Applying to take a doctorate in Wuppertal (International Students)
You are an international graduate intending to apply for a doctoral program at UW.
If you are an international graduate intending to take a doctorate at UW, you should first contact the relevant faculty, department or institute and clarify that you fulfill the required conditions and that you will find a professor at UW to supervise you.
Send your potential supervisor a letter or e-mail with the following information:
- outline of your proposed research
- details of your experience in that field
- personal resumé / curriculum vitae.
If the response is positive, you should apply to UW's Student Admission and Registration for International Students for admission and enrollment. The final decision on admission and/or any further conditions to be fulfilled is taken by the doctoral degree examinations board.
For application of admission and enrollment at the International Office the following documents are required:
- personal resumé / curriculum vitae
- degree certificate(s)
- abstract of your Master\'s thesis or degree thesis
- written confirmation of acceptance (international PhD students) for supervision by a UW professor
- (where applicable) confirmation by your future supervisor that you may write your thesis in a language other than German
- (where applicable, and where the thesis is to be written in German) evidence of command of the German language
- evidence of university attendance (list of subjects/courses studied and grades attained, transcripts etc.)
- if you are or were already enrolled at a German university, the most recent certification of enrollment or renewal of registration must be submitted, with details of subject and semester
- completed application of admission.
Please note
- a German translation must be submitted with foreign certificates written in a language other than English or French
- all certificates should be submitted in the form of attested copies
- You can apply for admission by sending the documents listed above (attested copies) by post to the UW's Student Admission and Registration for International Students. The enrollment can also take place at the Office in person.
Application deadlines :
- summer semester: 15.04.
- winter semester: 15.10.
Enrollment as (international) Doctoral Student
Would you like to enroll for a doctorate at the of Wuppertal?
For application of admission and personal enrollment at the Student Admission and Registration for International Students the following documents are required:
- completed application of admission
- written letter of acceptance (international PhD students) for supervision by a UW professor, also specifying the language in which the thesis is to be written
- (where applicable, and where the thesis is to be written in German) evidence of command of the German language degree certificate(s)
- diploma certificates (Bachelor and Master)
- evidence of university attendance (list of subjects/courses studied and grades attained, transcripts etc.)
- abstract of your Master's thesis or degree thesis
- personal resumé / curriculum vitae
- if you are or were already enrolled at a German university, the most recent certification of enrollment or renewal of registration must be submitted, with details of subject and semester
Please note
- certificates in foreign languages must be submitted with a certified German or English translation; certificates originally issued in English by the relevant educational institution do not need to be translated
- all certificates should be submitted in the form of attested copies
- application for admission is either to be submitted by post to the UW's Office of Student Admission and Registration for International Students or in person.
Enrollment deadlines
- for the summer semester: May 31
- for the winter semester: November 30
Semester and tuition fees
Doctoral students are exempted from UW tuition fee, but they must pay the semester fee on initial registration and on renewal of registration for each sub-sequent semester. The deadline for renewal of registration for summer semester is March 15, and for the winter semester September 15.
Refund of semester ticket costs
Postgraduates living outside NRW (North Rhine-Westphalia), who only attend UW for occasional consultations and examinations, can apply to the Allgemeinen Studierendenausschuss (AStA – Student Union) for a refund of semester ticket costs. Should the refund be granted, they will not then be entitled to free travel within the VRR network.
Please enclose the following documents with your application:
• university certification of your diploma/master’s thesis or of your work placement / internship
• evidence of your place of residence during this period (copy of passport or of residential registration certificate)
• printout of travel permit
Please note that costs will be refunded only for complete calendar months. Click here for further information about the semester ticket.
