Doing a doctorate at the TU Dresden

• The doctorate consists of an independent and original research achievement that contributes to the gain of knowledge in the respective subject. This is usually evidenced by a monographic dissertation.
• There is an obligation to publish the academic work.
• Part of the doctorate is an oral examination, either in the form of a viva and/or the disputation (defence) of the thesis.
• An overall grade is awarded. The grading scale is divided into the following five grades: summa cum laude ("excellent"), magna cum laude ("very good"), cum laude ("good"), rite ("sufficient"), non sufficit ("insufficient").
• The universities are responsible for awarding doctorates, whereby the faculties are responsible for the doctoral regulations and procedures.

As a rule, an academic degree at Master's, Staatsexamen, Diplom or Magister level is a prerequisite for a doctorate in Germany. In some federal states, outstanding graduates of Bachelor's programs or of universities of applied sciences can also be admitted.

If you hold a foreign university degree, the Doctoral Office of your faculty, in cooperation with the International Office, will check whether the degree obtained abroad differs significantly from the degree requirements specified in the respective doctoral degree regulations.

Anyone who decides to do a doctorate at a German university today can do so in different contexts:

• On the one hand, as an individual doctoral candidate who is employed in a basic or third-party funded qualification position at the university or non-university research institution or via a scholarship.
• Secondly, as an external doctoral candidate who is either employed by an employer outside academia or is doing their doctorate completely independently with their own funding.
• Or as a structured doctorate at research training groups or graduate schools. In this case, the employment relationship can be a position financed by basic or third-party funding, as under 1, or financed by a scholarship.

At TU Dresden, it is generally possible to do a doctorate in any of the Departments offered. The title of the doctoral degrees varies depending on the faculty.

Opportunities to do a doctorate at TU Dresden exist

• at the Chairs of the 17 faculties(TU Dresden job advertisements),
• at the non-university research institutions in the vicinity of TU Dresden(job advertisements of the DRESDEN-concept partners),
• within the framework of structured doctoral programs
• as part of a binational doctorate.

If you have any questions on the subject or need help and support, you will find the most important contacts at our university here:

• Doctoral Examinations Offices of the faculties
• Admissions Office
  Enrollment as a doctoral student
• International Office
  Enrolment as a doctoral student for international applicants
• Graduate Academy
  Support with all questions relating to doctoral studies, e.g. funding, further qualification or advice
• Welcome Center
  Support for international early-career researchers for stays of three months or more before and after their arrival in Dresden to make it easier to settle in