NEW All applications for admission as of winter term 2025/26 must be submitted via KLIPS.

Application Process

At the beginning of the doctoral studies, you must apply for admission as a doctoral candidate.

Required documents

Form 'Application for Admission as a Doctoral Student of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences' completely filled out and with all signatures (own signature, advisor, if applicable further advisor, coordinator graduate school of the department and if applicable coordinator further graduate school) (filename AaZ.pdf)
University entrance qualification (filename HZB.pdf)
Diploma, certificate, and transcript of the Bachelor's degree (or equivalent degree) (filename Bachelor-Dokumente.pdf)
Diploma, certificate, and transcript of the Master's degree (or equivalent degree) (filename Master-Dokumente.pdf)
- ~~For the winter semester 2025: If the Master's degree (or an equivalent qualification) was obtained abroad, a preliminary review documentation (VPD) via~~ ~~https://my.uni-assist.de/~~ is additionally required for the subjects Biology and Computational Biology. Please select 'Universität zu Köln - VPD' and ‘doctoral studies’ as the university. Processing time is approximately 4–6 weeks. (currently waved, 30-Sep-2025)
Curriculum vitae (filename CV.pdf)
Further documents, if applicable

Registration via the online application portal KLIPS 2.0

Email to the doctoral degree office

Inform the doctoral office by email (stating your doctoral subject in the subject line) that you have applied for admission via KLIPS 2.0.

Further steps

The doctoral office reviews your documents, the doctoral degree committee decides on the admission
The Student Administration Office sends the letter of admission
You accept the admission within the set deadline
You enroll in due time

Docfile (the University of Cologne's doctoral administration system)

Only, after you are enrolled as doctoral student, a Docfile account will be created for you and you will be informed about it