The most frequently asked questions are answered briefly here. More elaborate information on the application procedure may be found in the Application Guidelines. Information for foreign students about (the preparation of) your stay in Germany may be found on the websites of the Welcome Center Potsdam, Potsdam University and FU Berlin. Also the Guidebook of the Berlin Mathematical School (BMS) contains a lot of useful information in this respect.

DISCLAIMER: In case of doubt, rely on the information given in the aforementioned resources! No rights can be derived from the information given on this page. Please help me to keep the information up-to-date.

Do I need to have finished my degree (MSc or equivalent) when I apply for GEOSIM? No, you need to have finished your degree by the time you would start.

My TOEFL/IELTS test is scheduled after the application deadline. What do I do? Please contact the GEOSIM coordinator.

Should I ask my referees to send their letters of recommendation directly to the GEOSIM coordinator? Yes. It is your responsibility to make sure that we receive the letters in time, before the deadline of the current application round.

Who will be my supervisor? In GEOSIM each student will have 2 supervisors, one from a mathematics and one from a geoscience department, potentially but not necessarily from the same institute. One will be the main supervisor. When applying, you should indicate your potential supervisor (see the Partners page for the participating departments and PI’s)

Could I have a (co)-supervisor in a different department or institute than those listed on the Partners page? Not formally. External collaboration is encouraged, however. Please contact the GEOSIM coordinator about your particular situation.

I submitted my application. When will I be informed about the decision? The candidate evaluation will be finalized in early November. You will be informed about the decision of the Selection Committee - invitation to the selection workshop or a rejection - soon afterward.

What should I expect during the workshop? The workshop will give you the occasion to discuss with your potential future supervisor and meet your potential future colleagues. All invited candidates are expected to give a short presentation about their previous experience and intended project (research statement) to all of the attending GEOSIM PI's. After your presentation, there will be an interview with your potential supervisors. The workshop will take place in middle December 2011.

How much is the GeoSim fellowship? 1500 euro/month

What does the fellowship cover? The fellowship is exempt from taxes and is meant to cover living expenses. Health insurance is not included and fellows should obtain a private insurance; count on 50 (poor coverage) to 250 euro per month. Ask the GeoSim coordinator for advice. The universities do not charge tuition fees, however, there is a registration fee of approximately 270 euro per semester.  When registered as a student with one of the universities, you are entitled to free public transport in the Potsdam/Berlin area as well as reduced prices in the university canteens.

Where will I be located? You will work at the same institute as your main supervisor.

What degree will I obtain? You will obtain a PhD and/or Dr.rer.nat.

In which language should I write my thesis? It is allowed to write your thesis in German. English is the preferred language, however, and your thesis would be based on research papers published in or submitted to international scientific journals, rather than a monograph.

How much time will be allocated to attending courses?  Your main occupation will be as a researcher. Courses, on average, should take no more than 2 hours per week.

Are there mandatory courses? In principle, no. You and your supervisors will decide on your course program. All students are expected to attend the GeoSim 'summer' school, however.

Do I have to take exams? No, which means that there will be no grades for courses either. Your PhD will be concluded by a defense of your thesis.

Is it possible to spend part of my time at a different (foreign) institute? External collaboration is encouraged. You will have to apply for funding to finance your stay.

More elaborate information about formalities regarding (the preparation of) your stay in Germany and registration at the university may be found on the websites which are linked to at the top of this page. Contact the GEOSIM coordinator if you need assistance.

Do I need to apply for a visa to enter Germany? Yes, you do, unless you are an EU or EFTA (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland) citizen. Citizens of Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea and USA may enter without visa but do need to register with the foreigners’ registration office (Ausländerbehörde).

How do I apply for a visa? This is done through the German Embassy in your country. The procedure will be slightly different for all countries, the Embassy in your country can inform you about the procedure and the required documentation. Count on 6-8 weeks (or longer) processing time of your request.

How do I obtain a residence permit? The first step is to register at the Office of the Registration Authority (Bürgeramt) within 7 days of your arrival (residence registration). You subsequently need to apply for a residence permit with the foreigners’ registration office (Ausländerbehörde) before your visa expires (3 months). For this you need your contract and a health insurance, as well as your residence registration.

How do I obtain health insurance and what are the costs? You need health insurance to obtain your residence permit and to enroll as a student. You should obtain a private health insurance. In some cases a voluntary statutory health insurance (freiwillige gesetzliche Versicherung) is favorable. Count on 50 to 250 euro per month depending on your situation (nationality, family status). Ask the GEOSIM coordinator for advice.

Can I bring my partner/family? In principle yes, and if you are married this is relatively straightforward. You need to prove that you can provide for your family in order to obtain a family visa. If your partner enters on a family visa, however, he/she will be allowed to work only in exceptional cases. If your partner has also found a job in Germany, he/she should apply for a visa separately. GeoSim offers a monthly family allowance of 155 euros for your husband/wife if he/she has a low income or if you have children. Contact the GeoSim coordinator for details concerning your situation.

Which are the formalities at the institutes? The GeoSim coordinator will aid you with your employment contract and your enrollment as a student at the university (Immatrikulation). Note that you need to have a residence permit (if applicable) and health insurance before you can enroll. You also need to be accepted as a PhD student at your faculty. The entire enrollment procedure may take as much as 2 months. In the mean time you may apply for a temporary student pass. You do not need to be enrolled as a student in order to start your work as a PhD student. Contact the GeoSim coordinator for further information or assistance.

How do I find accommodation? You can look for a place to live on one of the following websites:

http://potsdam.studenten-wohnung.de/

http://berlin.studenten-wohnung.de/

http://www.studenten-wg.de/Potsdam,wohnung.html

http://www.immobilienscout24.de

http://www.wg-gesucht.de

http://www.studentenwerk-potsdam.de/en/wie-komme-ich-an-einen-whplatz.html

Contact the GEOSIM coordinator if you need assistance.

News

02.04.2012 GeoSim student Walter Acevedo has been invited to attend the 62nd Lindau Nobel Laureate meeting . Our congratulations!

From 1-5 April the first GeoSim "Summer School" (Numerical Modelling of Geophysical Flows) took place at Gülpe.