Doctoral studies

Doctoral studies means a postgraduate program that can be pursued consecutively, or in some cases even non-consecutively — that is, by changing one’s field of study from the undergraduate program. The doctoral degree serves as proof of the ability to conduct independent, in-depth, and advanced academic work in a specific field.

The doctoral committee is responsible for conducting the doctoral examination procedure. Therefore, the application for admission to the doctoral examination procedure or for inclusion on the doctoral roster, specifying the chosen subjects and the doctoral thesis topic, must be submitted in writing to the dean of the relevant faculty. The most important academic requirement is that, from the outset, the preparation of the doctoral thesis must be supervised by a member of the doctoral committee.

Enrollment takes place as for a degree program without admission restriction, using the documents required for admission to the doctoral program. Please note the deadlines for obtaining a doctoral degree. 
 

Checklist of required documents for admission to a doctoral degree program

If you are applying for doctoral studies, we require the following documents from you in any case:

• Application for enrollment from the online portal
• Digital photo for the KU.Card. Please upload a suitable photo to the portal at https://bewerber-foto.ku.de/; username = applicant number; password = date of birth with a period (xx.xx.xxxx)
• Copy of a valid ID card or passport (information not required for identification, particularly the access and serial numbers as well as eye color and height, may and should be blacked out)
• Certificate of university entrance qualification (e.g. high school diploma) for university degree programs in officially certified form
• Proof of completion of an academic degree program through a diploma examination, a licentiate, magister, or master’s examination, or through the first state examination for a teaching position in officially certified form; further details are governed by the relevant faculty doctoral regulations, which may in particular stipulate restrictions and requirements,
• Complete and signed résumé
• Proof of payment (e.g. bank statement) for the semester fees with the reference: Doctoral Studies/First Name Last Name,
• written confirmation of supervision for your doctoral degree project by a professor at the KU,
• Confirmation from the doctoral committee regarding the acceptance of the doctoral proposal,
• Proof of academic history from previous German universities (e.g., academic transcript, certificate of withdrawal), including an overview of when, where, for how long, and in which degree program you were previously enrolled. Ideally, the number of university semesters should be noted on this document.

Additionally, the following applies to international students with a foreign university entrance qualification:

• In order to apply for a doctoral degree, you must demonstrate German language proficiency at a minimum of level A2. If you do not yet possess the required German language skills, you may be granted so-called DSH admission, which allows you to attend the intensive German course (the course only starts in the winter semester).
• If the doctoral thesis is written in a different language, proof of German language proficiency is not required. Instead, you need proof of proficiency in the language in which the doctoral degree will be acquired. Furthermore, you need written confirmation from your thesis advisor that the doctoral degree can be written in the chosen language.

Please note: If certified documents have already been submitted to the KU, please send us simple copies and the form “Confirmation of submission of certified documents.” 
 

Deadlines for pursuing a doctoral degree

Enrollment for a doctoral degree is generally limited to eight semesters in accordance with the Bavarian Higher Education Innovation Act (BayHIG).

It is still possible to complete the doctoral thesis after the eight-semester enrollment period has expired. In justified cases, an application for an extension of enrollment in the doctoral program may also be submitted. To do so, please contact the Student Office via the contact form under the “Re-registration” category.