.. _application:

Application as a doctoral student at NAT
******************************************

.. index:: requirements
.. _requirements: 

Requirements
===============

Admission to a doctorate at TUM requires a university degree completed with above-average results
(Diploma, Magister, or Master´s), an equivalent state examination,
or a Master´s examination at a university of applied science.

Results are considered above average if studies were completed with an
average grade of 2.5 or passed with a "good" or better.
For :ref:`foreign-degrees`, the grades are "translated" to the German grading system for a fair comparison.

In exceptional cases, you may prove your above-average qualifications through academic work (e.g., publications) completed after your course of study.

.. index:: foreign degrees
.. _foreign-degrees:

Foreign Degrees
--------------------

The TUM Examination Office reviews all degrees obtained from foreign universities
as part of the application process for entry into the doctoral candidacy list.
You will receive an official decision
on whether your degree is recognized at the beginning of your PhD project.
TUM no longer charges a fee for this evaluation.

We kindly ask for your understanding that we can only provide information
about the recognition of foreign degrees within the formal review process.
You may consult the
`Anabin database (in German) <https://anabin.kmk.org/cms/public/startseite>`__
to independently check how foreign universities and degrees are classified.

To be considered equivalent to a German Master’s degree in science,
your degree **must include a Master’s thesis**.
We assess individually whether your thesis is comparable to a German Master’s thesis,
for example to one completed at TUM.
Once the TUM Examination Office has evaluated your application documents,
NAT will **request an expert opinion regarding the equivalence of your Master’s thesis**.

.. index:: application process
.. _application-process:

Overview of the application process
======================================

Your application and acceptance as a doctoral candidate at the TUM School of Natural Sciences consists of the following steps:

- :ref:`tumid`. All doctoral candidates at TUM require a TUM-ID (membership at TUM)!
- :ref:`registration-docgs` or another Graduate Center: Qualification program, internationalization support...
- :ref:`list-doctoral-candidates`
- Optional: :ref:`enrollment` (student status)

Please finish the online registration and bring all the documents to the :ref:`deans-office`.

Please read all the relevant information on the TUM-GS website and their wiki:

- TUM-GS: `Information for candidates with a German Master´s degree <https://www.gs.tum.de/en/gs/path-to-a-doctorate/application/application-steps/>`_
  (`or in German <https://www.gs.tum.de/gs/weg-zur-promotion/bewerbung/bewerbungsschritte/>`_)
- TUM-GS: `Information for candidates with a foreign Master´s degree <https://www.gs.tum.de/en/gs/path-to-a-doctorate/application/foreign-degrees/>`_
- `TUM-GS Wiki <https://collab.dvb.bayern/display/tumgs21/Promovierende+%7C+Doctoral+Candidates>`_:

   - `Supervision agreement <https://collab.dvb.bayern/display/tumgs21/Betreuungsvereinbarung+%7C+Supervision+Agreement>`_
   - `Entry into the Doctoral Candidacy List <https://collab.dvb.bayern/display/tumgs21/Eintragung+in+die+Promotionsliste+%7C+Entry+into+the+Doctoral+Candidacy+List>`_

You may also send us the :ref:`required documents <required-documents>` **in one batch**,
but experience shows that the most efficient way is to :ref:`come to our office <deans-office>` in person.

Please note that we require some paper documents.
Hence, you cannot complete the registration by email.

.. index:: ! TUM-ID, TUM-Kennung, TUM account

.. _tumid:

TUM-ID and TUM email address
======================================================================

Each doctoral candidate at TUM must obtain a
`TUM Account <https://www.it.tum.de/en/it/faq/account-login-tum-id-mwnid-tumcard/account-password/how-can-i-get-a-tumonline-etc-account/>`_
(TUM-Online account, TUM-ID, e.g. ``ab23cde``).

The chair secretariats will help you set up the account (as a guest if applicable).

For doctoral candidates with **external supervisors** (i.e., supervisors not employed at TUM like MPI professors, honorary professors, etc.):
The Dean’s Office at NAT manages the guest status in TUM-Online.
Doctoral candidates at the **TUM School of Natural Sciences only**: please get in touch with promotion@nat.tum.de.

**Attention:**
   If you already have an inactive TUM account or applicant’s account, please do not obtain a new one!

.. important::

   We will require the following information to register your TUM-ID:

   - First name(s) as on the official ID-Document
   - Last name(s) as on the official ID-Document
   - Gender
   - Academic title(s)
   - Date of birth
   - Your DocGS-ID (number), if available
   - Full name of your supervisor
   - Chair / institute were you work during your Ph.D.
   - Your ID document (in person)

   If you've already provided your ID, we may have some of your information on file and will only need the missing details.

Once your account is set up, it will take some time before you can log in to various accounts.

TUM-IT has a `FAQ on your TUM Account, Login, TUM ID, Password, TUMCard <https://www.it.tum.de/en/it/faq/account-login-tum-id-mwnid-tumcard/>`_.

**Attention:**
   You can only log in / enter elements of the qualification program on our web server
   if the TUM online status is active (as employee or guest/external scientist).
   Alumni or expired guest statuses cannot log in.

.. index:: email
.. _email:

Email: important for our communication
--------------------------------------------

Please **enter your TUM E-Mail address in DocGS**. See section :ref:`registration-docgs` below.
In contrast to others,
you may keep this (at least as a
`forwarding address <https://www.it.tum.de/en/it/faq/e-mail/e-mail-in-general/what-is-lifelong-forwarding/>`__)
for the rest of your life.
**We recommend setting up a forwarding address to obtain important information in case you lose access to your TUM account.**


TUM-IT has `important information about using TUM email <https://www.it.tum.de/en/it/faq/e-mail/e-mail-in-general/how-can-i-create-a-tum-e-mail-address-how-can-i-access-my-e-mails/>`_.

.. important::

   Please ensure that your TUM email address is properly configured so we can always reach you through it.
   We prefer using this email because you are likely to have access to it throughout your PhD project.

   Note that some external employers may revoke access to work emails once your contract ends,
   but this will not happen with your TUM account.
   When you are informed that your TUM account is about to expire,
   please set up a forwarding email address to ensure you stay connected.

   Here is the link to access DocGS: https://www.docgs.tum.de/

   It is essential that we are always able to reach you through :ref:`your TUM email <email>`.

..
.. Important: Link your DocGS and TUM accounts
.. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
..
.. Please ensure that **your TUM-ID is linked to your DocGS account**.
.. This will simplify processing your requests in our DSSNAT database and DocGS.
.. To link your TUM-ID, log in to DocGS and click "Link TUM ID" in the right column at the bottom.
..
.. You may be required to enter your email address as ``<TUM ID>@mytum.de`` for confirmation.
..
.. **Attention:**
..    When entering your TUM-ID, please click **"Save and submit"** (Speichern und Einreichen).
..    Clicking "Save" (Speichern) alone is not sufficient.



.. index:: DocGS, TUM-GS membership
.. _registration-docgs:

Registration at the TUM Graduate School: Membership at the Graduate Center of Natural Sciences
==========================================================================================================

For Ph.D. students at NAT, the Graduate Center of Natural Sciences is the natural choice for their graduate center.

`DocGS is the central online registration portal <https://www.docgs.tum.de/en/node/231>`_
for doctoral candidates at the Technical University of Munich (TUM).
Through DocGS, you register as a doctoral candidate and apply for
`admission to the official list of Ph.D. students <list-doctoral-candidates>`_.
Please note that a :ref:`TUM ID <tumid>` is required to complete the online registration.

After successful registration, you will become a member of the TUM Graduate School and the TUM School of Natural Sciences.
All required documents must be submitted to the Dean’s Office, where they will be reviewed before your application is finalized.

.. index:: supervision agreement
.. _supervision-agreement:

Supervision Agreement
----------------------------------

Future members of the Graduate Center of Natural Sciences (GC-NAT) may download the
supervision agreement :download:`files/betreuungsvereinbarung_GC-NAT-de.pdf`,
fill it in, get it signed, and hand it in at the Graduate Canter of Natural Sciences or the Dean´s office.

The signature of the GC-NAT can be obtained when you hand in the supervision agreement.

You only need to add the actual supervision agreement to your documents.
Keep the project plan safe and continuously review and update it with your supervisor.

Please inquire about specific information there if you are considering
joining another (topical) graduate center.

- Supervision agreement of the Graduate Center of Natural Sciences 

  PDF download: :download:`files/betreuungsvereinbarung_GC-NAT-de.pdf`

- English translation of the official generic supervision agreement from TUM-GS:

  PDF download: :download:`files/muster-betreuungsvereinbarung-en.pdf`
  
Please note that only the German supervision agreement is legally binding and accepted.
The translated generic version is just for your convenience.

Please submit the **signed supervision agreement (ink on paper)**
and other documents to the Dean´s office.
The Dean´s office will obtain the signature of the Graduate Center NAT once we have the paper with the remaining signatures.

.. note:: 
   
   For some fields like *subject-specific courses*, *teaching at TUM*, etc.,
   you are expected to know only some details at the start of your
   Ph.D. project. We recommend only filling in the available and
   agreed-upon information in these cases. Details can be added later,
   e.g., within your PhD project plan (exposé).

.. index:: mentor
.. _mentor:

Mentor
-------

At the Graduate Center of Natural Sciences, we only accept supervision agreements where a mentor has been named and signed by the mentor.

We suggest picking someone preliminary if you are still determining a suitable mentor.
You can select anyone with a Ph.D., e.g., someone from your current setting.
Our only recommendation is that you choose a mentor who is not too close to your supervisor
and thus can give you an independent view and advice.
I.e., someone from outside the research group of your supervisor.

The mentor can change at any time.

TUM-GS has more information here:
https://collab.dvb.bayern/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=119944205

.. _list-doctoral-candidates:

Entry onto the list of doctoral candidates
===================================================

Your formal entry onto the list of doctoral candidates is also administered via DocGS.
It is `part of the registration process <https://www.gs.tum.de/en/gs/path-to-a-doctorate/application/application-steps/>`_
at the TUM School of Natural Sciences.

Please follow the `steps outlined on the TUM-GS pages <https://www.gs.tum.de/en/gs/path-to-a-doctorate/application/application-steps/>`_.
There are also `some notes for recognition of degrees from foreign universities <https://www.gs.tum.de/en/gs/path-to-a-doctorate/application/foreign-degrees/>`_

The TUM-GS wiki has more information on `Entry into the Doctoral Candidacy List <https://collab.dvb.bayern/display/tumgs21/Eintragung+in+die+Promotionsliste+%7C+Entry+into+the+Doctoral+Candidacy+List>`_.

.. _required-documents:

List of required documents
-----------------------------

.. include:: application-documents.rst

.. note::

  - If this information is not clearly stated on your transcript, please also submit an **officially certified confirmation** from your university specifying:

      *   the exams required to earn the degree,
      *   the grades achieved, and
      *   the minimum passing grade.

  - If your university documents are issued in a language other than German or English, please include an **official translation by a sworn translator** for each document.
  - If you wish to submit your documents before arriving in Germany, please contact us at promotion@nat.tum.de so we can advise you on the best submission option.


Information on diplomas, certificates, and certified copies
-------------------------------------------------------------------

*   For **TUM degrees**, it is sufficient to bring the **original diploma and certificates** to the Dean’s Office.
*   For **degrees from other German or international universities**, you must submit **officially certified copies** of:

    *   your diploma, and
    *   your final university transcript. *(Please do not submit originals.)*

*   All documents must be submitted **in paper form**. A scanned PDF of a certified copy sent by email is **not sufficient**.
*   | Further details on acceptable forms of notarization are available on the websites of **TUM Student Advising and Information Services**:
    | German: https://www.tum.de/studium/bewerbung/infoportal-bewerbung/anforderungen-an-dokumente
    | English: https://www.tum.de/en/studies/application/application-info-portal/document-requirements

.. index:: direct track, fast track
.. _direct-track:

„Direct Track“ from a Master´s program
======================================================================

Talented students can continue the Master´s research phase seamlessly
with a doctoral project, speeding up their academic career.
If you do not have a Master´s degree,
you may choose this track on your way to a doctoral degree from the TUM School of Natural Sciences.
The "Direct Track" program combines the advantages of the traditional model with the speed of a "Fast Track"
– without the disadvantages like a (formally) missing Master´s degree.

Students interested in the "Direct Track" apply for a
`regular Master´s program <https://academics.nat.tum.de/en/msc>`_.
You may still use the advanced studies in the first year
to become familiar with the research groups
and find the perfect group for your science interests.

This might also be an option for students who have not completed a Master´s thesis with their Master´s degree.