Your Path to a Doctoral Degree
A doctorate involves several stages. It begins with initial orientation and finding a supervisor, followed by admission and the research phase, and concludes with the doctoral examination process.
On this page, you will find the key information, requirements, and steps involved in pursuing a doctorate at Hochschule Geisenheim University – from A to Z.
Dissertation Options and Structure
At Hochschule Geisenheim University, there are three main options for structuring your dissertation:
Monograph
The research is presented as a single, coherent academic work.
Cumulative Dissertation
The dissertation is based on several academic publications or manuscripts that are brought together within an overarching academic framework.
Monograph with Embedded Papers
This hybrid format combines elements of a monograph with academic papers that have already been published or are intended for publication.
For detailed guidance on the format, structure, and requirements, please refer to our guide Dissertation Options and Structure.
Milestone I - Admission to doctoral studies
You can apply for admission to doctoral studies once you meet the following requirements:
- A degree with an overall grade of 2.5 or better
- A clearly defined research topic
- Confirmation of supervision by a professor at Hochschule Geisenheim University
- Secured funding for your doctoral project
Language Requirements
You must provide proof of sufficient English language proficiency. Further information is available on our English-language website.
Additional Requirements for International Degrees
If you obtained your degree outside Germany, your academic credentials must be reviewed and recognized before you can be admitted to doctoral studies. Certified translations may also be required.
Please contact the Doctoral Office to initiate the recognition process as early as possible, as processing may take several months depending on your individual case.
How to Apply
Contact the Doctoral Office and submit your application for admission to the Doctoral Committee.
Your application should be submitted at the beginning of your doctoral project and no later than six months after starting your doctoral work.
Your application for admission requires a number of forms, supporting documents, and a research proposal. The required forms are available from the Doctoral Office.
The guidelines for the project description and the Doctoral Regulations are available in the download section. If you have any questions about the required documents, the Doctoral Office will be happy to assist you.
Required Documents
- Application Form (available from the Doctoral Office)
- Confirmation of Supervision and Confirmation of the second reviewer (available from the Doctoral Office)
- Supervision Agreement (available from the Doctoral Office)
- Project Description /Research Exposé (download)
- Curriculum vitae (CV)
- Certified copies of degree certificates and transcripts
- List of publications (if applicable)
- Marriage certificate (if applicable)
Are you employed at Hochschule Geisenheim University and planning to pursue a doctorate?
Please register as a researcher in the Research Information System (FIS) and upload your application for admission as a doctoral candidate there. All required forms and guidelines are available from the Doctoral Office.
Please note:
You must also submit the signed application in hard copy, together with certified copies of your degree certificates, to the Doctoral Office.
You are not employed at Hochschule Geisenheim University and planning to pursue a doctorate?
To apply for admission as a doctoral candidate, please register via our online portal. All required forms and guidelines will be provided in advance by the Doctoral Office via email.
Please use our online portal: Your Doctorate – For External Doctoral Candidates
Username: HGU_Externe_Anwaerter
Password: Converis2025
Which Doctoral Path Is Right for You?
Choose the doctoral pathway that best suits your project. At Hochschule Geisenheim University, you can pursue your doctorate either through the Doctoral Platform with Giessen or Marburg or with a university of your choice.
Your primary supervisor will be a professor at Hochschule Geisenheim University. Co-supervision is provided by a professor from Justus Liebig Universität Giessen or Philipps Universität Marburg.
The doctoral procedure is governed by the Doctoral Regulations of the respective partner university.
Upon successful completion, you will receive a joint doctoral certificate from the participating universities.
Your primary supervision will be provided at Hochschule Geisenheim University. The second reviewer will be a professor from a university with the right to award doctoral degrees of your choice, either in Germany or abroad. The doctoral degree that can be awarded is determined by the relevant regulations of the second reviewer’s university.
Your doctoral procedure is governed by the Doctoral Regulations of Hochschule Geisenheim University.
Upon successful completion, you will receive your doctoral certificate from Hochschule Geisenheim University. The participating university will be named on the certificate.
Milestone II - Research Phase
During the research phase, you will work independently on your doctoral project and further develop your dissertation. Regular meetings with your supervisor and Graduate School’s structured doctoral programme will support you throughout this phase.
The Doctoral Regulations provide the binding framework for the research phase.
You should also decide at an early stage which format you would like to use for your dissertation.
Milestone III - Examination Process
Congratulations! Once the dissertation is finished, has been scrutinized together with the supervisor and all other requirements within Graduate School have been fulfilled and documented in FIS as well, you are ready to take one of the final steps of your doctoral journey.
The following documents have to be submitted to the Doctoral Office:
- Request letter including the title, type and language of dissertation
- Names and contact details of first and second reviewers as well as nomination of a third external reviewer
- Confirmation of Graduate School regarding mandatory attendance record and FIS documentation
- Application/disclosure of bibliographical data of scientific contributions for approval of a publication- / manuscript-based dissertation
- Information and proof of first authorship
- 8 hard copies of your dissertation as well as one digital copy (data stick)
The three reviewers are asked to assess the dissertation within two months of its submission.
Once all reviews are received, the Doctoral Office will inform all parties involved of the reviews and proposed grades.
In case of a positive grading the display phase begins. Otherwise, the Doctoral regulations will come into effect.
Once the three reviewers recommend that the dissertation be accepted, it shall be available for reading to academic members of Hochschule Geisenheim University at the Doctoral Office for three weeks (within the semester) and six weeks (partially or completely outside the semester). These entitled academic members of Hochschule Geisenheim University - and, if applicable, the respective academic faculty of the partner university - may at their own discretion submit an additional unsolicited review within the specific period. Such a review will have no influence on the grading, but must be taken into account by the Examination Committee. The doctoral student must be granted access to read the reviews prior to the oral defense.
In accordance with the doctoral regulations, only the doctoral student, the supervisors and members of the Doctoral Committee of Hochschule Geisenheim University or - in case of a doctorate with a partner university - the academic faculty of the partner university are entitled to inspect both the dissertation and the reviews.
! Upon the end of the display phase and receipt of all reviews, the doctoral student must file a written request for scheduling the oral defense and for the appointment of the Examination Committee.
Upon written request of the doctoral student and after proposal of the Chair, the Doctoral Committee shall appoint the Examination Committee - in accordance with the partner university, if applicable.
After the Committee Chair has set a date for the oral defense, it shall be announced to all members of the university.
ORAL DEFENSE
In general, an oral defense takes 90 minutes. The doctoral student starts with a 30-minute presentation of the dissertation. The following oral examination – which may last up to 60 minutes - focuses primarily on questions relating to the research topic and its latest developments. Moreover, the discussion may also be extended to include issues related to the research topic.
This is also an opportunity to take up any remarks, questions or criticism mentioned in the reviews.
After the defense, the Examination Committee assesses the candidate's performance in a closed session and informs the doctoral student of the result and the grade.
The Examination Committee also decides if any corrections or amendments have to be made to the dissertation before publication. If no corrections are required, the Chair of the Examination Committee or a delegated member of the Committee authorizes the printing. If amendments or corrections have to be made, permission for printing is issued after submission of a revised version.
Upon successful completion of the doctoral studies, the dissertation has to be published. This is a prerequisite for awarding the doctoral certificate entitling the doctoral student to bear the respective academic title. The deadline for publication of the dissertation is one year from the date of examination. This deadline has to be met under all circumstances.
Depending on the type of publication selected, the number of required copies to be submitted may vary (10 copies on average). The series “Geisenheimer Berichte” supports doctoral students in Geisenheim to publish their work quickly and in a high-profile manner.
Alternatively, all doctoral students have the opportunity to publish their dissertation electronically. Comprehensive information can be found on the OPUS Geisenheim webpage.
If, for publication purposes in a journal, publication series or book, changes have to be made in a dissertation that has already been accepted (e.g. texts have to be shortened or extended), prior approval of the supervisor(s) and the Doctoral Committee must be obtained.
