Extradisciplinary Qualification
Doctoral candidates have the option to attend courses in the extradisciplinary program at TUM Graduate School.
Further information on courses and eligibility requirements can be found here.
To obtain extradisciplinary qualification, doctoral candidates can also take advantage of offerings at other TUM organizations, for example:
- TUM horizons, which provides advanced training for all staff at TUM
- ProLehre, which provides professional development courses on instructional methods
- The Language Center, where you can learn and improve your foreign and technical language skills
- The University Library, which provides training and consultation on literature research and management, correct citations, publication strategies and bibliometry
Internationalization Support
Pursuing a doctorate at TUM offers opportunities to acquire initial international research experience and to continually build on and develop such experience. Our concept of “internationalization” is expansive and includes, for example,
- Presenting your own scholarly work at international conferences and symposia
- Research stays at an international academic institute or with a research-active company (usually at least 2 weeks)
- Participation in international subject-specific summer/winter schools, academic workshops, etc.
- Inviting international scholars for joint research activities in connection with your dissertation project
- Inviting international examiners to be part of your oral examination
Doctoral candidates can apply for financial support of up to 1,600 Euros from the TUM Graduate School for travel expenses, overnight expenses and registration fees related to the above-mentioned activities. For research stays of at least 4 consecutive weeks, doctoral candidates can receive up to an additional 1,400 Euros.
Doctoral Candidates who have an employment contract with TUM: Please read TUM GS info on internationalization support carefully.
How do I obtain internationalization support from TUM GS?
1. Before engaging in an international activity: apply on time (at least 4 weeks in advance)
- Apply for internationalization support through DocGS and have the form signed by your supervisor and the Integrative Graduate Center TechnoScienceStudies.
- People who have an employment contract with TUM: apply for a travel permit, fill in the “financing” section with “TUM GS internationalization support” Forms and guidelines can be found here.
- Scholarship holders: please submit proof that your scholarship donor does not provide internationalization support or that you have no scholarship funding left for international activities
Please store the approvals/verifications carefully.
2. Organize your international activity (transport, accommodation, conference registration, etc.). Please note:
- Resulting costs/invoices have to be paid by you in advance and are reimbursed later on. Therefore, please save the original receipts.
- This also means: It is not possible to use service providers like travel agencies through MCTS customer accounts (= invoicing the MCTS).
If you would like to request advance payment (reimbursement before you return):
- People who have an employment contract with TUM: submit an application for advance payment and send the approval together with the required documents to:
TUM Graduate School / Internationalisierungsförderung
Boltzmannstraße 17
85748 Garching
- Scholarship holders: send the approved application for TUM GS internationalization support, proof from the scholarship donor (+ if necessary a list of previous internationalization measures) and the TUM-GS request for reimbursement of travel expenses including verifications/receipts to TUM Graduate School / Internationalisierungsförderung
Boltzmannstraße 17
85748 Garching
3. After engaging in an internationalization activity
- People who have an employment contract with TUM: submit a request for reimbursement of travel expenses together with original receipts, the approved application for TUM GS internationalization support, and payment authorization. Fill in the “financing” section with “TUM GS internationalization support”.
As soon as the documents are processed and approved, send them for accounting to:
TUM Graduate School / Internationalisierungsförderung
Boltzmannstraße 17
85748 Garching
- Scholarship holders: submit a TUM-GS request for reimbursement of travel expenses with original receipts and the approved application for internationalization support to:
TUM Graduate School / Internationalisierungsförderung
Boltzmannstraße 17
85748 Garching
The doctoral candidate receives the refund directly to his/her bank account.
- Please note: Generally, the application for internationalization support may only be made after the feedback meeting has been held. If this is not the case yet, please add a convincing letter of confirmation by your supervisor to your application stating that the international activity is reasonable and necessary at the current state of the doctoral project.
- If you plan to invite an international guest or an international examiner to the oral exam: In order to facilitate quick reimbursement, the doctoral candidate should pay the guest’s travel and accommodation costs in advance. The TUM-GS then reimburses these costs to the doctoral candidate.
- Doctoral candidates with external employment contracts e.g. with corporations or external research institutes are not eligible
TUM GS Internationalization Grant at IGC TSS
Doctoral candidates who are excellent in their disciplines, and who are neither employed at TUM, nor do receive a traditional scholarship, fellowship or grant for their doctoral studies, are not eligible for the regular TUM GS Internationalization Support. Instead, they can apply for the TUM GS Internationalization Grant of max. 1.600 Euros.
Doctoral candidates who are excellent in their disciplines can apply for this grant for the following activities:
- Research stays at an international academic institute or with a research-active company (usually at least 2 weeks)
- Presenting your own scholarly work at international conferences and symposiaParticipation in international subject-specific summer/winter schools, academic workshops, etc.
You can apply for the TUM GS Internationalization Grant only for a planned journey. Please send your application to Dr. Elisabeth Zellmer.
Your application should include the following information and documents:
- application form
- cover letter, which points out
- the type and relevance of the trip for your doctoral project
- expected results (publication, talk, proposal together with international cooperation partner, learn a method, acquisition of data or research results etc.)letter of recommendation of your supervisor
- short CV (academic degrees, publications)
- if the feedback meeting has not taken place yet: convincing confirmation by the supervisor that the internationalization activity is reasonable and necessary at the current state of the doctoral project.
The IGC TSS can award the TUM GS Internationalization Grant to up to two applicants per year.
Application deadlines:
1. quarter – March 15
2. quarter – June 15
3. quarter – September 15
4. quarter – December 15
For each quarter, the ICG TSS Board prepares a ranking of the applicants and forwards it to the TUM Graduate School. The final decision about the grant award is made by the TUM GS Board and the Graduate Dean.
