Regarding 1) The co-tutelage procedure is additional to a regular doctorate, which is why it can be initiated only following successful admission to doctoral studies. Since a co-tutelage doctorate is in principle a recognition procedure, candidates are usually admitted to doctoral studies only at their home universities. All information about admission to doctoral studies at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities of the University of Cologne is to be found here. Admission to doctoral studies at the home university outside Germany can be recognised at the University of Cologne if the partner university is recognised as such in Germany (see also step 4). In other words, a separate admission procedure at the University of Cologne is not required.
Since the conclusion of a co-tutelage agreement takes several months in most cases, it is advisable to contact the Central Doctoral Office directly at the beginning of the doctorate.

Regarding 2) and 3) The consent of the supervisor at the home university is required in order to initiate the coordination procedure. The consent of the potential secondary supervisor follows thereafter. Since both supervisors sign the agreement later on, oral assurances are sufficient at this point.

Regarding 4) If both supervisors agree, the Central Doctoral Office of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities of the University of Cologne reviews whether a co-tutelage doctorate with the university outside Germany is possible in formal terms. If this is the case, we ask you to fill in the contact form available for download and to send it to us by e-mail along with the documents required. Please note that the doctoral student's final examination grade must fulfil the requirements for admission to doctoral studies at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities of the University of Cologne.

Regarding 5) Every co-tutelage agreement requires an often rather time-consuming individual coordination between the universities involved. The Central Doctoral Office of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities of the University of Cologne is responsible for all communication with the university outside Germany.

Regarding 6) Once the agreement has been completed both in terms of content and formal requirements, it is ready to be signed: by the doctoral student, the two supervisors, the two deans, and the two rectors. This step often also takes several weeks. The agreement enters into force with the rectors' signatures and seals.

Regarding 7) During the doctorate, doctoral students must make sure that a research stay of the agreed duration and one or more joint supervisory meetings [or alternatively one or more assessments by both supervisors] as well as anything else that might have been agreed on take place according to the agreement.

Regarding 8), 9) and 10) The oral doctoral examination takes place at the home university in accordance with the doctoral regulations in force there. In most cases, the examination committee must be appointed jointly by the two universities. At the University of Cologne, this requires permission from the Dean. Please contact the responsible Central Doctoral Office at least one semester prior to the planned examination date.

Regarding 11) All the required documents (report, doctoral certificate of the home university, as appropriate) will be sent to the partner university following the examination.

Regarding 12) Further information on publishing the dissertation is provided in the doctoral regulations of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities of the University of Cologne.

Regarding 13) The two universities award the degree jointly in accordance with their doctoral regulations. The certificate/s is/are to indicate the name of the other university with which the degree is awarded jointly. Cologne as the host university does not issue a certificate of its own, but rather a co-tutelage certificate, which is signed by the same persons as the co-tutelage agreement.