Doctorate (PhD)

A doctorate is the research-based, in-depth continuation of or addition to a completed degree with the aim of making an original contribution to research. A doctorate is based on the independent production of a piece of academic work (doctoral thesis) and a viva (disputation). Successfully completing a doctorate and publishing the thesis leads to the award of a doctoral degree. Every year, some 50 doctoral candidates gain their doctorates in the department.

Notes on the submission of documents

Please send all documents in electronic form to .

Please only send us originals or paper versions where this is expressly requested. In those cases, please send them to us by (internal) post or drop them in the Dean's Office's letterbox (“Dekanat”) in the lobby of building S3|21.

The formal requirements for admission to a doctorate are regulated in § 7 of the General Doctoral Regulations (opens in new tab). The following table provides an overview of the main points:

Academic degree in a relevant, research-related subject Requirements
Degree at a German university Master’s, Diploma, or equivalent academic degree in a relevant, research-oriented study programme.
Degree at a university abroad Master’s, Diploma, or equivalent academic degree in a relevant, research-oriented study programme.

The university’s Dezernat VIII – Internationales must confirm in advance that the degree is equivalent to a comparable degree at a German university.
Degree at a Fachhochschule (university of applied sciences) For further information contact

Conditions

According to §7(6) of General Doctoral Regulations, the Doctoral Admissions Committee can attach conditions to accepting graduates which must be fulfilled. These conditions are designed to ensure that the candidate is able to conduct academic work and may involve, in particular, proof of successfully participating in taught courses and passing certain examinations.

Conditions may especially be imposed if a degree has been taken in a different subject, at a university abroad or at a university of applied sciences (Fachhochschule). The nature of those conditions as well as their extent, depend on each individual case. For further information and to ask questions, please contact .

Post-graduates with a degree in another subject can be accepted as doctoral candidates if this is in the interest of interdisciplinary research and the candidates have the necessary expertise in the area covered by the doctoral thesis.

Acceptance as a doctoral candidate at the department is a prerequisite for registration or enrolment at the University.

Registration is mandatory for all doctoral candidates at the Technische Universität Darmstadt. Enrolment is optional.

The Doctoral Admissions Committee of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology (etit) formally accepts doctoral candidates. The admissions procedure is as follows:

1. Choice of supervisor

Choose a potential supervisor (full-time professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology ) for your doctorate. Discuss the possibility of supervision as well as the chances of applying for a position with this prospective supervisor in advance. The supervision by persons according to §11 (2) of the Doctoral Regulations is possible in justified cases.

2. Applying for acceptance as a doctoral candidate

In order to be admitted as a doctoral candidate you must officially apply to the Departmental Dean’s Office.

The submission is to be made electronically to .

Your documents must be submitted to the Dean's Office no later than two weeks prior to the meeting of the Doctoral Admissions Committee . Only complete applications can be considered.

Please submit the following documents

Document Notes and further information
Application for admission as a doctoral candidate (opens in new tab) Please fill in document electronically.
Updated CV
Application for registration (or optionally enrolment) via TUCaN Please submit in paper form.

The process can be found outlined here.
Academic Certificates Bachelor's/Master's/Diploma

Incl. official translations if not issued in English or German language.
Confirmation of equivalence on your academic degrees To be obtained from Department VIII A – International Admissions

Based on your submission, the Departmental Doctoral Admissions Committee will make a decision on your application, including possible requirements. You will receive a written notification from the Dean's Office about the decision of the doctoral committee.

To initiate the doctoral examination procedure, please submit the documents listed below to the Dean's Office.

The submission is to be made electronically to .

Only the declaration concerning the dissertation is required in paper form (s. below).

Your documents must be submitted to the Dean's Office no later than two weeks prior to the meeting of the Doctoral Admissions Committee . Only complete applications can be considered.

Please submit the following documents

Document Notes and further information
Application to initiate the doctoral examination procedure (opens in new tab) Please fill in electronically.
Dissertation as a PDF Must include:
  • Title page containing the information listed in the sample title page (opens in new tab)
  • Abstract of the dissertation
  • A current CV (can be removed from the dissertation before publication)
Receipt for doctoral fees As a scan or a PDF generated via online banking.

The following information must be visible:

Amount: 100,00 Euro
Recipient: Darmstadt University of Technology
IBAN: DE36 5085 0150 0000 7043 00
Sort code: 508 501 50 (Sparkasse Darmstadt)
Reason for payment: Department 18 – Doctoral Fees
Information on external co-reviewers (if proposed) Address
E-mail
Position in associated teaching or research institution
Exact academic title
Declaration concerning the dissertation (opens in new tab) In paper form via (inhouse-)mail to:

Dekanat Elektrotechnik und Informationstechnik
S3|21 106
Fraunhoferstr. 4
64283 Darmstadt

or by dropping into the letterbox of the Dean's Office (Lobby S3|21).

Based on your submission, the Departmental Doctoral Admissions Committee will decide on the composition of the Examination Board. The Dean’s Office will inform you about the decision.

After you have passed the disputation, the Dean's Office will arrange for your doctoral certificate to be issued.

In the meantime, please send the following documents to the Dean’s Office:

To the University and State Library Darmstadt:

or

  • Physical copies if your thesis has been published by a publishing house (in this case, lease clarify the formalities directly with the library).

The ULB will report the publication of your dissertation to the Dean's Office. You will then receive your doctoral certificate.

Please note that according to §21 (1) of TU Darmstadt’s General Doctoral Degree Regulations, it is only permitted to carry the doctoral degree once the doctoral certificate has been received. According to §20 (1) the publication has to take place within one year after the disputation.

Meeting of the Doctoral Admissions Committee Deadline for submission of applications and dissertations
24.09.2024 10.09.2024
05.11.2024 22.10.2024
17.12.2024 03.12.2024
04.02.2025 21.01.2025
18.03.2025 04.03.2025
20.05.2025 06.05.2025
01.07.2025 17.06.2025
23.09.2025 09.09.2025
04.11.2025 21.10.2025