Structured Ph.D. programs

If so, please make sure you have all the information on the tasks that will be required of you as part of your doctoral studies. You can find more details in the regulations for a doctoral degree of the faculty that is in charge of the program. These regulations will also define who would qualify as your potential academic supervisor (e.g. if they have to be tenured professors or not).   

If you have made a decision in favor of a particular Ph.D. program, you should approach the respective contact persons directly. Please discuss if you will be assigned an academic supervisor in the PhD program or if the independent search for a supervisor is part of the application process.

1. First, you will have to apply for your chosen Ph.D. program. 

Please note that each Ph.D. program has its own application procedure and deadlines!

2. If you have been accepted into the chosen Ph.D. program, you will have to apply for admission as a doctoral candidate at the faculty that is in responsible for the program.

For the specific admission requirements and achievements to complete for the Ph.D. degree, please refer to the valid regulations for a doctoral degree of the faculty that is responsible for your doctoral project. A doctoral degree generally requires the writing of a doctoral dissertation, an oral examination and the publication of the dissertation. If successful, you will be awarded a doctorate. The quality criteria developed by the Potsdam Graduate School are regarded as the minimum standards to be met for Ph.D. projects.

The seven faculties of the University of Potsdam are responsible for providing subject-specific supervision and carrying out the Ph.D. projects. If you have questions or need further information, please contact the responsible contact persons in the faculties’ offices of the dean.

Prospective or current doctoral candidates from outside Germany can also seek support from the Welcome Center Potsdam.

3.  After successful admission, you can enroll as a doctoral candidate.

If you have already submitted all the necessary documents for admission to your faculty, they will be forwarded internally to the Office of Student Affairs at the University of Potsdam after your admission has been confirmed. Exceptions: Doctoral candidates at the Faculty of Science and the Digital Engineering Faculty will have to hand in their enrollment documents and their notification of admission from the faculty at the Office of Student Affairs.

The Office of Student Affairs will then send you a request for the transfer of the semester fee. Upon receipt of the fee, your Potsdam University Chip Card PUCK will be created and mailed to you alongside further information material.

Doctoral candidates from other universities have the possibility to join a DFG Research Training Group as an associate member – provided they are pursuing their doctoral degree in the relevant research field.