Applying for Ph.D. in Europe

Recently many people have asked me about the application procedure for Ph.D. in Germany, and answering the same questions to everybody individually is a pain, so I have decided to write this post about a general application procedure for PhD in Germany (or Europe in general).

Selecting the topic: The first and most important step is to decide which topic you want to work on. If you are unsure of the topic, then you can go through profiles of some researchers to know what they are working on and which topics might interest you. You can also talk to your professors, advisers or colleagues about the topic that you may want to work on. The topic should be scientifically important and feasible in the given time frame and budget. Once you have decided the topic(s), you can start the planning for applications.

Application Procedure: There are usually two ways to apply for a position. The traditional method is to look at the profiles of different researchers and see who is working on the topics you are interested in, and approaching them for a PhD position. You can email them stating your interest in working on the topic with him/her. If they have an open position, they will inform you about the detailed application procedure. Having a one-to-one conversation with them will be helpful in understanding (a) what your thoughts are about the topic and (b) what do they expect from you.

The second way is to apply to some graduate schools or research schools or standard application procedures of certain institutes or via some scholarship programs such as DAAD or Erasmus Mundus etc.. This method is helpful because most of these schools have a fixed budget which is independent of the budget of the researchers. Also due to standard procedures, you don't have to contact each and every person at that institute individually.

To have better chances at selection, it is advised to follow both the paths.

The application usually requires you to submit following documents:

1. A brief, concise curriculum vitae. The CV should contain objective information about your academic career, such as your grades at undergraduate and masters level, performance at entrance/qualification examinations, publications, projects you have worked on, schools & conferences attended and co-curricular activities.

2. Statement of Purpose: In this statement, you are expected to describe your broad aims during your Ph.D., why you are applying at that place, what are your expectations, and how will the institute benefit from you. It can also be used to assert certain qualities about you which are not stated in your CV. (This is similar to the statement you have to submit when you apply to Universities in USA.)

3. Research interest: Along with the application, you have to submit your research interest wherein you have to explain which topic you want to work on, why are you interested in that topic, and what are your ideas or inputs you have on that topic.

4. Letters of recommendation: Usually you have to submit at least 2 letters of recommendation from people who know you well, for example, someone who has guided you during a project, or a person who has taught you courses at bachelor's or master's level.

These are the documents that you would require for application, although the particulars may differ from case to case. The whole procedure from deciding the topic till the successful submission of the application usually takes few months, so it's always good to start early!