This guide is the third in a three part series on getting set up. This part is only required for those who intend to get a PhD. Make sure you read this document thoroughly so you know exactly what you need and obtain documents in the required quantities. Beware: obtaining translations, for example, takes a long time and costs a lot, so not having one to hand when requested can really slow down your process, cause complications and cost you money.
It is useful to remember that you have two “hats” - that of “Research Assistant” (Wissenschaftliche/r Mitarbeiter/in) and that of “Doctorand” (Doktorand). For the former, you will be dealing with the Personnel Department (Personalabteilung) as described in Part 2, and for the latter, you will deal with the TUM Graduate School. This means you may need to submit some documents, such as translations and certified copies of your decree and degree transcript, multiple times.
If you are studying for a PhD, registration at the TUM Graduate School is mandatory. Unfortunately, at the time of writing, this is a relatively new requirement and bureaucracy is very inefficient.
You can begin the registration process as soon as you are accepted by TUM. The reasons why it is best to get it done as soon as possible are:
- When you are registered as a student you can obtain a Student Card and SemesterTicket, which cost 257.50 EUR in total for the whole semester and allow you to travel within the entire Munich Travel Network (MVG).
- You need to take a certain amount of courses to obtain your doctorate (Promotion), and the earlier you can start with these the better. You can attend classes while your application is still in progress.
Table of Contents
Nostrification and entry onto Doctoral List (Promotionsliste)
The first, and longest process that you will need to go through is entry onto the Doctoral List (Promotionsliste). A committee at the student office will examine your qualifications and determine whether you meet the requirements for the List, or whether you have to fulfil some additional requirements (further information: TUM Wiki, CeDoSIA - Graduate Center).
You will need to complete an application form online on the DocGS website. This will generate a .pdf file which you should print off, sign, and send along with the following documents (as of the time of writing), to Ms Manuela Fischer, Dean’s office (Dekanat):
Supervision Agreement, signed by your supervisor and co-supervisor. Allow time for your supervisors to sign this but make it known to them that it is a priority.1
Certified copy (beglaubigte Kopie) of degree certificate (Abschlussurkunde) 2
Certified copy (beglaubigte Kopie) of degree transcript (Abschlusszeugnis) 2
If not contained in the degree certificate or transcript: officially certified copy provided by your foreign higher education institution stating the subjects and grades of the examinations taken as a requirement leading to the degree, and the minimum passing grade. A diploma supplement alone is not enough! 3
Certified translations of the above, if the degree is not in German or English
Abstract of your Master thesis in German or English 4
Up to date CV including details of your education 4
Copy of government issue ID
After submitting your documents, if you did not graduate from a German university, you will receive a bill for 75.00 EUR for nostrification fees. By this time you should already have an Eurozone bank account, so pay this as soon as possible. Following this your qualifications will be assessed by a committee. If they find them acceptable, they will enter you on the Doctoral List (Promotionsliste), otherwise, they will request your entry as provisional (Teilpromotion) on condition of certain requirements (e.g. taking certain courses). You will receive confirmation of either decision from Ms. Manuela Fischer at the Dean’s office (Dekanat).
Time: a few weeks if nostrification is not necessary (e.g. if your last degree is from a German institution), 2–4 months for nostrification and decision if your degree is from an institution within the EU or EEC. Otherwise, it can take 6–12 months.
Entry onto the Doctoral Program
Once the decision for the Doctoral List (Promotionsliste) has been confirmed to you, you must submit an application to the relevant Graduate Centre (Fakultätsgraduiertenzentrum) for entry onto the Doctoral Program. The Graduate Centre for Informatics is CeDoSIA.
At the time of writing, you will require:
- A complete Informatik Graduate School application, which can be done under the link Bewerbungen at campus.tum.de. For this you will also require a scan of government issue ID document, e.g. passport.
- Certified copies of
- Degree certificate (Abschlussdiplom)
- Degree transcript with grades (Abschlusszeugnis)
- Up to date CV
- Letter/certificate of exmatriculation from your previous university (or equivalent)
- Confirmation of health insurance
- Copy of your passport or government issue ID card
The items 1-3 should be sent by post to the Immatrikulationsamt, Arcisstraße 21, 80333 München. In approximately 2 weeks you should receive a letter of admission (Zulassung). As soon as you receive this, you should pay the 113,00 EUR fee.
You should then send items 4-6, as well as any other documents additionally required on the letter of admission, to the Immatrikulationsamt again. If you paid the fee from a non-EU bank account, you should include a copy of your bank statement. 10 days after the fees have been paid and the documents have been received, you should be able to pick up your student card from the Immatrikulationshalle in the main campus in the Arcisstraße.
The student card will allow you to buy the SemesterTicket (146.50 EUR) at any MVG ticket machine. The student card must be renewed every semester.
Time: 3-4 weeks after submission of all documents.