News, Dates & Events
Information about Residence PermitPhD/Doctorate at Ulm University
Traditionally, German universities do not offer PhD programs with course schedule. Recently, new programs based on the Anglo-American model have been started, for example, the 
International PhD Programme in Molecular Medicine. The academic MSc. degree doesn't entitle an admission as a PhD student in Germany. Mostly PhD places are released from Professor if they received a permission for the realization of a research project. Doctoral students work on their special research topics under the supervision of a professor ("Doktorvater/Doktormutter").
In general, there are two ways to write a dissertation:
1. "Monograph" (monograph: as yet commonly written in Germany)
2. Cumulative dissertation: PhD students submit a collection (from a scientific journal previewed or submitted) including articles/publications with cohesive content.
After finishing the written dissertation, doctoral students have to pass a "Disputation" and/or a "Rigorosum" to complete the PhD programme successfully. This depends on the rules of the chosen faculty.
To be accepted as a doctoral student you need to have a German diploma or a master's or an equivalent degree. Usually, it is required a final grade better than 2 (good) or the student belongs to the best 10% of his study year. Additionally, you are expected a wide knowledge of English language skills.
To get the information HOW you can realize your PhD/Promotion you can experience in the 
STUDIENFACHBERATUNG (study subject consultation).
All regulations concerning with the process of a doctorate's earning you can find under the “Promotionsordnung” ("doctoral degree regulations"). The “Promotionssekretariat“ (admission office for doctoral students) of your faculty provides advice concerning the entire process of gaining a doctoral degree. In order to be accepted as a doctoral student, you must apply at the admission office ("Annahme als Doktorand", further documents). The final acceptance decision is made by a committee of the respective faculty ("Promotionsausschuss"). After that you will get a certificate about the acceptance as a doctoral student from the admission office or from you supervisor.
How can I find a supervisor (Doktorvater/Doktormutter) and a thesis subject?
1. A professor (or private lecture) of your wished department offers a place:
| a) as Doktorand/PhD-Student in a research project (with or without teaching obligation; You can find these offers: |
http://listserv.uni-heidelberg.de/science-jobs-de/ (German)
http://listserv.uni-heidelberg.de/science-jobs-de/sjd-e.html (English)
http://www.academics.de/wissenschaft/promotionsstellen_37163.html (German)
http://www.uni-ulm.de/einrichtungen/hrem/stellenangebote.html (German)
http://www.uni-ulm.de/en/einrichtungen/materialwissenschaftliche-elektronenmikroskopie/vacancies.html (English)
http://www.uni-ulm.de/einrichtungen/mm/international-phd-programme-in-molecular-medicine/open-phd-positions.html (English)
2. Applications for a DAAD scholarship (when stay yet in your home country), for a Promotion/PhD study in Germany:
To get such a scholarship you have to find a German professor (Doktovater/Doktormutter) who supervises your work. Therefore you have to compare your preconditions with the study/working subjects of the professors and to write speculative applications. You will have more success to get a positive answer from the professor if you explain the professor:
- What you have studied
- Which practice you have
- What kind of work you want to do
The most professors depreciate standard speculative applications especially if they were sent to each person of his working group.Research Grants for Doctoral Candidates and Young Academics and ScientistsApplication Forms / DownloadsApplication for Research Grants and Study ScholarshipsCountry-specific Information on the DAAD Scholarship Programmes 2011/2012
In case you can find a Promotion-/PhD offer you have to apply for this position like a job application. Selected candidates will be invited for a job interview. Usually, the assistance in such a project should get along with a working contract or with possibilities to apply for a program/department scholarship.
3. In case you prefer to work for a subject selected by yourself you must search for a professor supervising you (“Doktorvater/ Doktormutter”) and you also need to be accepted as a doctoral student by the admission office. You have to finance your living costs by yourself. You also can apply for a 
scholarship of several foundations (including DAAD, you must apply for it from your home country). In rare cases the supervisor will be able to support you financially (at first for the needed equipment). This financing has to be very reasoned for the application of a residence permit otherwise they will refuse your entry.
Requirements for Admission as Doctoral Student from foreign countries
The acceptance letter / invitation letter from a professor at Ulm University is not sufficient to guarantee the admission as doctoral student. For this reason it's strongly recommended that applicants for doctoral studies send the following documents in English or German to the hosting department. The department submits these documents to the admissions office and to the faculty committee ("Promotionsausschuss") for verification:
- Transcripts of records listing all courses and results of the BSc./MSc. programs
from the home university including the topic of the Master's thesis (English or German) - Copies of degrees awarded at home university (English or German)
- Good German or English language proficiency.
For admission as a doctoral student at Ulm University applicants have to submit the above listed original documents including an officially certified German or English translation after arrival. Otherwise the acceptance as doctoral student will be rejected.
Visa and Foreigners registration office
If a visa is requiered to enter Germany do NOT apply for a tourist visa.
The tourist visa cannot be changed to a residence permit visa.
PhD students or "Doktoranden" must 
after their arrival similar to degree seeking students:
- to opt in with your hiring contract within one week at registration office
- as a NON-EU-Doktorand/PhD-Student to cover a health insurance
- open a bank account
For the foreigners registration office it is needed:
- permission as Doktorand/Phd student
- hiring contract
- registration of registration office (Einwohnermeldeamt)
- certification of a health insurance including all possible arising cost in Germany
- working contract, scholarship certification:
(certification of a monthly income in the amount of the "BAföG-Höchstsatz" (670 €)
or a certification about a balance of a blocked account ("Sperrkonto") with 12 times
of the parent independend monthly "BAföG-Höchstsatz" to get a one year permission)
To apply for a "residence permit for researcher" see first information here.
Enrolment as Doctoral student at Ulm University
After the acceptance as a Doctoral student through the "Promotionsausschuss" you can use the
certification to enrol (bewerben/immatrikulieren) yourself additionally as a "Promotionsstudent"
at Ulm University. This enrolment is independent of the employment or scholarship status
(§ 38 Abs. 5 Landeshochschulgesetz, Stand 2010).
There are two different ways to enrol:
Bewerbung:you finished your study which legitimates you for a docotral study NOT at Ulm Univeristy
Immatrikulation: you finished your study which legitimates you for a docotral study at Ulm Univeristy
The enrolment (Bewerbung/Immatrikulation) takes place at „Abt. II-1 Zulassung“ (only in German):
To enrol (Bewerbung/Immatrikulation) at Ulm University you musst pay following fees per semester (NO study fees!):
- Verwaltungskostenbeitrag: 40,00 €
- Studentenwerksbeitrag: 63,50 €
Advantage: advantages for students in the Mensa, permision to buy a "Semesterticket"
Once your Promotion/PhD is finished you have to exmatriculate
otherwise you have to keep on paying the fees.