Dear doctoral researcher welcome to GEOMAR!

If not done already - please contact youngtalents(at)geomar.de to schedule a first welcome meeting with GEOMARs Young Talents Support right at the start of your doctoral project.

To be fully integrated into the doctoral researchers community please also contact the dokteam, the doctoral researchers representatives at GEOMAR.

Welcome letter (E)

GEOMAR welcome information package for doctoral reasearchers.

Welcome information - basics (E).

Below there is a list with doctoral researchers information files at CAU.

• Starting your Doctoral studies with CAU International Center
• Check list for doctoral candidates
• CAU Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences
• Doctoral Degree Regulations / Promotionsordnung 

Steps before/at start of your thesis work

Please download First steps for PhDs at GEOMAR - D u. E and follow the steps listed there.

1. Framework conditions for supervising doctoral researchers at GEOMAR (("supervision agreement") - E and here - D).

• Please download and open with Adobe Acrobat Reader as opening within browsers may inhibit pull down menue functions.
• Please sign "supervision agreement" (pages 4/5), have it signed by your supervisors (important: the primary supervisor must be the same person as in the supervision agreement of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (form [-A2] (here there is only one and thus responsible, supervising person)) and return it by email to youngtalents(at)geomar.de (more below at "Succession of steps for doctoral studies at GEOMAR").
• Information about new "supervision agreement" (download).
• GEOMAR Research plan and career development plan for doctoral researchers - E, resp. -D
  • Research and career development plan for doctoral researchers (tips and help by the GEOMAR DokTeam). 
• GEOMAR doctoral project protocol form / TAC-meeting protocol (MS WORD document - E, resp. -D) - the doctoral researchers are responsible for the timely planning and realization of the doctoral committee meetings - it's not the supervisors resposibility.
  • TAC Meeting Guidelines (tips and help by the GEOMAR DokTeam).
• GEOMAR Doctoral Guidelines / GEOMAR Promotionsleitlinie
• Code of conduct (DFG) / GWP-Leitlinien (DFG)

2. Application for acceptance as a doctoral researcher [-A] by the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences

• IMPORTANT: Registration of your thesis work (form [-A]) by upload to the faculty server (the application for acceptance as a doctoral researcher into the list of doctoral researchers has to be made prior to the beginning of any research work).
• A scan of the certificate of the Master Degree has to be uploaded additionally [-A1]. In case of a not European certificate also the certificate of the Bachelor Degree and transcripts of record of both certificates have to be added.
• Registration for doctoral projects requires submission of the application for acceptance as a doctoral candidate as well as the  Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences supervision agreement (form [-A2] - only this is accepted by the faculty) and the Master of Science cerificate.

3. Enrollment at CAU as doctoral researcher (s.b. CAU enrollment documents)

• Domestic doctoral candidates enroll at CAU via CAU-Portal (Online-Einschreibung)
• Foreign doctoral candidates enroll at CAU via International Center

4. Register at FYORD (just upload the GEOMAR supervision agreement).

5. Register at Graduate Center (CAU)

• The Graduate Center offers a highly recommended course on "Entry into doctoral studies for natural scientists, engineers and life scientists" as well as for many other subjects - esp. on: 
• Information for doctoral candidates from abroad

6. Registration for the disputation [-Zu] 

• Steps regarding registration for the disputation should be tackled starting about 6 months ahead of your planned disputation date. 
• Subsequent forms and uploads to the faculty server have to be done (Form: Vorschläge Zweitgutachten [-ZuG], Form: Publication of the dissertation, Information sheet: Publication of doctoral dissertations etc.)

In order to pursue a doctorate in Germany, candidates must meet the formal requirements of the university at which they wish to obtain their degree. It is advisable to thoroughly read the respective doctoral regulations of the selected faculty. Scholarship holders who wish to come to GEOMAR as guest researchers with a specific topic and corresponding funding for their doctoral project must then find a supervisor at GEOMAR who is authorized to supervise doctoral candidates. Scholarship holders accepted by GEOMAR as guest researchers have the same rights and obligations as other guest researchers at GEOMAR. It is important to emphasize that employees and guests of GEOMAR have different rights and obligations under the law.

For further information, please contact youngtalents@geomar.de

Steps listed below are necessary internal steps at GEOMAR - do not forget about the necessary steps regarding Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at CAU, FYORD and CAU Graduate Centre (s. "Welcome package" steps 2 to 6).

Please download First steps for PhDs at GEOMAR - D u. E

1. - Signing the supervision agreement at the start of the doctoral studies (download editable PDF - "supervision agreement" - E and here - D)

• Hand in supervision agreement to youngtalents(at)geomar.de.

2. - 3 months after your start hand in the research plan and career development plan for doctoral researchers (download information - E, resp. -D).

• Guidelines for your research plan and career development plan (coming soon). 
• Hand in research and career development plan to youngtalents(at)geomar.de.

3. - 6 months after your start have a supervisory committee meeting and hand in the meeting protocol (download MS WORD document - E, resp. -D)

Submission of the minutes of the semi-annual meetings of the doctoral committee (deadline every 6 months from the start date of the thesis work).

• Guidelines for TAC meetings (coming soon).
• Hand in meeting protocol to youngtalents(at)geomar.de.

4. - Repeating step 3 every 6 months until submission of the dissertation to the university which is considered the completion of the work at GEOMAR.

• If your research plan and career development plan has to be changed, please update as it is a living document.
• Hand in changed research and career development plan to youngtalents(at)geomar.de

5. - Approximately two years after starting their doctoral studies, doctoral researchers are expected to hold a discussion with their supervisors concerning their career planning in and/or outside the scientific field.

Enrollment documents

You will only be enrolled if all the required documents are complete and submitted on time!

The processing of the received documents takes about 2-3 weeks.

Please note that applications that are not received until the end of the period may not be processed in good time before the start of the course. Therefore, submit the documents as early as possible.

Doctoral research study / Promotion

• 1. Application for enrollment from the online enrollment (original - no electronic signature!) Exception for "re-enrolers" (who were enrolled at the CAU from the summer semester 2010 and are exmatriculated): signed application for enrollment (original - no electronic signature!)
  • Domestic doctoral candidates enroll at CAU via CAU-Portal (Online-Einschreibung)
  • Foreign doctoral candidates enroll at CAU via International Center.
• 2. Proof of payment of semester fee including registration fee (e.g. B. a copy of the bank statement, an online transfer printout or a receipt).
  • Purpose: Applicant number (from the CAU Kiel enrollment portal or from the application for enrollment; not the BID or BAN from Hochschulstart!)
  • Please only enter the applicant number as purpose and no other names, dates and texts! Otherwise the contribution cannot be booked correctly!
  • Exception purpose: for re-enrollers old matriculation number or first and last name
  • Bank details
• 3. University entrance qualification (e.g. Abitur) (simple copy). In the case of foreign certificates, proof of equivalence and proof of German language skills / German test must be provided.
• 4. Identity card or passport (simple copy)
• 5. Written proof from a dean’s office that you have been accepted as a doctoral candidate at a faculty at the CAU, confirming that the legal requirements for a doctorate have been met (simple copy).
• 6. Certificates of final examinations already taken (master’s degree, diploma, state examination) (simple copy)
• 7. Exmatriculation certificates from all previously attended German universities, colleges or technical colleges (simple copy).
• 8. Certificates of study progress from all previously attended universities, colleges or technical colleges (simple copies). All periods of study and degree programs must be proven.

Notice

Semester contribution / registration fee

Your enrollment will only be processed if you have paid the semester contribution and the enrollment fee before submitting the documents and provide proof of payment with a receipt. The amount to be paid consists of the semester (for the student union and the student body including semester ticket and state-wide semester ticket) and a one-off registration fee (processing fee).

More information regarding Application - admission - enrollment on CAU pages.

City Office - Citizen Services - What can I apply for online?

Here you will find important informations about the arrival in Germany.

Click here and be part of the GEOMAR team.

• Information regarding financing of dissertations (German language only).
• Here you will find the appropriate informations.

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