SCGHow to register as a PhD student (Doktorand)
Since the beginning of 2013, new PhD students must apply directly to the Admissions Office and obtain a confirmation of MSc equivalence before they can start their studies. Please follow these instructions: http://www.zib.unibe.ch/content/internationals/bewerbung/doktorat/index_eng.html
See also the instructions for the Faculty of Science: http://www.philnat.unibe.ch/content/studium/phd___doktorate/index_ger.html
Masters Equivalence
If you haven’t done your MSc in CS at a Swiss university, you need to establish that your MSc degree is equivalent. The key points you should fulfil are:
- a Bachelors degree with minimum 180 ECTS
- a Masters in Computer Science with minimum 90 ECTS
- including a thesis of 30 ECTS
If your courses are not computed in ECTS, then we must convert them. In Bern, a one semester (14 week) course with 2 lecture hours and 1 exercise hour per week counts for 5 ECTS. The CS courses should be comparable to our courses. You should have a reasonable Math background as well at the Bachelors level.
You will need the following documents:
- Confirmation of Supervision filled out and signed (NB: the PhD supervisor must fill out page 2)
- Original or certified copy of your MSc degree with translation if not in English, German or French)
- Original or notarized copy of transcripts of your MSc courses, including translation if necessary, and indicating total ECTS for each course
The following documents will also be needed for the equivalence:
- A signed letter requesting recognition of your MSc degree (sample here)
- Your CV
- A copy of your Bachelors degree and transcripts of your Bachelors courses, including translation to English or German
- A copy of your MSc thesis, with summary in English, French or German, if necessary
- Indication of the normal duration of the Masters degree
- Copies of your passport/ID card
Register online using the ZIB web site.
Annual confirmation of PhD studies
In the years after the first year, you still need to regularly send in a signed Doktoratsbestätigung (i.e. the application form). If you started your PhD in the fall semester, you should send in the signed form by Aug 31 (the office is on holidays for the whole month of August), for the spring semester by January 31. You can either send the form directly to Immatikulationsdienste or give it to Iris.
See also: Doktoratsstudium (official Unibe web site)