Standard Time to Completion

Regelbearbeitungszeit / Standard Processing Time
Image Credit: Marion Kuka

As a rule, the dissertation should be submitted within 3.5 years, but at the latest before the end of the standard time to completion (4 years). Please refer to your admission notification for the end of the standard time to completion.

If it is not possible to submit your dissertation within the four-year standard time to completion, you must submit an application for extension of the standard time to completion (by e-mail is sufficient) four weeks before the end of the standard time to completion. The doctoral board decides on the extension.

If the reason for the extension of the standard time to completion is maternity leave or parental leave, please use the application for extension due to maternity leave and parental leave.

In the event that a change of your supervisor should take place, the application for a change of supervisor must be submitted immediately to the doctoral office. The doctoral board will check whether the application can be accepted. For advice please contact the Doctoral Degree Office.

If you do not wish to continue your doctoral degree program at the FU Berlin, please submit an informal application to the doctoral office for the closure of the doctoral degree program.

Answers to frequently asked questions (FAQ) can be found here.

Read on for the next topic: Writing the Thesis

Overview Doctorate Procedure

1. Supervision, Topic and Funding

What are the requirements for admission? What has to be done before starting the doctorate? What funding opportunities are there?

2. Start of Work

What insurance cover is required at the start of work?

3. Admission

When and where should I submit my application for doctorate admission? What documents are required for admission?

Mitgliedschaftsverhältnis FU / Enrollment

4. FU Membership and Enrollment

Is there a need to become a member of the FU Berlin? Is enrollment including the student ID card and the semester ticket necessary?

5. Standard Processing Time

What is the standard processing time for the doctorate? What should I do if the standard processing time can not be met? How can a change of supervisor take place?

Schreiben der Dissertation / Writing the Thesis

6. Writing the Thesis

Is a monograph necessary or may a cumulative work also be submitted? What must be considered? What should be on the title page?

7. Submission of the Thesis

How many copies have to be submitted? What should be taken into account when submitting a cumulative thesis? Which forms are necessary for submitting the thesis?

8. Review and Display Period

Who appoints the doctoral committee? How is the review procedure organized? How long is the display period?

9. Defense of the Thesis

Who organizes the disputation? When should the disputation be announced? How many members of the doctoral committee must be present? How long does the disputation take?

10. Publication of the Thesis

When does the publication take place? Which kinds of publication are possible? Is the publication required for the award of the certificate?

11. Awarding of the Doctoral Degree

When can the title be used? When and where do I get the certificate?

12. Offer: Joining the Alumni Network of ERG

How can I register for the alumni network of the Ernst-Reuter-Gesellschaft? What are the advantages?

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Doctorate