Individual Dissertation
To apply for an individually supervised dissertation, please get directly in touch with the potential supervising professor (known in German as the Doktorvater or Doktormutter), with whom the topic of the dissertation shall be agreed upon.
Application process for an individually supervised doctoral project
• Once you have identified a supervisor who is willing to accept you as a doctoral student, you should ask him to provide you with a letter of acceptance (Betreuungszusage).
• With the letter of acceptance you can apply for admission as a doctoral student at the relevant examination office (Prüfungsamt or Dekanat) of the respective faculty. The doctoral commission will examine whether you fulfill the prerequisites for admission and, as appropriate, issue a certificate of admission to doctoral studies (Promotionsberechtigung).
• If you do not hold the German citizenship, you additionally must register at the International Office (closing dates: January 15 / July 15). For this you need the certificate of admission to doctoral studies and must fulfill the general application/admission requirements at LMU Munich. You will then be issued with an admission notification to LMU Munich (Zulassungsbescheid). This notification is an important legal document for submission to government offices.
• The International Office will also support you with the subsequent enrollment at the university. For doctoral studies, LMU Munich does not charge any tuition fees during the first six semesters of enrollment.
You should read carefully the relevant doctoral degree regulations (Promotionsordnung). Since there is no compulsory curriculum for an individually supervised dissertation, there is no set length of time for the doctoral studies. It is important that you are highly motivated and able to work independently and that you stay in close contact with your academic supervisor.