Finding a supervisor is the most important - and maybe most challenging - first step to start your doctorate. To find a supervisor please check RUB chairs and faculties. Identify on the homepage of the faculties and chairs the research areas of potential supervisors by looking at their research profiles and match these profiles with your research interests (lists of supervisors do not exist).

Supervising a doctoral project is an individual agreement by both – the doctoral researcher and the supervisor. Therefore, it is required for you to contact a potential supervisor on your own initiative (e.g. by e-mail or personally) and explore the opportunities for a doctoral project. You should try to get in personal contact with a potential supervisor at RUB and agree upon the supervision of a doctoral project (please note that you cannot apply to the university or one of it's research institutions to start a doctorate).

Asking for supervision would mean to individually apply to a potential supervisor. Ask for supervision by presenting your academic performance, your research experience, by outlining the research field of your interest, describing your personal motivation to do a doctorate in that field, and explaining why you apply to that specific chair and supervisor. In addition, describe your research interest in more detail, within a 1-2 pages letter.

You could also start making personal contacts for your doctorate already during your study course by e.g. writing your Master theses in the research field you might be interested in for a doctorate or by making use of your network.

In general:

• clarify your research interest and the research field you are interested in
• describe your personal motivation to do a doctorate
• show your academic performance and sum up your research experience (knowledge and methods)
• check RUB's chairs and faculties to explore the options to do a doctrate
• find a potential supervisor by carefully checking the homepage (do not forget the research projects and publications)
• get in contact with your potential supervisor and try to explain why you are interested in specifically being supervised by him or her