If you would like to pursue a doctorate at Kiel University (Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, CAU), the first formal step is the acceptance as a doctoral candidate by one of its faculties. This should ideally take place before you begin your research work. The requirements and procedures are set out in the respective Doctoral Degree Regulations.

Most GEOMAR doctoral researchers are registered with the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, while a smaller number are registered with the Faculty of Engineering. Both faculties are governed by a joint doctoral degree regulation.

Information on how to apply for acceptance as a doctoral candidate at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, and which documents are required, is clearly explained on the faculty’s website linked here: Starting the Doctorate. (Tip: In the menu on the right-hand side, you will find a step-by-step guide ("Guidance Notes") to your doctoral journey — from acceptance by the faculty to the publication of your dissertation.)

If you wish to pursue your doctorate at the Faculty of Engineering, please contact the dean’s office directly.

For a doctorate at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences or the Faculty of Engineering at CAU, acceptance as a doctoral candidate by the respective faculty is required. In addition, you have the option of enrolling as a doctoral student at CAU and thereby benefiting from the various advantages of student status. Enrolment is currently voluntary (as of May 2026) and can be completed conveniently online. Further information on enrolment can be found here (webpage in German only).

Would you like to enrol at CAU?

• Domestic doctoral researchers use the CAU portal (online enrolment)
• International doctoral researchers register via the International Center at CAU

In addition to the university-related formalities, you will also need to complete several administrative steps at GEOMAR. These include, in particular, GEOMAR-specific framework conditions and the submission of a research and career development plan at the beginning of your doctoral phase. Below you will find further information and the relevant documents for download.

Framework Conditions for Supervising Doctoral Researchers at GEOMAR & Research and Career Development Plan

An important and mandatory step in the administrative process at GEOMAR is the signing of the Framework Conditions for Supervising Doctoral Researchers. This document—comparable to a Study and Supervision Agreement—regulates the collaboration between the doctoral researcher and their supervisors and establishes a transparent basis for the doctoral project.

Please sign the “Framework Conditions” (pages 4–5) together with your supervisors and send the document to youngtalents(at)geomar.de. Important: the primary supervisor must be the same person as stated in the faculty’s Study and Supervision Agreement.

The document also includes the Research and Career Development Plan. This serves as a basis for the doctoral project and for the semi-annual Thesis Advisory Committee (TAC) meetings. It should be submitted within the first three months of the doctorate via youngtalents(at)geomar.de.

You can download the document here:

• Framework Conditions for Supervising Doctoral Researchers at GEOMAR incl. Research and Career Development Plan

Additional support from your DokTeam:

• Research and Career Development Plan for Doctoral Researchers (tips and help from the GEOMAR DokTeam)

Please also note the binding GEOMAR doctoral guidelines.

Thesis Advisory Committee Meetings (TAC meetings)

Six months after the start of your doctorate, and every six months thereafter, a Thesis Advisory Committee (TAC) meeting takes place. These meetings provide continuous support throughout your doctorate and offer a regular opportunity to discuss research progress with your supervisory team, address challenges, and plan next steps.

Organising the TAC meetings is the responsibility of the doctoral researchers. This means you must invite your supervisory team and coordinate the meetings independently.

The outcomes of the meeting are recorded in the GEOMAR TAC meeting minutes template. As a doctoral researcher, you are responsible for preparing and submitting the minutes (via youngtalents(at)geomar.de). The minutes document the key points discussed and the agreed next steps. Over time, this creates a clear record of project progress and also serves as documentation of agreed decisions.

TAC meetings help you actively structure your doctoral process, receive regular feedback, and develop your academic career in a targeted way. They end only upon submission of the dissertation to the university.

You can access the form here:

• GEOMAR TAC meeting minutes template

Additional support from your DokTeam:

• TAC Meeting Guidelines (tips and guidance from the GEOMAR DokTeam)

A small piece of advice:

Around two years after the start of your doctorate, it is advisable to discuss your career planning with your supervisors—both within academia and beyond. This conversation builds on the experiences from the TAC meetings and annual discussions and helps you reflect on your development and plan your next steps.

Doctoral researchers at GEOMAR have access to various qualification and support opportunities that can be used throughout the entire doctoral phase:

1. Graduate Center of Kiel University

The Graduate Center of Kiel University offers a wide range of courses, workshops, and individual counselling services for academic and transferable skills development. In addition, you can apply for financial support, such as travel grants for research stays or participation in conferences.

Access to these services requires registration following successful acceptance as a doctoral candidate at a faculty of Kiel University.

👉 Key areas at a glance:

Events and qualifications

• Courses and workshops from the Graduate Center’s full programme

Financial support

• Information on funding opportunities, particularly grants for research stays and the participation in academic events

Career support

• Offers such as potential analysis and individual career counselling

👉 Recommended courses during the doctorate

Year 1

• Good Scientific Practice
• Introduction to Research Data Management
• The Path to a Successful Doctorate (Natural & Life Sciences / Engineering)

Years 2 & 3

• Academic Writing
• Presentation Skills
• Defending with Confidence

For international doctoral researchers, the Graduate Center also provides helpful information and services, for example through the Welcome App and additional support offers for getting started in Kiel and at CAU.

2. FYORD - Foster Young Ocean Researcher Development

FYORD (Foster Young Ocean Researcher Development) is a joint programme of CAU and GEOMAR dedicated to supporting early-career researchers in marine sciences. It is aimed at master’s students, doctoral researchers, and postdocs and connects seven faculties of CAU with all four research divisions of GEOMAR.

Membership is free of charge and open to everyone working in the marine research environment at CAU and GEOMAR. FYORD members can make use of all programme offers. You can register here.

FYORD offers:

👉 Courses, workshops & networking opportunities

• Courses and workshops with an interdisciplinary focus on marine sciences
• Career orientation within and beyond academia
• Networking opportunities within the marine science community in Kiel and beyond

An overview of upcoming courses and events can be found here.

👉 Financial support

FYORD supports academic activities through several funding schemes. Particularly relevant for doctoral researchers are:

• Research Grant – funding for independent research projects and academic development; up to €5,000 per project; call once per year
• Event Grant – funding for workshops, conferences, and academic events; up to €4,000; call once per year
• Travel Grant – support for conference and research travel in Germany and abroad; up to €500; ongoing applications possible

FYORD thus specifically promotes academic independence, interdisciplinary collaboration, and international networking throughout all qualification phases.

👉 Further information about FYORD can be found here.

3. GEOMAR Early Career Support

We support doctoral researchers directly at the centre and serve as a central contact point for questions related to qualification, professional development, and career planning during the doctorate. Our goal is to support your academic and personal development and to help identify suitable next steps together with you.

In addition to organising our own events and workshops, we are involved in the planning and further development of FYORD activities. We are also connected across the Helmholtz Association and can in some cases provide access to courses and training opportunities offered by other Helmholtz centres.

Our offers and information are regularly communicated via an internal mailing list.

👉 What we offer

• Our own events and workshops at GEOMAR
• Access to selected courses offered by other Helmholtz centres
• Regular updates via our mailing list
• Confidential counselling sessions on all topics related to the doctorate; we also serve as a first point of contact in cases of conflict

Our support offers are continuously shaped by the needs and feedback of doctoral researchers. If there are topics, skills, or support formats you feel are currently missing, we would be very happy to hear from you. Your feedback helps us further develop relevant and useful offers for the doctoral community at GEOMAR.

The “Helmholtz School for Marine Data Science” (MarDATA) is a graduate school funded by the Helmholtz Association. Its aim is to define and train a new generation of “marine data scientists” by introducing and integrating researchers from the fields of computer science and mathematics into marine sciences. The graduate school covers a broad spectrum of topics, ranging from supercomputing and modelling to (bio)informatics and robotics, as well as statistics and big data methods.