Those interested in doing a doctorate can get an initial overview of the opportunities for doing a doctorate at the University of Potsdam here.

 The choice of academic supervision is up to you and depends primarily on your doctoral topic. Search the homepage of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences for academics in your research and subject area. See

You can finance your doctorate either by working at the university or at one of the cooperating non-university research institutions, with the help of a doctoral scholarship or by working outside the university. See

All information on the opening of the doctoral procedure can be found here.

All information about what happens after the disputation can be found here.

Please use the contact details at the bottom of this page.

The Promotion Office has regular opening hours for visitors. Tuesday 9-11 am and 1-15 pm; Thursday 9-11 am

It is better to make an appointment (by e-mail or telephone) shortly before the deadline. Alternatively, you can also use the mailbox of the Doctoral and Habilitation Office in the entrance area of House 28 to hand in documents.

If you have any questions, you can always send an e-mail to prommnf@uni-potsdam.de or call 0331 977 2965.

Yes, a short notification to the doctoral office is sufficient, which should be signed jointly by the doctoral candidate and the supervisor.

The Supervision agreement and the  Opening request form must be signed in original by the subject representative.

The main supervisor must sign the printing permission (Revisionsschein) in original.

All other signatures can be made digitally.

The supervision agreement must be submitted at the beginning of the doctoral project, at the latest one year after the start of work on the doctoral project.

Please read §3 and §4 of the doctoral degree regulations.

You need at least two people in your team of supervisors. In addition to the main supervisor, either a second supervisor or a mentor will be nominated. The second person must be independent of the main supervisor (see ).

You are welcome to have both a second supervisor and a mentor.

Do doctoral students have to enrol? (Registration with the doctoral office is compulsory!)

For the summer semester 2024, the enrolment fee for doctoral students will be reduced by €200. A public transit ticket is not included. For the winter semester 2024/25, the Deutschlandticket will be available again and with it the full fees!

According to the doctoral regulations of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at the University of Potsdam (§8 (6)), doctoral candidates should enrol, but they are not obliged to. Alternatively, a police clearance certificate or proof of employment in the public sector can be submitted when the doctoral procedure is initiated.

Enrolment often makes sense, as many benefits are attached to it. Please decide in consultation with your principal supervisor whether enrolment is advantageous.

List of what is potentially connected to enrolment:

- Insurance (insurance cover, e.g. for activities at the university outside your employment contract, internships and excursions: Statutory accident insurance and recreational accident insurance via the Studierendenwerk)

- eligibility for students to apply for prize fellowships / stipends,….

- Uni account (expires after ex-matriculation):

o Access to the library (thus to journals)

o VPN access

o Software downloads

o PULS registration for doctoral seminar

- Proof of enrolment for WHK employment

- Canteen

- University sports

- ZESSKO (language courses)

- Free participation in seminars of the PoGs

- Advantages for non-European doctoral candidates with regard to residence permits

- Reduced admission prices for leisure, cultural and sporting events (cinema, gym, etc.)

For the composition of semester fees consult: https://www.uni-potsdam.de/en/studium/studying/organizing-your-studies/re-registration

Please note the meeting dates of the doctoral committee.

The letters will be sent by post the following day. You are also welcome to collect the letter in person here at the doctoral office. Please let us know in advance.

If you have not received a letter after more than a week, please contact us.

No, the goal of any scientific activity is ultimately the publication of the results. However, care must be taken to ensure that the name of the doctoral student is listed on the publication or poster. Anything else is a violation of recognized authorship rules.

See §7 of the doctoral degree regulations.

The committee consists of 6 persons. 3 reviewers, one committee chair and two further persons.

The majority of the examiners are members of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at the University of Potsdam.

Please clarify the composition and independence with your main supervisor and the subject representative in advance and make sure that the proposed candidates are willing to participate in advance!

The University of Potsdam does not yet have an official guideline on the use of AI.

In the meantime, please note the guidelines of the LMU, which we follow.

Please discuss the use of AI with your main supervisor.

Many departments and institutes offer doctoral seminars. Please contact your supervisor for more information.

Further possibilities are offered by the Potsdam Graduate School .

Please allow at least three months between submission and defense.

Delays can occur, for example, if expert reports are submitted late, a revision is required or it is difficult to find a date for the oral examination. The doctoral office will keep you informed when important milestones have been reached.

After the disputation, you will receive a provisional certificate of completion of your procedure (interim notification) by post.

This certificate does not entitle you to use the title “Dr. rer.nat.”.

The letter contains a “Revisionsschein” (printing permission). Have this signed by your main supervisor and publish the dissertation.

In the letter with the interim decision you will find a “Revisionsschein” (permission to print). Please have this signed by the main supervisor and submit the original.

As soon as you have submitted the "Revisionsschein" and we have received notification of successful publication from the library, you can collect your certificate.