Procedure for a Doctorate

Before the doctorate

The first step is to get in contact with a professor of the Faculty of Agriculture who is willing to supervise your work.

Current job vacancies with the option to complete a doctorate can often be found on the webpages of the institutes.

Check regularly if there is something for you. Do you have an idea of your own? Talk directly to potential doctoral supervisors. Explain your research project as precisely as possible and give reasons why the professor is suitable as a supervisor.

Clarify the necessary language skills (doctorate in German or English).

Application for admission to doctoral studies

After you have found a supervisor, the formal requirements for admission as a doctoral student must be clarified. The Doctoral Board and the Faculty Council are responsible for admission.

For this you must submit an application to the Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture at the University of Bonn for admission to doctoral studies. Your supervisor must also sign this application (Deadline: at least 10 days before the next faculty meeting)
 

Annexes to the application

• Curriculum vitae (signed)

• Proof of successful completion of a relevant academic degree according to § 6 of the Doctoral Regulations of June 17, 2011 (certified copy of the certificate and the transcript or presentation of the originals)

• Declaration by a University Professor (German Language) of the Faculty of Agriculture on the assumption of supervision according to § 6 (1) to (3) of the Doctoral Degree Regulations of June 17, 2011

• Data entry form (German / Englisch Language) for recording university statistics

• EXCEL form for the collection of personal data

Enrollment: yes or no?

Generally, you can enroll as a student during your doctorate. Enrollment takes place at the    Student Secretariat of the University of Bonn.

As a student you enjoy a number of advantages:

• Public transport pass ‘NRW-Semesterticket’
• Discounted admissions
• Free courses offered by the university
• Receipt of a Uni-ID
• Dorm accommodation
• Offers of the 'Studierendenwerk'
• Use of the University Library etc.

Enrollment and registration costs approx. € 290 per semester.

Undertaking the doctorate

Once all formalities have been completed, you will be admitted to the doctorate and receive a corresponding confirmation. Now you should concentrate on completing your doctorate. In addition to the traditional doctorate, the Faculty of Agriculture also offers participation in a structured doctoral program within the framework of the   Bonn International Graduate School (BIGS) - Land and Food.

With the   Argelander Program, the University of Bonn has created a comprehensive support system to promote the development of young scientists’ at all academic levels. Here you can, for example, take part in the   Promotion-Plus support program.

Doctoral examination procedure

Is your doctoral dissertation project finished and your dissertation almost complete? Now, you are faced with further procedural steps: If you haven’t done so already, you should now find and specify a second reviewer: You need another professor to review your doctoral dissertation from a scientific point of view. It is advisable to involve the second reviewer as early as possible so you can discuss your work with her or him from a technical point of view before submission.

Then you must apply for admission to the doctoral procedure. Here, you must state the exact title of your work and make a proposal for the compostion of your examinationa board. Please observe § 3 (1) and (2) of the Doctoral Degree Regulations. Your application must be approved by the Faculty Council, which meets three times per semester during the lecture period. The time-limit for submitting is at least 10 days before the meeting. After approval, you can then submit your dissertation including the documents which are listed in the Request for review to the Doctoral Office.

Review of the doctorate

Once the complete documentation has been submitted, your work will be forwarded to the reviewers, who will usually review your dissertation within eight weeks.

When all the reviewers are available and the acceptance of the dissertation has been determined, the authorized examiners and the other members of the Faculty of Agriculture will be informed of the two-week inspection period. This is followed by a three-day objection period. If no objection has been raised, the first assessor will obtain a declaration of printability.

Public lecture and scientific debate

Now, a doctoral colloquium can be convened with a notice period of at least two weeks. For this purpose, you inform the Doctoral Office in good time by e-mail of the required information (date, time, institute, lecture hall, possible substitute for the chair). After successful completion of the doctoral colloquium, you will promptly receive a preliminary certificate of the overall evaluation of your doctoral performance.

Completion of the doctorate

Your doctoral procedure is considered complete when your dissertation has been published. You have a maximum of one year to do so. You will receive more detailed information after the examination, where you will receive a letter from the chair.

The docotoral certificate will be issued as soon as the documents required for graduation are available. You will receive two certified copies. At this point the doctorate is considered to have been completed and the title may be held. The original of the certificate will be presented by the Dean at the annual doctorate celebration - usually the Friday before the “Bonner Universitätsfest”.