Image: Defne Altiok/UNU-FLORES

Admissions Criteria

Tuition and fee

The PhD Programme is tuition-free. However, students are responsible to enrol themselves with TU Dresden and are required to pay a semester contribution each semester. Included is access to TU Dresden facilities and services and a ticket for public transport and nextbike, a bike-sharing company in Dresden. The contribution also entitles students to various perks such as discounts at the university cafeterias and for many cultural and leisure activities in Dresden. Applicants are responsible for covering the costs of living and other expenses related to their stay in Dresden. To cover all costs of living, secured funding is to range between 1,200 and 1,600 euros per month.

Therefore, the respective applicants should include in their application a proof of funding to satisfy point 2 in the list of required materials. In case there are any restrictions on the research themes as imposed by the respective donors, this should be explained in the research plan (see point 3 in the list of required materials). It is understood that any such restrictions would still fall within the scope of UNU-FLORES‘s and TU Dresden’s research programme. Letters of admission will only be issued upon admission to the programme with secured funding.

Qualifications

• Applicants are required to have basic knowledge in undergraduate level physics, chemistry, and mathematics with a Bachelor’s degree in one of the following fields:
  • Engineering
  • Natural sciences
  • Social sciences
  • Other closely related field
• All applicants are also required to have a research-based Master’s degree related to environmental resources management.
• Experience related to the nexus of water, soil, and waste or environmental resource management will be considered an asset.
• As the programme is offered in English, applicants have to demonstrate proficiency in English. Recognised tests are:
  • IELTS: required level is 7.0
  • TOEFL: required level for paper-based test is 600 points and internet-based test is 100 points

All applications should include:

1. Completed and signed Joint PhD Programme application form;
2. Proof of funding (third-party funding from individual scholarships or from governmental organisations to conduct nexus-oriented research on integrated resource management problems);
3. Letter of motivation;
4. Short research proposal (max. 2 pages): it should refer to your letter of motivation and contain
   • the intended research topic,
   • an explanation of how and why you consider yourself a suitable candidate for this topic, and
   • an outline of how you would approach the topic methodically;
5. Curriculum Vitae;
6. Copies of ALL university transcripts;
7. Copy of TOEFL/IELTS or evidence proving that English was the language of instruction for at least one of the previous successfully completed degree programmes, in the form of a letter issued by the relevant university authority;
8. Abstract of MSc thesis (or equivalent);
9. Two reference letters

Interested applicants should send their application material in one single PDF file to pgapp_flores@unu.edu.

Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted (see Admissions). Upon selection, candidates will be notified by 15 December.

Curriculum

The PhD programme includes mandatory and elective courses. The courses can further be categorised into thematic courses (to be taken in the first and second semester) and methodological courses. In addition, students have the opportunity to take courses at the Graduate Academy of TU Dresden. Courses and workshops offered in the framework of the Graduate Academy are of short duration (typically 1–2 days) and without credits.

Students devote the first semester to learning the basic concepts of the Water-Soil-Waste Nexus and the important aspects of Governance and Capacity Development in addition to two other courses that will help improve the skills necessary to conduct their research. PhD students start working on their research topics during the first semester. In terms of credits, half of the second semester is again course-based while the other half is devoted to preparation of the final dissertation proposal and defence. In agreement with the supervisors, PhD students can choose additional courses focusing on specific skills required for their research topics. From the third semester onwards, PhD candidates concentrate fully on research. In most cases, this involves some months of field work and stays abroad accordingly in collaboration with partner institutions, but this is defined on a case-by-case basis.

Download the Curriculum here.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Application Requirements

1. What kind of qualifications do I need to have if I want to apply for the programme?
   Required qualifications of the applicant could be found here.

2. Do I have to submit certificates for the TOEFL or IELTS tests?
   Applicants must demonstrate English language proficiency. If you are not a native English speaker, one of the following documents need to be submitted:
   • Evidence to prove that English was the language of instruction for at least one of your previous successfully completed degree programmes, in the form of a letter issued by the relevant university officials
   • Copy of TOEFL (required level for paper-based test: 600 points, internet-based test: 100 points)/IELTS (required level: 7.0)

Admission Process

1. When can I apply for the PhD programme?
   The general application window will be opened for the period 1 August–15 September each year. There will also be special calls issued for PhD positions funded via specific third-party projects or other specific funding programmes. In this case, we will announce the calls as soon as the application period is open. We encourage you to follow our website, Facebook page, or Twitter account for the latest updates. Applications submitted outside of the application windows will NOT be accepted.

2. Where can I find the application form?
   The application form can be found here.

3. Which documents do I need to submit?
   A detailed list of the required documents can be found here. Please make sure you have included all documents and submit them in one single PDF file to pgapp_flores@unu.edu.

4. How does the selection procedure work? What is the current status of my application?
   You will receive an automatic confirmation after submission via email, which indicates that your application is officially received. The actual evaluation will take place after the submission deadline. Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed remotely. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Upon selection, candidates will be notified by 15 December.

Fees and Funding

1. Are there tuition fees?
   The Joint PhD Programme is tuition-free. A semester fee of approximately 250–300 euros needs to be paid for the enrolment at TU Dresden.

2. Do I have to secure funding/a scholarship? Can I fund myself?
   Applicants who would like to apply for the general application window from 1 August to 15 September each year are required to have secured third-party funding for the entire duration of the programme. Exceptions will be the special calls issued for PhD positions funded via specific third-party projects or other specific funding programmes. Self-funded students will not be accepted.

3. Can you suggest some funding opportunities?
   When coming from abroad, national/regional scholarship programmes are typically the first options to consider. Different donors located in Germany have different requirements and rules for scholarships. Information regarding funding/scholarship opportunities can be found on the webpage of TU Dresden here.

4. What would be the typical cost of living in Dresden, Germany?
   Dresden offers a high quality of living for moderate costs in comparison to other German cities. To cover all costs of living, PhD scholarships secured are to range between 1,200 and 1,600 euros per month.

Other General Questions

1. Can I take part in the programme part-time, through distance learning or an online platform?
   The Joint PhD Programme is a full-time programme. We do not offer PhD courses through distance or online learning.

2. Are all PhD courses provided in English? Do I need to speak German?
   All PhD courses are taught in English. Some basic level of German could be helpful for living in Dresden.

For further questions related to the Joint PhD Programme, please email us at pginfo_flores@unu.edu.