Enrolment and additional important preparations

The enrolment process for doctoral students is online and can be completed from abroad. In addition to paying the semester fee, enrolment requires the upload of certificates and supporting documentation to the University of Göttingen upload portal. More detailed information on the enrolment process for the doctoral programme can be found in your admission letter from the faculty.

• Doctoral enrolment

Before you decide on a doctorate, you should make sure that you have the necessary financial means, because a doctorate in Göttingen does not automatically come with financing.

As a rule, a doctorate lasts at least three years - depending on the subject area - but not infrequently four or five years. Financial security is a prerequisite for working stringently on your dissertation and completing it within a manageable timeframe. Therefore, you should discuss the financing with your supervisor. The likelihood that you will get a job at the University or that you will finance yourself with a scholarship or even from your own reserves is highly dependent upon the subject and field of study.

Be sure to clarify this question in advance. If you have any questions about scholarship applications, you can also contact the graduate schools.

• Grants and Scholarships of GSGG
• Grants and Scholarships of GGG
• Funding Guidance at GGG
• Scholarship Programmes for Gifted Students
• Research in Germany - Financing the PhD
• DAAD - Funding your research
• Cost of living in Göttingen
• Semester fee

In Germany, doctoral students are not obliged to have health insurance for the enrolment process. However, with the following link we would like to give you information on the health insurance system in Germany for your own information:

• Health insurance for international students

Finding housing in Göttingen is not easy. You should therefore try to find accommodation as early as possible. You can find some information on the Göttingen International website and in the University Handbook on the Housing Market in Göttingen:

• Accommodation Service for international students
• Accommodation Guide
• Buddy Service for international degree-seeking students (including doctoral students)

Before traveling to Germany, you should check what requirements apply for entry into Germany and your stay abroad. Some students from specific countries need a visa and must meet financial requirements and show proof of insurance. Should you require a visa, make sure you apply for it as early as possible. Waiting times at embassies and consulates are often very long and visa processing can take up to three months.

How to apply for your visa and what you need to consider, can be found here.