Information for PhD candidates

A doctorate in Germany means that you receive a doctoral degree from a University. The doctorate is based on the respective doctoral procedure of the faculty. If you meet the formal and field–specific requirements listed there, you will be awarded the academic degree "Doktor" (Dr.).

At the University of Regensburg, individual doctorates and doctorates in structured programs are possible, depending on the field.

Individual doctorates are based on independent research carried out alone under the supervision of one professor. In structured PhD programs, a team of supervisors guide their doctoral candidates.

⇒ Research in Germany

⇒ Research in Bavaria

Further information on the structured programs as well as a comprehensive offer of scientific events can be found on the homepage of the Center for Graduate & Postgraduate Researchers.

⇒ Center for Graduate & Postgraduate Researchers

Financing options

Your doctorate will involve a lot of work and time. As a general rule, a doctorate takes between three and four years. Therefore, it is absolutely necessary that you inform yourself in advance about financing possibilities such as a scholarship or employment at a department of the University of Regensburg, regardless of how long your research stay will last.

⇒ List of funding opportunities

⇒ Further information about financing and related health insurance questions

Process Overview

♦ If you have already found a supervisor and you will pursue a doctoral degree from UR, there are two different steps for you to follow as a PhD candidate. The first step is to register with your faculty as a doctoral candidate and then, once step one has been completed, you have the option to enroll as a student at the Registrar's Office:

1. Acceptance as a doctoral candidate from the respective faculty.

To be accepted, you must meet the respective requirements for a doctorate and receive the confirmation of supervision from your doctoral supervisor. It is the respective faculty that will ultimately decide about your acceptance as a PhD candidate. Please get in touch with the administration office (Fakultätsverwaltung) of your faculty. Please note that the acceptance process through the faculty can take up to several month.

You must also register yourself as a new PhD candidate in the Doctoral Student Portal. Please contact your faculty about this.

⇒ Register as a doctoral student

2. Enrollment as student at the Registrar's Office (Studierendenkanzlei).

This allows you to receive a student ID card and student status. However, this enrollment is only possible once the faculty has officially accepted you as a doctoral candidate. The officially acceptance to be presented to the Registrar's Office is the “Confirmation of doctoral study” (Promotionsbescheinigung).

♦ If you do not pursue a doctoral degree and you are at UR for a part of your PhD research:

1. Confirmation of supervision from your doctorial supervisor in Regensburg. Be in close contact with your supervisor and your faculty and follow their instructions.

2. Enrollment as student at the Registrar's Office (Studierendenkanzlei). This allows you to receive a student ID card and student status.

Please note: The enrollment as a student at the Registrar's Office is generally not compulsory unless you have certain conditions which require your enrollment!

For step 1 you must follow the instructions of your supervisor and faculty.

For step 2 the Welcome Center can support you.

Further Information regarding acceptance at the faculty and enrollment: