Doctoral Studies (PhD)

The Department of Computational Linguistics and Phonetics at Saarland University offers the possibility to studying for the degree of PhD either in Computational Linguistics or Phonetics. Admission to the PhD program – as in most German universities – depends primarily upon finding an appropriate supervisor, who must have the status of professor (see our Faculty). In practice this means that you must find someone who is sufficiently familiar with the area in which you would like to pursue your PhD, and who is prepared to take you on as their PhD student.

The ideal prerequisites for consideration as a PhD student are an M.Sc. degree (or equivalent) in Computational Linguistics, Phonetics, or some closely related field.

Programs and financial matters

In contrast to other countries there is no official PhD program with taught courses at the PhD level. However, there are various kinds of general support for all PhD students at a specialized PhD unit at Saarland University. Since there is currently no post-graduate school with grants for talented PhD candidates the usual way of financing the PhD study is the incorporation in an externally funded project. An alternative is to apply for PhD grants at various foundations.

Formalia

All formal requirements are contained in the Regulations for Doctoral Degree Studies ("Promotionsordnung der Universität des Saarlandes") which can be obtained from the university administration/foreign student office. For general admissions policies, visa regulations, etc. you should consult with the web pages of Saarland University.

Students admitted to pursue a PhD degree are not subject to any tuition fees, regardless of nationality. Additional funding for living expenses may be obtained through various scholarship foundations. Applicants should contact the office of the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) in their home country or discuss opportunities with their potential supervisor.