Enrollment / Application

Enrollment obligation

You are generally required to enroll as a doctoral student for the duration of the doctorate.

You will therefore have the status of a student with all the associated rights (e.g. semester ticket, student right to vote) and obligations (e.g. payment of the semester fee).

However, the following exceptions apply to the general enrollment obligation:

• Enrollment is generally not possible for full-time academic staff at Mainz University (in accordance with § 34 para. 1 of HochSchG (University Act) in conjunction with § 37 para. 2 clause 1 no. 3 of HochSchG, corresponding to § 2 para. 2 “Enrollment regulation”). This group includes employees of science and arts faculties (including third-party funded personnel) and teaching staff for special assignments, but excludes academic assistants. However: if the majority of your working hours are available for the doctorate because your employment contract is for 20 hours or less or if the majority of activity for the doctorate is a component of the employment contract, you will have the option of enrolling or not.
• Doctoral students pursuing an occupation that is entirely outside of the university will have the option of enrolling or not.
• Students who have already been enrolled for the doctorate for six years will only be able to enroll in exceptional and reasonable cases.

The doctoral study program should be finished within six years of study. In case the doctorate is not able to finish the research activity in the given time, continuing of enrollment can only be granted in reasonable cases.

If you do not enroll for any of the above reasons, your right to be accepted for a doctorate or to complete a doctorate will not be affected. You can therefore take a doctoral degree or complete your doctorate without being enrolled as a doctoral student at Mainz University.  

Duration of enrollment

Enrollment is initially limited to 4 years. If you wish to remain enrolled as a doctoral student beyond this period, you will have to submit confirmation of continuing doctoral studies to the Student Office.

However, as doctorates should be completed within 6 years, extensions are only possible for up to 2 years.

Enrollment as a doctoral student can only be extended beyond this period in exceptional cases and for good reason; this will not affect your right to be accepted for a doctorate and to complete the doctoral degree assessment procedure in the standard manner, as enrollment is not required for a doctorate.  

Enrollment if applying for a structured doctoral program

If you are taking a doctoral degree as part of a structured doctoral program (e.g. graduate school, Research Training Group, Max Planck Research School), you will have to obtain a place on the program first before enrolling at JGU and meet the general requirements described above.

Notes for international doctoral students

• If you have not already obtained a degree from a German university, you should apply via the International Incoming department.
• If the dissertation is being written in German and you have not yet had to provide proof of German language skills (German Language Proficiency Examination for Admission to Higher Education for Foreign Applicants (DSH) or equivalent), you will require this evidence before you can be enrolled for a doctorate. If the dissertation is being written in a language other than German, the faculty in which you are taking your doctorate is required to apply to JGU's Foreign Language Center for an exemption from the German Language Proficiency Examination for Admission to Higher Education for Foreign Applicants (DSH). This "exemption certificate from the Foreign Language Center" must be presented for you to be enrolled on a doctorate.  

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