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There isn't a central office for PhD admissions or selection in Germany. Finding a suitable professor who is willing to serve as your supervisor is therefore your first step. Finding a university that is relevant to your field of study is one method of finding a supervisor. You may be able to locate a suitable supervisor by using the following ways: #1. Compass for Higher Education Current university information on PhD opportunities in Germany can be found in this database. You can conduct focused searches using the search engine based on departments, admission requirements, and doctoral thesis format. It provides a list of 870 departments and universities where you can complete your doctoral thesis in English.www.higher-education-compass.de #2. GERiT – Find over 30,000 research institutions in Germany. About 30,000 German research institutions are listed on the website GERiT. GERiT makes it simple for users to search by subject or location. It offers all the information required to select a university for research, study, or doctoral work.www.gerit.org #3. PhDGermany PhD Germany posts PhD positions in Germany with a focus on foreign candidates. As a result, English is typically used as the working language. Only a few unique occupations demand fluency in German. PhD Germany provides you with the online application procedure and helps you locate the ideal PhD position or supervisor for your doctoral thesis.Phdgermany.de Additionally, you may be able to find a suitable department or possible supervisor in Germany through your contacts with your lecturers or previous university. Attending academic conferences related to your field of study is also beneficial. You can network and share knowledge there, and you might even locate a potential PhD supervisor. How to Find a structured PhD programme in Germany A team of supervisors oversees a group of doctoral students in structured PhD programmes in Germany. More than one in four international PhD candidates—nearly 13,000—complete their degrees in formal programmes. A PhD can often be finished in four to five years. Where to find a PhD programme in Germany In Germany, there isn't a single database that lists every formal PhD programme. However, there are numerous PhD programmes specifically designed for international PhD candidates that can be found here. Programme / ResourceDescriptionWebsiteInternational Doctoral Programme DatabaseA DAAD database featuring around 230 international doctoral programmes in Germany. Searchable by different criteria for prospective PhD students.DAAD International ProgrammesDoctoral Programmes at UniversitiesMany German universities offer structured doctoral programmes. Information and support are available through university Student Advisory Services or Graduate Centres, searchable via the Higher Education Compass.Higher Education CompassDFG-funded (International) Research Training GroupsStructured doctoral research groups funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) for up to nine years, focused on research and doctoral training.DFG Research Training GroupsHelmholtz Research Schools, Colleges and Graduate SchoolsStructured PhD programmes offered by Helmholtz research centres in collaboration with universities across Germany.Helmholtz PhD CandidatesLeibniz Graduate SchoolsStructured PhD programmes jointly run by Leibniz research institutes and German universities.Leibniz Graduate SchoolsInternational Max Planck Research Schools (IMPRS)International doctoral programmes offering advanced research opportunities, infrastructure, and academic support through Max Planck Institutes.International Max Planck Research SchoolsMax Planck SchoolsAdvanced interdisciplinary graduate schools connecting leading researchers across Germany in the fields of Cognition, Matter to Life, and Photonics.Max Planck Schools Where can I find out about Germany PhD programme requirements? The application processes for Germany's structured PhD programmes vary depending on the programme. The webpage of the relevant university, research training organisation, or graduate school has the specific requirements and due dates. For this reason, you should first select a graduate school or PhD programme.

How to Find a PhD Supervisor in Germany: Step-by-Step Guide for International Students

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