Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin - Faculty of Life Sciences

Steps to do your doctorate

There are many different ways to do a doctorate. Therefore, in the run-up to a doctorate the following questions, among others, should be clarified:

  1. Would you like to do your doctorate directly at a university or would you prefer to do it at a non-university research institution or in industry?
  2. Would you prefer to do your doctorate individually or become a member of a structured doctoral degree programme?
  3. How will you finance your doctorate and your livelihood during the doctoral period?

 

The Research in Germany website and the ZEIT CAMPUS Guide to Doctoral Studies (unfortunately only available in German) provide comprehensive information and decision-making aids for persons interested in doctoral studies. On our website you will find additional information on funding opportunities during your doctorate.

 

We also provide a list of structured doctoral degree programmes and non-university research institutions that may be relevant to you. Please refer to the respective websites of the institutions for information on application modalities.

 

Please note that the right to award doctorates is generally reserved for universities and higher education institutions. Doctoral candidates must therefore apply for admission to a doctorate at a university - even if they are already a member of a structured doctoral programme or a non-university research institution. The doctoral degree regulations of the faculty at the university apply.

 

If you are considering doing a doctorate at the Faculty of Life Sciences at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, please take note of the doctoral degree regulations of the Faculty of Life Sciences from 10.10.2022. Please note that in this case you will only be admitted to doctoral studies once you have found (usually) two supervisors from the Faculty of Life Sciences for your research project (see §6 of the doctoral regulations of 10.10.2022). If you have not yet found supervisors for your doctoral project, please contact the departments on the websites of the institutes in order to find out about faculty members and their subject areas. Afterwards you may submit an application for admission to doctoral studies at the Faculty of Life Sciences at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin.

 

If you have individual questions about doctoral studies at the Faculty of Life Sciences at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, you can contact the coordinator of the Graduate Centre Life Sciences.