Timeline of the doctorate
As a doctoral candidate at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), you are automatically one of the more than 10,000 members of the TUM Graduate School. While individual research is and remains the core of the doctorate, the TUM Graduate School (TUM-GS) provides a structured framework to support doctoral candidates and their supervisors in the best possible way. This is based on the highest international standards. In accordance with the TUM doctoral regulations, this framework includes mandatory qualification elements and administrative steps, which we explain in more detail on this page. You can find out more about the TUM doctoral model here.
You will find extensive information and explications in the TUM-GS Wiki!
The supervision agreement supports you and your supervisor in planning and carrying out your doctorate and is the basis for a trusting, constructive and transparent collaboration at the highest academic level. In the document, mutual rights and obligations are made transparent and qualification priorities and verifiable milestones are set out. The elements contained in the supervision agreement can and should be adapted and changed as the dissertation project develops. The exposé and the choice of mentor can usually be submitted up to six months after entry in the doctoral candidacy list. The supervision agreement can be found on the website of your respective Graduate Center.
Further information on the specific contents of the supervision agreement can be found in our TUM-GS Wiki.
The three-day TUM-GS Kick-Off Seminar offers you orientation and valuable information about research and good scientific practice at TUM during the first six months of your doctorate. Part of the seminar is a transferable skills course led by professional trainers with many years of experience. There will also be plenty of room for networking through activities such as a guided walk & talk and a specially developed escape game. The TUM-GS Kick-Off Seminar takes place at the TUM Center for Study & Teaching in Raitenhaslach. Learn more about the Kick-Off Seminar.
At the latest two years after joining the TUM-GS, there will be a feedback talk about the ongoing doctoral project. In the feedback meeting, you and your supervisor will discuss the progress of your doctorate and the qualification program. The exact requirements can be found in the TUM-GS statututory regulations and the specific regulations of your Graduate Center.
Every doctoral candidate presents their own research project for discussion in the international scientific community during the doctorate phase. This usually takes the form of accepted publications and conference papers, which are subject to a peer review process. For specific regulations, please refer to the regulations of your Graduate Center.
The Graduate Centers offer a wide range of subject-specific further qualifications, which ideally complement and deepen independent academic work. In relation to the entire duration of the doctorate, each doctoral candidate must attend a total of 6 semester hours per week (SWS) of subject-specific courses.
In addition to the supervisor, every doctoral candidate at TUM is supported by a mentor. Together, mentor and mentee can discuss topics such as subject-specific and transferable skills or personal development. As a rule, the mentor should be a person with a doctorate who is independent of the professorship or research group.
The application for submission of the dissertation must be filed via the DocGS portal. Prerequisite for the application are the fulfillment of the mandatory qualification elements, for details see the doctoral degree regulations, §8, as well as the statute of the TUM-GS, §16. The dissertation can be submitted in printed form or electronically (pdf). Additional documents include a summary of the dissertation, an sworn statement, a curriculum vitae in tabular form, a list of previous publications if applicable, additional academic degrees, a declaration of own contribution and co-authors or a declaration of consent from your supervisor. In the TUM-GS Wiki you will find a detailed overview of the individual steps and requirements for submission. For any specific regulations, please contact your Graduate Center.