Initial Phase
This checklist gives you an overview of the initial phase of your doctorate at the University of Vienna, Faculty of Computer Science — from enrolment through the FÖP to your annual progress reports. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Admissions Office (doktorat.zulassung(at)univie.ac.at), the SSC, the DoCS, or your supervisor.
All forms mentioned below are available on the website of Studienpräses.
Phase 1 – Enrolment, membership & research seminar
Enrol via the University of Vienna Admissions Office. Enrolment is mandatory for all doctoral candidates, even if already employed at the faculty — admission must be applied for separately.
For admission related questions: doktorat.zulassung(at)univie.ac.at
- Apply for DoCS membership immediately after enrolment via the registration form on the DoCS homepage.
- Attend the Doctoral Research Seminar every semester (registration via u:space, from admission onward).
Phase 2 – FÖP, DoCS Co-Advisor, Doctoral Thesis Agreement
FÖP - Public Faculty Presentation
- Within one year of enrolment, arrange your Public Faculty Presentation (FÖP) date and notify the SSC by Servicedesk.
- Scheduling depends on your research cluster. If you belong to the D&K cluster, you will receive an e-mail with possible FÖP dates. In the other clusters, dates are arranged individually.
- Write a research proposal (Exposé) – a concise, thematically and methodologically focused description of your doctoral thesis project.
- Goals: set the scientific context, identify research questions against the state-of-the-art, and outline directions for the work.
- Should cover: topic & research question, state of research, methods, relevant literature, choice of supervisors, and time/work schedule (possibly budget/resources).
For computer science, 2–4 pages are usually sufficient. Details: Center for Doctoral Studies website
- Please submit the following forms to the SSC by Servicedesk together with the research proposal:
DoCS Co-Advisor
- At the latest after the FÖP, choose a DoCS Co-Advisor in consultation with your supervisor and notify the DoCS by e-mail (supervisor and DoCS Co-Advisor in CC).
- Who can be a DoCS Co-Advisor? Professors (full, associate, assistant) of the University of Vienna or of other universities. The DoCS Co-Advisor does not have to be a co-supervisor in the sense of study law (a co-supervisor would be designated via form SL.D11), but they may be.
- Role: an additional contact person for academic exchange and/or in case of challenges with your supervisor.
Doctoral Thesis Agreement
- Within 4 months after the FÖP, conclude the Doctoral Thesis Agreement (DV) between you, your supervisor and the University. Send form DZ.V1 - Doctoral thesis agreement to the SSC by Servicedesk.
Phase 3 – Annual Progress Reports
- Send an annual progress report (form BSP/V02E_Progress Report) to the SSC by Servicedesk. The first report is due 1 year after the Doctoral Thesis Agreement has been approved, and each following report 1 year after the previous one is approved — until completion.