Formal Steps for Doctoral Researchers with a Doctoral Examination within a KIT Department

On your way to achieving your doctorate you should be aware of some formal steps. It is vital to follow these steps in the given order.

Right after receiving your confirmation of supervision, a doctoral agreement should be concluded. After that you need to immediately register with KHYS.

For more information, please refer to the ▶ Guidelines for the Doctorate at KIT, your KIT Department's ▶ doctoral ordinance and their website.

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Step 1: Conclusion of a Doctoral Agreement

Right after the confirmation of supervision, supervisor and doctoral researcher conclude a doctoral agreement (§ 38 Absatz 5 LHG). Generally the supervisor also takes the role of primary reviewer of the dissertation as well as in the oral exam. [▶ more]

Step 2: Registration with KHYS

All doctoral researchers at KIT doing a doctorate at one of the eleven KIT departments need to register with KHYS according to §38, Absatz 5 LGH. [▶ more]

Step 3: Application for Acceptance at your KIT Department

Once you have followed these steps (and at the latest six months after you have signed the doctoral agreement) you need to apply for acceptance to the KIT Department. [▶ more]

Step 4: Enrollment as a Doctoral Researcher

Enrollment is mandatory for all doctoral candidates accepted by a KIT department, unless they are employed full-time by KIT and have declared that they do not want to enroll. If no such declaration is submitted, doctoral candidates are obliged to enroll. [▶ more]

Step 5: Application for Admission to the Doctoral Procedure and Opening of the Procedure

Upon completion of your dissertation the written application for admission to the doctoral examination is to be filed by the doctoral researcher to the respective KIT dean's office. [▶ more]

Step 6: Oral Exam

At KIT the oral exam is either done as a colloquium or as a doctoral viva. Please refer to the respective doctoral ordinance to see which exam type applies for your KIT department. [▶ more]

Step 7: Publishing your Dissertation

Your dissertation has to be published within one year after the oral exam. This goes for all KIT departments. According to the ▶ doctoral regulations of the KIT departments, publishing a doctoral thesis is part of the doctorate. [▶ more]

Step 8: Disenrollment/Deregistration

Provided that you are enrolled as a doctoral researcher, you need to officially disenroll/deregister in order to receive the doctoral degree certificate and report. [▶ more]

Step 9: Issuance of the Doctoral Degree Certificate

You receive the doctoral degree certificate once you have published your dissertation and after you have disenrolled (if applicable). [▶ more]