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Study programme Dependable Systems Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

How to apply

Thank you for your interest in the PhD Programme Dependable Systems at BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg. Below you will find all information on your application and regarding the admission process.

Application Step by Step

Applications can be submitted throughout the year. We do not have application deadlines, but note that the admission process might take several months. For enrolment in the summer semester (start in April) submission is recommend no later than November 1st, for enrolment in winter semester (start in October) no later than May 1st.

All the required documents to be handed in are found in the section Application Documents.

Since this is a presence-based programme, enrolment is mandatory for PhD students at BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg, a semester fee including a public transportation ticket for Berlin and Brandenburg applies.

Within the programme curriculum, some of the mandatory courses for PhD students start in the summer semester, some in the winter semester (see section curriculum). These courses support you in your research, bring you in contact with staff and fellow students and help you develop valuable skills for your PhD thesis and academic career.

Please submit the complete application here via the online portal. All the required documents to be uploaded are to be found in the section "application documents".

Your application will be processed after we received the complete required documents. Please do not forget to send a pdf-scan of your signed application form to phd-application[at]b-tu.de AFTER your have submitted your complete application online. We only start processing your application once received the full online application AND the signed application form.

We will evaluate your eligibility for admission, the suitability of your former studies and your PhD proposal.

If you are eligible for PhD studies at BTU Cottbus and we have the potential to find a supervisor with the relevant research expertise and capacity to take on new PhD students, the programme manager will send your application to possible supervisors and ask for confirmation of supervision. To be admitted into the programme, confirmation of supervision by a professor is a prerequisite. A personal or phone conversation with the potential supervisor is strongly recommended so that you can discuss your proposal as well as expectations and open questions.

Please note that some professors require confirmation of a scholarship or other means of funding before they give an unconditional confirmation of supervision.

Once we have confirmation of supervision from a professor within the programme, the PhD Committee and the Faculty Council will decide on your admission into the programme.

Upon positive decision, the International Relations Office (for Non-EU applicants and EU applicants with Non-German university degree) or the Admissions and Registrar´s Office (for German applicants and EU applicants with German university degree) will issue the admission letter (electronic copy and hard copy via post).

The admission letter is valid to apply for scholarships and the study visa.

Our  Welcome Centre offers more information on preparing your start in Cottbus. You may contact them before your arrival to plan for accommodation and health insurance etc. Please make an appointment with the Welcome Center for enrolment and first steps at our university and in Cottbus.

Upon arrival, please make an appointment with the coordinator of the programme for a first meeting to welcome you into the PhD programme, to give you an introduction to the programme, inform you on the curriculum and to answer your questions.

For an overview of the different online services for PhD students (e.g. how to get to BTU Cottbus, enrolment, BTU mail account, module registration, learning platform “moodle”) please check our short tutorials here.

As a PhD student you are welcome to use the services of the BTU Graduate Research School offering a regular newsletter, a qualification programme as well as scholarships for doctoral students and PostDocs.

The Welcome Centre regularly offers events for doctoral students and PostDocs at BTU, in Cottbus and in the region.

For information on accommodation and living in Cottbus please check our video here.