Doctorate / "Habilitation"

Doctorate and doctorate programme

Please take note of the following general informations about all regulations and procedures for a doctorate in the School of Science:

• FAQ, forms, regulations

Additional regulations for a doctorate at the Faculty of Physics

Two main administrative steps are required on the way to the doctorate: the admission for a doctorate and the opening of doctorate proceedings. It is advisable to apply for admission, in Promovendus, as early as possible. Please note that neither membership in a structured doctoral program nor employment by TU Dresden or an external research institute implies admission for a doctorate. Applications can be rejected or accepted subject to the fulfilment of certain conditions.

The Faculty of Physics expects that every doctoral candidate participates in teaching. The desired amount is a total of four weekly teaching hours across a semester (“Semesterwochenstunden”). If you have not already reached this level, you must be available for teaching during two winter semesters and two summer semesters. It is the faculty that assigns the teaching tasks, primarily in introductory lab courses or tutorials for compulsory lectures in theoretical physics, but also in other areas. The detailed rules were stipulated by the faculty council in April 2025. Also see §43 (4) SächsHSG. 

The teaching by doctoral candidates is organized with the help of this online OPAL course. There you must declare in good time before each semester whether you will be available for teaching. The following deadlines apply:

• June 30th for declaring that you are available in the next winter semester
• December 31st for declaring that you are available in the next summer semester 

The opening of the doctorate proceedings takes place along with the submission of your doctoral thesis, at the earliest one year after your admission. You have to initiate this process in Promovendus. Please note the following specific requirements for the opening of proceedings in the field of physics:

• Participation in teaching according to the rules stipulated by the faculty council
• Guide to proposing assessors
• Guide to choosing the subject areas and examiners for the “Rigorosum” or the oral examinations replacing the “Rigorosum”

The doctorate candidate is awarded the doctoral degree after his/her thesis has been positively assessed and he/she has successfully publicly defended it (“Disputation”) as well as either passed an oral examination (“Rigorosum”, on the same day) or – alternatively and only upon application – completed a doctorate programme.

Opportunities for doctoral projects in physics

With more than 60 doctoral graduations per year, the Faculty of Physics of TU Dresden is among the leading physics departments in Germany. The doctorate in physics is awarded by the School of Science of TU Dresden.

Dresden offers multifaceted opportunities for doctoral studies in physics

• at the institutes of the Faculty of Physics and at numerous  non-universitary research institutions in Dresden and
• in several international research training groups

Doctoral studies program

Doctoral researchers have the opportunity but not the obligation to participate in the doctoral studies program of the School of Science. Doctoral studies should take up approximately 20 weekly hours (20 SWS). The contents of doctoral studies should be agreed upon with the superviser but can be selected from a broad range of possibilities. Detailed information can be found on the FAQ page of the School of Science. A repeatedly offered course or seminar can only be counted for one semester.

Matriculation at TU Dresden

We strongly recommend that doctoral candidates enroll at TU Dresden. You can find out about the many benefits of enrollment (e.g. discounts on the Deutschlandticket, MOBIbike and student services) on the website of the Admissions Office. There you will also find the application for enrollment.

International applicants are asked to read the webpages of the International Office for additional information.

Applicants are only granted the matriculation for a doctorate at the School of Science, after their doctorate proceedings have been admitted by the Doctorate Committee. For the matriculation, they will need a "Statement of the Faculty." All doctoral candidates registered in PROMOVENDUS therefore use their letter of acceptance. 

Graduate Academy

The TU Dresden Graduate Academy is the central service location for all PhD students with regard to training and support programmes and events concerning the PhD.

Habilitation (postdoctoral lecture qualification)

Information on the "Habilitation" at the School of Science