Mathematics and sciences

FAU offers the following doctoral degree programs in mathematics and sciences. Click on the tab for further information, links and points of contact.

Mathematics and sciences

C-PlaNeT: Circular Plastics Network for Training (EU ITN)
  • Keywords: plastics, circular-economy, recycling, sensor technologies, odor, environment
  • Doctoral title: Dr. rer. nat., PhD
  • Language of degree program: English
  • Program duration: The C-Planet program guarantees PhD funding for 36 months.
  • Application: The call for applicants is closed. If you are interested in collaborating with us, please contact aromachem@fau.de.
  • Special features: Financial support will  be granted in accordance with the Marie-Skłodowska-Curie Action regulations for Early Stage Researchers. The guaranteed PhD funding is for 36 months (i.e. EC funding, additional funding is possible, depending on the local Supervisor, and in accordance with the regular PhD time in the country of origin). In addition to their individual scientific projects, all fellows will benefit from further continuing education, which includes internships and secondments, a variety of training modules as well as transferable skills courses and active participation in workshops and conferences.
  • FAU contact person: Prof. Dr. Andrea Büttner, Chair for Aroma and Smell Research
  • Information about the program
Checkpoints for resolution of inflammation (DFG MGK-CRC/TFF 1181)
  • Keywords: Research into molecular checkpoints for the resolution of inflammation, arthritis, Crohn’s disease, and asthma; highly qualified, translational training; focus on life sciences
  • Doctoral title: Dr. rer. nat., Dr. biol. hum., Dr. med., Dr. med. dent.
  • Language of degree program: German and English
  • Program duration: 4 years / 1 year in the case of a doctoral scholarship for medical doctoral candidates
  • How to apply: By sending a cover letter (as a PDF document) via email to the CRC1181 office, stating the desired sub-projects.
  • Special features: Mentoring, bi-weekly “Jour fixe” meetings, training workshops, seminars, public relations, financial support, 5 doctoral scholarships for medical students per year, annual retreat of the SFB/IRTG 1181
  • Doctoral programs with similar topics
  • Point of contact at FAU
  • Information about the program
Design of Particulate Products (DFG MGK-SFB/TRR 1411)
  • Keywords: Product design, particle technology, continuous processes, nanomaterials, optical properties, materials science and engineering, new characterization methods, modeling, simulation and optimization
  • Doctoral title: Dr. rer. nat., Dr. Ing.
  • Language of degree program: English
  • Program duration: 3-4 years
  • Application process: Applications must be submitted according to the procedure described on the homepage of the integrated research training group (https://www.crc1411.research.fau.eu/). Decisions are made based on a two-stage selection process.
  • Special features: 16 doctoral candidates with funding, close monitoring due to dual mentoring programs, intensive international networking, promotion of equal opportunities, complementary workshops and soft skills seminars, financing of conference trips and research stays
  • Doctoral programs with similar topics:: GRK 1896, GRK 2423, GS-AMP, GSMS, MGK-TRR154
  • FAU contacts:
  • Information about the program
Development and Vulnerability of the Central Nervous System (DFG RTG 2162)
  • Keywords: CNS, vulnerability, neural development, neurodegeneration, neuropsychiatric disorders
  • Doctoral title: Dr. rer. nat., Dr. med.
  • Language of degree program: English
  • Program duration: approximately 3 years
  • How to apply: By email to grk2162@fau.de Further information on applying can be found on the website of the RTG.
  • Special features: 10 funded neuroscience doctoral candidates, 10 associated neuroscience doctoral candidates, close mentoring by the doctoral committee, 1 funded postdoctoral position, intensive national and international networking, scholarships for medical doctoral candidates, rotation positions for physicians, promotion of equal opportunities, workshops and soft skill seminars for doctoral candidates, financing of conference trips.
  • Thematically similar doctoral programs: IZKF Medical Doctoral Program
  • Point of contact at FAU: Prof. Dr. Dieter Chichung Lie
  • Information about the program
Doctoral program in Mathematics
  • Keywords: Mathematics and mathematical research as a whole, mathematical and scientific education and training, individual support
  • Doctoral title: Dr. rer. nat.
  • Language of degree program: German and English
  • Program duration: 4 semesters with the option of two extensions of 1 year each
  • How to apply: The informal application (see the program regulations) must include a two-page scientific summary of the doctoral research, signed by both the doctoral candidate and the supervisor.
  • Special features: Support with scholarship applications, promotion of interdisciplinary follow-up opportunities within FAU and at international level, strengthening contact and scientific exchange with other doctoral candidates, at least one one-day doctoral colloquium per year, additional certificate if the doctoral candidate has given two presentations during doctoral colloquia or doctoral symposia, participated in two doctoral symposia including mini-courses, and attended at least two professional development soft skills courses offered by the FAU Graduate Center.
  • Doctoral programs with similar topics: Integrated Research Training Group of TRR 154
  • Points of contact at FAU: Prof. Dr. Hermann Schulz-Baldes
  • Information about the program
Emil Fischer Graduate Program – Pharmaceutical Sciences and Molecular Medicine
Erlangen Graduate School in Advanced Optical Technologies (SAOT)
  • Keywords: Optical technologies, optical metrology, optical material processing, optics in medicine, optical materials and systems, optics in information and telecommunications technology, computer-aided optics, optics in the life sciences.
  • Doctoral title: Dr.-Ing., Dr. rer.nat., Dr. rer. biol.hum.
  • Language of degree program: English
  • Program duration: 3 to 4 years
  • How to apply: via Dr. Johannes Knorr
  • Special features: Financial support available through scholarships, mentoring, working language English, interdisciplinary, credit-point system
  • Thematically similar doctoral programs: International Max Planck Research School Physics of Light (IMPRS-PL)
  • Information about the program: Information about the graduate school
FAIR: Fine-Tuners of the Adaptive Immune Response (DFG RTG 2599)
FRASCAL: Fracture across Scales (DFG RTG 2423)
  • Keywords: Fractures across multiple scales, multiscale simulations, mechanics, materials science, mathematics, chemistry, physics
  • Doctoral title: Dr.-Ing., Dr. rer. nat.
  • Language of degree program: English
  • Program duration: 3 years
  • How to apply: Applications must be made according to the procedure described on the research training group’s website. Decisions are made based on a two-stage selection process.
  • Special features: Interdisciplinary mentoring, interdisciplinary networking, regular RTG qualification days, RTG retreats and RTG workshops, support for international conference participation and research visits, full-time positions, startup grants
  • Information about the program
Graduate School Engineering of Advanced Materials (GS EAM)
Graduate School of Molecular Science (GSMS)
Immune-epithelial communication in inflammatory bowel diseases (DFG MGK-CRC/TRR 241)
  • Keywords: Research into the communication between epithelial and immune cells in chronic inflammatory bowel diseases
  • Doctoral title: Dr. rer. nat., Dr. med.
  • Language of degree program: English
  • Program duration:
    • 3–4 years for doctoral candidates aiming for the qualification Dr. rer. nat.
    • 1 year in the case of a doctoral scholarship for medical doctoral candidates
  • How to apply: Please send your application (CV and letter of motivation) to Schlelein@uk-erlangen (responsible for Erlangen) or Erika.Bühler@charite.de (responsible for Berlin).
  • Special features: Each doctoral candidate receives support from one supervisor and two project managers (one from Erlangen and one from Berlin), regular exchanges of research results in webinars, annual PhD retreat, guest speaker seminars, laboratory courses, training workshops, PR, financial support for participation in national and international congresses, doctoral scholarships for medical doctoral candidates
  • Doctoral programs with similar topics: Life@FAU – Graduate School for Life Sciences
  • Point of contact at FAU:
  • Information about the program
ImmunoMicroTope: Microenvironmental, metabolic, and microbial signals regulating immune cell-pathogen interactions (DFG RTG 2740)
  • Keywords: Influence of the immune microtope (tissue context, microenvironmental factors, metabolism) on the antimicrobial immune defense and the evasion of bacteria, fungi, and parasites: infection – immune cell–pathogen interaction – microenvironment – metabolism – microbial persistence
  • Doctoral title: Dr. rer. nat., Dr. med.
  • Language of degree program: English
  • Program duration
    • Dr. rer. nat., Dr. rer. biol. hum.: 3 years
    • Dr. med.: qualification phase in conjunction with medical studies, experimental phase (12 months: free semester + semester breaks before and after), evaluation phase in conjunction with studies
  • How to apply
  • Special features: International laboratory exchange, annual retreat, international symposium (every 2 years), international guest speaker seminars and colloquia, wide range of methodological training (including mass spectrometry, metabolism and bioinformatics)
  • Doctoral programs with similar topics: Novel antiviral approaches from small molecules to immune intervention (RTG 2504)
  • Points of contact at FAU and information about the program
IntComSin: Interfaces, complex structures, and singular limits in continuum mechanics – analysis and numerics (DFG RTG 2339)
  • Keywords: Mathematical modelling, analysis and simulation of phenomena in natural sciences and engineering that involve interfaces or complex structures, e.g. multi-phase flows, interactions between fluids and structures, homogenisation of porous media, micro and macro models of complex fluids, mathematics of models derived from singular limit value generation, e.g. shell models or strut models, thin films
  • Doctoral title: Dr. rer. nat.
  • Program duration: 3 years
  • How to apply: Positions are advertised on the group’s website.
  • Special features: Research training group across different locations (with the University of Regensburg), doctoral candidates are each mentored by two supervisors, seminar every two weeks, specially designed doctorate courses, international guest and exchange program, summer and winter schools, courses on professional skills.
  • Thematically similar doctoral programs
  • Point of contact at FAU: Prof. Dr. Günther Grün
  • Information about the program
Integrated Research Training Group on EBM (Engineering Brain Mechanics)
International Doctoral Program: Measuring and Modeling Mountain Glaciers and Ice Caps in a Changing Climate (IDP M³OCCA) (ENB)
  • Keywords: Glacier, climate change, surveying, Earth observation, modelling, machine learning
  • Doctoral title: Dr. rer. nat., Dr.-Ing.
  • Language of degree program: English
  • Program duration: 4 years, starting June 1, 2022
  • How to apply: International and national calls for applications via various mailing lists and other channels and at: https://www.idp-mocca.forschung.fau.de/
  • Special features: International teams of supervisors; interdisciplinary program involving several different disciplines (geography, geophysics, geology, mathematics, electrical engineering, computer science); doctoral candidates are explicitly expected to spend time abroad as part of the program; spread over various locations with sub-projects run at FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg, Technical University of Munich, Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities and the DLR Microwaves and Radar Institute; accompanying curriculum consisting of interdisciplinary seminars, workshops and annual retreats as well as specific courses depending on the candidates’ previous knowledge when starting the IDP.
  • Point of contact at FAU Prof. Dr. Matthias Braun
  • Information about the program
International Max Planck Research School Physics and Medicine (IMPRS-PM)
  • Keywords: Research topics: Cell biology, physiology, immunology, neuroscience, anatomy and histopathology, biochemistry and genetics, fluid dynamics and microfluids, concepts of statistical physics, optics and imaging, cell and tissue mechanics, artificial intelligence
  • Doctoral title: Dr. rer. nat., Dr.-Ing., Dr. rer. biol. hum., Dr. med.
  • Language of degree program: English
  • Program duration: 3+1 years (maximum 4 years)
  • How to apply: Information on applying for the PhD program
  • Special features: Structured curriculum, working language English, excellent research environment, international & interdisciplinary environment, financial support, soft skills courses, individual advisory committee for each doctoral candidate, coordination office for non-academic support, social events
  • Thematically similar doctoral programs: International Max Planck Research School Physics of Light (IMPRS-PL)
  • Point of contact at FAU:
    • IMPRS Coordination Office: Heike Schwender and Kimberly Baumeister
      Email: imprs@mpl.mpg.de
  • Information about the program
International Max Planck Research School Physics of Light (IMPRS-PL)
IZKF research training group
  • Keywords: Structured training program, networking between doctoral candidates, training in methodology and soft skills, taking an organized approach to scientific work, insights into other scientific fields
  • Doctoral title: Dr. rer. nat., Dr. rer. biol. hum.
  • Language of degree program: German and English
  • Program duration: Whilst candidates are working on their doctoral degree
  • How to apply: Applications should be sent to the Life@FAU office
  • Special features: The IZKF research training group has joined the Graduate School for Life Sciences (Life@FAU). Life@FAU is tasked with creating minimum standards for training doctoral candidates in life sciences and providing structured training now and in the future
  • Points of contact at FAU:
  • Information about the program
Life@FAU – Graduate School for Life Sciences
  • Keywords: Promoting structured training of doctoral candidates at FAU, creating minimum standards for training doctoral candidates in life sciences , providing structured training now and in the future
  • Doctoral title: Dr. rer. nat., Dr. biol. hum., Dr. med., Dr. med. dent.
  • Language of degree program: German and English
  • Program duration: Whilst candidates are working on their doctoral degree
  • How to apply: Applicants for Life@FAU must be working on a doctoral thesis focusing on a medical, biological or biophysical topic. Applications should be sent to the Life@FAU office.
  • Points of contact at FAU
  • Information about the program
Mathematical modeling, simulation, and optimization using the example of gas networks (DFG MGK-CRC/TRR 154)
  • Keywords: Focused integration of the mathematical subfields of modeling, simulation, and optimization using the example of gas networks; modeling and analysis of complex networks of hyperbolic balance equations, including switching; development of a mixed-integer optimization theory and its algorithmic implementation for complex networks; numerical approximation of algebraically coupled PDEs, including error control; and optimal control of systems with deterministic or stochastic uncertainty.
  • Doctoral title: Dr. rer. nat.
  • Language of degree program: German and English
  • Program duration: approximately 3 years
  • How to apply: Applications for doctoral scholarships (6–12 months) can be submitted at any time within CRC Transregio 154.
  • Special features: Intensive scientific supervision by two mentors each, transregional summer and winter schools, regular lectures and block courses by visiting scientists, lecture series tailored to the thematic focus of TRR 154 and adapted to the location, networking, visits to international conferences, stays abroad, field trips
  • Doctoral programs with similar topics: Doctoral program in Mathematics
  • Point of contact at FAU: Prof. Dr. Frauke Liers
  • Information about the program
Medicinal chemistry of selective GPCR ligands (DFG RTG 1910)
Modulation of graft-versus-host and graft-versus-leukemia immune responses after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (DFG MGK-CRC/TRR 221)
  • Keywords: Allogeneic stem cell transplantation, transplant immunology, graft-versus-leukemia effect, graft-versus-host disease, T-cells
  • Doctoral title: Dr. rer. nat., Dr. med.
  • Language of degree program: German and English
  • Program duration: 4 years / 1 year in the case of a doctoral scholarship for medical doctoral candidates
  • How to apply: Please apply directly to the individual coordinators responsible for each part of the project.
  • Special features: Integrated mentoring program, annual retreat, international symposium organized by students, training workshops, seminars, insight into clinical practice through patient seminars, exchange programs among participating universities (Würzburg, Regensburg, Erlangen), doctoral scholarship for medical doctoral candidates
  • Thematically similar doctoral programs
  • Point of contact at FAU: Prof. Dr. med. Anita Kremer
  • Information about the program
Novel antiviral approaches from small molecules to immune intervention (RTG 2504)
Physics Advanced (ENB)
  • Keywords: Elite degree program, physics, integrated doctorate program, research degree program, in collaboration with the University of Regensburg
  • Doctoral title: Dr. rer. nat.
  • Program duration: From the 3rd/4th semester in the Bachelor’s degree program until completion of the doctoral degree (5.5 + 1.5 years)
  • How to apply: Online via the program’s homepage
  • Special features: Integration of the research program into the Elite Network of Bavaria, highly research-oriented program, special events on topics such as project management, patent law, or presentation techniques, the entire cohort of the Elite degree program spends one academic year together (one semester in Erlangen and one in Regensburg), workshops lasting several days, opportunity to study abroad, language of instruction is English
  • Overlaps: No overlap with other programs
  • Point of contact at FAU: Prof. Dr. Kristina Giesel
  • Information about the program
Planar Carbon Lattices – PCL (DFG funded RTG 2861)
QuCoLiMa Integrated Research Training Group (DFG MGK-SFB/TRR 306)
  • Keywords: investigating the quantum collective behavior of physical systems at the interface of quantum optics and condensed matter, experimental and theoretical physics, correlated light-matter systems, quantum technologies
  • Doctoral title: Dr. rer. nat.
  • Language of degree program: English
  • Program duration: 3 – 4 years
  • How to apply: Online application: https://www.qucolima.de/rtg/
  • Special features: Opportunity to complete lab-rotation internships, various qualification programs (e.g. monthly doctoral seminar, block lectures, soft-skill seminars), annual summer schools, mentoring program with two advisors, Doctoral Candidates’ Council: an independent platform for young researchers, joint venture between three different universities (FAU Erlangen, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, Universität des Saarlandes)
  • FAU contact person: Professor Kai Phillip Schmidt
  • Information about the program
RENPRO: Regensburg Erlangen Nephrology Program (SFB/TRR374)
SyMoCADS
  • Keywords: Molecular communications, polymersomes, targeted drug delivery, magnetic particle steering, olfactory systems
  • Doctoral title: Dr.-Ing., Dr. rer. nat
  • Program duration: max. 4 years
  • Language of degree program: English
  • How to apply: Application in a PDF file that includes a letter of motivation (max. 1 page) detailing which supervisor and which project the application is for, a CV (max. 2 pages), and copies of final certificates and the transcript of records to symocads-coordination@fau.de.
  • Special features: Interdisciplinary research with interdisciplinary and structured mentoring program, interdisciplinary networking, structured qualification program, regular RTG seminars, workshops and retreats, funding for participation in international conferences and research stays abroad, startup grants, no scholarships
  • Point of contact at FAU: PD Dr. Anna Maria Becker via symocads-coordination@fau.de
  • Information about the program