The decision to take up a doctorate needs to be well thought out, as a doctorate takes up a considerable amount of your life and energy.

As a prospective PhD candidate, you should therefore clarify your own expectations and ask yourself some fundamental questions during the decision-making phase. It is important to question your motivation, as the decision to do a doctorate will have an impact on your professional and personal development and thus influence the coming years. After all, if you want to do a doctorate, you are making a decision for the following years in which you will set important priorities. You don't write a doctoral thesis on the side! And the question of possible professional development after the doctorate should also be asked at an early stage.

In addition to your personal motivators and expectations, there are other aspects, such as individual admission requirements or funding issues, which you should find out about in detail.

We will be happy to support you in your decision-making process!

There can be many reasons for pursuing a doctorate. To answer the question of your own motivation to do a doctorate, it is helpful to consider what goals you are pursuing with a doctorate:

1. Do you have an intrinsic research interest?
2. Are you aiming for an academic career?
3. Is a non-academic career your long-term goal?
4. Do you see your professional goals in science management?
5. Are you considering a doctorate due to a certain lack of direction after graduation?
6. Do you have a specific job offer in which you can also do a doctorate?

(Source: Quality Circle for the Doctorate (QZP), "Shaping a Doctorate Together", 3rd Edition, 2018, p. 9 et seq.)

The promotion manuals of the Quality Circle for the Doctorate (a) "Doing your doctorate. Making conscious decisions and getting off to a good start" and (b) "Shaping a Doctorate Together - Guidelines for Doctoral Candidates" explain which questions and aspects you should pay attention to when designing your own promotion.

At Trier University there are three options for doctoral studies:

Individual Doctorate

The majority of PhD candidates at German universities complete their doctorate as part of an individual doctorate. Here, PhD candidate are supervised by a first and second supervisor in regular meetings and colloquia. The focus here is on independent research work; an accompanying, compulsory course program is not planned.

Further information on the research focus of the individual subjects can be found on the homepages of the individual subjects.

The Graduate Center of Trier University also offers supporting workshops for all PhD candidates at Trier University on all aspects of doctoral studies. These are not compulsory and can be chosen on an individual basis by the PhD candidates themselves.

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Structured Doctorate

In addition to the individual doctorate, Trier University offers the possibility of a structured doctorate in some subjects.

One option here is to do a doctorate within the framework of Research Training Groups, whose research and doctoral projects are usually financially supported by third-party funds for a limited period of time. Within these projects, PhD candidates are integrated into a network of several professorships and PhD candidates. In addition, compulsory participation in workshops, conferences and the like are part of the doctorate. Here you can find an overview of the current research training groups and research groups at the university.

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International PhD

In addition to supervision by professors from Trier University and/or other German universities, it is also possible to combine a doctorate at Trier University with a doctorate at a foreign university.

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Binational Doctorate - Cotutelle de thèse

With a binational doctorate - also known as a Cotutelle de thèse - PhD candidates can obtain a joint doctoral degree from Trier University and a European university. To do this, PhD candidates must find a supervisor at Trier University and another supervisor at a European university and enrol at both universities.

The organization of a Cotutelle de thèse requires individual consultation with the cooperating universities and departments and is associated with additional organizational effort. Please check in advance with the respective dean's office whether a Cotutelle de thèse is possible in your subject.

European doctorate from the University of the Greater Region network

The University of the Greater Region enables its PhD candidates to obtain a European doctorate. Members of the University of the Greater Region network are currently the universities of Trier (D), Saarbrücken (D), Kaiserslautern-Landau (D), Liege (B), Luxembourg (L), Nancy (F) and Metz (F).

Specific admission requirements must be met in order to successfully start a doctorate. Not only a completed degree, but also the subject, the standard period of study and the grade and type of degree play a role here. In some faculties or at certain institutions, an exposé is a necessary prerequisite for admission to doctoral studies.

The specific guidelines for each department can be found in the respective doctoral degree regulations.

There are two closely linked steps at the beginning of the doctorate: the search for a doctoral topic and a supervisor. It is crucial that both steps precede the further formalities, because without a supervisor and without a topic, you generally cannot be formally accepted as a PhD candidate. Possible supervisors generally include professors, habilitated professors and junior professors. In exceptional cases, long-term employees with a doctorate can also supervise. Who may supervise is regulated in the doctoral regulations. It is advisable to check whether you meet the basic requirements for a doctorate before contacting the supervisor. This is also regulated in the doctoral degree regulations.

For the initial contact with the supervisor, it is advisable to already have a field of research in mind within which the doctoral project should be located. The professional fit resulting from the research profile of your supervisor is of great importance here.

At the same time, finding a topic at the beginning of a doctorate depends heavily on the subject area in which you would like to do your doctorate. In the engineering, natural and life sciences in particular, there is often already a topic for which a suitable PhD candidate is sought, for example, by means of a call for applications. In the social sciences and humanities, on the other hand, the PhD candidate usually chooses the topic themselves.

Due to the individually different and thematically very specific orientation of doctoral projects, the search for a suitable supervisor can only be undertaken by you. To do this, it is a good idea to go to the homepage of the relevant subject area, call up the list of professorships and see whether a professor is conducting research in the field you are interested in.

If you find a potential supervisor there, you can contact them by email with the following information:

• A brief description of the field of research in which you are interested
• A description of your research or doctoral project
• Statement on the status of your work and reasons for your research stay in Trier (only for research stays)
• Curriculum vitae

You will then receive assistance in determining the topic or a research question, narrowing it down and possible strategic considerations from your doctoral supervisor.

If there is no professor at Trier University researching in your desired subject area, you can search for other universities offering your subject on Hochschulkompass.

If you are interested in a structured doctorate, you can check the pages of the current research groups, research training groups and research institutions at Trier University to see if there are any doctoral positions advertised.

Further information on the above-mentioned aspects can be found in the handbook "Doing your doctorate. Making conscious decisions and getting off to a good start".

Trier University awards doctorates in the subjects of its six faculties and the Faculty of Theology.

Various questions may arise in the course of the doctorate, for which you should consult the doctoral regulations, as these regulate the various phases of the doctorate, such as the organization of the final phase.

The individual dean's offices can answer questions about the regulations of the doctoral degree regulations.

 Once you have found academic supervision at Trier University, you must submit the confirmation of supervision from your doctoral supervisor together with other documents (including your degree certificates) to the Dean's office of your future department. The office will check whether you meet the admission requirements for doctoral studies in accordance with the doctoral regulations.

Please note that the examination of your documents may take some time, depending on the department. Therefore, please contact the Dean's office responsible for you in good time and find out about deadlines and documents to be submitted.

PhD candidates must register at the beginning of their doctorate in accordance with the Higher Education Act. This is done in the dean's offices of the respective departments, where you will receive the supervision agreement (Dep. I, Dep. II, Dep. III, Dep. IV, Dep. V, Dep. VI) for PhD candidates. Part 1 of the supervision agreement contains the registration form for PhD candidates, while Part 2 contains further agreements on the supervision relationship.

The supervision agreement must be completed in full and signed by your supervisor. You should then submit both parts of the supervision agreement to the relevant dean's office together with any necessary supporting documents.

In addition to the mandatory registration in the dean's offices of the departments, PhD candidates at Trier University have the opportunity to enrol in a doctoral degree program. Enrolment is optional, but gives you student status and thus the use of certain infrastructure services (e.g. ZIMK ID (WLAN, university e-mail address), access to the library, prices in the canteen at student conditions, etc.). Further information on enrollment can be found on the pages of the Student Secretariat.

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Proof of language skills

If you are writing your doctoral thesis at Trier University, you have the option of writing it in either German or English.

PhD candidates with a German university entrance qualification or those who come from German-speaking countries such as Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Austria, Belgium (German-speaking part), Italy (German-speaking part) and Switzerland (German-speaking part) do not have to provide proof of German language skills. International PhD candidates can find out more about proof of German language skills on the website of the International Office.

The prerequisite for an English-language dissertation is a corresponding approval from the supervisor and the dean of the department.

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Enrollment deadlines and semester dates

There is no enrolment deadline for starting an individual doctorate at the university. However, it is advisable to start your research work at the beginning of the summer or winter semester, as this will allow you to benefit from the semester fees due on enrolment and the integration programs offered.

When enrolling for a structured doctorate, you must observe the application deadlines for the individual programs. As a rule, these begin either in the summer or winter semester.

You can find the current semester dates here.

The question of funding plays an important role in the decision-making process for a doctorate. There are various ways of earning a living during your doctorate, and these in turn have an impact on how the doctorate is carried out, particularly with regard to the time available for the doctorate and the frequency of contact with the supervisor. The type of funding also has something to do with the professional career you have in mind. Regardless of whether you want to gain a foothold in academia or on the open job market, it is advisable to establish yourself in the respective field as early as possible, gain experience and build up networks. In many cases, doctoral funding is “mixed funding”, i.e. the type of funding changes during the doctorate and does not come from one source throughout. Often, the duration of staff positions or scholarships is not sufficient to cover the entire duration of the doctorate. Transitions must also be bridged, for example when applying for a scholarship.

The brochure presents the following most common types of funding for doctoral studies and the possible advantages and disadvantages associated with them:

• Research assistant;
• Research management positions;
• Research assistant positions;
• Doctoral scholarship;
• External funding;
• Partial scholarships.

The possibility of reconciling a doctorate and family often also plays a role in the choice of job or funding. Employment at a university generally offers flexibility in terms of working hours, and most universities also have their own daycare facilities for the children of students, PhD candidates and employees, as well as special programs and offers for compatibility. Most scholarship providers grant monthly family allowances and subsidies for childcare costs.

(Source: Quality Circle for the Doctorate, „Doing your doctorate. Making conscious decisions and getting off to a good start“, 1st Edition 2020, S. 28 et seqq.)

Most universities have their own childcare facilities for the children of students, PhD candidates and employees, as well as special programs and offers for compatibility. Accordingly, Trier University offers various childcare services to support parents during their academic qualification phase. Accordingly, Trier University has been certified as a family-friendly university since 2002.

In addition, the Graduate Center for the Promotion of Equality of Women and Men in Science and Research at German Universities finances the funding program “PhD Candidate and Parent”.

A doctorate with an impairment is more than just a doctorate. It means being courageous and not giving up despite the additional burden of the impairment. Anyone who completes a doctorate with an impairment is often in the best possible position for the job market, especially in the medical and natural sciences.

Doubts and worries about the success of the doctorate are nevertheless normal.

The following questions can provide initial help in weighing up the pros and cons of a doctorate:

1. Are you in good health and mentally stable and able to work for the foreseeable future? It makes a difference whether you have only recently acquired an impairment, perhaps not yet fully medicated, or whether this impairment has already accompanied you through your studies. In the former case, worries and hardships are generally very great, in the latter case you are already familiar with the symptoms of the impairment and can therefore assess your own performance. A doctorate demands your performance over a long period of time. The stress factor is not insignificant. Stress-related worsening of symptoms can occur. An inpatient stay or a rehabilitation program during your doctorate is also feasible. But the better your “battery” is charged and the more adaptive your learning and working strategies are, the more likely you are to succeed in your doctorate.
2. Is funding secured? This is a topic that concerns all those interested in a doctorate. You can find information on this topic on this page under “Funding tips”.
3. Are there any support options during the doctorate? A doctoral position subject to social insurance contributions makes it possible to receive benefits for participation in working life (according to SGB IX) as well as wage cost support. Benefits for participation in working life (LTA) include, for example, disability-friendly workplace equipment, work assistance and motor vehicle assistance. These benefits must be applied for by the employer at the German Pension Insurance. Scholarships for PhD candidates, on the other hand, are usually merit scholarships. In addition to a basic grant, family and childcare allowances are usually paid. However, supplements for disability-related additional needs have not yet been provided for as a rule.

In addition to these initial questions, we would also like to invite you to take advantage of the counseling services offered by Trier University. For an initial consultation, please contact the GUT, as well as Ms. Nathalie Beßler, representative for the interests of students with disabilities, for specific concerns.

To provide guidance before and during the doctorate, the network Quality Circle for the Doctorate (QZP), in which the Graduate Center at Trier University is also involved, has developed the handbook “Shaping a Doctorate Together - Guidelines for Supervisors and Doctoral Candidates”.

In particular, the handbook “Doing your doctorate. Making conscious decisions and getting off to a good start” suggests various funding options for PhD candidates and explains different doctoral structures.

The Graduate Center's small handbook library contains books on all aspects of doctoral studies, which can be consulted during office hours (also at other times by prior arrangement).

When you decide to do a doctorate, you enter the next intensive phase. As a PhD candidate at Trier University, GUT offers you a comprehensive and free program of workshops and information events to support you in all phases of your doctorate. We are also available to provide you with individual advice.

The Universitätsverband zur Qualifizierung des wissenschaftlichen Nachwuchses in Deutschland e. V. (UniWiND) provides an overview of the topic of “Open Science” on its homepage.

Additionally, the University Library supports Open Access publishing for members of Trier University with various infrastructures and financial support options and provides information on this in its Open Access section.

PhD candidates must register at the beginning of their doctorate in accordance with the Higher Education Act. This is done in the dean's offices of the respective departments, where you will receive the supervision agreement (Dep. I, Dep. II, Dep. III, Dep. IV, Dep. V, Dep. VI) for doctoral candidates. Part 1 of the supervision agreement contains the registration form for PhD candidates, while Part 2 contains further agreements on the supervision relationship.

The supervision agreement must be completed in full and signed by your supervisor. You should then submit both parts of the supervision agreement to the relevant dean's office together with any necessary supporting documents.

In addition to the mandatory registration in the dean's offices of the departments, PhD candidates at Trier University have the opportunity to enrol in a doctoral degree program. Enrolment is optional, but gives you student status and thus the use of certain infrastructure services (e.g. ZIMK ID (WLAN, university e-mail address), access to the library, prices in the canteen at student conditions, etc.). Further information on enrollment can be found on the pages of the Student Secretariat.

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Proof of language skills

If you are writing your doctoral thesis at Trier University, you have the option of writing it in either German or English.

PhD candidates with a German university entrance qualification or those who come from German-speaking countries such as Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Austria, Belgium (German-speaking part), Italy (German-speaking part) and Switzerland (German-speaking part) do not have to provide proof of German language skills. International PhD candidates can find out more about proof of German language skills on the website of the International Office.

The prerequisite for an English-language dissertation is a corresponding approval from the supervisor and the dean of the department.

***
Enrollment deadlines and semester dates

There is no enrolment deadline for starting an individual doctorate at the university. However, it is advisable to start your research work at the beginning of the summer or winter semester, as this will allow you to benefit from the semester fees due on enrolment and the integration programs offered.

When enrolling for a structured doctorate, you must observe the application deadlines for the individual programs. As a rule, these begin either in the summer or winter semester.

You can find the current semester dates here.

The question of funding plays an important role in the decision-making process for a doctorate. There are various ways of earning a living during your doctorate, and these in turn have an impact on how the doctorate is carried out, particularly with regard to the time available for the doctorate and the frequency of contact with the supervisor. The type of funding also has something to do with the professional career you have in mind. Regardless of whether you want to gain a foothold in academia or on the open job market, it is advisable to establish yourself in the respective field as early as possible, gain experience and build up networks. In many cases, doctoral funding is “mixed funding”, i.e. the type of funding changes during the doctorate and does not come from one source throughout. Often, the duration of staff positions or scholarships is not sufficient to cover the entire duration of the doctorate. Transitions must also be bridged, for example when applying for a scholarship.

The brochure presents the following most common types of funding for doctoral studies and the possible advantages and disadvantages associated with them:

• Research assistant;
• Research management positions;
• Research assistant positions;
• Doctoral scholarship;
• External funding;
• Partial scholarships.

The possibility of reconciling a doctorate and family often also plays a role in the choice of job or funding. Employment at a university generally offers flexibility in terms of working hours, and most universities also have their own daycare facilities for the children of students, PhD candidates and employees, as well as special programs and offers for compatibility. Most scholarship providers grant monthly family allowances and subsidies for childcare costs.

(Source: Quality Circle for the Doctorate, „Doing your doctorate. Making conscious decisions and getting off to a good start“, 1st Edition 2020, S. 28 et seqq.)

Trier University awards doctorates in the subjects of its six faculties and the Faculty of Theology.

Various questions may arise in the course of the doctorate, for which you should consult the doctoral regulations, as these regulate the various phases of the doctorate, such as the organization of the final phase.

The individual dean's offices can answer questions about the regulations of the doctoral degree regulations.

Most universities have their own childcare facilities for the children of students, PhD candidates and employees, as well as special programs and offers for compatibility. Accordingly, Trier University offers various childcare services to support parents during their academic qualification phase. Accordingly, Trier University has been certified as a family-friendly university since 2002.

In addition, the Graduate Center for the Promotion of Equality of Women and Men in Science and Research at German Universities finances the funding program “PhD Candidate and Parent”.

A doctorate with an impairment is more than just a doctorate. It means being courageous and not giving up despite the additional burden of the impairment. Anyone who completes a doctorate with an impairment is often in the best possible position for the job market, especially in the medical and natural sciences.

Doubts and worries about the success of the doctorate are nevertheless normal.

The following questions can provide initial help in weighing up the pros and cons of a doctorate:

1. Are you in good health and mentally stable and able to work for the foreseeable future? It makes a difference whether you have only recently acquired an impairment, perhaps not yet fully medicated, or whether this impairment has already accompanied you through your studies. In the former case, worries and hardships are generally very great, in the latter case you are already familiar with the symptoms of the impairment and can therefore assess your own performance. A doctorate demands your performance over a long period of time. The stress factor is not insignificant. Stress-related worsening of symptoms can occur. An inpatient stay or a rehabilitation program during your doctorate is also feasible. But the better your “battery” is charged and the more adaptive your learning and working strategies are, the more likely you are to succeed in your doctorate.
2. Is funding secured? This is a topic that concerns all those interested in a doctorate. You can find information on this topic on this page under “Funding tips”.
3. Are there any support options during the doctorate? A doctoral position subject to social insurance contributions makes it possible to receive benefits for participation in working life (according to SGB IX) as well as wage cost support. Benefits for participation in working life (LTA) include, for example, disability-friendly workplace equipment, work assistance and motor vehicle assistance. These benefits must be applied for by the employer at the German Pension Insurance. Scholarships for PhD candidates, on the other hand, are usually merit scholarships. In addition to a basic grant, family and childcare allowances are usually paid. However, supplements for disability-related additional needs have not yet been provided for as a rule.

In addition to these initial questions, we would also like to invite you to take advantage of the counseling services offered by Trier University. For an initial consultation, please contact the GUT, as well as Ms. Nathalie Beßler, representative for the interests of students with disabilities, for specific concerns.

In September 2010, Our QZP-Network published the handbook “Shaping a Doctorate Together - Guidelines for Supervisors and Doctoral Candidates”. The paper is intended to help support the process of making doctoral supervision even more efficient.

To provide guidance before and during the doctorate, the network Quality Circle for the Doctorate (QZP), in which the Graduate Center at Trier University is also involved, has developed the handbook “Shaping a Doctorate Together - Guidelines for Supervisors and Doctoral Candidates”.

In particular, the handbook “Doing your doctorate. Making conscious decisions and getting off to a good start” suggests various funding options for PhD candidates and explains different doctoral structures.

The Graduate Center's small handbook library contains books on all aspects of doctoral studies, which can be consulted during office hours (also at other times by prior arrangement).

Trier University supports postdoctoral researchers with a needs-oriented information, advice and workshop program for the further development of their qualifications and skills and supports them in shaping their professional careers both within and outside academia.

The Graduate Center supports you on your personal career path with advice and training!

The Research Unit team offers individual assistance in planning and applying for externally funded research projects. The services offered include researching suitable funding programs and support in preparing the project application as well as coordinating the coordination processes with other service facilities at Trier University and external cooperation partners (e.g. cost calculation, ethics reports, research data management).

In cooperation with the Research Department, the Graduate Center offers further training events on the topic of third-party funding acquisition, especially for postdoctoral researchers who are applying for third-party funding for the first time.

The “Research Service A-Z” provides information on applying for and carrying out research projects as well as other topics relating to “research work”.

The eSciences Service Center offers advice and support for planning, applying for and carrying out IT-based research projects as well as for questions regarding the handling of research data and its long-term preservation. Here you will find information on research data management and services for digital research.

The Universitätsverband zur Qualifizierung des wissenschaftlichen Nachwuchses in Deutschland e. V. (UniWiND) provides an overview of the topic of “Open Science” on its homepage.

Additionally, the University Library supports Open Access publishing for members of Trier University with various infrastructures and financial support options and provides information on this in its Open Access section.

The International Office offers a comprehensive range of advisory services for postdoctoral researchers from abroad who (would like to) research and teach at Trier University, as well as for postdoctoral researchers from Trier who are planning and carrying out a stay abroad.

The Office for University Didactics offers support in the development of “good teaching”. It offers individual advice, organizes workshops and seminars and provides visualization and moderation material as well as information brochures for courses. The offer is particularly aimed at “newcomers” to teaching.

The contact point for knowledge and technology transfer supports the university's cooperation with business and society. It offers assistance in the promotion of application-oriented research, the initiation of collaborations with stakeholders in business and society as well as business start-ups.

The Graduate Center supports postdoctoral researchers in their career development and provides individual advice on career planning and the further development of their professional skills profile.

The respective departments provide information on the requirements and procedure for habilitation.

The mentoring programme “Career Planning for Female Scientists” is part of the Gender Equality Unit and offers postdoctoral researchers a formalized exchange of experiences on issues relating to their own career development. It is aimed at female postdoctoral researchers who want to actively shape their careers, get to know and utilize their resources better and who are interested in exchanging experiences and new ideas.

The focus is on one-to-one mentoring with an experienced person from the context of science and research. We offer a modular program which, in addition to the mentoring relationship, also includes qualification measures and networking opportunities.

Trier University supports junior professors and junior research group leaders in their career development. For this group, it offers tailored development measures and individual support from entry to appointment or preparation for an alternative career path that leads to another position within or outside the university. In addition, other offers complement the qualification and development process, such as a special continuing education program.

The Graduate Center will support you on your personal career path with advice and training!

With the Trier Tenure Track (T³) Program, Trier University is opening up new career paths for young academics. By entering the program at an early stage in their academic career and the prospect of a lifetime professorship, the aim is to increase motivation and incentive for excellent academic performance. Attractive career options, early independent research and teaching activities, structured career development and suitable support services are intended to help young academics to optimally promote their personal and academic development and increase the predictability of their career.

The Research Unit team offers individual assistance in planning and applying for externally funded research projects. The services offered include researching suitable funding programs and support in preparing the project application as well as coordinating the coordination processes with other service facilities at Trier University and external cooperation partners (e.g. cost calculation, ethics reports, research data management).

In cooperation with the Research Department, the Graduate Center offers further training events on the topic of third-party funding acquisition, especially for postdoctoral researchers who are applying for third-party funding for the first time.

The “Research Service A-Z” provides information on applying for and carrying out research projects as well as other topics relating to “research work”.

The eSciences Service Center offers advice and support for planning, applying for and carrying out IT-based research projects as well as for questions regarding the handling of research data and its long-term preservation. Here you will find information on research data management and services for digital research.

The Universitätsverband zur Qualifizierung des wissenschaftlichen Nachwuchses in Deutschland e. V. (UniWiND) provides an overview of the topic of “Open Science” on its homepage.

Additionally, the University Library supports Open Access publishing for members of Trier University with various infrastructures and financial support options and provides information on this in its Open Access section.

The International Office offers a comprehensive range of advisory services for postdoctoral researchers from abroad who (would like to) research and teach at Trier University, as well as for postdoctoral researchers from Trier who are planning and carrying out a stay abroad.

The Office for University Didactics offers support in the development of “good teaching”. It offers individual advice, organizes workshops and seminars and provides visualization and moderation material as well as information brochures for courses. The offer is particularly aimed at “newcomers” to teaching.

The contact point for knowledge and technology transfer supports the university's cooperation with business and society. It offers assistance in the promotion of application-oriented research, the initiation of collaborations with stakeholders in business and society as well as business start-ups.

It is important to Trier University to support its members in reconciling university tasks with family responsibilities. As diverse as family constellations are, so too are the questions and support needs that can arise when the different areas of life need to be reconciled.

The Family Office at Trier University is the central point of contact for all questions relating to work-life balance. It offers individual advice and support for all members of Trier University on the subject of reconciling studies, academic qualifications and/or career with family. Information on the services offered can be found in the Family information portal.

Supervisors are of central importance for the success of doctoral projects. Not only the professional advice, but also the design of the supervisory relationship have a lasting impact on the doctoral phase. The Graduate Center supports you in your role as supervisors and mentors of researchers in the early stages of their careers by providing advice and targeted workshops.

PhD candidates must register at the beginning of their doctorate in accordance with the Higher Education Act. This is done in the dean's offices of the respective departments, where they receive the supervision agreement for PhD candidates. Part 1 of the supervision agreement contains the registration form for PhD candidates, while in part 2 further agreements on the supervision relationship are made together with the supervisor.

The supervision agreement must be completed in full and signed by the supervisor. PhD candidates must then submit both parts of the supervision agreement to the relevant Dean's Office together with any necessary supporting documents.

For advice for those interested in a doctorate and PhD candidates in the initial phase, you will find information on administrative and organizational issues relating to the doctorate in the “Master's Students interested in doing a PhD” tab.

You are also welcome to inform your PhD candidates about the possibility of attending GUT information events and the individual advice offered by GUT.

Due to high demand, the Quality Circle for the Doctorate network published the third edition of the handbook “Shaping a Doctorate Together - Guidelines for Supervisors and Doctoral Candidates” in 2018, which was supplemented in 2020 by the section "Doing your Doctorate. Making conscious decisions and getting off to a good start" was added in 2020. The brochures provide suggestions for an efficient and mutually satisfactory organization of doctoral supervision.

Advising and supporting international PhD candidates often involves additional challenges.

Due to a lack of social networks and intercultural challenges, this target group is often under greater mental strain than German PhD candidates. For this reason, Trier University has published guidelines for counseling sessions in stressful situations.

For general and organizational questions, please consult the information pages of the International Office and the tabs for master's students interested in doing a PhD and PhD candidates.

You can find further information on supporting and advising international PhD candidates in our handout for advising international PhD candidates.

Your PhD candidates can choose from a wide range of free workshops offered by the GUT and other institutions at Trier University. In addition to methodological courses, interdisciplinary qualifications in particular are promoted here.

Every year, the Graduate Center of Trier University awards the Publication Award to PhD candidates for special publication achievements. All publications produced during the doctoral phase may be submitted, but not the dissertation itself! Scientific publications that have appeared in a specialist publication, journal or anthology in the last two years can be submitted as competition entries. A jury made up of members of the respective departments will evaluate the publications according to research performance, relevance and originality. Each of the six prizes is endowed with 500 euros.

The PhD candidates awarded the publication prizes present their publications in short talks of no more than seven minutes at the award ceremony in the summer semester. The audience then decides by vote who will receive the award for the best presentation, which is endowed with a further 500 euros.

Participation in academic conferences is an important opportunity for PhD candidates to exchange ideas and network. Another qualification is the conception and realization of a scientific conference for young researchers. Young researchers can apply for the TriGUT funding program and receive financial support to hold such meetings/conferences.

Trier University is a member of the German University Association of Advanced Graduate Training (GUAT). Supervisors at Trier University can find various publications here that deal with issues relating to the promotion of early career researchers.