International

Gaining international experience

International experience is becoming increasingly important for researchers. FAU also has its own internationalisation strategy and a global network of partners (German).

On this page you will find some useful tips on organising stays abroad during your doctoral research, as well as information for international applicants who would like to complete a doctoral degree at FAU.

Planning a research stay abroad

You should plan your stay abroad at an early stage in your doctoral degree. Although it is not always easy to find funding for your stay, there are various options that you can explore. Be sure to discuss your plans with your supervisor as they have colleagues all over the world, are familiar with your research topic, and are in the best position to judge whether it makes sense for you to go abroad and where you should go. The length of your stay should be determined according to the requirements of your work. Once your supervisor has put you in contact with the right people, the next issue is usually securing funding. The following are possible:

Funding from the University budget or chair's budget

  • You will continue to receive your salary and your travel costs will be covered by the chair or by third-party funding upon application. In the former case the trip will be classified as an official journey (up to three months).
  • We recommend you take out health insurance in the country where you are staying. While travelling to and from your destination and place of work and during working hours you are covered by accident insurance as part of your employer’s liability insurance.

Project funding

  • Your stay abroad is funded through a third-party project and expenses are covered by the project budget provided you have applied for coverage and it has been accepted.

Scholarship organisations

  • If you are receiving a scholarship you can often apply to the scholarship organisation for coverage of travel expenses. Please ask the scholarship organisation directly for information.

General funding providers

We have gathered all the important information relating to your time abroad at Information on spending time abroad.

Information for international applicants

If you are an international graduate and would like to complete a doctoral degree at FAU, our University offers excellent conditions for your research.

Detailed information and specific services for international doctoral candidates are also offered by FAU’s Welcome Centre.

The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) provides general information on doctoral degrees in Germany. We have summarised some information on funding your doctoral degree for you. In addition to the steps described, international applicants who wish to complete a doctoral degree at FAU must also meet the following requirements:

Formal requirements

  • Your university degree from another country must be recognised as equivalent to a German degree (Master’s degree/Magister/Diplom/State Examination) in the same subject. The Office of Doctoral Affairs is responsible for ensuring that the equivalence of non-German qualifications is evaluated by the Doctoral Affairs Committee of the relevant faculty.
  • The Faculty of Sciences (German) and School of Business and Economics (German) also admit Bachelor’s graduates to doctoral programmes under certain conditions.
  • Comprehensive information on the evaluation of non-German qualifications and support for authorities, employers and private individuals with regard to assessing the equivalence of non-German qualification is available from Anabin (German).

Language requirements

Doctoral theses may be written in English in individual cases with the supervisors agreement and in our international doctoral programmes. However, we recommend that all doctoral candidates learn German in order to get the most out of their stay at the University.

If you wish to complete your doctoral thesis in German you must demonstrate sufficient language proficiency. The relevant Office of Doctoral Affairs can provide more information on this topic.

For certain subjects at the Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences, and Theology (German) proof of proficiency in other languages must be provided upon registration.

On the following pages you can find important information on (partly in German):