At the beginning of the doctorate, you submit an application for "Provisional acceptance as a doctoral researcher". Please submit the completed and signed form and all other documents to the PhD Office.

Application for provisional acceptance as a doctoral candidate and the Graduate Academy philGRAD

Other documents to be submitted:

• A curriculum vitae in German or English, including information on school and higher education;
• Abitur certificate or an equivalent certificate as well as certificates and records of all academic examinations or state examinations, in each case as certified copies;
• If applicable, language certificates according to Annex 2 of the doctoral regulations.

You are welcome to submit the documents by post or personally to the PhD Office. If you come in person, it is sufficient to bring the original and copies of the certificates with you.

Graduate Academy philGRAD
As soon as you have been provisionally accepted as a doctoral candidate at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, we would also like to welcome you to the Graduate Acadsemy philGRAD. From now on, you can take advantage of all philGRAD's events and advisory services free of charge. philGRAD is the central contact for you in all matters concerning your doctorate, in addition to the PhD Office. We accompany and support you from the very beginning with an extensive workshop programme, individual counselling offers and interesting networking events. You can find detailed information on our website at www.philgrad.hhu.de.

Enrolment as a doctoral student or doctoral auditor

As soon as you have been provisionally accepted as a doctoral student at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, you will receive an official letter from the acting vice dean. Now you are entitled to enrol as a doctoral student or as a doctoral auditor at the Heinrich Heine University.

Here you will find relevant information on enrolment.

At the latest one year after your provisional acceptance, you submit an application for final acceptance as a doctoral student. Please complete and sign the application form and submit all other required documents to the PhD Office.

For all those who are awarded a doctorate according to the new doctoral regulations (PO of 16.10.2017):

Application for final acceptance as a doctoral student and supervision agreement

Other documents to be submitted:

•     Exposé, signed by your supervisor.

Please discuss the structure, content, scope and layout of your exposé with your supervisor.

Obligatory enrolment as a doctoral student or doctoral auditor

As soon as you have been finally accepted as a doctoral candidate in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, you will receive an official letter from the Vice-Dean. You are now obliged to register as a doctoral student or doctoral auditor at the Heinrich Heine University.

Here you will find relevant information on enrolment.

Graduate Academy philGRAD

Since your provisional acceptance as a doctoral candidate at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, you can take advantage of all the events and advisory services offered by the Graduate Academy philGRAD free of charge. philGRAD is the central point of contact for you in all matters relating to your doctorate, alongside the PhD Office. We accompany and support you from the very beginning with an extensive workshop programme, individual counselling offers and interesting networking events. You can find detailed information on our website at www.philgrad.hhu.de.

For all who are doing their doctorate according to the doctoral regulations of 16.10.2017

Now that you have finally been accepted as a doctoral student at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, you will meet regularly with your supervisor and your mentor, at least once a year, to discuss the progress of your doctorate. Other persons may also attend this meeting. You are required to submit a progress report on the subjects and results of the interview. The progress report will describe in particular which goals have been achieved since the supervision agreement was drawn up or the last progress report drawn up and which goals you intend to achieve in the coming year.

The progress report also documents any changes to the concept of the dissertation, the planning for the preparation of the dissertation, the planning for participation in qualification measures or the schedule since the previous interview. The progress report is signed by all persons who took part in the interview. Each of these persons will receive a copy of the progress report. We provide you with a sample of the progress report here:

Model for the annual progress report since final acceptance as a doctoral student

The minutes of the annual progress review must be submitted to the PhD Committee at any time on request.

Attention: Please submit the annual progress reports - gladly also as a scan - to the Coordination Office of the Graduate Academy philGRAD.

For all those who are doing their doctorate according to the doctoral regulations of 04.07.2000, last amended on 10.10.2014, and are members of the Graduate Academy philGRAD:

If you are doing your doctorate according to the doctoral regulations of 4.07.2000 and are a member of the Graduate Academy philGRAD, submit the minutes of your progress meeting once a year - gladly as a scan. Here you will find an information sheet on the form and recommended contents of the progress discussion as well as a corresponding sample for the progress discussion protocol:

Model for the annual progress report as a member of philGRAD

For all doctoral candidates who are doing their doctorate according to the doctoral regulations of 4.07.2000 and are NOT members of the Graduate Academy philGRAD,

We recommend that you have regular progress meetings with your first supervisor and write down the results of the meetings.

The time has come: Your dissertation is ready and can be submitted to the doctoral office. In addition to your dissertation, please bring along the completed and signed application form for admission to the doctoral procedure and all other necessary documents.

For all those who are doing their doctorate according to the new doctoral regulations (PO dated 16.10.2017):

• Application for Admission to the Doctoral Procedure
• 3 copies of the dissertation, each
  •  with an integrated and handwritten signed affidavit with the following text: "I affirm in lieu of oath that the dissertation has been completed by me independently and without undue outside assistance, in accordance with the 'Ordnung über die Grundsätze zur Sicherung guter wissenschaftlicher Praxis an der Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf' (Regulations on the Principles for Safeguarding Good Scientific Practice at the Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf)";
  •  with an integrated short curriculum vitae:
  • as well as 3 copies of the above mentioned dissertation in electronic version (CD or USB stick);

Additionally:

• A detailed curriculum vitae and a copy of the affidavit for the doctoral file.
• A summary of the contents of the dissertation, one DIN A4 page in German or English;
• Proof of the doctoral studies (in accordance with § 7 of the Doctoral Regulations) and of enrolment (in accordance with § 6 (4) of the Doctoral Regulations);
• A statement as to whether the display of the thesis and the reports on the thesis is desired in printed or electronic form pursuant to § 13 (2) of the Doctoral Regulations;
• A declaration as to whether the disputation is to be held in German or English;
• If applicable, a justified request to exclude the faculty public or audience* during the disputation;
• If applicable, proof that conditions pursuant to § 3 paragraph 2 of these regulations have been fulfilled;
• If applicable, written statements by the supervisor pursuant to § 8, paragraph 3 or paragraph 5 of these regulations;
• Where applicable, certificates of previous schooling and studies, in particular the school leaving certificate and certificates of academic examinations or state examinations in certified photocopies;
• where appropriate, proof of the language skills required in accordance with Annex 2;
• if applicable, a statement as to whether or when and where the applicant*has already undergone a doctorate which was not successfully completed.

For all those who are doing their doctorate according to the old doctoral regulations (PO of 04.07.2000, last amended on 10.10.2014):

 Application for admission to the doctoral procedure

• 3 copies of the dissertation paper, each also additionally:
  • with integrated and handwritten signed affidavit with the following text: "I hereby declare that I have prepared the present thesis independently and without using any aids other than those indicated and that I have identified the ideas taken directly or indirectly from external sources as such and that the thesis has not yet been submitted to any examination board in the same or similar form and has not yet been published. Parts already published are marked in the paper." (place, date) (signature)";
  • with an integrated short curriculum vitae.
  • as well as 3 copies of the above-mentioned dissertation paper in electronic form (CD or USB stick);

    Additionally:

• A detailed curriculum vitae and a copy of the affidavit for the doctoral file;
• A summary of the content of the dissertation, one DIN-A4 page in German or English;
• A certificate of good conduct issued by the police which is no more than six months old;
• Certificate of participation in a doctoral colloquium and two doctoral seminars in the field of theory and methods;
• A statement on which form of oral doctoral examination the doctoral candidate chooses; if the oral doctoral examination is held in the viva voce, a proposal for the examiner in the second major subject or the examiners in the two minor subjects;
• If necessary, a justified request to exclude the faculty public or listeners during the Disputation or the Rigorosum;
• If applicable, proof that conditions according to Appendix 3 of these regulations have been fulfilled;
• Evidence of any additional academic achievements to be earned in accordance with section 3, paragraph 2;
• where applicable, certificates of previous schooling and studies, in particular the school leaving certificate and certificates of academic examinations or state examinations in certified photocopies;
• where applicable, proof of the language skills required in accordance with Annex 2;
• if applicable, a statement as to whether, or when and where, the applicant has already undergone a doctorate which was not successfully completed.

• After your dissertation has been assessed and accepted, your disputation, i.e. the oral examination, is due. Your disputation takes place after the two-week display of your dissertation and, if possible, during the lecture period.
• Please coordinate the date and time of your disputation with all four examiners in good time and inform the PhD Office accordingly. The PhD Office will take care of the chairmanship and the room for your disputation.
• Please prepare a thesis paper and send it by e-mail to the PhD Office in good time (at least three weeks before the planned date of your disputation). The design and scope of the thesis paper is up to you. The thesis paper will be sent to the members of your examination board together with the official invitation.

If you wish, you can carry out a technique check before your disputation. Please make an appointment for this at the doctoral office.

The last step towards a doctorate is the publication of your dissertation. As soon as your dissertation is published in book form or digitally, you will receive your doctoral certificate, which will allow you to carry your doctorate. If you plan to submit your publication in person, it is advisable to make an appointment in advance with the doctoral office. You can also send all the necessary documents by post.

Publication in book form

Your publication is displayed in two steps:

1. submission of your publication and presentation of documents in the ULB
2. submission of your publication and other documents to the doctoral office.

Step 1: ULB

• Please submit three copies of your publication to the ULB
• Please also show the sworn declaration of approval for printing signed by you and your first supervisor.
• You will receive a confirmation from the ULB about this step.

Step 2: Promotion office

• You must submit at least one copy of your publication to the promotion office. You are welcome to submit up to two further copies if you wish to send them to first and second reviewers via the doctoral office.
  
  Further documents:
• Declaration on oath for print approval;
• Proof that your publication has appeared in a minimum print run of 40 copies (e.g. publishing contract, confirmation from the publisher);
• If applicable, application for a printing cost subsidy (also possible at a later date), together with the publisher's invoice and proof of payment of the invoice.
• Confirmation of the ULB that the publication has been submitted.