At the University of Erlangen-Nürnberg doctoral degrees can be pursued at all schools. Furthermore, the university concentrates on a number of areas of interdisciplinary research offering excellent perspectives for potential doctoral researchers.
International applicants who are interested in pursuing a doctoral degree at the University of Erlangen-Nürnberg need an excellent university degree recognisable as an equivalent to a German degree in the chosen subject (e.g. Magister/Staatsexamen/Diplom).
Please note that it is currently not possible to pursue a doctoral degree if you only hold a Bachelor degree.
All regulations allow the doctoral thesis to be written in English. Details can be found in the doctoral regulations or obtained from the responsible offices. In most cases permission has to be granted by your supervisor and you should make sure that your application is formally approved before you start to work on the thesis.
Please note that a sound knowledge of German is nonetheless extremely useful in successfully completing your degree.
If you want to write your thesis in German, you need a high level of language skills. Please consult the website for International Students and Guests for details on German language certificates.
Please note that the admission to doctoral studies in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, School of Theology requires proof of further language skills. Details can be obtained from the examination office.
Doctoral candidates are expected to have been registered at the university for at least two semesters (in preparation for their doctoral degree). In accordance with Bavarian law, registration as a doctoral student is possible for up to three years without payment of tuition fees. In specific cases, this period can be extended for a further year. The degree can be still completed after that period and without official registration. Further information for international candidates is available from the website for international PhD candidates.
Candidates interested in applying have to find a supervisor ("Doktormutter" or "Doktorvater") from among the University's active or retired professors. If you apply individually (and not in response to an advertised spot) the subject of research is (normally) chosen independently by you and has to be accepted by the supervisor.
Further information is available from the respective examination offices or school administrations.