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Technical University of Munich
PrepDoc 2026: Kick-start your doctoral journey at TUM (Photos 1 & 2: Andreas Heddergott/TUM, Photo 3: Stefan Woidig / TUM)

PrepDoc Program 2026

Are you a TUM student and planning a doctorate at TUM? Are you looking for early orientation on your way into academia? Would you like to know how you can identify and contact potential supervisors? Are you in need of information about the different paths to a doctorate at TUM? Then the TUM Graduate School’s PrepDoc Program offers just the right entry point. 

PrepDoc supports you in purposefully preparing the next steps on your way to a doctorate. Whether it be the search for a suitable supervisor, the factors that interest supervisors when choosing their doctoral candidates, means of financing a doctorate, or further essential questions about starting a doctorate, PrepDoc 2026 provides you with a comprehensive overview and valuable insights.

The program is designed for TUM master's students and doctoral candidates. It’s free and offers a variety of independent formats. Some events are also open to a broader audience.

  • Introductory event: At our intro event, we will introduce the TUM Graduate School and outline the key aspects of doing your doctorate at TUM. During the following panel discussion, TUM professors will share first-hand insights into the aspects they consider important when reviewing a doctoral application.
  • Information events and workshops: Deep dive into specific topics, such as international mobility, doing your doctorate as a first-generation academic, or different funding methods. Our info events and workshops illuminate different facets of a doctorate and the academic work environment. You can join as many of these workshops as you please, following your own interests and needs.
  • Coaching: If you’re still thinking about whether a doctorate is the right path for you, and if you would like to explore your personal motivation, strengths, and weaknesses in a guided setting, this professional coaching is perfect for you.
  • Networking: Get in touch with other prospective and active doctoral candidates, the TUM Graduate Council, as well as some of TUM-GS’s staff. Take advantage of this opportunity for professional and personal exchange.

Our events and workshops take place between 20 April and 21 May 2026.

We’re initiating this year’s PrepDoc series with an introductory event at which our Graduate Dean, Prof. Dr. Hans-Joachim Bungartz, will introduce the TUM Graduate School and outline central aspects of TUM’s unique doctoral model and the application process.

In the subsequent panel discussion, we welcome, in addition to Prof. Bungartz, Prof. Dr. Julija Zavadlav (Professor of Multiscale Modeling of Fluid Materials, TUM School of Engineering and Design) and Dr. Christina Ludwig (Group Leader at the Bavarian Center for Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry (BayBioMS)). Under the motto “From Master’s to Doctorate. What Supervisors Look for,” they will offer personal insights into the selection of doctoral candidates, their expectations, and their own standards for good supervision.

Our panelists will discuss their academic biographies and share experiences on how to make the transition from master’s to doctorate a success. At the subsequent networking opportunity with our panelists and TUM Graduate School Management Office staff, you are welcome to ask your specific questions or exchange experiences, insights, and concerns with other prospective doctoral candidates.

We look forward to your participation, regardless of whether you’ve already decided that you will pursue your doctoral degree at TUM or you’re still in that (in)famous ‘exploration stage.’

Participation is only possible upon registration. Please register by 16 April 2026. 

This event will be held in English.

Are you a master’s student at TUM or a TUM doctoral candidate, and would you like to broaden your academic horizon through international experiences? If so, we warmly invite you to our TUM-GS info event ‘Internationalize your doctorate.’

Dr. Melanie Frank and Zizheng Zhang from the TUM Graduate School Management Office are offering comprehensive insights and specific advice about how you can integrate a research stay abroad into your doctorate. Whether your research brings you to the U.S., Australia, or sub-Saharan Africa, at this workshop, you will hear about suitable research exchange programs, partner universities of TUM, TUM Graduate School funding opportunities, and organizational steps. 

Participation is only possible upon registration. Please register by 23. April 2026.

This event will be held in English.

- in cooperation with the TUM Graduate Council -

The relationship between doctoral candidates and their supervisors is special in many ways. Supervisors not only support the academic work but are often also the candidate’s employer. Furthermore, they offer access to academic networks and provide guidance on essential career decisions. This is why it’s so important to reflect on your choice of supervisor well in advance. 

The workshop ‘How to choose your supervisor’ will focus on exactly this issue of finding the best supervisor for your doctoral project. Alina Hafner, Second Speaker of TUM’s Graduate Council 2026, will present practice-oriented insights into central aspects of choosing a supervisor and, within this framework, address, e.g., the following topics: How do the circumstances of supervision change from large to small chairs and research groups? How does the supervision agreement influence the doctoral and research life? What are the important aspects about choosing a supervisor that master’s students might not have already noted down?

After a short presentation, the event will focus primarily on the questions from the attending master’s students.

Participation is only possible upon registration. Please register by 04 May 2026.

This event will be held in English.

You’re interested in a doctorate at TUM, but you’re uncertain what options are available and suitable for funding your doctoral research and living expenses? During our one-hour info session, ‘How to finance my doctorate,‘ you will receive an overview of the key funding methods for a TUM doctorate. 

Dr. Melanie Frank from TUM Graduate School will speak about doctoral scholarships, TUM-internal and -external employment contracts, or doing a doctorate on the side of a job. Central to her presentation are practical aspects and advice, along with the possible implications of each funding method. What funding options are available for pursuing a doctorate at TUM? How can applicants improve their chances of receiving a scholarship? What implications do the different funding methods have for the daily work and research, as well as the cooperation with a research group and your supervisor?

This interactive info session leaves enough room for individual questions and discussions about financing a doctorate.

Participation is only possible upon registration. Please register by 07 May 2026. 

This event will be held in English.

- in cooperation with the TUM University Library –

In this course, experts from the TUM University Library will show you how to find literature databases that are important for your field and develop targeted search strategies for literature. You will also learn how to access the researched material, quote correctly, and publish electronically on our media server, mediaTUM.

Topics:

  • Develop a search strategy
  • Find journal articles and papers in subject-specific literature databases
  • Tips for citing
  • Publish your doctoral thesis on mediaTUM

Requirements:

  • Profound information retrieval skills

This workshop is hosted by the university library. Please register below to participate.

This workshop will be held in English.

What does it take to start a doctorate in Germany as an international researcher? How can the support structures at TUM help you find your path – both during your doctoral project and beyond? 

In this session, an Iranian colleague from the TUM Graduate School shares his story of moving to Munich and joining TUM, from his first steps in the German academic system to the successful completion of his doctorate. He will talk about the services and networks he found most valuable, what helped him settle in Germany and at TUM, and what strategies he can recommend to international early-career researchers. Attendants of this event not only benefit from an authentic experience report but also from practical insights into possible career paths and networks.

Participation is only possible upon registration. Please register by 13 May 2026. 

This event will be held in English.

Being the first in the family to complete a university degree is still not a matter of course. Statistics about educational paths in Germany clearly show that First-Generation Academics begin a bachelor’s or master’s degree less often – and on the path to a doctorate, their number decreases even more.

Many First-Generation Academics within TUM’s community have already overcome several obstacles and found their own way into academia. With our First-Generation Academics event series, we strive to provide even greater support for master’s students and doctoral candidates through exchange, information, networking, and practice-oriented guidance. The events take place at regular intervals and focus on different key topics. 

Within the PrepDoc program, this First-Generation Academics event offers a workshop and networking evening for first-generation academics, their supporters, and allies. Together, we will discuss how the social background brings about challenges – but also how it reveals valuable resources and how they can be deliberately used for your own doctorate.

Participation is only possible upon registration. Please register by 14 May 2026.

This event will be held in English.

Are you wondering whether a doctorate is the right next step for you? When attending our PrepDoc group coaching, you will have the space and opportunity to reflect on your motivation, identify your strengths more clearly, and realistically evaluate potential hurdles. The professional coaches, Dr. Stephanie Hann and Anja Quindeau (TUM Gender Equality Office), will guide and accompany the group through short impulses, practical exercises, and honest exchange. Together, you will explore what drives you, what your expectations are regarding a doctorate, and get closer to answering the introductory question ‘Doctorate: Yes or No?’

To make the coaching accessible to a larger audience, we are offering two workshops (in English and German) simultaneously. Please note that the coaching sessions take place at different venues depending on the language: 

  • The German group coaching with Anja Quindeau will take place at Barer Straße 21, Munich, Room 3532 (3rd floor).
  • The English group coaching with Dr. Stephanie Hann will take place at the TUM Graduate School, Boltzmannstraße 17, Garching, Room E003 (ground floor).

Participation is only possible upon registration. Please register by 15 May 2026.

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