Please contact Dr. Julia Siep for all formal matters such as applications, submission of the dissertation, opening of proceedings.
A warm welcome to the pages on doctoral studies at the Faculty of Philosophy of the Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf. Here you will find all information and forms concerning a doctorate, which is the highest level of academic education. The doctoral office will accompany and advise you on all the formalities of your doctorate, while the Graduate Academy philGRAD will support you during all phases of your doctoral project with further counselling and networking offers as well as a diverse qualification programme.
Please contact Dr. Julia Siep for all formal matters such as applications, submission of the dissertation, opening of proceedings.
Here you will find short and concise explanations of the most important formal steps and required documents as well as documents for a successful doctorate at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities:
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:
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.
As soon as you have been accepted at least provisionally as a doctoral candidate at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, you can enrol as a doctoral student or doctoral auditor at Heinrich Heine University at any time.
At the latest upon final acceptance as a doctoral candidate, you are obliged to register as a doctoral student or auditor at Heinrich Heine University. According to the Doctoral Regulations (PO of 16.10.2017, last modification 10.03.2022, § 6 paragraph 4), this obligation continues until the completion of your doctorate.
Here you will find all 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.
Application for final acceptance as a doctoral student and supervision agreement
Other documents to be submitted:
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.
Now that you have been finally accepted as a doctoral researcher at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, you are obliged to meet regularly – at least once a year – with your first and your second supervisor to discuss the progress of your dissertation. Other persons may also participate in these discussions. You are required to prepare a progress report on the items and results. The progress report describes in particular which goals have been met since the supervision agreement or the last progress report and which goals you should strive for in the coming year.
In addition, the progress report documents possible changes in the concept of your dissertation, in the planning for the completion of the dissertation, in the planning for participation in the doctoral program, in other qualifying activities or in the planning of the schedule since the previous meeting.
The progress report will be signed by you, your first and your second supervisor.
Since the progress report is an obligatory part of the doctoral studies (cf. § 7 paragraph 2 item b of the Doctoral Regulations of 2017/2022), proof of this must be submitted to the doctoral office once a year. Since philGRAD administers this process, please send the proof (in the form of the signed progress report) to .
According to § 7 of the Doctoral Regulation of 2017/2022, all doctoral students must complete a doctoral program during their doctorate, which consists of the following components:
The time has come: Your dissertation is ready and can be submitted to the doctoral office. Please submit your dissertation and other documents so that your doctoral examination procedure can be opened.
If you have not submitted the following documents to the doctoral office at an earlier date, please also include the following documents:
After your dissertation has been reviewed and accepted, your disputation (the oral examination) is due. Your disputation takes place after the inspection period (two weeks) of your dissertation and, if possible, during the lecture period.
The last step towards the doctoral degree is the publication of the dissertation. The display of the publication takes place in two steps:
1. submission of your publication in the ULB
2. submission of your publication in the Doctoral Office
Step 1: ULB
Please submit three copies of your publication here (printed publication) or upload the file of your publication to the ULB document server and submit a bound/printed copy to the ULB (digital publication). Also show the print release form there, signed by all of you and your primary supervisor. You will receive a confirmation of receipt from the ULB.
Step 2: Doctoral Office
Please submit a copy of your publication here (printed and digital publication). The print release form and the confirmation of receipt from the ULB must also be submitted. If it is a printed publication, please also submit proof of the print run of your publication (e.g. publishing contract, confirmation from the publisher).
It is possible to apply for a printing cost subsidy. In addition to the application form, please submit the publisher's invoice and proof of payment of the invoice.
After submitting all documents, you will receive your doctoral certificate, which allows you to use your doctoral title.
We congratulate you on the successful completion of your doctorate. You have mastered this magnificently: you have demonstrated stamina, good project and time management and, above all, creativity and innovative research performance in your subject. For this reason, we, the faculty and your supervisors, would like to celebrate you in a fitting manner at a doctoral ceremony in the University's building. We are looking forward to your coming and, of course, your supporters should not be missing. The next graduation ceremony will take place on 5 May 2023 at the Haus der Universität. We will send you a written invitation by email.
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