General information for PhD students FB 12
The PhD is proof of a special academic qualification that goes beyond the qualification associated with the diploma, master's or state examination. The prerequisite for acceptance as a doctoral candidate is an academic degree of at least eight semesters, usually related to the doctoral subject, completed with at least a "satisfactory" grade. Standard degrees are the Master's, the Diplom and the first state examination for the teaching profession at grammar schools.
The university-wide Graduate Academy GRADE offers structured support for doctoral students. Doctoral students at Goethe University can attend German courses and seminars on professional scoeial skills free of charge.
Formulars for registration, doctroal regulations, etc. can be found on the website of the Doctoral Office. Questions regarding the registration as a doctroal candidate at FB12 can be addressed to
phd@fb12.uni-frankfurt.de
The following documents for acceptance as a doctoral candidate must be submitted (as of September 17th, 2025):
- 2x Application for Acceptance with signatures (form available under “Application form and regulations") [can be submitted by email, post, or in person in Frankfurt]
- Current CV (including date of birth, home address, private phone number,
private email address) + details of high school diploma (place, date,
grade)
- Exposé (short summary)
- Bachelor's and master's degree certificates in German or English, certified translation if necessary: 1x [can be submitted in person in Frankfurt, as an original or by post in certified form]
- Transcript of records [can be submitted in person in Frankfurt, as an original or by post in certified form]
