Registration

Before you register for the PhD program of the Faculty of Biosciences make sure you have met the requirements demanded. If that is the case, please submit the following documents to the PhD Office:

PhD students holding a German university degree

• application form for admission as a PhD candidate carefully filled in including the signatures from your first and your second supervisor  (Adobe Reader)
• if the direct supervision is not given by your first supervisor, a letter from the first supervisor is required which describes the situation of supervising ("Stellungnahme")
• abstract of your PhD project (in German or in English)
• indication of the PhD program you will attend
• officially certified copies of your certificates "Zeugnis" and "Urkunde" or of "zweites Staatsexamen" and "Approbationsurkunde". If you hold a Master-degree, it is required to submit the Master-"Zeugnis" and the Master-"Urkunde" together with the Bachelor-"Zeugnis" and the Bachelor-"Urkunde". (Submission of the originals and handing-over of normal copies is also possible. In this case, please bring these copies already along!)

PhD students holding a German "Diplom-FH"-degree

• the same documents as mentioned above
• ranking issued by the registrar's office ("Prüfungsamt") of the Fachhochschule you attended

PhD students holding a university degree from abroad

• application form for admission as a PhD candidate carefully filled in including the signatures from your first and your second supervisor
• if the direct supervision is not given by your first supervisor, a letter from the first supervisor is required which describes the situation of supervising ("Stellungnahme")
• abstract of your PhD project
• indication of the PhD program you will attend
• CV including information concerning your Master/Diploma-thesis (duration, title)
• officially certified copies of all of your university degrees (e.g. B.Sc. and M.Sc. including transcripts!). If your degrees have not been issued in English or German, official translations are required.
• a proof of German or English language skills (not necessary for native-speakers):

For English, the following proofs are recognised:

• the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with at least 90 internet-based TOEFL-test points (out of 120) or the TOEFL.ITP with at least 570 points (out of 677)
• the International English Language Test System with a result of at least 6,5 (out of 9) or
• the Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English (CAE)

For German, the following proofs are accepted:

• "Deutsches Sprachdiplom der Kultusministerkonferenz - Zweite Stufe" (Beschluss der Kultusministerkonferenz (KMK) vom 16.03.1972 und 05.10.1973 in jeweils geltender Fassung)
• Deutsche Sprachprüfung für den Hochschulzugang (DSH-Stufe 2) gemäß der Rahmenordnung der Hochschulrektorenkonferenz (HRK) und KMK
• Großes or Kleines Deutsches Sprachdiplom issued by the Goethe-Institute
• Zentrale Oberstufenprüfung issued by the Goethe-Institute
• the Deutsch als Fremsprache (TestDaF) certificate, only if passed with a mark of TDN 4 or better in all of the examinations
• Zeugnis der Prüfung zur Feststellung der Eignung ausländischer Studienbewerber für die Aufnahme eines Studiums an den Hochschulen der Bundesrepublik Deutschland ("Feststellungsprüfung") or
• an equivalent certificate based on a bilateral treaty with another country

The issue date of these proofs should not be dated back more than two years.

Please note that it is essential to register with the Faculty not later than 6 weeks after the start of your PhD work and that application forms for admission as a PhD can only be handed in with complete documents!

address:

Fakultät für Biowissenschaften
Promotionsangelegenheiten
Im Neuenheimer Feld 234 Room 519
69120 Heidelberg
Germany

Starting July 2012, the acceptance will be valid for five years. For all previously approved doctoral candidates there will be an informal request for extension up to five years needed, if desired. You may write a brief letter to the PhD office asking for an extension; the letter should include the signatures of your First Supervisor and yourself. 

Please contact the PhD Office for further information. Opening hours: Tue, Thu 10.00 - 12.00

Further Information:
Locations and how to get there