Individual Requirements
Working on a doctorate is a time-consuming challenge. It is therefore important for you to decide sensibly and deliberately in favor of a doctorate. What are your motivations and your reasons to work on a doctorate? Do you have the personal skills and scientific qualification to work on a doctorate.
What Is My Motivation?
- Which long-term goals do I pursue with the doctorate?
- Do I consider a doctorate just because I do not know which other option to choose?
Possible Reasons in Favor of a Doctorate:
- You want to study a research issue or topic out of your scientific interest.
- You aim for a scientific career.
- Studies of your subject are completed by a doctorate as a rule.
- The doctorate increases your chances in the labor market and is advantageous for your career.
What Are My Scientific Competences?
- Am I familiar with the facts and methodologies of my subject (and neighboring subjects)?
- Are there scientific methods or techniques that are indispensable for my doctoral project, but which I do not know sufficiently?
- Whom can I contact for further qualification? Can I develop questions that open up new fields of research?
Which Personal Skills Do I Have?
- Am I able to work on a research topic continually and persistently without losing the red thread?
- Can I work and research independently?
- Do I wish to devote several years of my life to the doctorate and put back other activities?
- What are the plans for my life and family?
External Information: academics Selbsttest
Doing a Doctorate as a Parent
A doctorate and parental leave periods or the decision to have children can fall into the same phase of life and pose particular challenges for all involved. According to the last survey of doctoral researchers, around 11% of doctoral researchers at KIT have children who are living with them.
Parents face the particular challenge of committing themselves equally to their doctorate, family life, and the care of their children. Through various measures, KIT ensures a high level of support and relief for parents.
Offers at KIT
▶ Equal Opportunities at KIT
▶ Family support at KIT (PEBA) (only in German)
▶ KIT family+ offers (PDF brochure, only in German)
▶ CIW Women Engineers Network of the KIT Department of Chemical and Process Engineering: Starting a family during the doctorate (PDF flyer, only in German)
▶ Notification for Maternity Protection at KIT
External Information
▶ Childcare offers in Karlsruhe (only in German)
▶ Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth: Financial support for families
▶ Mothers in Science: Supporting mothers, empowering women
Doing a Doctorate with a Health Impairment
In this context, “health impairment” refers to a variety of congenital and acquired disabilities as well as chronic physical and mental illnesses. People with a health impairment often face particular challenges or barriers during their studies and also during their doctorate. In the case of a health impairment, each situation must be considered individually. Special information on financial and legal resources can support doctoral researchers with impairments on their way towards the doctorate. It might also be helpful to network and benefit from the experience of others.
Offers at KIT
▶ Schwerbehindertenvertretung (representatives for the severely handicapped) (SBV) at KIT (only in German)
▶ KIT Representative for Students with Disabilities and Chronic Diseases
▶ Center for Digital Accessibility and Assistive Technology (ACCESS@KIT), the former Study Center for Visually Impaired Students (SZS)
External Information
▶ Information platform and network “PROMI – Promotion inklusive (inclusive doctorate)” (only in German)
▶ academics: Tips for doing the doctorate with an impairment (only in German)
▶ DAAD: Mobility with a disability
▶ Helmholtz Network for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: online panel discussion “A career in science with a disability – is that possible?” (only in German)
Information for Women
The proportion of women in ongoing doctorates at KIT is 29.6% (as of December 1, 2023). At KIT, we want to support women interested in doing a doctorate in their decision-making, promote talent, and increase the proportion of women in science.
Offers at KIT
▶ Equal Opportunities at KIT
▶ Funding Opportunities: Special Programs for Women
▶ WiKIT: Network for female scientists at KIT (only in German)
▶ CIW Women Engineers Network of the KIT Department of Chemical and Process Engineering
External Information
▶ academics: Programs, scholarships, contact points – how and where are women scientists supported? (only in German)
▶ Verband Baden-Württembergischer Wissenschaftlerinnen (association of Baden-Württemberg women scientists) VBWW (only in German)
▶ /femconsult: The Database For Women In Academia by the Center of Excellence Women and Science (CEWS)
▶ Conference of Equal Opportunities Officers at universities and academic institutions in Baden-Württemberg (LaKoG): Information for women scientists (only in German)
▶ Zia – Visible Women in Science (only in German)
▶ Mothers in Science: Supporting mothers, empowering women
▶ Community of early career women in social sciences: ReSearching Diversity podcast
▶ Meta-IFiF project “Innovative women in focus”: 150 measures for more visibility (only in German)
Information for Foreign Doctoral Researchers
People from almost 90 different countries are doing their doctorates at KIT. The proportion of foreign doctoral researchers in ongoing doctorates at KIT is 28.1% (as of December 1, 2023).
The colleagues of ▶ International Scholars & Welcome Office (IScO) will be happy to help with any questions regarding aliens’ and residence legislation and related issues (visa, health insurance, opening of a bank account, accompanying spouses and children, etc.). In addition, IScO organizes numerous social and networking events for international researchers throughout the year to facilitate their start at KIT and in Karlsruhe.
Offers at KIT
▶ International Scholars & Welcome Office (IScO)
▶ Mobility Online Portal: Welcome Services at KIT
External Information
▶ Research in Germany: PhD Pathfinder
▶ Research in Germany: Doing a PhD in Germany
▶ Research in Germany: Funding your research in Germany. Grants, fellowships and awards for international PhD students and researchers
▶ German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD): How to apply for a PhD in Germany – Online course
Information for First-Generation Academics
The term “first-generation academics” refers to people who are the first in their family to pursue or have completed a degree or doctorate. As a rule, the term refers to children of parents who do not have an academic degree.
First-generation academics face certain challenges – often as early as during the decision-making process with regard to the doctorate. Special information can support them along their “doctoral journey”. It might also be helpful to network and benefit from the experience of others.
External Information
▶ Non-profit organization “Erste Generation Promotion – EGP e. V.” (first-generation doctorate) (only in German)
▶ arbeiterkind.de: Initiative for first-generation students (only in German)