average annual living costs in Germany range from €10,200 to €12,000
• This includes rent, food, health insurance, and other daily expenses
• Costs can be higher in major cities like Munich or Berlin

Breakdown of Monthly Expenses (approximate)

• Rent: €280-€400 (shared flat or student residence)
• Health insurance: €80-€100
• Public transport: Often included in semester contribution
• Other expenses (phone, internet, leisure): €100-€200

Visa for International Students

• Non-EU students must prove they have access to about €11,208 per year (€934 per month) to cover living costs as part of their visa application.
• Visa application fee: approximately €75

Health Insurance

• Mandatory for all students, including PhD candidates
• Costs around €80-€100 per month
• EU students may be covered by their home country’s insurance through agreements

Additional Costs

• Research-related expenses (e.g., conference attendance, materials) are often covered by the research group or university
• Language courses (if needed): €200-€500 per course

In short, the main costs for PhD students in Germany are living expenses, as tuition is generally free. The overall experience is affordable compared to many other countries, especially considering the lack of tuition fees. International students should factor in additional costs for visa applications and potentially language courses. However, with many funded positions available, pursuing a PhD in Germany can be financially viable for both home and international students.

Funding Sources for PhD students in Germany

Many PhD positions in Germany are funded, offering a salary (of typically €1,500-€2,500 per month before taxes) rather than requiring payment of fees.

The main funding sources and opportunities for PhD students in Germany include:

• Doctoral Programmes in Germany: Supports international PhD students to complete their doctoral degree at a German university or research institution. Provides monthly payments of 1,300 euros, health insurance, travel allowance, and annual research allowance.
• One-Year Grants: For international doctoral candidates to carry out research as part of a doctoral project for up to one year.
• Bi-nationally Supervised Doctoral Degrees/Cotutelle: Supports doctoral degrees at the student’s home university with integrated research phases in Germany.
• Research Training Groups: Established by universities to promote early career researchers. Funded for up to 9 years, providing structured training and qualification programs.
• Collaborative Research Centres: Offer opportunities for PhD students to pursue research across disciplines and institutions.
• Individual Doctoral Projects at Max Planck Institutes
• International Max Planck Research Schools ( IMPRS ): Structured PhD programs at 68 locations
• Max Planck Schools: Joint graduate programs in specific interdisciplinary fields
• Individual Doctoral Projects at Leibniz Institutes
• Leibniz Graduate Schools and Leibniz ScienceCampi: Structured doctoral programs
• Individual Doctoral Projects at Fraunhofer Institutes: Opportunity to complete a doctorate while working on cutting-edge technology projects
• DLR-DAAD Research Fellowships: For PhD students in fields like space, aeronautics, energy, and transport
• PhD Fellowships: For early career researchers in basic biomedical research
• Travel Grants: For PhD students and postdoctoral researchers
• Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Networks: Structured doctoral training within European institution networks
• ERA Fellowships – Green Hydrogen: Funding for research projects in green hydrogen
• Green Talents: Competition winners can complete a research stay at a German institution
• Munich Aerospace PhD Scholarships: For research in aerospace-related fields
• Many PhD positions are offered directly by universities and research institutes, often tied to specific research projects or programs
• These typically provide a salary (often around 1,500-2,500 euros per month before taxes) rather than requiring payment of fees

Top Universities in Germany for PhD study

As of 2024, the top universities in Germany for PhD study in STEM subjects include:

Technical University of Munich (TUM)

• Ranked as the best university in Germany for engineering and technology
• Offers structured PhD programs through the TUM Graduate School
• Known for excellence in research and strong industry connections
• Provides interdisciplinary training and professional skills development for doctoral candidates

Technical University of Berlin (TU Berlin)

• Ranked 2nd in Germany for engineering and technology
• Offers doctorates across various STEM fields through its Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
• Provides structured support for international doctoral candidates
• Known for interdisciplinary research and collaboration

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)

• Ranked 3rd in Germany for engineering and technology
• Strong focus on energy, mobility, and information technologies
• Offers both individual and structured doctoral programs
• Emphasises international collaboration and industry partnerships

RWTH Aachen University

• Ranked 4th in Germany for engineering and technology
• Considers doctoral studies as the first part of professional practice, with an application-oriented focus
• Offers both individual doctorates and structured PhD programs
• Strong emphasis on industry partnerships and applied research

Technical University of Dresden

• Ranked 5th in Germany for engineering and technology
• Known for its research in microelectronics, materials science, and bioengineering
• Offers structured PhD programs and graduate schools
• Strong focus on interdisciplinary research and innovation

When choosing a university for PhD study, prospective students should consider factors such as:

• Specific research areas and expertise of potential supervisors
• Availability of funding or paid positions (many PhD students in Germany work as research assistants)
• Language requirements (some programs require German proficiency, while others are conducted in English)
• Opportunities for international collaboration and research stays abroad
• Post-graduation career prospects and industry connections

Prospective PhD candidates should thoroughly research potential supervisors and reach out to them directly to discuss research opportunities before applying to a program.

Your journey to  PhD study  in Germany awaits. With its exceptional research landscape, structured programs taught in English, and excellent  funding opportunities , Germany offers a unique experience for international students.

Enjoy the benefits of no tuition fees, low living costs, and a safe, culturally rich environment.

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• Higher Education and Research

The way to a doctorate

You would like to get a PhD in Germany? Here you will find attractive programmes for international doctoral students.

Working in a team, following a clear programme and intensive mentoring by several scholars or scientists: if that sounds like a good idea, a structured PhD programme is the right choice for you. Two more pluses: such programmes usually offer an international environment and the language of teaching and working is often English.

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Research training group

In a research training group you are part of a team of doctoral students, post-docs, and scholars or scientists. You carry out research together on a subject, often interdisciplinary and focused on the specialty of the scholar or scientist who is supervising your doctorate.

International research training groups specifically promote scholarly and scientific exchange. During your doctorate work, you conduct research abroad for six months.

Some collaborative research centres of universities operate integrated research training groups . There you can do your PhD in a research-intensive environment in a structured PhD programme.

A survey of research training groups can be found on the DFG website. Applications must be sent to the head of the respective group.

Quick facts

Research schools.

In non-university research institutions, it is almost the rule to participate in structured, largely interdisciplinary doctoral programmes. The Max Planck Society , Helmholtz Association and Leibniz Association have set up research and graduate schools for their doctoral students, which are also open to international doctoral candidates.

Max Planck Schools

The new Max Planck Schools are something special. They are a joint project of universities and the major research organizations of the Max Planck Society, Helmholtz Association, Leibniz Association and Fraunhofer Society. In these international graduate schools, excellent graduates from all over the world work together in a structured doctoral programme with the best scholars and scientists in their fields.

Doctoral programmes and courses of study

Many universities also run special international doctoral programmes that either target specific research topics or support doctoral students with interdisciplinary offerings. These programmes can be found in the DAAD database (in English).

More information and tips can be found at Research in Germany

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Management Concentration

This concentration is one of the three concentrations offered in  Frankfurt School's Doctoral Programme.

We are among the very few European business schools conducting top-level scientific research and training doctorates in English. Joining the Management track enables you to study cognitive and behavioural processes shaping the decisions of managers, entrepreneurs, employees and customers as well as the external and internal drivers of organisational design, strategy and performance in fast-changing, globalised markets.

Choosing life as a management scholar is an ambitious but rewarding career choice. If you join our five-year doctoral programme, you will be expected to get your bearings through a number of theory and method courses before moving on to produce research of international scientific standard.

Programme Structure

A prototypical path through our programme would have you brush up on statistical inference, qualitative induction, or machine learning, immerse yourself in the theory of the firm or decision making, beef up your knowledge of your chosen specialist area with internal and external courses, learn-by-doing on research projects with faculty members, craft and execute an original thesis, present and publish ongoing work at conferences and journals, go on an overseas visit to engage with leaders in your field, hone your teaching skills and prepare for the institutional demands of entering the professorial job market.

Each field of research specialisation deserves a slightly modified version of the above. To get you started, you will have approximately two years’ worth of courses, beginning with the standard courses required for all Frankfurt School doctoral students. These will be complemented with the specific management courses. During the course period, you can start exploring research projects with Frankfurt School faculty. The idea is to thus identify an advisory team for the later, research stage of the programme.

Management research at Frankfurt School is to move the research frontier, be it through theoretical or empirical contributions. We pride ourselves on making meaningful additions to knowledge by tackling hard problems with novel approaches. To equip students with the foundation needed to join us in this scientific endeavour, we deliver the in-house courses listed below and additionally ask students to partake in specialised courses outside Frankfurt School. This is to ensure that students get exactly the content needed for their individual research foci:

Mathematics & Statistics

Calculus of Several Variables Functions of Several Variables Implicit Functions and Their Derivatives Quadratic Forms and Definite Matrices Unconstrained Optimization Constrained Optimization Concave and Quasiconcave Functions Economic Applications Eigenvalues and Eigenvectors Advanced Linear Algebra Advanced Analysis Basic Probability and Statistics

Econometrics I

The class provides key knowledge on how different econometric models work and most importantly sheds light on their limitations. The course also provides step by step application of new tools to different data sets in the computer lab. You will be asked to replicate and in some cases improve, prior empirical studies.

Microeconomics

1. Demand Theory 2. Expected Utility Theory 3. General Equilibrium Theory 4. Non-Cooperative Game Theory a) Dominant strategies and applications b) Nash Equilibrium and applications c) Subgame Perfect Equilibrium and applications 5. Principal-Agent Theory 6. The Theory of Incomplete Contracts

Field Experiments

Coming soon

Students can choose up to three elective courses suitable for their chosen area of specialisation. These can be offered by Frankfurt School but often are found at other research universities. The faculty and the programme office help the student identify appropriate courses.

Econometrics II

Game Theory

The course aims to familiarise students with the basic concepts of game theory. Students learn different classes of games and a variety of solution concepts to predict strategic behaviour in these games. They will learn how to capture practically relevant situations in a game and the necessary tools to solve these games.

Causal Inference

Computational Statistics

Industrial Organization

Advanced Topics in Management

The course covers a variety of methodological concerns, topic include: Philosophy of science, experimental design, case study methodologies, problems with and alternatives to traditional model fitting approaches, replication and prediction, data management.

Multivariate Statistics

Students can choose up to three elective courses suitable for their chosen area of specialisation. These can be offered by Frankfurt School but often are found at other research universities. The faculty and the programme office help you to identify appropriate courses.

PhD Brownbag

Master's Thesis / 2nd year paper

The second year paper is the first piece of the student’s very own presentable research work. It can also be used to obtain a Master’s degree in Business Research and Analytics.

Research (Dissertation and Defence)

Upon passing the Qualifying Exam at the end of the 2 nd year, students enter the research phase of the programme. Students dedicate themselves to their research projects, produce scholarly papers and present their research at international academic conferences. They also have the opportunity to interact with international scholars visiting Frankfurt School to present research in the seminar series.

Seminars & Conferences

Research is a social process. Your Frankfurt School experience includes opportunities to both solicit feedback on your own research as well as learn from others’ ongoing research. The former you can do by presenting early drafts of your ideas and papers at the department’s brownbag seminar series, where colleagues provide a friendly environment for improvement. Besides informal chats with the faculty and your peers, the department’s annual summer school provides an additional intensive event for discussing research. To learn about and discuss current research conducted at other universities, a regular seminar series and occasional conferences with outside speakers provides ample possibilities for interaction with the field. You can find the upcoming management seminars in the below table.

Recent management conferences at FS include:

FS Marketing Research Camp

PROGIC : Workshop on Combining Probability and Logic

SMS : Strategic Management Society Frankfurt Special Conference

Research projects at FS

We are currently looking for highly motivated researchers interested in our research projects in marketing, strategy and organizational behaviour.

Strategic Decision Making of CEOs, TMTs, and BRDs

The goal of our research is to gain a greater understanding of how social and behavioural forces affect human actors at the top of the organisation. We do that by studying the contexts of strategic decision making by CEOs, top management teams, and boards of directors. Our research has an impact through the development and testing of new theoretical insights in top journals, and also by disseminating those insights through articles geared towards a lay audience.

Prof. Dr. Markus Fitza

Prof. Dr. Stevo Pavicevic

Microfoundations of Scaling: Implications for Strategy and Organization Design

The goal of this project is to develop a novel research agenda that investigates the microfoundations of scaling in firms, including the properties of organizations that give rise to scaling laws, as well as the implications of scaling laws for strategy and organization design. Today, the most valuable companies in the world employ a significant share of digital resources, such as software, algorithms, and data.  The greater scalability of firms’ digital resources is fundamentally changing the nature of competition and the basis of competitive advantage.  Yet, we are only beginning to understand the underlying forces that determine scaling and its implications for strategy and organization design.  What organizational challenges must be met to achieve success in the age of scaling?  What strategies are (not) effective in the age of scaling?  Are you excited about the opportunity to contribute research that addresses these questions?

Prof. Dr. Thorbjørn Knudsen

Prof. Dr. Lucas Böttcher

Consumer Information Processing

From the perspective of marketers it is very important to be able to predict and influence consumer choice. We study the relationship between cognitive and motor processes in consumer decision making/choice using eye and mouse tracking technologies. Our goal is to predict and influence choice. For example, we ask in the context of asking consumers to donate to a cause, in an online environment, would the design of the webpage and the physical location of the cursor (mouse) impact willingness to donate?

Prof. Dr. Selin Atalay

Prof. Dr. Florian Ellsäßer

Customer Reviews in the Context of Products with Short Life Cycles

Reviews are important for consumers, manufacturers, brands, and retailers for various reasons. The review history of a product has a strong effect on the success of the product on the market. It reduces uncertainty about product quality and fit and can therefore stimulate a purchase or help to avoid costly product returns. A rich product review history has proven to be very powerful, especially in market places with large product assortments. In the context of products with short life cycles, such as products in the fashion industry, accumulation of product reviews pose a substantial challenge as products’ life span is very limited. We are interested in how the fashion industry (and other industries with products with short life cycles) can address this problem. The topic is crucially important from the perspective of brand reputation building.

Prof. Dr. Alexander Bleier

Prof. Dr. Siham El Kihal

Prof. Dr. Tetyana Kosyakova

Experimental Organization Science

The goal of this project is to examine behavioural patterns of judgement and decision making at the group level, including dynamics arising from temporal or hierarchical structures. An example topic is the aggregation of individual decisions under uncertainty into organisational resource allocation and outcomes. Few lab studies examine behaviour at the organisational level, and organisation science comprises few experimental studies. Yet, properly understanding firms requires research on the level above the individual, and below that of markets. To isolate mechanisms operating at that level, experimental methodologies have few rivals. In theory. In practice, organisation-level lab work requires special care. If you want to contribute to a fledgling movement on experimental organisation science, we would love to hear from you.

Prof. Dr. Ronald Klingebiel

Prof. Dr. Mirko Kremer

Constructing and Evaluating R&D Portfolios

The goal of this project is to understand the theoretical and behavioral issues when building R&D portfolios, and to develop  novel methods and tools to evaluate the quality of an R&D portfolio

For R&D- and innovation-driven organizations, long-term success critically hinges on those firms’ ability to build impactful R&D portfolios. However, constructing an R&D portfolio—that is, selecting which innovation projects (not) to pursue—is a daunting challenge: In the early stages of such innovation projects, uncertainty dominates, and it is hence hard to predict, ex ante, which projects will be the best choice ex post. In addition, firms can rarely predict, with sufficient precision, the interaction effects between the different projects in their R&D portfolio. So, what is the best way to build an R&D portfolio? Which biases do managers introduce to that decision process? And how can we evaluate, ex post, how well an R&D portfolio was constructed? Are you excited about the opportunity to contribute research that addresses these questions? Join us!

Prof. Dr. Jochen Schlapp

Sample Publications

Frankfurt School publishes in the top outlets for management research. To get a sense for the kind of research we conduct, please click on the following sample publications:

Management Faculty

Strategy & organisation area, data & decision analysis area, technology & operations area, marketing area, student funding and scholarships.

Frankfurt School offers fully-funded study places for the doctoral programme in order to attract and support the brightest minds in academia.

Students are expected to devote 100% of their working time to their doctoral studies at Frankfurt School for up to five years.

Funding includes a tuition fee waiver and a cost-of-living stipend. The monthly stipend comprises of EUR 1,820.

The stipend will be granted for five years conditional on the continued satisfaction of all academic programme requirements.

From the first year onwards doctoral students will receive EUR 1,820 for the period of 5 years.

Furthermore Frankfurt School covers costs related to research, including conferences and overseas visits.

Application process

1. target group.

Outstanding graduates of a Bachelor‘s or Master’s programme in business administration, finance, management, accounting or related fields who aspire to launch an academic career.

Candidates in the final year of a Master’s or Bachelor’s programme are welcome to apply with their most recent academic transcript. Please note that the degree has to be completed by the time of the beginning of the programme.

2. Online Application

The first step of our application process is to complete the online application form. You will need to upload the following required documents. Please note that you need a certified English or German translation for all documents, that are not originally in German or English. The application platform will be open between 15th September and 15th January.

Required Documents

• CV and list of publications (if existent)
• Certified copy of your University Entrance Qualification (Abitur, A-levels or equivalent)
• Certified copy of your University Degree Certificate or equivalent and academic transcript of records
• Official GMAT or GRE results
• Proof of English Language Proficiency Test (TOEFL IBT min. score of 100/IELTS min. score of 7.0)
• Statement of Purpose (up to 2 pages): Why are you interested in your chosen field of study? What are the potential areas of research you might pursue? Have you completed any research projects with faculty? Is the research of any member of the FS faculty of interest to you?
• Optional Statement: If you would like the committee to consider any of the following factors, you can describe their relevance in a separate statement within the application. This can contribute to the diversity of the entering class: background, extracurricular activities, work experience.

Two letters of recommendation: To request the letters from your recommenders, you have to register on a separate platform and send your request from there.

Please click on this link to access the platform: http://apply.interfolio.com/79802

Create a profile by clicking on the button “Apply now”.

If you require assistance, go to the “Home” tab and click the “Dossier Quick Start Guide”.

Once you send your request to your potential recommender, they will receive an e-mail together with a link where they can upload their recommendation letter confidentially. Please provide a deadline for your recommendation letter to ensure we receive it on time. Once the recommender has uploaded the letter, we will be notified and will be able to access it.

3. Interview

Successful applicants will be invited to a online interview with faculty members of the chosen concentration.

The final decision regarding admission to our doctoral programme will be made by the Committee for Doctoral Proceedings. It is based on the applicants overall portfolio and the interview.

Isabeau Köhncke Recruitment Officer

Lianna Mirzoyan Recruitment & Admissions Manager

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Doctoral Programmes

The Bauhaus-Universität Weimar offers structured doctoral programmes in addition to the individual doctorate. An intensive support aims at a degree within three years. Supplementary courses impart disciplinary as well as transferable skills. Especially young researchers benefit from manifold assistance: teamwork, curriculum, supervision by several professors and practical application constitute a framework for successful projects.

The Research Training Groups of the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar offer positions for doctoral candidates and post-docs. Ph.D. candidates in other structured programmes are self dependent for their funding. They may apply for a scholarship from one of the organizations for the promotion of young talent or for a scholarship directly the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar.

If your research interest fits into one of the doctoral programmes of our university, you may apply directly at the programme. Please note the application deadlines and the doctoral regulations of the respective faculty.

NEW: GRK "Gewohnter Wandel" | start in autumn 2024

Social conflicts, ecological needs and the digitalisation of the living environment: if current social developments are shaping the built environment of tomorrow, what challenges, problems and contradictions will this cause for housing? 

From autumn 2024, young researchers in Weimar and Frankfurt will conduct interdisciplinary research on the current housing situationin the the joint research training group (Graduiertenkolleg, GRK) " Gewohnter Wandel. Social Transformation and Spatial Materialisation of Housing" , funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG). Over the entire funding period of nine years, up to 36 doctoral theses on housing issues can be completed. >  more info

Contact:  gewohnter.wandel[at]arch.uni-weimar.de

Research Training Group (DFG) Identity and Heritage

The research training group  »Identität und Erbe« started as a joint programm of the TU Berlin and the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar in October 2016 with all in all 12 doctoral positions (6 at each university). The first group (2016–2019) is still working on their doctorates in Weimar and Berlin. The following subjects are involved: architecture, architectural theory, history of building and urban development, fine arts, monument preservation, history of art and architecture, history of culture and media, landscape architecture, planning and architectural sociology, spatial planning and spatial research, urban planning.

The second funding period until 2025 has been approved. The interdisciplinary orientation of the GRK will be expanded in the new funding period to include archival science and the philosophy of science.

Please see here more of the latest news from the GRK.

Research Training Group (DFG) Medienanthropologie

The Research Training Group is primarily aimed at doctoral students of media studies, cultural studies, film and theatre studies, literary studies, philosophy, sociology, ethnology or one of the neighbouring disciplines.

The programme began its work in April 2020, the 2nd cohort started in summer 2023.

For more information, see www.uni-weimar.de/gkma

Doctoral Programme Art and Design

The degree course Art & Design offers a Ph.D.-degree created solely for Master and Diploma graduates of Art- and Design-Schools was the first of its kind in the German-speaking area since 2008. The graduation, supervised by two professors, one academic and one artist / designer, is concluded after a three-year curriculum. German and English knowledge is required. The final Ph.D.-thesis equally comprises of a scientific and an artistic/design part.

Prof. Dr. Alexandra Toland,  head of the programme; Junior Professor for Arts and Research artsandresearch[at]gestaltung.uni-weimar.de

Application deadline is March 31st; the programme starts in the winter semester.

Open Online Consultation for all who want to apply: 10 November 2023 | 2 pm 09 February 2024 | 10 am

For insights in the program, please see " Working Titles ", the online journal for practice-based and led research initiated by Ph.D. candidates enrolled in the Ph.D. program for art and design at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar. 

More information about the doctoral program you can find on the website  of the Ph.D. program.

European Urban Studies (International Doctorate Programme)

From 2002 until 2020, the IPP for European Urban Studies was counted among the nationwide network of International PhD Programmes, which, within the framework of the programme "Doctorates at Universities in Germany (PHD)", were endorsed by the German Research Foundation and the German Academic Exchange Service. Supported in years 2002 to 2007, the IPP European Urban Studies was the only IPP in Germany that was dedicated to urban research. It dealt with topics that are tested against such current models as the "European City," "Compact City," "Social City," "Net City," or "Zwischenstadt". The International Doctorate Programme “European Urban Studies” was then focusing on research on Urban Housing and Forms of Living with a focus on (multidimensional) housing policy, in the context of current societal challenges – such as climate change, social fragmentation, spatial disparity, cultural differentiation, immigration and the transformation of the real estate economy – and what these challenges imply for the cities of Europe.

Please note: Until further notice, the program is closed. You can find out more about the individual doctoral opportunities in the field of "European Urban Studies" on this homepage .

UrbanHist - History of European Urbanism in the 20th Century

"UrbanHist − History of European Urbanism in the 20th Century" is a multidisciplinary research and training programme run by four universities in Germany, Spain, Slovakia and Sweden in cooperation with 13 partner-organizations and funded within the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme in the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action - Innovative Training Networks (ITN) as European Joint Doctorate (EJD).

It aims to develop and sustainably promote a joint understanding of 20th century urbanism in Europe. 15 Early Stage Researchers will be researching in 8 thematic fields, embedded into a network of high-profile academics and practitioners.

Bauhaus-Universität Weimar; Univerzita Pavla Jozefa Šafárika v Košiciach, Slowakei; Universidad de Valladolid, Spanien sowie die Blekinge Tekniska Högskola, Schweden.

2016 – 2020

www.urbanhist.eu

Please note: Currently no applications are being accepted for this programme.

Kompetenzzentrum Medienanthropologie (KOMA)

Period:  April 2015 bis September 2019

Das aus Mitteln der ProExzellenz-Initiative des Freistaates Thüringen finanzierte Kompetenzzentrum Medienanthropologie soll eine innovative und interdisziplinäre Medienanthropologie vorantreiben, die die Erforschung der Medialität, der Medienbedingtheit und Medienverfasstheit menschlicher Daseinsvollzüge ins Zentrum stellt. Dabei ist das Konzept der Anthropomedialität forschungsleitend. Anthropomedialität beschreibt mit der Verschränkung von Menschen und Medien ein eigenständiges Drittes, das jeder Unterscheidung von Mensch und Medium als deren Ursprung vorausgeht.

Im Rahmen des Forschungsprogramms wurden 10 StipendiatInnen bei der Arbeit an ihrer Promotion unterstützt. Die Arbeit des Kompetenzzentrums mündete erfolgreich in der Beantragung eines DFG-Graduiertenkollegs zum Thema Medienanthropologie , das im April 2020 gestartet ist.

Sprecherin: Prof. Dr. Christiane Voss  (Professur Philosophie audiovisueller Medien) Stellvertretender Sprecher: Prof. Dr. Lorenz Engell (IKKM)

Weitere Informationen zum Forschungsprogramm und zu den beteiligten WissenschaftlerInnen finden Sie hier .

Tim Othold M.A. Coordinator/ Research assistant Cranachstraße 47, room 005 Tel.: + 49 (0) 36 43/58 40 03 Fax: + 49(0)3643 / 58 40 01 tim.othold[at]uni-weimar.de

Christiane Lewe M.A. Coordinator/ Research assistant Cranachstraße 47,  room 006 Tel.: + 49 (0) 36 43/58 40 06 Fax: + 49(0)3643 / 58 40 01 christiane.lewe[at]uni-weimar.de

Urban and Regional Research (German-Argentinian Doctorate Training Group)

Duration: 2013- 2020

The German-Argentinian Doctorate Training Group "Urban and Regional Research" is a cooperation between the Institute for European Urban Studies at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar and the Faculty of Architecture, Planning and Design and the Faculty of Philosophy and Humanities at the Universidad Nacional de Córdoba /Argentinia.

The aim of this doctorate training group is to give a selective group of young researchers the opportunity and the academic support to achieve results in urban research that can enrich the academic debate in this field both in Europe and in Latin America. Doctorate students in the program receive bi-national academic advising and take part in a structured study programme. Successful completion of the programme results in the awarding of the academic title of Dr. phil or Dr. Ing in combination with a doctor title from the partner university. This doctorate training group is the first of its kind at a Thuringian university and one of few in Germany. A stipend funded by the Deutsch-Argentinischen Hochschulzentrum covers travel and living costs for the academic year abroad.

Currently no applications are being accepted for this programme.

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How to apply for a PhD in Germany – Online course

Thank you for your interest in our online course! Anyone interested in the course is welcome to participate. You will need about six to nine hours to complete the course.

In this course you will learn about:

• how to find a doctoral position,
• application requirements and how to write a good application,
• characteristics of the German research landscape,
• and how to find a doctoral supervisor.

We wish you good luck and productive learning!

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Phd-Study-In-Germany

• Top Universities for PhD Study in Germany – 2024

Written by Marcus Holt

Germany is home to 520 higher education institutions. Not all of them award PhDs, but those that do are renowned for generating highly trained researchers! The institutions offering doctorates in Germany are:

• Research Universities ( Universität ) carry out original academic research in various subjects.
• Technical Universities ( Technische Universität ) specialise in Science, Technology and Engineering research. However, they have recently begun to offer qualifications in other subjects including the Humanities.
• Research Institutes carry out important research projects (including PhD work) in partnership with universities, businesses and industry. Most operate within larger networks such as the Max Planck Society.
• Other research networks bring together expertise from different institutions for specific projects. For example, the three Max Planck Schools (separate from the Max Planck Society) focus on Cognition , Matter to Life and Photonics .

Universities in Germany can be either public or private . The vast majority (around 400) are public, educating 95% of the student body. These receive funding from one of 16 states ( lander ).

The remaining 120 private universities do not receive state funding. Many are Universities of Applied Sciences, which do not offer PhD programmes.

With a historic higher education system and many specialist research centres (and being the birthplace of the modern PhD!), it makes sense that Germany has some of the top ranked universities in the world.

Max Planck Schools

The Max Planck Schools is a network that brings together experts from different institutions to address joint research objectives. They bring together international PhD students with Germany's best scientists. Research takes place in three interdisciplinary fields: Cognition , Matter to Life and Photonics .

The Schools offer fully financed PhD positions. Candidates benefit from unique expertise, infrastructure and training opportunities.

Top 20 universities in Germany for a PhD

We’ve examined the latest international university rankings to identify some of the best universities for PhD study in Germany.

Note that independent research centres and schools are not usually included within rankings. This isn’t any reflection on the quality of their PhDs. It’s for the simple reason that they aren’t technically ‘universities’ and don’t teach undergraduates.

How much do rankings matter for PhD students?

Rankings can be a helpful resource for prospective PhD students, but they shouldn’t be the be-all-and-end-all of your search. We break down how the system works and how to get the best out of it in our guide to PhD rankings .

With eight universities in the 2024 Times Higher Education top 100, Germany is one of the best-ranked countries for higher education. The fact that it charges no fees for PhD study and has many English-language doctorates makes it an excellent destination for postgraduate study.

Think you’re ready to find the perfect project for you?

Search our database of PhD programmes in Germany .

Our postgrad newsletter shares courses, funding news, stories and advice

Marcus holt.

Marcus brought his experience and expertise in data analysis and project management to the FindAPhD team in 2020, whilst completing a PhD at the University of Leeds. He experienced the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on doctoral research first hand and helped share honest advice and support with prospective students.

This guide tells you all about everything you need to apply for a PhD programme in Germany.

There are no fees for PhD study at most German universities and funding is available from a range of government agencies, research societies and other organisations.

Want to study a PhD in Ireland? This guide gives a detailed introduction to the kind of visa you need to study in Ireland and how to apply for it.

Everything you need to know about part-time and full-time work in Germany as a student or recent graduate in Germany.

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How to apply for your PhD

Applying for your individual doctorate.

DAAD/Jan Zappner

Once you have decided on a potential supervisor, you have to  apply directly to the professor  in question. Here are some useful tips that may help you succeed in your application:

• Invest a lot of time and effort in your search for the right supervisor
• Demonstrate your interest: show that you know the potential supervisor’s research field and you know what to expect
• Give details of your own experience in this research field
• Give explicit reasons why you would like this professor to supervise your thesis
• Make your motives clear. It is important to show where your interest lies in your very first contact
• Choose the subject of your thesis in a way that fits in with the academic orientation of your supervisor
• Show that you are well-informed: you know the requirements for a doctorate in Germany
• In your covering letter you should be brief and precise

In your application, you should provide information regarding your prior academic achievement, the topic of your master’s thesis and the subject area in which you wish to specialise. Your application should also  include a well thought-out proposal  for your doctoral thesis.

What's next?

After you have found a professor willing to act as your supervisor, the responsible department or doctoral committee must then  confirm your eligibility as a doctoral candidate . At some universities, candidates have to apply for admission to the doctoral examination at this stage.

Although it is not always necessary, it can be advantageous for international students to  enrol as a doctoral student  even when they have opted for a traditional individual doctorate. The prerequisite for this is admission to the doctoral studies programme.

You may need to present proof that you have passed the relevant German language examination. The International Office at the respective university can provide more details. The doctoral regulations on departmental websites also provide information about requirements.

Applying for a structured PhD programme

When making your selection, you should focus on the following questions: Do the programme, the institution and the environment suit my doctoral proposal? What are the requirements? What is expected of doctoral students?

Once you have found a PhD programme, you should  invest sufficient time and care  in preparing your application. In some cases, there are application deadlines for admission to programmes. It is therefore advisable to begin looking for a suitable programme in good time before graduation.

Multistage application procedure

For your application to be successful,  your planned doctoral thesis must fit in  with the main emphases of the programme and you will need a good or very good degree that is recognised in Germany. Initial contacts are usually made over the Internet.

The application procedure itself often  involves a number of different stages , but differs from programme to programme.

• Generally, however, as a  first step  you will need to submit a curriculum vitae, a copy of your degree certificate, a brief description of your doctoral research proposal and a  letter outlining the reasons for your application .
• The  second step , usually on request, involves a detailed application with a  comprehensive exposé of the research project . This includes details of your time schedule, references from previous professors, copies of all certificates and your thesis and, possibly, proof of language proficiency.
• If these documents win over the admissions committee, the applicant is usually invited to a  personal interview , which can under certain circumstances also be held as a telephone conference.

Tips for your application

When you have found a suitable programme, submit an application to one of the professors in the PhD programme or to the appropriate selection committee – depending on the programme or call for proposals. Here are some useful tips that may help you succeed in your application:

• Invest a lot of time and effort in your search for the right programme
• Choose your thesis topic in a way that fits in with the programme. Graduate schools are more broadly based in terms of subject matter and work in an interdisciplinary way. Nevertheless, your thesis must fit in with their specific fields of research
• Demonstrate your interest: show that you know the doctoral programme and you know what to expect

In your application, you should provide information regarding your prior academic achievement, the topic of your master’s thesis and the subject area in which you wish to specialise. 

You should explain your reason for applying, describe your research project and possibly submit a position paper for your planned doctoral thesis. In some cases you will already be expected to know what you would like to do in your thesis and produce a research proposal on the subject.

How to write your research proposal

• Be precise: say exactly why you are writing and what your research project is
• Give precise details of what your research involves – and what it doesn’t involve
• Explain what you want to discover in your research, what problem you would like to solve
• Focus on your research topic and do not get lost in sideshows
• Develop a coherent and convincing argument in favour of your research project
• Don’t get tied up in minor details
• Don’t forget to mention the most important works in your research area
• Make sure your grammar and spelling are correct

Online course "How to apply for a PhD in Germany"

The completely online-based self-learning module offers information about how to write a good application, the characteristics of the German research landscape and many other useful topics. Register now!

Valerie Loiseleux

►►► Click here to register!

Anyone interested in the course is welcome to participate. You will need about six to nine hours to complete the course.

You will learn more about the following aspects of doing a PhD in Germany:

• where to find a PhD position,
• application requirements and how to write a good application,
• characteristics of the German research landscape,
• and how to convince a supervisor of your project.

© Concept and content PhD course:  proWiss Wissenschaftsberatung , PD Dr. Reinhard Klein-Arendt und Dr. Birte Kathage

Check out our brochure

Doing a phd in germany (2019, 40 pages).

This booklet for (prospective) international doctoral students presents the different options for doing a doctorate in Germany. It explains the formal requirements and gives some practical advice on finding the right supervisor or doctoral programme. It also outlines different sponsorship and funding options.

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73 PhD programmes found for your filters

• Standard sorting (Publication)
• Similarity to search term
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Technical University of Munich (TUM) Computational Mass Spectrometry PhD student in computational proteomics (f/m/d) for non-clinical safety assessment with ProteomicsDB

• Type of Promotion: Full PhD
• Application deadline: 30.11.2024
• Working language: German, English
• Beginning: as soon as possible
• Required degree: Master
• Location: Freising

Last changed: 17.09.2024 (Published: 17.09.2024)

More More about PhD student in computational proteomics (f/m/d) for non-clinical safety assessment with ProteomicsDB - Technical University of Munich (TUM) Computational Mass Spectrometry

Technische Universität Dresden Fakultät Maschinenwesen, Institut für Fertigungstechnik, Professur für Laserbasierte Fertigung wiss. Mitarbeiter:in (m/w/d)

• Application deadline: 15.10.2024
• Beginning: 01.01.2025
• Required degree: Diplom, Master
• Location: Dresden

More More about wiss. Mitarbeiter:in (m/w/d) - Technische Universität Dresden Fakultät Maschinenwesen, Institut für Fertigungstechnik, Professur für Laserbasierte Fertigung

Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH Helmholtz-Gemein­schaft Doktorand – Innovationsökosysteme und Wertschöpfungsnetze in Zeiten des globalen wirtschaftlichen Wandels (w/m/d)

• Application deadline: 16.12.2024
• Location: Jülich

Last changed: 16.09.2024 (Published: 16.09.2024)

More More about Doktorand – Innovationsökosysteme und Wertschöpfungsnetze in Zeiten des globalen wirtschaftlichen Wandels (w/m/d) - Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH Helmholtz-Gemein­schaft

Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen e. V. (DZNE) Research group Bano - Aging and Neurodegeneration PhD Student (f/m/x)

• Application deadline: 01.11.2024
• Working language: English
• Location: Bonn

More More about PhD Student (f/m/x) - Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen e. V. (DZNE) Research group Bano - Aging and Neurodegeneration

Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY Helmholtz Weisman Research School 'Multimessenger Astronomy' PhD in Multimessenger Astronomy

• Application deadline: 03.11.2024
• Beginning: 01.04.2025
• Location: Berlin

More More about PhD in Multimessenger Astronomy - Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY Helmholtz Weisman Research School 'Multimessenger Astronomy'

Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences International Max Planck Research School on Cognitive NeuroImaging PhD in the field of Cognitive Neuroimaging

• Application deadline: 10.11.2024
• Beginning: 01.10.2025
• Location: Leipzig

More More about PhD in the field of Cognitive Neuroimaging - Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences International Max Planck Research School on Cognitive NeuroImaging

Technische Universität Dresden Fakultät Erziehungswissenschaften, Institut für Sozialpädagogik, Sozialarbeit und Wohlfahrtswissenschaften, Professur für Sozialpädagogik wiss. Mitarbeiter:in / Doktorand:in (m/w/d)

• Application deadline: 30.09.2024
• Working language: German

More More about wiss. Mitarbeiter:in / Doktorand:in (m/w/d) - Technische Universität Dresden Fakultät Erziehungswissenschaften, Institut für Sozialpädagogik, Sozialarbeit und Wohlfahrtswissenschaften, Professur für Sozialpädagogik

Technische Universität Dresden Fakultät Psychologie, Institut für Pädagogische Psychologie und Entwicklungspsychologie, Professur für Psychologie des Lehrens und Lernens wiss. Mitarbeiter:in / Doktorand:in (m/w/d)

• Application deadline: 07.10.2024

More More about wiss. Mitarbeiter:in / Doktorand:in (m/w/d) - Technische Universität Dresden Fakultät Psychologie, Institut für Pädagogische Psychologie und Entwicklungspsychologie, Professur für Psychologie des Lehrens und Lernens

Freie Unviersität Berlin History and Cultural Studies PhD places at Graduate School of East Asian Studies (GEAS)

• Application deadline: 15.11.2024
• Required degree: Diplom, Master, Magister (Masters degree course)

Last changed: 13.09.2024 (Published: 13.09.2024)

More More about PhD places at Graduate School of East Asian Studies (GEAS) - Freie Unviersität Berlin History and Cultural Studies

University of Stuttgart International Doctoral Programme 'Environment Water' (ENWAT) Identification of Surfactant Impacts on Microbial Glyphosate Degraders in Freshwater Sediments

• Application deadline: 31.10.2024
• Location: Stuttgart

Last changed: 12.09.2024 (Published: 12.09.2024)

More More about Identification of Surfactant Impacts on Microbial Glyphosate Degraders in Freshwater Sediments - University of Stuttgart International Doctoral Programme 'Environment Water' (ENWAT)

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Philosophy Doctor (Ph.D) Degree by Research via distance learning

Create value for your life and career

A PhD by Research via Distance Learning perfectly adjusts to adult students’ needs, that is to people having work and family commitments yet willing to go through alternative academic path. Selinus University is an independent private international university that helps adult international students achieving their academic goals. Over the years, several surveys have shown that via Distance Learning PhDs by research can be as useful as those earned by traditional academic systems. Clearly, it has to be granted that the private institution is highly reputable. In this regard, Selinus University has acquired a respectable and trustworthy reputation, always giving personal skills and professionalism the deserved emphasis. Nowadays, Selinus University represents an important alternative to traditional studies, above all if we consider the digital era and the global village we live in. Our study system is geared towards busy people pacing today world rhythms. As a matter of fact, it is efficiently transmitted among computer devices anywhere in the world. Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), in Latin: Philosophiae Doctor or Doctor Philosophiae, is the highest academic degree awarded. It usually covers all academic programs. As graduate researchers, PhD students are usually required to show competence, master their topic research but also carry out an original thesis so as to foster new academic contributions in their knowledge field. A PhD via distance learning is an original academic research in a specific branch of human knowledge. The candidate works autonomously and his/her project culminates in a final doctoral thesis. Unlike any other traditional campus based PhD, Selinus PhD by Research does not have semesters splitting; it rather consists in an independent and autonomous theoretical research on a specific academic area. This research is implemented in a final thesis that students shall complete within 24 months. Stress is given on independence during study and research; reason why students’ supervisors will not actually be tutor as in common understanding, but rather specialised consultants for students’ assistance. The student can use both textbooks and the Internet for research purpose besides having access to the online library. Working freely and independently on their research, students will grow highly specialized knowledge and specific expertise to display in their doctoral thesis defense. The Distance Learning PhD is earned after successfully completing and defending the final doctoral thesis in the academic major that has been chosen. The "Doctor of Philosophy" is the only PhD that can be obtained via Distance Learning. It should be quite clear that any laboratory method or professional practice cannot occur online or through any distance learning system. The main requirement for a distance learning PhD by Research is to submit and defend the final thesis whose minimum length have to be 90/100 pages. That will be reviewed and evaluated by an academic committee of the Selinus Unversity. In some cases, previous candidates’ publications may be relevant for PhD purposes. In case the thesis credits are not sufficient, in order to have all the required doctoral credits, additional in-depth reports (about 15-20 pages each) based on textbooks may also be requested. A PhD is often a very popular job requirement in many work areas. Especially in developing countries, with lack of basic job training, the Doctor of Philosophy gets more and more required not only for highly qualified professions, but also for multinationals, non-governmental organizations and private companies’ employments. Employees are asked for an academic "certification" higher than a Bachelor's or a Master's degree. A Master's degree is usually sufficient for most professions. The Ph.D., however, is the highest educational qualification. Only the best-qualified professionals have a Ph.D. To access the program, students need to possess a Master's degree or equivalent and be at least 30 years old. The Ph.D. program requires a minimum of 65 academic credits (about 1000 hours of study) that will be achieved through the final thesis. Distance learning Selinus PhD admission requirements are: Master Degree possession and suitable CV. There is no race, colour, sex, beliefs and/or religion discrimination. APEL (Accreditation Prior Experiential Learning) professional credits validation may contribute to the final evaluation of the thesis.

(View Accreditation Certificates)

• Distance Learning
• Program outline
• Tuition fees
• Thesis defence

Study from anywhere in the world, any time during the year

Selinus University offers several distance learning degree programs. These programs are highly affordable and cover more than 200 disciplines including management, communications, humanities, arts, psychology, natural health, therapies, computers, sciences, engineering, and others.

See the PhD study programs via Distance Learning that we offer for each faculty: Faculty of Arts & Humanities - Faculty of Business & Media - Faculty of Computer Science -  Faculty of Engineering & Technology - Faculty of Life & Earth Sciences - Faculty of Psychology -  Faculty of Natural Health Science

• 65 academic credits besides a Master's program.
• Max Average Duration: 18 months + six months further on demand.
• Admission is open for adults over 30 years of age. Master's degree or international equivalent is required for admission.
• All-inclusive price: supervisor’s support, evaluation and assessment, diploma certificate  and transcript.

The cost of a PhD by research via Distance Learning is obviously much lower than a campus based doctorate. Cost for 1 Uniselinus PhD credit: 40 euros. Transferred credit from previous education and/or professional experience not allowed. 

Final Cost: 2600 Eur

Payment plans are available upon request up to:

1)    Single payment at enrolment: 10% of discount 2)    2   monthly instalments 3)    4   monthly instalments 4)    6   monthly installments

Considering that Selinus students come from all over the world, often miles away from the university headquarters, the Doctor PhD degree via distance learning thesis can be defended in three different ways:

1) Written defense: the student develops his/her defense in a 5 pages report;

2) Oral Defense: (recommended) the student sends an audio or video file (at least 30 minutes duration) containing his/her defense;

Send registration application

Download and fill in the application ( file: Application ) by attaching the required documents specified in the application and send by email to: [email protected]

If your application is successful you will receive confirmation of your registration, the Certificate of Enrollment, the Payment Plan according to the choice made in the application and the necessary information to start your PhD program. We would like to remind you that the admission requirement for a PhD is a Master's Degree or international equivalent title.

Files to download and read before sending the enrollment request:

Doctorate enrollment

I'm interested in pursuing a Doctor (Ph.D) degree program. I would like to receive information about the following programme:

Majors can be found on the home page www.uniselinus.education by clicking on the single faculty you can access the available disciplines.

Contact info

Registered offices.

• Selinus University Graduate School LLC 8 The Green, Suite A Dover 19901 – Delaware (USA)

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6 Free Online PhD Programs in Germany (Plus Scholarships)

Even though it’s promising to further your education through PhD level – we won’t deny that it will totally boost your career and even make you an authority in your field – it doesn’t come cheap, you won’t only be sacrificing your money but also your time. Because, at this moment you probably have a family you’re responsible for, and you’re now a working adult, so no more quick conclusion.

In fact, a lot of decision goes on before anyone undertakes a Postgraduate Programme, because it may exceed the minimum time and might even hit ×2 of the years projected (depending on your research), so it won’t only cost you your time but also your money. The bright side is, that several colleges including FernUniversität in Hagen (which is the only open university in Germany) now provide some of their programs online, making it easy for anyone in any country to still partake in a Ph.D. program without travelling outside their home.

Also, FernUniversität in Hagen provides some free online PhD programs in Germany through scholarships and other financial assistance. As a scholarship or other grant, you don’t need to pay them back.

The United Kingdom and Canada also provide some free online PhD programs.

Before we list these programs, let’s briefly explain why an online PhD might be the best fit for you.

Reasons to Study Online PhD in Germany

More affordable.

First of all, the tuition of a distance learning Ph.D. program is more affordable than an on-campus degree. Then the cost of living also adds up especially if you’re an international student.

More Flexible

As now a working adult and perhaps a spouse, creating time for evening classes can be complicated and might make your life more stressful, and we believe no one wants to add more headaches to their lives. Online PhD gives you the flexibility of coming to class, performing your research and reporting back to your supervisor in your comfort zone.

Maintain Job

If you’re already working, an online Ph.D. will help you to remain on your job, unlike an on-campus Ph.D. that might require you to change your city or if possible country.

This is not to say that a campus-based PhD doesn’t come with its own perks.

Free Online PhD Programs in Germany

FernUniversität in Hagen is the online university that provides different free online Ph.D. programs in Germany, and we’ll focus on these programs. With, more than 76,000 students annually, it makes them the University with the highest number of students in Germany, and 80% of their students study through distance learning.

The University provides its free online PhD programs in Germany through both internal and external non-fundable research funding.

Some of their internal research funding includes;

• FernUniversität research award: worth €20,000
• Completion Scholarship Doctorate
• Funding for female postdocs: own budget for material costs
• Postdoctoral funding: Postdoctoral fellowship

Some of their Research funding by external third-party include;

• Research grants from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation
• Grants from the Heinrich Hertz Foundation
• Max Weber Foundation – German humanities institutes abroad
• Discipline-open doctoral scholarships from gifted organizations

And many more.

Let’s now focus only on the programs FernUniversität in Hagen provides

1. Research Topics in Mathematics (English & German)

FernUniversität in Hagen provides several research topics in mathematics that you can focus on, including Discrete Mathematics and Optimization; Research in Algebra; Research in Numerical Mathematics; Applied Stochastics; Stochastics and Mathematical Physics; Applied Mathematics; Analysis.

2. Research Topics in Computer Science (English & German)

Here are some of the research topics in Computer Science FernUni offers; Software Engineering and Theory of Programming; Data Science; Cooperative Systems; Multimedia and Internet Applications; Parallelism & VLSI; Research Professorship for Educational Technologies for Digital Transformation; Enterprise-wide Software Systems; Technical Informatics; Human-Computer Interaction; Theoretical Computer Science; Artificial Intelligence Group, etc.

3. Humanities and Social Sciences (German)

This is among the free online PhD programs in Germany that you’ll focus on analyzing and explaining the mechanisms of action, the history or the level of knowledge in our society from different perspectives.

4. Research at the Faculty of Psychology (German)

Faculty of Psychology has three (3) research topics you can focus on, they include;

• Psychology of Digitized Education
• Psychology, diversity and social cohesion
• forensic psychology

5. Faculty of Business Administration and Economics (German)

Some of the research topics provided through the Faculty of Business Administration and Economics include Douglas Endowed Chair for Service Management; Investment Theory and Business Valuation; Production and Logistics; Quantitative Methods and Business Mathematics; International Economy, Empiricism of the Foreign Exchange and Financial Markets. etc.

6. Research at the Faculty of Law (German)

FernUniversität in Hagen provides different PhD research topics in 3 Law areas, these areas are Civil Law, Public Law, and Criminal Law.

Questions to Ask Before You Choose Any Online PhD Program

Will this program benefit me and my career.

It’s best to enrol in a PhD program that aligns with our current full-time job, even though there could be a few cases where you want to pursue your passion. Since most PhD programs teach you things you can apply immediately at your work, that’s why it’s important to focus on programs that are in line with your work.

And, don’t say because a program is free or almost free, you can just enrol in it, remember your time is not free.

Is the Flexibility Perfect for Me?

Even though online programs are flexible, it is not fitting for everyone, because you need to be self-motivated to always show up, and now you have so many other responsibilities, some emergencies might even take the particular time you intend to always come to class or perform your research. 

You know doctoral programs can take a minimum of 2½ years and up to 7 years, so be sure that you can balance both, and complete your degree on time.

Conclusion  

You can see that FernUniversität in Hagen is the only school that provides free online PhD programs in Germany through several financial assistance. Be sure if their programs are best for you or better look for other countries that provide the program you need for free or through scholarships.

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Related posts.

8 Free PhD Programs Online UK

8 Free Online PhD Programs in Canada (Plus Free Scholarships)

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