Graduate Institute

Doing your PhD @ H-BRS with Promotionskolleg NRW

In November 2022, the State Ministry for Culture and Science granted the Universities of Applied Sciences located in NRW their own right to award doctorates via the Promotionskolleg NRW. If you do your doctorate at the H-BRS via the PK NRW, you will carry out your research project at the university or with a partner from industry or research. Supervision is provided by a professor at the H-BRS who is a member of the PK NRW. In addition, there are two other professors, one of whom is a member of the corresponding department of the PK NRW. The doctorate is awarded by PK NRW.

Your starting point

You have completed a Master's degree programme and are interested in doing a doctorate with the PK NRW. You meet the requirements of the doctoral regulations and the enrolment regulations of the respective department of the PK NRW.

Reading versions of enrolment regulations at PK NRW (the official notices Amtliche Mitteilungen are legally binding)

Steps of enrolment at H-BRS

1. Find a first supervisor

You are looking for a professorial member (not an associate professor) of the H-BRS at the PK NRW to supervise the doctoral project. You can find the professorial members on the PK NRW homepage on the pages of each individual department under Contributors. Together with your main supervisor, you will look for additional specialist supervision and a mentor for your supervision team. This can also be done AFTER registration.

2. Fill in the supervision agreement

The professorial member of the H-BRS at PK NRW completes a supervision commitment using the form of the respective department. This is also signed by the chair of the doctoral committee of the department at PK NRW.

3. Registration in APOLLO

You register in the APOLLO application system of the H-BRS.

4. Online application for a study place

You apply in the APOLLO system of the H-BRS for a place on the doctoral programme of a department of the PK NRW by:

-Entering personal data in the APOLLO system of the H-BRS.

-Uploading a copy of the signed confirmation of supervision.

Application deadlines for the summer semester:
15.02. - 30.04.   Application - period 1
01.05. - 13.05.   Pause to perform the semester data cleansing
14.05. - 31.07.   Application - period 2
01.08. - 07.08.   Submission deadline for the application

Application deadlines for the winter semester:
15.08. - 30.10.   Application - period 1
01.11. - 13.11.   Pause to perform the semester data cleansing
14.11. - 31.01.   Application - period 2
01.02. - 07.02.   Submission deadline for the application

5. Checking the documents

The Registrar's Office will check the application and, if it is successful, will forward you an offer of admission.

6. Online enrolment

You enrol in the APOLLO system and upload the following documents:

-Copy of your valid identity card or passport

-Copy of the university entrance qualification

-Copy of the Bachelor's degree certificate and the transcript of grades

-Copy of the Master's or comparable certificate and the transcript of grades

-Copy of the exmatriculation certificate.

During the enrolment process you will receive information about the further procedure.

Enrolment deadlines for the summer semester:
01.03. - 07.08. Application for online enrolment
08.08. - 10.08. Submission deadline for online enrolment

Enrolment deadlines for the winter semester:
01.09. - 07.02. Application for online enrolment
08.02. - 10.02. Submission deadline for online enrolment

7. Semester fee
You pay the full semester fee for the current semester.

8. Enrolment with reservation
The Registrar's Office will enrol you with the status of a doctoral student with reservation.

9. Student ID card
The Registrar's Office will issue you with a student ID, a certificate of enrolment and further information.

Next Steps after Enrolment at H-BRS

Enrolment at PK NRW
Within four weeks of enrolling at H-BRS, you must enrol as a doctoral candidate at PK NRW. This is done via the College Information and Control System (KISS).

Acceptance at PK NRW
At the same time as applying for enrolment, you apply for acceptance as a doctoral candidate at PK NRW. This is also done via the College Information and Control System (KISS).
The doctoral committee of the respective department reviews your application for acceptance and decides whether to accept or reject it.

PK NRW Homepage: Before the Doctorate (First Steps)