Application to the Faculty

Please read carefully the information provided on this page before submitting your application, and ensure that you understand the details of the procedure, which involves, in particular (and in this order):

• Finding an advisor, possibly in the framework of a structured doctoral program (graduate school)
• Acceptance to the faculty as a doctoral candidate (PhD student)
• Registration as a doctoral student at the University
• Carrying out your research, and writing your dissertation (doctoral thesis)
• The doctoral examination (thesis defense)
• Publication of your thesis (deposition at the University library)

The heiDOCS information system holds an online file of all doctoral students at the University. You must register in time and update your data at each step.

The following guide is based on the regulations for the Doctoral degree at the Combined Faculty of Mathematics, Engineering and Natural Sciences at Heidelberg University and summarizes common practice followed in the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science. Please be advised that in case of conflict, the provisions of the German version of the regulations shall prevail.

Before applying to the faculty, you must:

1. Find a doctoral advisor and jointly complete and sign the supervision agreement, and
2. Register in the heiDOCS online doctoral file.

Please note

The doctoral advisor must be a faculty member with the qualifications necessary to supervise research in the designated field of study. This includes professors, junior professors, senior scientists with habilitation (Privatdozenten), and some independent research group leaders. A complete list of admissible advisors is available at the doctoral office.

If you intend to carry out interdisciplinary research, you must also agree with a co-advisor to supervise the aspects of your project related to the field of application. Joint supervision within mathematics or computer science is possible, with the understanding that the academic responsibility rests with the primary advisor. The co-advisor need not be a faculty member, but both the advisor and co-advisor must have the necessary qualifications to supervise doctoral theses.

The advisor(s) will normally write review(s) of the dissertation, and chair the oral defense committee. The external reviewers, and other members of the defense committee are only identified at the time of thesis submission. However, applicants are advised to read the relevant sections below in anticipation of the doctoral examination.

Document requirements

Prepare all of the following items as paper hardcopies and pdf document, and submit them in a single pdf-file by email to the doctoral office. (The Master thesis, if required, should please be sent in a separate file.) If admitted, you will be asked to submit the hardcopies with original signatures on all relevant certificates and transcripts, personally during office hours for doctoral affairs or by letter post. We require:

1. The completed and signed application form
2. A filled-out supervision agreement signed by the doctoral advisor and any co-advisor
3. Certified copies of all degree certificates including transcripts of records
4. Certified copies of your school leaving certificate
5. Curriculum vitae (dated and signed)
6. Copy of photo ID, clearly indicating your first and last name as well as your place of birth
7. In case of foreign degree and/or if the previous qualification is not in the field chosen for the doctoral studies:
   • Statement of the advisor about the qualification of the applicant
   • Proof of course achievements in the designated field of study
   • Computer science applicants only: Summary of courses and exams in computer science
   • Final (master level) thesis (as a separate pdf document)

If you have not done so (you should!), register online in the heiDOCS online doctoral file. Only once you have entered all the required information will the office for doctoral studies be notified and able to subsequently process your application.

If complete your application will be submitted to the Doctoral Committee in Mathematics or Computer Science, which will decide about your acceptance at the Faculty. Your acceptance may be subject to additional course requirements to complement your background knowledge in the designated field of study.

You will have noticed that there are no deadlines for application to the Faculty. Concurrently, the Doctoral Committees do not meet at predetermined intervals, and admission decisions may take anywhere between 1 week to 2 months, longer outside of the academic term. We ask you to refrain from follow-up inquiries during this time.

The doctoral office will inform you about the decision of the Doctoral Committee, and issue an acceptance letter. For first-time acceptance without course requirements, the status as doctoral candidate is granted for 4 years. Any course requirements must be successfully completed within the first 2 years, at which point the acceptance is automatically extended for another 2 years. If you have not completed your research and dissertation after those 4 years, you need to apply for an extension of your status as doctoral candidate. There will be no reminder regarding the expiry date. An extension is usually granted for 12 months.

An extension beyond 5 years requires two separate forms by the candidate and the advisor detailing the special circumstances of the delay and the plans for the timely completion of the research project.

It is your responsibility to maintain your status as doctoral candidate at the faculty from the beginning of your research project until the date of the doctoral examination. The faculty will not accept candidates for graduation only. This applies in particular in case of additional course requirements.

Your acceptance as a doctoral student does not imply any promise of an employment relationship with the faculty or Heidelberg University.