FAQ PhD

These FAQ are for orientation only and can serve as a checklist. They summarize the most important points without obligation, but do not replace reading the doctoral regulations. The questions and answers listed here refer to PhD procedures according to the KIT Faculty of Mechanical Engineering's June 26, 2017.. The paragraphs mentioned also refer to these PhD regulations.

01 Is there a deadline to register?

The registration of doctoral candidates at KHYS is mandatory. It is recommended to register within the first four months of the doctoral project. After six months without an application for acceptance as a doctoral candidate, the information at KHYS will be deleted for data protection reasons.

02 Where do I have to register as a doctoral candidate and in which order?

At the KIT Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, you can follow these four consecutive steps:

• Conclusion of a doctoral agreement
  (in the doctoral agreement (§ 11 para. 2) you will be asked to register at KHYS and to apply for acceptance as a doctoral candidate at the faculty)

• Registration at the KHYS (Karlsruhe House of Young Scientists)
  required doctoral registration agreement(https://docata.khys.kit.edu/ ) you need a ***@kit.edu - or a ***@partner.kit.edu email account. If you do not have such an account yet, your main supervisor at KIT, your institute or the KIT faculty will help you.
• Application for acceptance as doctoral candidate
  requires a doctoral agreement and registration at KHYS in"DOCATA". Details can be found in the FAQ: Is there an application form for acceptance as a doctoral student? Where do I have to submit the application?

• Enrollment as a student
  Effective Feb. 16, 2021, newly accepted doctoral students must generally enroll. There are exceptions for doctoral candidates who are employed full-time at KIT, who may choose whether they wish to enroll or declare in writing to the Student Services that they do not wish to enroll

03 How does the doctoral committee review my application?

The doctoral committee meets approximately once a month. If your application is received in full in time for the meeting, a decision on acceptance and, if applicable, conditions of acceptance will be made at the meeting. You will receive the decision by mail. So check to make sure you provided your current mailing address when you submitted your application.

05 What are the advantages of being accepted as a doctoral candidate?

By being accepted as a doctoral student, you become a member of the Convention of Doctoral Students of the KIT Faculty of Mechanical Engineering. If you have any questions, problems, ideas or suggestions, you can contact the Doctoral Student Convention and participate in the meetings. You are invited to the meeting once per semester.

Acceptance as a doctoral student is a prerequisite for certain services and administrative acts. It gives you security in many cases:

• If your primary supervisor is unavailable, accepted doctoral students will be referred to a new supervisor by the doctoral committee whenever possible.

• Many funding programs for doctoral students require proof of acceptance as a doctoral candidate, e.g. the offers from KHYS.

• Acceptance as a doctoral student is one of the requirements to enroll as a student and enjoy the benefits of matriculation.

06 What is the Doctoral Student Convention and how do I get the latest information on doctoral studies?

According to § 38 paragraph 7 of the Baden-Württemberg State University Act (LHG), the Doctoral Students' Convention represents the interests of doctoral students at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). It advises on questions and can make recommendations to the organs of the university.

For news about doctoral studies, subscribe to the mailing list of the Doctoral Convention: doktorandenkonvent-mach ∂does-not-exist.lists kit edu.

07 Is there an application form for acceptance as a doctoral student? Where do I have to submit the application?

The application for acceptance as a doctoral student must be created in DOCATA. You can print and sign the application form there. The application documents have to be handed in at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering in the Dean's Office (Building 10.91, 1st floor, Dean's Office, Doctoral Office). After approximately 6 weeks, the acceptance or, if applicable, rejection will be communicated.

Checklist of documents that belong to an application for acceptance:

• Application for acceptance as a doctoral student from DOCATA and the following attachments:

• Proof of the university degree entitling the holder to a doctorate (certified copy or original certificate and transcript) according to § 4 PromO,

• description of the professional and scientific career

• written declaration according to Annex 5a PromO [Appendix 5a].

• Copy of the doctoral agreement according to § 10 PromO [doctoral agreement].
  • Enclosure 1 (topic proposal/exposé, time/work schedule)
  • Enclosure 2 (Qualification measures according to §7 of the doctoral agreement)
• Doctoral degree certificate, if the doctoral candidate has already been awarded a doctoral degree.

08 What are the requirements for the dissertation paper (§12)?

Checklist:

Independent, scientific work from the fields of work of the KIT Faculty of Mechanical Engineering (presentation of results and progress of knowledge in a coherent manner in terms of content).

Language: "The dissertation shall be written in German or English. In justified cases, the doctoral committee may, upon written request of the doctoral candidate, approve the writing of the dissertation in French. If the dissertation is written in a foreign language, it must be preceded by an abstract in German."

Compliance with the "Rules for Ensuring Good Scientific Practice at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)" .