Doctorate with a degree from abroad

If you have obtained a degree abroad, your doctorate formally consists of the following steps, which we have compiled for you here.

First check whether you meet the formal requirements for a doctorate in accordance with § 7 and § 8 of the doctoral studies regulations. You can of course arrange a consultation with the departmental advisory services.

Then find a supervisor for your doctorate and decide on a topic for your doctoral thesis. Please read § 9 of the doctoral studies regulations.

Register online as a PhD student with the topic and supervisor of your doctoral thesis. You can find detailed instructions here.

Print out and sign the online application form and submit it to your supervisor for signature.

Then submit the signed application together with the following documents to Birgit Bastisch in the Dean's Office of our department:

  • one translated and certified copy and one normal copy of your final degrees (Bachelor, Master, Diploma etc.)
  • one translated and certified copy and one normal copy of your school leaving certificate
  • two copies of your curriculum vitae, including an outline of your course of studies at high school and university,
  • one compilation (transcript of records) of lectures, courses and seminars,
  • one detailed list of experimental work done in advanced lab courses,
  • one copy of your master thesis and, if written in a language other than German or English, a short summary of your thesis in English,
  • one statement by the prospective supervisor at Mainz on your scientific qualifications and an evaluation of your thesis to determine if it is comparable to a good German diploma or master thesis,
  • Two copies of a Proof of adequate knowledge of the German or English language, enrollment regulations § 7
  • Two copies of the Certificate of recognition, issued by International Office
  • Two copies of your passport

We have summarized this information for you on a leaflet in German and English.

The committee in charge will consider the documents and submit them to the Dean of the faculty who will decide on admission. It also may pose conditions on acceptance, such as the completion of additional classes at Mainz.

Voluntary: Enrollment as a doctoral student

During registration - or at a later date - you can enroll as a doctoral student and use the semester ticket, eat in the canteens on campus at student prices, apply for a place in student accommodation and take advantage of various other student benefits. However, you must pay the semester fee each semester. You can also study for a doctorate without enrollment.

To make it easier to understand, you can find a schematic guide to doctoral studies at JGU here.

If the requirements are met, the Dean's Office issues a written confirmation of acceptance as a doctoral candidate, the so-called notification of admission.

The date of the letter of acceptance is considered the start of the doctorate. Registration as a doctoral candidate is completed when the letter of acceptance is issued.

The admission may be granted with the condition that additional requirements, such as the successful completion of missing courses, must be met until the end of your doctorate.

Please bear in mind that while working on your thesis, you are required to be available for the supervision of compulsory classes for at least three semesters. A certificate of accomplished tutoring activities (list of tutored courses) must be filed along with the thesis.
The thesis is to be filed along with the submission of the request for obtaining the conferral of the doctorate. All documents are to be handed in at Marion Müller's office.

Both of the following forms have to be submitted at the same time:

Please submit only one printed copy of your doctoral thesis, together with the thesis in digital form as a PDF file.

The Dean's Office requests the evaluations for your doctoral thesis. Once all evaluations have been received by the Dean's Office, the dissertation display period begins. Presently, this period is two weeks.
Use the display period to arrange an appointment for the thesis defense with the chairperson and the examination committee. Please keep in mind that the defense has to take place within six months of the end of the display period. Please read § 23 of the doctoral studies regulations.
After the oral examination, hand in the obligatory copies of your dissertation at the Dissertation Acceptance Office of the University Library. You will receive a certify for the submission there. Please submit this certificate to Marion Müller.

The certificate can now be issued. You can now officially call yourself “Dr.rer.nat.”!