As you approach the end of your doctoral program, the completion of your research project is drawing ever closer: your dissertation is nearly finished, and the finish line is in sight.

In addition to finalizing your academic thesis, it is now important to familiarize yourself with the organizational and administrative steps required to initiate your doctoral defense.

The following information and documents apply only to doctoral candidates under the new doctoral regulations of 23.08.2021!

If you are pursuing your doctorate under the old doctoral regulations please contact Marina Zapilko (m.zapilko@tum.de) or Veronika Adam (veronika.adam@tum.de).

Information and process

Completion of the Qualification Program

Doctoral students in the natural sciences and engineering have completed the TUM-GS and GCS qualification program if they have fulfilled the following mandatory requirements:

  1. At least two years of membership in TUM-GS and annual re-registration in DocGS (if your membership is less than two years but you have fully completed the qualification program, please contact m.zapilko@tum.de)
  2. Submission of an exposé
  3. Participation in the kick-off seminar
  4. Supervision by a mentor
  5. Completion of subject-specific qualification comprising 6 SWS (=63 full-time hours)
  6. Publication or presentation of research results to the international academic community
  7. Conducting the feedback meeting
  8. Proof of active involvement in the academic environment at TUM (applies only to external doctoral candidates)

Doctoral candidates in the economic and social sciences have fulfilled the qualification program of the TUM GS and the GCS if the following mandatory requirements have been met:

  1. At least two years of membership in the TUM GS and annual re-registration in DocGS (if your membership is less than two years but you have fully completed the qualification program, please contact m.zapilko@tum.de)
  2. Submission of an exposé
  3. Participation in the kick-off seminar
  4. Supervision by a mentor
  5. Completion of subject-specific qualification comprising 10 SWS (=105 full-time hours)

  6. Proof of active participation in the doctoral colloquium (including at least one presentation of one’s own research project per year) 

    Form: Proof of participation in the doctoral colloquium (please send via email to m.zapilko@tum.de)

  7. Publication or presentation of research results in the international academic community
  8. Conducting the feedback meeting
  9. Proof of active involvement in the academic environment at TUM (applies only to external doctoral candidates)

Important Documents:

 

Detailed information on the entire submission process can be found in the Wiki of the TUM Graduate School.

Short overview of the rough process from submission to receipt of the doctoral certificate:

  1. Please contact Marina Zapilko (m.zapilko@tum.de) before submitting your dissertation!
  2. Completion of the dissertation
  3. Fulfill the qualification program of the TUM-GS and the GCS
  4. Fill out the doctoral application in DocGS and upload your dissertation and supporting documents (see Wiki and DocGS)
  5. Submit the documents (see Wiki and DocGS) to the TUM Center for Study and Teaching, Graduation Office and Academic Records, Munich. The documents will then be forwarded to the GCS.
  6. Submit the “Examination Board Proposal” and, if applicable, the external examiner form in GCS no later than one week before the next meeting of the TUMCS Institute Council.
  7. The examination board is appointed by the TUMCS Institute Council.
  8. The documents are forwarded to the chair of the examining committee. Chair requests the expert opinions, organises the involvement of the faculty and subsequently invites to the oral examination.
  9. Oral Examination
  10. The TUM Graduate School Certificate and Transcript of Records can be printed after final inspection.
  11. If necessary, revise the dissertation in accordance with the examination committee’s requirements for revisions.
  12. Publication of the dissertation
  13. Receipt of the doctoral certificate – now the doctoral title may be officially used.
  14. Receipt of the TUM Graduate School Certificate and Transcript of Records.

Duration of the process approx. 6 months.

Dates of the TUMCS Institute Council Meetings: 01.07.2026, 22.07.2026, 21.10.2026, 16.12.2026.

Publication-based Dissertation at the TUMCS

A publication-based dissertation must be based on at least two publications WRITTEN IN LEAD by the doctoral candidate. In order to prove this leadership, EVERY doctoral candidate has to submit a declaration of own contribution and co-authors for each publication used in the publication-based dissertation. This declaration has to be uploaded to DocGS (if requested) and submitted to the Doctoral Office with the remaining documents.

It is important that you include the signatures of all co-authors. The document is only exemplary, depending on the number of publications, the document can be shortened or expanded. If you have a very large number of co-authors for a publication, in exceptional cases and in consultation with your degree awarding institution/School, you may alternatively request the signatures of the heads of the respective research groups.

Important Documents:

After the dissertation has been submitted and the doctoral process has been initiated, the Examination Committee must be appointed by the TUMCS Institute Council.

The application for the appointment of the Examination Committee, which may include an appendix Application for external examiner (for examiners not affiliated with TUM), must be submitted no later than one week before the respective Institute Council meetings.

Dates of the TUMCS Institute Council Meetings: 22.07.2026, 21.10.2026, 16.12.2026.

When forming the examination committee, the requirements of the TUM Promotionsordnung and the resolutions of the TUMCS Institute Council must be observed.

After you passed your oral examination, you have to publish your dissertation. Only after this you will receive your doctoral certificate and then you are allowed to hold your doctoral title.

You can publish your dissertation electronically (e.g. in MediaTUM) or as a book with an ISBN. All information about this process are provided on the homepage of the TUM University Library.

Congratulations! You have successfully concluded your dissertation at TUM. 

As soon as your doctoral certificate is ready, it will be issued to you immediately.

Please set up email forwarding for your TUM email address. You can find instructions here.

We would be delighted to officially honor and bid you farewell at our annual graduation ceremony. The 2026 graduation ceremony will take place on November 20 in Straubing, and you will receive a personal invitation.