Admission Requirements

It is important to check at an early stage whether you fulfill the requirements outlined in the ▶ doctoral regulations of your KIT department. Doctoral regulations represent the legal framework for pursuing a doctorate at the KIT department. As a rule, the following requirements have to be met:

• Graduation at a German university (diploma, Magister, master, or state examination) or
• an equivalent degree achieved at a university abroad. For the recognition of foreign diplomas or master’s degrees, your future supervisor can contact the ▶ International Students Office (IStO) of KIT and ask for a so-called equivalence assessment.

KIT departments may have additional requirements that are obvious from the respective doctoral regulations. As a rule, a good to very good degree is expected. Special admission requirements exist for highly qualified bachelor’s degree holders.

For your ▶ acceptance as doctoral researcher by the KIT department, your degree will also be checked by the Doctoral Admissions Committee. If applicable, the Committee defines additional or supplementary requirements that have to be fulfilled during your doctoral phase.

Please note that you must clarify the language requirements for the doctorate with your supervisor. As a rule, doctoral candidates are expected to have a very good command of English, even if formal proof such as TOEFL or IELTS is not usually required. German language skills are not always mandatory, but highly recommended - especially for life outside KIT.