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Prospective Doctoral Students
The University of Cologne offers numerous opportunities to obtain a doctorate: in structured programmes, in the traditional German individual doctorate under supervision as well as in cooperation with non-university research institutions.
Why do your PhD in Germany?
"German PhDs have an excellent reputation and are internationally recognised."
Structured vs. individual PhD
Structured vs. individual PhD
Structured doctoral programmes
Browse through the websites of the Albertus Magnus Center (AMC) to learn about the possibilities at the University of Cologne or contact the faculties directly:
Doctoral Studies at the University of Cologne
1. General Requirements
General requirements for recognition of your university degree:
- Meeting the requirements for a PhD program at your university in your home country
- Completion of at least 4 years at an university followed by an exam and usually a Master thesis.
German language proficiency
Generally, you can earn your PhD in German and English at all faculties. In case you want to persue your doctorate in any other language than German please be aware that some faculties require an application and the approval of the supervisor.
Please confirm with your doctoral advisor
a) which language you want to write your dissertation in
b) which language your oral examination (Disputatio or Rigorosum) will take place in.
2. PhD / MD Regulations
Please inform yourself about your PhD / MD program requirements and process by carefully reading the regulations for the degree of your choice. For certain programs you need to have particular language skills or participate in doctoral student courses or lectures.
Below you will find the PhD regulations for each faculty:
3. Contacting Your Doctoral Advisor
If you decide to pursue an individual PhD at the University of Cologne, you will need a doctoral advisor ("Doktorvater","Doktormutter").
Professors who can fulfill this function may be found on the web pages of the individual faculties. Please contact the desired advisor as early as possible.
When you contact a potential doctoral advisor, please enclose the following documents:
- Complete C.V.
- Description of your scientific research development
- Draft/outline of your research project.
If the professor accepts you as a doctoral advisee, he or she will issue a confirmation of academic supervision.
4. Contacts in the Faculties
Faculty of Management, Economics and Social Sciences
Contact:
Frau Astrid Greuel
Phone: +49-221-470-3213
E-Mail: promotion@wiso.uni-koeln.de
Graduate School of the Faculty of Law
Contact:
Dr. Tatiana Chekushina
Phone: +49-221-470-6204
E-Mail: jura-promotion(at)uni-koeln.de
Faculty of Medicine
Contact:
Mr. Sven Over & Ms. Silke Paul
Phone: +49-221-478-5354
E-Mail: medfak-promotionsbuero@uni-koeln.de
Faculty of Arts and Humanities - Central PhD Office of
a.r.t.e.s. Graduate School for the Humanities Cologne
Contact: N.N.
Phone: +49-221-470-1259
E-Mail: promotionsbuero-phil-fak@uni-koeln.de
Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences
Contact:
Ms Karin Gotzmann
Phone: +49 221 470 4225
E-mail: mnf-promotionen@uni-koeln.de
Ms Alexandra Grömling
Phone: +49 221 470 6555
E-mail: mnf-promotionen@uni-koeln.de
Faculty of Human Sciences
Contact:
Ms Karin Schüller
Phone: +49-221-470-4619
E-Mail: promotion-hf@uni-koeln.de
5. Application
The application processes at the different Faculties vary. Please inform yourself on the respective websites or contact the contact persons at the Faculties, view point 4.
6. Enrollment
After receiving the admission from the responsible Doctoral Office, you can enroll at the International Office of the University of Cologne.
Checklist for enrollment for doctoral students
Mail account
Every registered doctoral student has a student e-mail account. The mail address of the account is composed of the name of the student account and the ending "@smail.uni-koeln.de" (e.g. Max Mustermann has the mail address "mmusterm3@smail.uni-koeln.de).
In your own interest, you are obliged to regularly read your mails in this account, as all university communication runs via this address and you receive important information via this address (e.g. about upcoming exmatriculations due to non-payment). You will not receive any information on your "uni-koeln.de" account.
Contact
For e-mail enquiries please use our contact form.
Address:
Universität zu Köln
Dezernat Internationales, Team Zulassung
Studierenden Service Center (SSC), ground floor
Universitätsstr. 22a
50937 Köln
SSC (Student Service Center)
Service Point and telephone availability: General enquiries:
Opening hours:
Tuesday and Thursday: 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Wednesday: 1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Telephone: 0221-470-7797
Personal consultation (digital and in presence) with appointment booking/registration:
Prospective students - Bachelor/State Examination (for non-EU citizens):
tuesdays (in presence, address above) 10 am - 12:30 pm (registration)
wednesdays (digital, zoom) 4 pm - 6 pm (registration)
Prospective students - Bachelor/State Examination (for EU citizens and and citizens on equal terms, Germans with foreign Entrance Qualification):
tuesdays (in presence, address above) 10 am - 12:30 pm (registration)
wednesdays (digital, zoom) 4 pm - 6 pm (registration)
Prospective students - Master:
By appointment: (registration)
Prospective Doctoral Students:
Faculty of Management, Economis and Social Science; Faculty of Law, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Faculty of Human Sciences
tuesdays (in presence, address above) 10 am - 12:30 pm (registration)
wednesdays (digital, zoom) 4 pm - 6 pm (registration)
Faculty of Medicine
tuesdays (in presence, address above) 10 am - 12:30 pm (registration)
wednesdays (digital, zoom) 4 pm - 6 pm (registration)
