Application process:

I. Complete the application for admission. Please note that the Supervision Agreement (which is provided after filling the online application) must only be completed and signed after admission.
External applicants use this application for admission form.
If you have been enrolled at the University of Göttingen before, please login via eCampus to access the pre-filled form.

Please have the following documents ready to upload them:
- Master's and Bachelor's certificates and transcripts
- Statement by (prospective) supervisor (see here (pdf) for further information)
- Doctoral student’s declaration (can be found in the application for admission form)
- English proficiency certificates (min. level C1, i.e. IELTS 6.5, TOEFL iBT 110),
- short abstract of your PhD thesis (1/2 to 1 A4-page) (only required for applicants to Molecular Biology of Cells, Cellular and Molecular Physiology of the Brain and Systems Neuroscience)
- optionally: certificates of other relevant examinations (e.g. GRE, reference letters, if available)
If your documents are in a language other than German or English, you will need to include copies of an official translation (into German or English) as well.

Composition of the Thesis Advisory Committee:
- The thesis advisory committee (TAC) consists of the supervisor and of two independent additional members.
- The two additional members (TAC 2, TAC 3) must be from different departments than the supervisor.
- The first member (TAC 1 = supervisor) and second member (TAC 2) must be members of the program applied for. In addition to that at least one of them must be full professor at the university (i.e. not “apl.” or “hon.”; in case of doubt contact us).
- The third member may be from another GGNB/GAUSS doctoral program, or, if required, from an external university.
- The first and second member will evaluate the doctoral thesis after submission.
- For an enrollment in the Faculty of Physics (programs: Physics of Biological or Complex Systems, Theoretical and Computational Neuroscience the 1st or 2nd reviewer must be a full Professor of the Faculty of Physics.
- All members of the TAC must have an examination accreditation (general or individual).

II. Pre-screening:
The GGNB office will check the formal requirements for admission while the admission board will screen the application reg. the qualification of the candidate and the thematic fit of the prospective PhD project.
- Master's degree with very good grades in the natural sciences or mathematics, including a Master's thesis with a minimum duration of six months.
Please note that due to the peculiarities of the German university system, medical degrees are not considered as equivalent to an MSc in the natural sciences.
In case of MSc degrees from abroad, it may be that the faculty requests the fulfillment of additional requirements before the admission to doctoral studies (e.g. an oral exam, a written progress report after 6 months, etc.).
- English proficiency / language requirements: Candidates have to be fluent in written and spoken English. Candidates whose mother tongue is not English can demonstrate sufficient knowledge of English e.g. by having completed MSc studies in English or by internationally recognized tests such as TOEFL or IELTS or equivalent achievements. During online application, applicants can indicate proven higher education in English or a reasonably long stay in an English-speaking country, if applicable. Knowledge of the German language is not required, but international students will be offered opportunities to take German courses.
- Optional: references: During online registration the applicant may upload reference letters if available. The application will also be processed if no reference letters are submitted.

III. Presentation at admission panel:
After successful screening by the admission board, the candidate will present his/her project before the admission panel who will decide on the admission to the doctoral program (see recommendations (pdf) for further information).

IV. Enrolment:
Upon admission, all doctoral students have to be enrolled at the University of Göttingen for the entire duration of their PhD thesis project. PhD students can enroll throughout the year, i.e. independent of deadlines. Once you have been notified about your admission to GGNB, you enroll/matriculate at the University of Göttingen within four weeks.
IMPORTANT: Upon admission, you have to pay the semester fee of approx. 400 EUR for the current semester. In January and July the fees for the following semesters (summer resp. winter semester) are due. Make sure to budget accordingly.

For information on the enrollment procedure, see information provided by the Registrar's Office.

Doctoral students who receive a scholarship from public German funding schemes (e.g. DAAD) may pay a reduced fee (by approx. 75 EUR) upon presentation of their official scholarship confirmation to the Registrar's Office when handing in their documents for enrolment.

If you have any further questions, please contact Michaela Wasmuth-Kroker (ggnb@gwdg.de), or for Cardiovascular Science, Dr. Christina Würtz (cvs.phd@med.uni-goettingen.de) or for the IMPRS Physics of Biological and Complex Systems, Frauke Bergmann (imprs-pbcs@gwdg.de), or for Molecular Medicine, Dr. Werner Albig (sekretariat.molmed@med.uni-goettingen.de).