How do I do a doctorate in Germany?

In Germany a doctorate is called Promotion, and a doctoral candidate is a Doktorandin. There are two main routes:

Individual doctorate (Individualpromotion): The most common route. You find a professor interested in your topic to be your supervisor (Doktormutter / Doktorvater), you agree on a topic together, and the faculty accepts you as a doctoral candidate. There are usually few compulsory courses; independent work is expected. It's often combined with a paid position in your supervisor's research group.

Structured doctorate: Programmes called graduate schools or Graduiertenkollegs. You apply by set dates; there are courses, several supervisors and a cohort starting at the same time. Most are in English and open to international applicants, and they usually come with a scholarship or paid position.

Requirements: Usually a master's degree in a related field; master's degrees from recognised universities in Turkey are often accepted. Some programmes have a fast track for outstanding bachelor's graduates. The exact requirements are set by the faculty's doctoral regulations (Promotionsordnung).

How to find a supervisor: Look at universities' research groups and publications. Write the professor a short email introducing yourself, your research idea and why you chose their group, and attach your CV and a short research proposal. Mass, impersonal emails usually go unanswered. DAAD's database of doctoral programmes and university job ads are also good sources.

Where: Universities award doctoral degrees. In some states, universities of applied sciences (HAW) can award their own doctorates or run doctorates jointly with a university. Non-university research institutes such as the Max Planck institutes also offer doctoral positions; the degree still comes from a university.

Duration and cost: A doctorate usually takes 3 to 5 years. There are no tuition fees for doctorates at public universities; if you're enrolled, you pay the semester contribution.