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About DissOnline

The German National Library houses the largest national collection of online dissertations in Europe. We have been collecting online dissertations and theses since 1998. Since then, the collection has grown to more than 284,000 documents (as of November 2020).

Since these activities began under the aegis of DissOnline more than 20 years ago, electronic publishing has become a part of everyday university life. This is due to the close cooperation between universities, their libraries and computer centres, and representatives of academia as well as the long-standing support provided through projects funded by the German Research Foundation ( DFG ).

The DissOnline project was brought to a successful, sustainable conclusion. Stakeholders whose initiative had supported DissOnline then became free to transfer their commitment to other areas. In June 2012, the DissOnline advisory committee therefore decided to integrate the functions and information on the website www.dissonline.de into the German National Library’s services. This is particularly relevant in terms of the deposit of works with the German National Library. The extended metadata format XMetaDissPlus enables all types of publications and documents available in subject-specific and institutional repositories and on university servers to be deposited in just one fully automated transaction.

Deposit information

The DissOnline portal is also integrated into the German National Library's catalogue as a search option. This means that online dissertations are listed as a component of the German National Library’s collection alongside traditional printed dissertations, other online university publications and academic literature. Our catalogue offers a wide variety of search options that are constantly being developed and optimised further. You will find an explanation of all the available search options here:

Guide to searching dissertations and theses in the German National Library’s catalogue (only available in German)

In order to enhance the international visibility of the collection, the metadata for all German online dissertations is continually delivered to DART , the European portal for online dissertations. NDLTD : Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations is committed to the promotion of electronic publishing in the academic sector beyond Europe. The International Symposium on Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETD) takes place every year.

Statistical information

Online university publications have been collected, catalogued and archived at the German National Library since 1998. The illustration shows how the percentage of online publications has developed over the years since this work began. Here it must be considered that although dissertations are subject to a mandatory publication obligation and an obligation to be placed on deposit with the German National Library, only an approximate impression of doctoral and publication activities in Germany can be given.

As the statistics refer to the year in which the publication was released rather than the year in which it was deposited, it is quite possible that figures may rise in succeeding years. This applies in particular to the most recent full year.

The DissOnline projects

• 1998–2000 Dissertations Online
• 2003–2004 Establishment of a coordinating body for online university publications
• 2005–2007 DissOnline Tutor
• 2005–2008 Establishment of a portal for online university publications

The intensive cooperation between all partners and sponsors also made it possible to start collecting dissertations and theses on a voluntary basis in 1998, eight years before the amendment to the Law Regarding the German National Library and the provision stipulating the mandatory deposit of online publications.

Last changes: 08.03.2021 Short-URL: https://www.dnb.de/dissonline

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German Language and Literature: Dissertations & Theses

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Dissertation search tools available at Yale

• Orbis (Yale dissertations only) Orbis holds records for all Yale dissertations for which microfilm copies exist, i.e. all dissertations completed in departments of the Graduate School since 1965, plus select dissertations completed in departments of the Graduate School between 1892 & 1965. Yale dissertations can be located in Orbis by: (1) Entering the author / title in a Simple Search (2) Using the terms “dissertation” or “thesis” and words known to be in the bibliographic record in a Keyword search. more... less... If you do not locate a Yale dissertation in Orbis, check the card catalog at Manuscripts and Archives. Except for some early dissertations that are not available, all Yale dissertations are held at Manuscripts and Archives.
• ProQuest Dissertations & Theses This database makes nearly every dissertation ever filed in the United States available in PDF format. Not all dissertations are available, however, as authors with dissertations under contract with a press are sometimes encouraged not to make their dissertations freely available. In these cases you can at least read an abstract. Note that you can search by school, department, and adviser.

From European institutions

• DART-Europe The European portal for finding electronic theses and dissertations. DART-Europe is a partnership of research libraries and library consortia who are working together to improve global access to European research theses.
• Deutsche Nationalbibliothek German dissertations since 1998 are comprehensively collected by the National Library of Germany, so search its online catalog by clicking on the link above.
• Dissonline Searches electronic university publications held by the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek, including dissertations and "Habilitationen".
• Electronic Theses Online Service (EThOS) EThOS offers free access, in a secure format, to the full text of electronically stored UK theses--a rich and vast body of knowledge.
• Index to Theses A Comprehensive Listing of Theses with Abstracts Accepted for Higher Degrees by Universities in Great Britain and Ireland since 1716. Abstracts are available from many theses since 1970 and for all since 1986.
• Österreichische Dissertationsdatenbank This database references over 55,000 dissertations and theses held at Austrian universities; select dissertations are available online.

From international institutions

• CRL Center for Research Libraries Foreign Doctoral Dissertations Holds 800,000 dissertations from universities outside the U.S. and Canada. However, only 20,000 of these are cataloged in the database. If you know the exact title of a dissertation and do not find it in the database, CRL recommends searching the CRL Catalog. If the title does not appear in the database or the catalog, contact CRL directly to inquire if it is held. CRL continues to acquire about 5,000 titles per year from major universities.
• Networked Digital Library of Theses & Dissertations (NDLTD) The NDLTD is an international organization dedicated to promoting the adoption, creation, use, dissemination, and preservation of electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs). The NDLTD Catalog contains more than one million records of electronic theses and dissertations. For students and researchers, the Union Catalog makes individual collections of NDLTD member institutions and consortia appear as one seamless digital library of ETDs.
• The Universal Index of Doctoral Dissertations in Progress This site holds a database of voluntarily-registered, author-identified doctoral dissertations in progress around the world. Its goal is to avoid duplications in doctoral dissertations, create the ultimate meeting place for researchers, and allow for interaction between them. Bear in mind, though, that only dissertations which have been registered by their authors can be found in the database. Registration and access to the database are free.
• Theses Canada This is your central access point for Canadian theses. From here you will be able to: - search AMICUS, Canada's national online catalog, for bibliographic records of all theses in Library and Archives Canada's theses collection; - access & search the full text electronic versions of numerous Canadian theses and dissertations; - find out everything you need to know about Theses Canada, including how to find a thesis, information on copyright, etc.
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• Last Updated: Oct 12, 2023 12:21 PM
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Researching | Research Data Management | Writing | Publishing | Good Scientific Practice

Researching

All academic work begins with extensive research work to find existing research results, suitable literature and relevant sources or research data. But how and where should one begin with this search? Who can help when you don't know where to look next? How can huge amounts of literature be "managed" such that one is able to find the relevant passages again at a later date? And how does one draw up a proper bibliography?

Besides providing information on their website, the LMU University Library offers personal advisory services and regular seminars and e-tutorials on literature searching and reference management .

The Bayerische Staatsbibliothek (Bavarian state library) also offers workshops on literature searching and reference management .

The Plattform Literaturverwaltung (reference management platform) provides a compilation of software reviews .

The Munich archives keep a blog with information on  Munich archives as well as upcoming events.

Archivportal-D offers an overview of all archives in Germany .

Once a year, the GraduateCenter LMU organizes a workshop for doctoral candidates on the subject of "Quellenrecherche im Archiv", including an excursion to archives.

Research Data Management

The data obtained within the scope of research projects can range from text, image, film and sound documents to survey, laboratory and measurement data, objects, material samples, test procedures, databases, visualisations and much more. For the different phases that these data go through ("research data life cycle"), certain rules regarding good scientific practice must be observed.

The platform Forschungsdatenmanagement Bayern (research data management Bavaria) provides an overview of the Research Data Life Cycle , Software Tools and Online Training Programs as well as guidelines for the handling of research data ( Policies ).

The Alliance of Science Organizations in Germany has published Grundsätze zum Umgang mit Forschungsdaten (principles for handling research data) (PDF) and a Handreichung zum Forschungsdatenmanagement (guidelines on research data management) (PDF).

The guide Auffinden – Zitieren – Dokumentieren (finding – quoting – documenting) contains information on handling quantitative research data in Social Sciences and Economics .

The LMU Open Science Center aims to foster open science practices at LMU Munich and provides a Toolbox on its website.

The LMU data protection officers provide information on data protection regulations and institutions.

Some LMU faculties have established ethics committees , that advise on the handling of research data:

• Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences : Ethikkommission der Fakultät für Psychologie und Pädagogik
• Faculty of Medicine : Ethikkommission der Medizinischen Fakultät der LMU München
• Faculty of Social Sciences : Ethikkommission der Sozialwissenschaftlichen Fakultät
• Faculty of Economics : Faculty of Economics ethics committee

Die LMU University Library offers the platform Open Data LMU for the publication of research data. 

When writing a piece of academic work, various competencies and skills are required. Besides academic writing – sometimes in a foreign language – these include using the correct forms for quotes, handling copyright and image rights correctly, formatting long texts, creating and incorporating diagrams and illustrations, and much more.

At the LMU University Library , you will find information on composing a piece of academic writing , including notes on further reading and on copyrights.

The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) has published a guide on "Urheberrecht in der Wissenschaft" .

The GraduateCenter LMU regularly organizes workshops for doctoral candidates on the subject of "Academic Writing", "Akademisches Schreiben", "Projekt Promotion", "Schreibroutinen entwickeln" and "Urheberrecht und Bildrechte".

The LMU Writing Center in Faculty 13 has details for all writing support services and offers help in founding writing groups.

The LMU International Office offers courses for international doctoral candidates on the subject of "Scientific German".

Workshops which cover the IT skills required when writing a dissertation (not only word processing, but also spreadsheets, processing images, statistics, databases, etc.) are offered by:

• LMU IT division (for LMU employees only): IT courses
• Leibniz Supercomputing Centre (LRZ) : IT courses
• LMU Statistical C onsulting Unit (StaBLab) : Advisory services and courses
• LMU Humanities IT group (ITG) : Courses
• Digital Humanities München (.dhmuc) : Events

Once your dissertation had been accepted and you have passed the oral examination, your final challenge on the road to obtaining a doctorate lies in dealing with the necessary work for publishing your dissertation. Depending on the doctoral degree regulations in question, various degrees of publication are possible – on paper, in digital form or as a hybrid. However, you should carefully weight up the advantages and disadvantages before making your choice. Does the acceptance of the publication depend upon it being printed in book form by a renowned publishing house? Or is it more important for the book to be readily available anywhere in the world, at any time? Is there any way the two publication routes (printed and digital) can be combined? How much do each of the options cost?

Should you wish to publish intermediate results during the course of your doctorate project, please check first in the respective doctoral degree regulations and talk to your supervisor or the examination board in charge to see whether and/or to what extent this is permitted.

The website of the LMU University Library includes information on publishing dissertations and general information on open access publishing .

See open-access.net for more information on the subject of open access .

LMU unit I.6 provides information on copyright and final dissertations .

The GraduateCenter LMU organizes workshops for doctoral candidates on the topics of "Publishing" and "Urheberrecht und Bildrechte".

The Munich Digital Humanities work group (dhmuc.) provides information and organizes events on the subject of Digital Humanities .

Good Scientific Practice

When planning and executing a doctoral project or publishing results, a wide range of questions may arise relating to good scientific practice and to ethical or legal issues.

In the  Regulation of LMU München for Safeguarding Good Scientific Practice  (PDF), LMU Munich provides information on the rules of good scientific practice. Contact persons are the Ombudsperson for Self-Regulation in Science .

The GraduateCenter LMU provides introducing interdisciplinary information on responsible conduct in research and science in its e-learning course "Scientific Integrity and Good Scientific Practice" .

Some LMU faculties have established ethics committees , that advise on ethical aspects of research projects:

The German Research Foundation (DFG) provides information on good scientific practice and on handling security-relevant research .

Other academic institutions have also published papers on the subject. These include:

• ALL European Academies (ALLEA) : The European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity (PDF)
• German Council of Science and Humanities (WR) : Recommendations on Academic Integrity (PDF)
• German Rectors' Conference (HRK) : Good scientific practice at German higher education institutions (PDF)
• World Conferences on Research Integrity : Singapore Statement on Research Integrity (PDF)
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Find your PhD position in Germany

Before you start your search ....

Before you start your search you should know that there are different PhD models:

• Individual doctorate  or
• Structured PhD programmes

What's the difference? Check out our  overview of the various ways to do your PhD in Germany  

Find your individual doctorate

The "traditional" or "individual" path to a PhD remains the most common in Germany. An individual doctorate involves a thesis or dissertation that is produced under the  supervision of one professor . This form of PhD study offers a great deal of  flexibility , but demands a high degree of  personal initiative  and responsibility.

How to find your PhD supervisor

In Germany there is no central admissions or selection office for doctoral students. Therefore, your first step is to find a suitable professor who is willing to be your supervisor.

One way to find a supervisor is to look for a university institute that matches your area of research. The following online search engines might help you find a suitable supervisor:

• GERiT – German research institutions GERiT is a website containing information on approximately 29,000 research institutions in Germany. GERiT allows the user to search easily by location or subject. It provides all the information needed to choose an institution at which to research, study or do a doctorate. www.gerit.org
• Finding a PhD position PhDGermany publishes PhD openings in Germany that specifically target international applicants. Accordingly, in most cases the working language is English. Fluent knowledge of German is only required for certain special positions. PhDGermany helps you find the right PhD opening or supervisor for your doctoral thesis and assists you with the online application process. www.phdgermany.de
• Higher Education Compass   This database provides up-to-date information from universities about doctoral opportunities in Germany. The search engine enables you to carry out targeted searches on the basis of departments, admission requirements and form of doctoral thesis. www.higher-education-compass.de

Furthermore,  your contacts with your professors or previous university  could help direct you to a suitable department or potential supervisor in Germany.

It is also helpful to attend  academic conferences  in your own subject area. There you will be able to exchange information and make contacts ­– and perhaps even find a future PhD supervisor.

Find your structured PhD programme

DAAD/Ausserhofer/Himsel

Structured PhD programmes in Germany are frequently very similar to the PhD programmes in English-speaking countries, in which a  team of supervisors  look after a  group of doctoral students . Around 12,000 doctoral students from abroad – roughly one in four – do their PhDs in structured programmes. As a rule, it is possible to complete a doctorate in four to five years.

Where to find your PhD programme

There is no central database of all structured PhD programmes in Germany. You can usually find these programmes directly through the respective universities, graduate schools or non-university research institutions. The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) database is also a good place to look. Here you will find a large number of PhD programmes that are specially aimed at international doctoral students.

International doctoral programme database

Are you interested in an international doctoral programme in Germany? This DAAD database presents a selection of roughly 230 international doctoral programmes in Germany. The database can be searched according to different criteria.  www.daad.de/international-programmes 

Doctoral programmes at universities

Many universities offer structured doctoral programmes, which they publicise on their websites. The Student Advisory Service or Graduate Centre at the respective university will also provide help here. You can find the relevant addresses using the Higher Education Compass provided by the German Rectors’ Conference. www.higher-education-compass.de

​​​​​​​DFG-funded research training groups

Research training groups are also funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Foundation, DFG) for a period of up to nine years. Their key emphasis is on the qualification of doctoral researchers within the framework of a focused research programme and a structured training strategy. www.dfg.de > Current Research Training Groups

Helmholtz Research Schools, Colleges and Graduate Schools

The Helmholtz Association is Germany’s largest scientific organisation. In collaboration with various institutions of higher education, Helmholtz Association research centres have established structured PhD programmes under the auspices of Helmholtz Graduate Schools, Helmholtz Research Schools and Colleges.  www.helmholtz.de > PhD Candidates 

Leibniz Graduate Schools

The Leibniz Association connects 97 research institutes that conduct problem-oriented research and provide scientific infrastructure of national and international importance. Together with universities they run structured PhD programmes in Leibniz Graduate Schools. www.leibniz-association.eu > Leibniz Graduate Schools

International Max Planck Research Schools

The Max Planck Society specialises in innovative basic research and its institutes are able to offer up-and-coming researchers excellent infrastructure and support. The website lists the programmes available at International Max Planck Research Schools (IMPRS):  www.mpg.de > International Max Planck Research Schools  

Max Planck Schools

In Germany, the best researchers in a specific field are often work at different universities and non-university research institutions spread throughout the country. The Max Planck Schools serve as hubs which gather this distributed knowledge. Here, the brightest minds in their fields have come together from within the scientific community to interconnect in faculties made up of active researchers. Students gain access to these unique networks, learn in close personal exchange from leaders in their fields and their peers, and enjoy access to outstanding infrastructure. Currently, three Schools are operating in the fields of Cognition, Matter to Life, and Photonics. www.maxplanckschools.de

Where can I find out about requirements?

Application procedures  differ from programme to programme . The precise requirements and deadlines can be found on the website of the respective university, research training group or graduate school. You should therefore first choose a PhD programme and/or graduate school.

You've found the position you want to apply for, but how does applying to a potential supervisor or structured PhD programme work in Germany? Find out more here.

DAAD/Jan Zappner

We help you navigate through the large number of job portals that specialise in openings for academics and scientists. These are some of the sites that may get you started.

DAAD/Uta Konopka

Check out our brochure

Doing a phd in germany (2019, 40 pages).

This booklet for (prospective) international doctoral students presents the different options for doing a doctorate in Germany. It explains the formal requirements and gives some practical advice on finding the right supervisor or doctoral programme. It also outlines different sponsorship and funding options.

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Access to Dissertations

• ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global Includes more than 2 million entries.The single, central, authoritative resource for information about doctoral dissertations and master's theses.
• EBSCO Open Dissertations
• Interlibrary Loan the Library does not routinely purchase dissertations from other institutions. However, many are available through InterLibrary Services. Search in WorldCat for easiest ordering.
• Request a purchase for the library If you would like the Library to purchase a dissertation, contact the Librarian for the Department.

DissOnline : Open access dissertations online, a service of the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek .

Austrian dissertation database : now combined with the Verbundsuchmaschine

Helveticat . The Swiss National Library has a copy of all dissertations written in the country. Add the word “diss” to your search terms in order to retrieve dissertations.

EthOs : British Library dissertations

Index to Theses : comprehensive listing of theses with abstracts in universities in the United Kingdom and Ireland since 1716.

Buy Your Own

As a last resort , you can purchase dissertations directly.

Dissertation Express : US, from ProQuest

• Verify using the tools listed above that the document is not otherwise available to you free before ordering.
• If Interlibrary Loan can't locate a copy to borrow.
• Use a credit card or fax payment.
• Orders are shipped directly to you.

Submitting your dissertation

• Guidelines at JHU
• Graduate Board formatting details

Related Guide

• Electronic Theses & Dissertations

Print Catalogues

• Catalogues in the library collections will usually treat a particular subject, time period, or institution.
• You can locate printed catalogues of dissertations easily in the online catalog . 
• Or in WorldCat .
• For either database, do a Subject Keyword search on:  Dissertations Germany bibliography.
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Publish your doctoral thesis electronically.

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Ways To Your PhD

 You have the choice of two routes to your doctoral title in Germany. Check out the differences.

Individual Doctoral Studies

Most doctoral candidates choose the individual study model. In this model, you need to find a university professor who will supervise your dissertation. You may elect to write your dissertation alone or collaborate with other researchers – it really depends on your subject.

As a doctoral candidate you have three options as to where you carry out your research:  at a university, at a research organisation or in the industrial sector.  You can decide which option best fits your goals.

How long it takes to complete an individual PhD is down to your schedule, or the period of your research grant, but the length of this form of PhD usually ranges from 3 to 5 years.

Structured PhD Programmes

An alternative route to your doctorate is via the structured PhD programme, similar to those in English-speaking countries. This model offers regular and intense supervision by a team of advisors.  The programmes include a curriculum of courses, usually with an interdisciplinary focus. These programmes will advance your skills not only in academic and scientific methods such as presentation techniques but also foster soft skills. This systematic approach allows you to complete your doctoral studies within 3 – 4 years.  

Find out more about the two ways to do your PhD: www.research-in-germany.org > two ways to get a PhD

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• Doctoral studies
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• in english possible
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• Doctoral Studies

Obtaining a doctoral degree in Germany

In Germany, doctoral degrees are conferred by universities or higher education institutions with equivalent status. This process is known as Promotion. Doctoral degrees are obtained through a specific process, during which an individual demonstrates his or her ability to carry out independent research. If the required examinations have been passed and all the formal prerequisites are met, the university or the faculty authorised by the university to award doctoral degrees confers the academic degree of Doktor supplemented by the appropriate field, e.g. Dr. rer. nat. or Dr. theol. Some universities also offer the academic degree of Ph.D.

The dissertation is an independent piece of research

The exclusively research-based nature of a doctoral degree distinguishes it from university and state examinations for which you prepare while studying or as a means of completing your studies. These examinations are vocational in character and are intended as preparation for an academically or scientifically oriented profession. In addition, the writing of a dissertation – and thus your own research – makes a substantial contribution to the state of knowledge in the relevant discipline.

If you wish to enrol on a doctoral programme and write your dissertation at a German higher education institution, you must have an academic degree, usually a master's degree, Staatsexamen , Diplom or Magister . It is sometimes possible to enrol with a bachelor's degree if you have successfully completed an appropriate qualification programme.

After the successful completion of doctoral training, doctoral candidates are awarded the degree of doctor by the university. This is described as being "promoviert" by the university. In everyday use the verb "promovieren" is often used to mean 'to obtain a doctorate', which is why this verb is mostly used intransitively in German in the Higher Education Compass.

Preparing for a doctoral degree

Al lot of questions  have to be considered when deciding whether to do a doctoral degree.

Doctoral phase

The doctoral phase includes the independent writing of a dissertation and an oral examination, which takes place after the successful assessment of the dissertation.

Completing your doctorate

The doctoral process is successfully completed when the dissertation has been accepted, the candidate has passed the oral examination and the dissertation has been published.

Research Map

The Research Map allows you to search for the research areas that are of strategic institutional importance for each institution.

Finding Scholarships

Welcome to our scholarship database! Here you will find information about our DAAD scholarship programmes for international students and researchers as well as offers from other selected funding organisations .

German Academic Scholarship Foundation: Doctoral Scholarships

Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes Promotionsförderung Ahrstraße 41 53175 Bonn Germany

Contact Frau Martina Lang Weblink

Application requirements

Eine Druckversion dieser Ausschreibung (PDF) steht Ihnen in den weiteren Registerkarten (z.B. „Bewerbungsvoraussetzungen“) zur Verfügung.

A print version of this announcement (PDF) is available in the further tabs (e.g. “Application requirements”).

Programme Description

In line with its statutes, the Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes (German Academic Scholarship Foundation) supports the university education of young people who, because of their exceptional academic or artistic talents and personal qualities, can be expected to make an outstanding contribution to society as a whole. Doctoral candidates can apply for a doctoral scholarship together with their supervisor. Doctoral scholars receive 1,550 EUR a month, health insurance grants and additional family and childcare allowances are also possible. Doctoral scholarship holders who travel abroad for research, laboratory visits or a conference attendance can apply to receive grants for travel and living expenses as well as tuition fees. Applications are welcome from international candidates who have been accepted to a doctoral programme at a German university where the thesis will also be submitted.

Target Group

highly qualified PhD students with a commitment to social causes

Academic Requirements

• The last academic degree should have been completed no longer than 4 years prior to submission of the application.
• The doctoral candidate has been accepted for a doctoral programme at a German university where the thesis will also be submitted.

Number of Scholarships

Every year, about 350 doctoral students are newly admitted to the funding programme.

Funding can be granted for 3 years. A 6-month extension is possible upon individual request. The maximum funding period is 42 months. Doctoral students with children can be funded for up to 54 months.

Scholarship Value

• grant amount of 1,550 EUR a month, comprising a basic monthly stipend of 1,450 EUR and a research allowance of 100 EUR a month
• Scholars can apply for a contribution towards the costs of health insurance, amounting to 50 percent of documented costs to a maximum of 100 EUR a month. This contribution is available to scholars whose health insurance is not covered by employment (for example in research and teaching).
• Family and childcare allowances are available for doctoral scholars. Further funding for childcare can be provided through a reallocation of scholarship funds from the final, 4th, year of funding.
• Scholarship holders may pursue academic employment corresponding to a 25-percent part-time position, allowing further integration in the research context.
• Doctoral scholars who travel abroad for research purposes, laboratory visits or to attend conferences can apply for grants for travel and additional living expenses.
• Holders of doctoral scholarships are supported by an adviser in the Studienstiftung’s office and a personal tutor at their home university, who follow their academic and personal development and offer guidance on issues relating to their scholarship and doctoral research.
• participation in doctoral forums
• range of academic programmes which include summer academies, short conferences and seminars on professional development as well as events planned by scholarship holders or offers from the alumni network

Application Papers

The Studienstiftung expects:

• an exceptionally challenging and innovative scientific dissertation project that can be completed within a funding period of 3 years
• appropriate supervision of the project and the doctoral candidate with a view to finalising the project
• successfully completed studies showing commitment and above-average marks
• a sustained commitment beyond one's own interests during the doctoral or study phase as well as a broad spectrum of interests beyond what is professionally required

Application Deadline

An application is possible at any time, there are no deadlines.

Application Requirements

• The last academic degree should have been completed no longer than 4 years prior to submission of the application; exceptions to this can be justified by pregnancies or proven prolonged periods of serious illness or incapacity for work. The 4-year interval should make it possible to complete preparatory services such as professional training (e.g. following a law degree or teaching degree) or vicariate before applying for a doctoral scholarship.
• If the doctoral programme is carried out at a German university, citizenship does not matter. In justified cases, doctorates abroad can also be funded; this presupposes that the doctoral candidate has German citizenship or a university entrance qualification acquired in Germany.
• Previous holders of scholarships from the Studienstiftung or the Max Weber Programme Bavaria may apply for a scholarship to participate in the academic programmes for doctoral students, without taking advantage of financial support for their Ph.D. The selection procedure is the same for all applicants. If funding for the doctoral thesis has been awarded by another funding body, this must be terminated at the latest 6 months following receipt of funding approval from the Studienstiftung; otherwise, the funding offer will expire.
• Part-time doctoral degrees cannot be funded. During the period of the scholarship, Ph.D. candidates commit to concentrate fully on their dissertation; parallel study on a taught degree or professional training programme (for example for lawyers, teachers, psychologists/psychotherapists) is not compatible with the scholarship.
• Doctoral studies undertaken parallel to a medical degree are not eligible for the doctoral scholarship programme; support is offered for these projects within the framework of scholarships offered by the Studienstiftung for taught degree programmes.

Please select your status and your country to enable you to submit an application

„Country“ is the country in which you are living and from which you are applying. If you come from another country, please contact us to find out whether you are eligible for the programme of your choice. More Information

Graduates are people who already have at least one first academic degree, e.g. Bachelor.

Your status and/or country is not in the list? If your status and/or country is not included in the list, you cannot apply for this scholarship programme. To ensure that only scholarship programmes for which you are eligible to apply are shown, please select your status and your country in the results list (left-hand column).

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Preparing for Doctoral Research

Pathways to a doctorate.

If you are interested in completing a doctorate at Freie Universität Berlin, you have two options: the traditional “Individualpromotion” (individual doctorate) and the structured doctorate within a degree program.

Individual Doctorate

The individual doctorate still represents the most common pathway to a doctorate in Germany. Characterized by a strong background in research and a broad range of subject fields, Freie Universität Berlin provides the best opportunities for pursuing an individual doctorate.

Doctorate in a degree program

Over the last years "structured programs" have been established as an alternative way towards a doctoral degree. As part of a graduate school or research training group (or similar) early stage reasearchers take part in a program which differs from the traditional way in both its formal framework as well as the focus on a better integration of doctoral researchers in a group and the wider academic community.

Introduction to the German 'doctoral or degree programs"

International doctoral candidates sometimes face difficulties to understand what is behind the variety of labels in use for “doctoral program” in Germany. Most frequently, these labels signify something different from what is commonly understood by doctoral school or graduate school elsewhere, in particular in the Anglo-Saxon academic world. A brief introduction therefore might be helpful.

As already indicated above, the so-called individual doctorate is still the most common way to earn a doctorate in Germany. As an alternative, first the German Research Foundation (DFG) introduced its “Research Training Groups” into the system, back in the 1990s. “ Research Training Groups”, in German “Graduiertenkollegs ”, assemble groups of doctoral candidates, ten to fifteen, to work on a defined research topic, closely supervised by a group of professors. The DFG funds these Training Groups generously, securing a living for the doctoral candidates and compensating all research costs (e.g. conference travel or fieldwork stays abroad), guest fellowships and publication costs. “Research Training Groups” differ from the individual doctorate without any coursework by offering specific training formats, among them summer schools and the like, that all doctoral researchers of a “cohort” closely interact with each other and normally attend common colloquia, and that they are advised by a team of professors rather than by a single supervisor. Finally, Research Training Groups are coordinated by an administrator (usually a trained scholar him- or herself) who acts as a contact person to all collegiate. Research Training Groups are third-party funded projects and as such they are not permanent but established for a fixed period of time (max. 9 years).

Doctoral Programs in Germany are modelled after the DFG-Research Training Groups. Though there are different types of doctoral programs, e.g. with regard to the number of doctoral candidates, the width and the binding character of the curriculum, the thematic scope, and, most important, their financial resources, doctoral programs share some characteristics: (1.) they all are run by a group of professors coming from different disciplines or branches of study, (2.) they all develop their own formats for mutual exchange and program-specific teaching, (3.) they publicly announce places, select candidates and admit them as a group to a certain date, thus facilitating exchange and cooperation between the members of one cohort, and (4.) all programs are coordinated by a scholarly trained person who cares for the doctoral candidates in all non-scientific affairs.

However, it is important to note that all types of doctoral or graduate programs, research training groups, graduate schools and so forth are optional in the German system. They are an extra, providing specialised training, close and interdisciplinary supervision as well as in most cases significant funding for the doctoral candidates and their research projects. Nevertheless, none has the right to award the doctoral degree, a right which rather is vested in the faculties or, in the case of Freie Universität Berlin, in the departments. Each department issues its own regulations (in German: “Promotionsordnung”) as the legal frame for the doctorate, and this frame regards the individual doctorate as a standard. Thus, regardless the program’s specific rules and conditions, admission to the doctorate will be granted by the department anytime, provided the applicant meets the formal requirements. No selection will take place. Each candidate needs at least one professor of the department who agrees to supervise the candidate and the dissertation. There is no obligation to form a group of professors as a supervising team. Once admitted, there are no formal rules for the research phase and no mandatory coursework. The dissertation has to be submitted to the department, the departmental doctorate regulations govern the processes of dissertation review and oral defence. The doctorate degree is awarded and the final doctorate certificate (in German: “Promotionsurkunde”) issued by the department. These procedures are fully independent of the program. Even if a doctoral candidate did not keep up with the standards of his or her program and was expelled from it, this would mean nothing to the department and could not endanger the award of the doctoral degree as long as the departmental doctorate regulations have not been violated. German Graduate Schools do not graduate.

Doctoral degrees - traditional German disciplinary degree vs. PhD

The departmental rules and regulations for the doctorate ("Promotionsordnung) define which doctoral degrees are conferred. The traditional German doctoral degrees are disciplinary and in latin: e.g. doctor philosophiae, Dr. phil.; doctor rerum naturalium, Dr. rer. nat.; doctor medicinae veterinariae, Dr. med. vet. etc.). With the exception of Freie Universität's Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Department of Earth Sciencess, Department of Law, and the School of Business & Economics, all other departments offer conferment of the alternate degree Philsophical Doctor (PhD/Ph.D.); partly with disciplinary suffix, e.g. Ph.D in Natural Sciences at the Department of Biology, Chemistry, Pharmacy). Prerequisite for the conferment of the degree PhD/Ph.D. is the successful completion of the curricular requirements of a structured doctoral program under the umbrella of Dahlem Research School, thus following the anglosaxon tradition. After completion of structured doctoral studies, DRS issues a Program Certificate and a Transcript of Records for succesful candidates of the DRS-programs. Doctoral candidates from sturctured doctoral programs need to hand in this DRS Program Certificate and Transcript of Records at the respective departmental doctoral degree office in order to be able to be conferred the PhD-degree. All doctoral candidates receive a Doctoral Certificate after completion of a doctorate (issued by the resprechtive doctoral degree office). Please find more information under "Completing your degree".

Most doctoral program at Freie Universität Berlin can be found under the roof Dahlem Research School: https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/sites/drs/about-us/drs_programs/index.html .

An overview of doctoral program in and around Berlin can found at the website Doctoral Programs in Berlin hosted by the Einstein Foundation. 

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Writing the Thesis

Schreiben der Dissertation / Writing the Thesis Image Credit: http://www.istockphoto.com

You can either submit a monograph or a cumulative thesis . As a general rule, both must be comparable/equivalent in terms of type and scope. The thesis must be written in one language throughout either English or German (with the exception of the German and English summary). This also applies to the acknowledgments and any quotes used. In exceptional cases, the doctoral board shall decide whether the requirement for a cumulative work to be entirely in either German or English can be waived if the work consists of articles in both German and English.

When preparing the dissertation, please observe the requirements of the Statute for Safeguarding Good Scientific Practice . If you have any questions about citations, please use the citation consultation hours at the University Library.

Please note: When you are submitting your dissertation to obtain the title "Dr. rer. nat.", the term "Ph.D." should not be used in the acknowledgements (or any other section) - this is a different title, which will not be awarded to you after a successful doctorate.

MONOGRAPH A monograph is a self-contained representation of the research work and its results. It may already be published completely or partially. Any publications related to the thesis have to be submitted separately. They must not be embedded in the thesis.

CUMULATIVE THESIS A cumulative thesis reports the scientific work done during the doctoral thesis using a set of research articles. In a cumulative thesis, the research articles (including supporting information/supplements) are an integral part of the thesis and have to be embedded in the scientific part of the thesis (like the chapters of a monograph). In addition to the research articles, an introduction, a list of references etc., a cumulative thesis must include an extended summary which has to go beyond the summary of the individual papers as it has to give an overarching discussion of the results described in the research articles. Although figures may be taken from the publications, the text should be genuinely new and should not be taken from the text of the individual publications. The contributions of the author must be described for each article individually, according to the requirements of the Statute for Safeguarding Good Scientific Practice.

A cumulative thesis must consist of at least two published or accepted publications. Only publications from journals with a peer review system will be considered. All additional publications might be in an earlier stage (in revision, submitted or in preparation). The version submitted cannot be changed or updated in the further course of the doctoral process, i.e. changes to the content as part of the publication process cannot be taken into account once the dissertation has been submitted. Only those articles qualify in which the doctoral student has made substantial contributions. The substantial contribution of the doctoral student to the respective articles must be confirmed by the supervisor of the thesis. This confirmation is requested by the doctoral office as part of the evaluation process. In case of manuscripts being accepted but not yet published, a confirmation of acceptance must be provided at the time of thesis submission; to this end, it is also possible to submit a separate list with DOI links.

For more information on writing a cumulative thesis, click here .

1) First page = cover sheet

Title Inaugural-Dissertation to obtain the academic degree Doctor rerum naturalium (Dr. rer. nat.)

submitted to the Department of Biology, Chemistry, Pharmacy of Freie Universität Berlin

year of submission

2) Second page:

Please name the time period, supervisor and institute of your doctoral studies.

1 st reviewer: _____________________ 2 nd reviewer: _____________________

Date of defense: ____________ (please leave the date open)

ATTENTION One reviewer must be research active in one of our departmental research areas. At least one reviewer must be a professor of the Department of Biology, Chemistry, Pharmacy, whose primary employment is with the university. (Retired, em., apl., hon. professors are not or no longer considered university teachers).

3) Third page: acknowledgment (if desired)

4) Declaration of authorship     Please use the following text:     I hereby declare that I alone am responsible for the content of my doctoral dissertation     and that I have only used the sources or references cited in the dissertation.

If you are writing an English-language dissertation, please note that all texts must be in English (with the exception of the German-language summary), including the acknowledgments and the declaration of authorship.

6) Summary in German and English

7) Main scientific part of the thesis (incl. introduction, method section, bibliography)

8) If applicable: List of publications

9) CV (voluntary)

10) Appendix

Typeface/line distance/formatting Sheet size: DIN A4 Font: an easy-to-read font (such as Arial). Font size: not less than 10 pt Line spacing: 1½ Margin: approx. 2.5 - 3 cm Unilateral and bilateral printing is accepted. The thesis has to be bound (no spiral or ring binding).

Answers to frequently asked questions (FAQ) can be found here.  

Read on for the next topic: Submission of the Thesis

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Theses and Dissertations

The following resources are general indexes to theses and dissertations on all topics, including those on Germanic Studies. Dissertations are important as they often express the most innovative work on a topic; include comprehensive citations and bibliographies of primary and secondary sources; and provide detailed literature reviews and theoretical discussions.

• ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global This index includes dissertations and masters theses from most North American graduate schools as well as many European universities. Full text is provided for most indexed dissertations from 1997 to the present, while most dissertations from 1980 on include abstracts written by the author. Orders for complete dissertations before 1997 may be placed online, but check UW's Library Catalog first to see if they are owned on campus. Free interlibrary loan may also be a possibility
• Annual Bibliography of English Language and Literature (ABELL) Covers from 1920 to present. Includes doctoral dissertations about English language, literature, and culture published anywhere in the world
• DART-Europe DART-Europe is a project by research libraries and library consortia to improve global access to European research theses
• Dissonline.de - Digitale Dissertationen im Internet Open access dissertations online, a service of the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek, integrated into their larger catalog (after entering search, limit to Hochschulschriften and even further to Online Ressourcen ). Instructions, in German, here
• Electronic Theses Online Service (EThOS) OS offers free access to the full text of nearly 100,000 electronically stored UK theses; of the remaining 200,000 records dating back to at least 1800, many are available to be ordered for scanning through the EThOS digitisation-on-demand facility. A rich resource!
• Foreign Dissertations at the Center for Research Libraries (CRL) CRL holds more than 800,000 foreign dissertations and Habilitationsschriften from universities outside of the US and Canada. If you know the exact title of a dissertation and do not find it in the CRL Catalog, CRL has a program to purchase foreign doctoral dissertations for scholars' individual research needs; such requests should be initiated via Interlibrary Loan
• Helveticat The catalog of the Schweizerische Nationalbibliothek; search for dissertations by combining diss with a keyword
• Index to Theses in Great Britain and Ireland A comprehensive listing of theses with abstracts accepted for higher degrees by universities in the United Kingdom and Ireland since 1716. As of 2013, there were 589,028 theses in the collection, with 355,862 having abstracts
• Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (NDLTD) The Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (NDLTD) is an international organization dedicated to promoting the adoption, creation, use, dissemination and preservation of electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs). NDLTD supports electronic publishing and open access to scholarship in order to enhance the sharing of knowledge worldwide. Try the new Global ETD Search
• Open Access Theses and Dissertations (OATD) Index of more than 1.5 million electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs), with preference given to records of graduate-level theses freely available online
• Österreichische Dissertationsdatenbank This database references over 99,000 dissertations and theses held at Austrian Universities; about two-thirds are abstracted in both German and English
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Prerequisites

• evidence of a special aptitude for academic work, normally attested by the quality of a doctoral degree,
• evidence of relevant scholarly work after the completion of the doctorate,
• evidence of sufficient teaching experience at a university or an institution of equal standing,
• habilitation thesis in the form of a mongraph or cumulatively published research results.

Documents to be submitted to the Dean's office

• the application for admission to a post-doctoral qualification in writing to the dean of the Faculty of Human Sciences with the exact title of the post-doctoral thesis and the subject area for which the candidate wishes to receive the teaching qualification,
•  a curriculum vitae with information on the candidate's academic career,
• a certified copy of the doctoral certificate or evidence of a foreign academic qualification equivalent to a doctoral degree as well as all certificates of academic examinations,
• a list of all scientific publications and papers that have been accepted for publication,
• a list of courses taught so far,
• at least four copies of the habilitation thesis or the papers submitted as a habilitation, 
• outlines of three topics for the academic lecture
• statement of the candidate regarding any previous attempts of habilitation and affirmation that no habilitation is pending at another German university

Dissertationen

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Within the  Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)  of EU-Horizon 2020, we provide Post-doc Positions in Social Sciences and Humanities. Please apply any time  here at the Chair of Innovation Economics .

Completed Dissertations

Communities of microorganisms and invertebrates in soil-like bodies of soccer fields in Moscow oblast

• Soil Biology
• Published: 06 November 2014
• Volume 47 , pages 1107–1115, ( 2014 )

Cite this article

• O. V. Kutovaya 1 ,
• I. V. Zamotaev 2 &
• V. P. Belobrov 1  

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Artificially created soil-like technogenic formations (STFs) of soccer fields are developed under combined action of intense technogenic and natural factors and processes, which cannot but affect the structure and biological activity of their microbial communities and mesofauna. The microflora of the STFs is very similar to the microflora of the background soddy-podzolic soils of Moscow oblast with respect to the composition of the physiological groups of microorganisms. However, they are drastically different in their quantitative characteristics. The numbers of all the trophic groups of microorganisms, except for the microscopic fungi, in the STFs are much higher than those in the zonal soils. An increased biological activity of the STFs is due to regular watering, heating, application of sand and mineral fertilizers, and technogenic turbation processes. The mesofauna of the STFs is represented by several ecological groups of earthworms, including soildwelling (endogeic) earthworms ( Aporrectodea caliginosa ), epigeic earthworms dwelling at the soil-litter interface ( Lumbricus rubellus ), and litter-dwelling earthworms ( Eisenia foetida ).

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Dokuchaev Soil Science Institute, per. Pyzhevskii 7, Moscow, 119017, Russia

O. V. Kutovaya & V. P. Belobrov

Institute of Geography of the Russian Academy of Sciences, per. Staromonetnyi 29, Moscow, 119017, Russia

I. V. Zamotaev

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Original Russian Text © O.V. Kutovaya, I.V. Zamotaev, V.P. Belobrov, 2014, published in Pochvovedenie, 2014, No. 11, pp. 1315–1324.

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Kutovaya, O.V., Zamotaev, I.V. & Belobrov, V.P. Communities of microorganisms and invertebrates in soil-like bodies of soccer fields in Moscow oblast. Eurasian Soil Sc. 47 , 1107–1115 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1134/S1064229314110052

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Received : 25 February 2014

Published : 06 November 2014

Issue Date : November 2014

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1134/S1064229314110052

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• soil biological processes
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