2022 Ph.D. Admission Criteria of German Universities for international students

There are so many reasons for you and everyone else to choose Germany as a study destination for doctoral studies. According to one of the statistics, every year approximately 25,000 students get their graduate degrees from German institutions

This fact shows that Germany provides the best education and research facilities in the world for students who pursue doctoral studies in German universities. Germany is known for its great network and research infrastructure worldwide.

Moreover, Germany is also known to lead the innovation world. Here commenting about the great educational infrastructure of German universities we would like to mention here that in Germany there are 140 institutions among a total of 370 which provide doctoral studies.

These institutions have 240,000 foreign students among which 18,000 students are doing their Ph.D. and 26,000 students have engaged themselves in the research work.

We have written this article to guide our readers about how they can be Ph.D. candidates in Germany. As there are many people in the world who do not know about the process to be a Ph.D. candidate in Germany. They keep thinking that they cannot chase their dreams due to a lack of information. So, for this purpose, we have written this article to make you realize that you can always chase your dreams with a little effort.

While seeking admission in doctoral studies or any research activity you have to have entrance qualification and you must fulfill requirements for the resident permit in Germany.

For this purpose, you have to do a self-analysis that if you are eligible for the Ph.D. or not. Furthermore, you also have to check if your previous education credits are equivalent to the credits earned in Germany. However, always keep your hopes high as you have to go through a lot of procedures and requirements to make your dream come true. But always make sure that you have the right information and guidance.

How can you Enter Germany for Ph.D. Studies?

In order to study in Germany, you need to have a valid visa which should be authentic.

Moreover, you also need to have a resident permit to live in Germany. These requirements are necessary for your enrollment in the university and your stay in Germany.

In Germany, there are 3 different categories of international people;

1. Foreign people who live in Europe and belong to the Schengen area. They can always enter the country of Germany at any time without a border check. However, they still have to register themselves at the “Einwohnermeldeamt” which is a Registration Office, or at the “Bürgerservice” which is a service center for Residents. The purpose of registering at these offices is to state the intention of the stay.
2. International people belonging to non-European countries such as Japan, Israel, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Korea, USA, can enter Germany without any kind of restrictions on the visa. However, if international people belonging to this category want to stay in Germany for more than 3 months then they have to register themselves. For registration, they are required to go to the “Einwohnermeldeamt” which is a registration office, or “Bürgerservice” which is a resident’s service center. And for the residence permit, they must go to the “Ausländerbehörde” which is a foreign authority office.
3. International students who do not belong to Europe have to get a valid residence permit and German visa in order to stay in Germany. For the visa purpose, German consulates and German embassies in the home country should be contacted as they are the only ones that provide the visa. However, being a student your application for a visa gets approved mostly when you have an admission letter from the university and have a financial proof for covering your costs in Germany. Moreover, students also have to apply for a resident permit at Foreigner’s Authority and also have to get themselves registered at “Einwohnermeldeamt”, registration office, or “Bürgerservice” a Service center for residents. This is necessary as you have to state the purpose of your stay in Germany.

2022 Eligibility for Ph.D. Admissions In Germany?

In order to be an eligible doctoral student in Germany, you must know the prerequisites which are described as follows.

• Getting the previous qualification recognized in Germany                                                           

In order to get admission to doctoral studies at a German university, you must possess the entrance qualification needed for higher education. It is also known as “Hochschulzugangsberechtigung” in the German language. It is necessary to be sure if your previous qualification is equal to what is needed for admission or not.

Recognition of the previous qualification is very necessary. And this is done by the “The Lisbon Recognition Convention” which also acts in different states of Europe. You have to determine if your qualification is sufficient as compared to the qualification of German universities as it will make you eligible for doctoral studies.

However, for doctoral studies in Germany, you need to have a master’s degree after the four-year undergraduate program. Moreover, there is an exception for the students who have got their undergraduate degrees from applied science universities. As they can be admitted to the Ph.D. by following fast-track programs. But for this purpose, they have to give an examination so that their knowledge can be tested.

If you are an international student coming from a country that has no connection with the Lisbon Recognition Convention then you have to undergo some qualification procedures. You have to know the country-specific guidelines so you may know the procedure depending upon the country from where you have done your previous education.

However, because of the Anabin which is a database, the procedure has become very easy and stress-free. This database provides all the information about the country-specific guideline to check if your previous qualification is equivalent to German qualification or not. Moreover, there are also specific guidelines for the purpose if your qualification is not equal to the set standard.

• Selecting Ph.D. Degree Type and your program in German Universities

Choosing the type of study and the field of study is the next step you have to follow while applying for Ph.D. studies. Among the type of study, you have to choose whether you want to do a structured doctorate or the individual doctorate. This is a major step while applying for Ph.D. studies at a university. The major difference between the two types of doctoral studies is independence in your studies.

Individual doctorate studies are most popular among the students as it gives students a lot of study independence. You can choose a study program of your choice and can select a supervisor of your own choice. Moreover, you have the independence of choosing your study hours and have the independence of indulging in other activities.

On the other hand, a structured doctorate involves the interaction with different colleagues and a team of supervisors mentor you by arranging the study activities, developing the curriculum, and helping the student with research work.

• Getting admission as a Ph.D. Candidate in German Institutes

Consider that you get lucky if your previous education gets recognized, you get the chance of finding the supervisor or the group of supervisors to guide you and you have chosen the dissertation topic then you are on your way to becoming a successful doctorate candidate.

The process for doctoral studies involves filling up the application form and getting a statement of consent from your supervisor to mentor your studies. Moreover, your application must have certified copies of your previous qualifications.

Additionally, you also have to provide the TestDaF or DSH certificate for the purpose of your Ph.D. study including the inscription of the thesis in the German language. However, it is not always needed to provide a dissertation in the German language so don’t get stressed.

Moreover, once you get the notification from the university about your successful admission only then you can start your doctoral studies in Germany.

• Getting Enrolled in Doctoral Studies in German Desired University

You can start your doctoral studies at the German university only after you get successful enrollment in the course. This means that after the enrollment you can start the study activities of your desired course, for example, attending lectures, working in the lab, etc.

However, there are some of the universities which give permission to the students for automatic enrollment in the course once they get admission. Apart from this, if your university does not allow automatic enrollment then you have to undergo a certain procedure. This may include you providing the student visa, health insurance, and resident permit for the duration of your stay in Germany.