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Examination Procedure and Completion of the Doctorate

Inform yourself of your current examination regulations before submitting your dissertation. There you will find the composition of the examination board and which documents must be included in your work.

After completing your dissertation, you have to submit an application for admission to the examination. In order to do so, make an appointment with the deanery. Attach the following original or officially certified documents to your application and submit them along with your dissertation:

  • At least 4 bound copies of the dissertation including a title page. (One copy for each member of the examination board + one copy for the dean´s office).
  • The dissertation in digital form
  • Officially certified or original Certificates of a general higher education qualification
  • A declaration of authorship (must also be included in the printed version of your work!)
  • In the case of a cumulative dissertation: A declaration regarding the publications (must also be included in the printed version of your work!)
  • Curriculum Vitae (CV) (must also be included in the printed version of your work!)
  • Proof of suitability under particular conditions

The dissertation submitted to the deanery is stamped upon its arrival. The copies for the examination board are returned to the examinee (doctoral candidate), who passes them on to the academic assessors.

Subsequently, the dean initiates the examination procedure, in their position as the chairman of the doctoral committee. 

The academic assessors are requested by the deanery to submit their assessments within four weeks. The file is available for inspection for a selected group of people after the receipt of the assessments. The display period is two weeks during the lecture term and four weeks during the lecture-free period.

After approval by the department, the date for the thesis defense can be arranged. The doctoral candidates coordinate the date, time, and venue with the assessors and examiners and notify the dean's office.

In total, one should expect a timeframe of approximately 6 to 10 weeks from the submission of the work to the defense.