Finding a Supervisor: Tips for Choosing Your Doktorvater

Q: Can I do a doctorate in Germany without a Doktorvater?

No. In the German system, having a formal supervisor (Betreuer or Doktorvater/Doktormutter) is a mandatory requirement for admission to a doctoral program. The supervisor must be a professor with the right to examine doctoral candidates (Promotionsrecht), which is typically held by professors at universities (not Fachhochschulen, though cooperative models are increasingly common). You cannot proceed without one.

Q: What if my supervisor moves to another university?

This happens more often than you might think. In most cases, your supervisor retains the right to continue supervising your dissertation even after leaving. However, you will likely need a co-supervisor or second reviewer at your home university to handle the formal requirements. Some candidates choose to follow their supervisor to the new institution, which is also possible. The key is to communicate early and clarify the arrangement with your doctoral office as soon as you learn about the move.

February 27, 2026·3 min read

David BorgerFounder & CEO

Your supervisor — the Doktorvater or Doktormutter — will be the single most important person in your doctoral journey. This one relationship shapes your research direction, your daily work experience, your professional network, and ultimately whether you finish your PhD or not. Choosing the right supervisor is not just about finding someone who knows your field. It's about finding someone whose working style, expectations, and personality are compatible with yours. Get this right, and the doctorate becomes dramatically more manageable. Get it wrong, and even the most promising project can become a source of misery.

Role of the Supervisor

In the German doctoral system, the supervisor plays a role that's different from what you might expect if you're coming from an Anglo-American tradition. The Doktorvater or Doktormutter is not just an advisor who gives you feedback on drafts — they're the formal gatekeeper of your entire doctorate. They must agree to supervise you before you can be admitted. They typically serve as your first reviewer (Erstgutachter). They sign off on your dissertation before you can submit it. And they have significant influence over the committee that examines your defense. Beyond these formal roles, a good supervisor is also a mentor, a sounding board, and a door-opener to the academic community. They introduce you to conferences, connect you with collaborators, write reference letters, and help you navigate the unspoken rules of academia. The quality of this relationship matters enormously.

How to Find the Right Fit

Finding a supervisor is not just about identifying someone whose research overlaps with yours — though that's obviously important. It's about finding a match on multiple dimensions. Here are the key factors to consider when evaluating potential supervisors.

Supervision style — Some professors are hands-on, meeting weekly and giving detailed feedback on every chapter. Others are hands-off, expecting you to work independently and only checking in a few times per semester. Neither is inherently better, but you need to know which style works for you.

Making First Contact

Approaching a potential supervisor can feel intimidating, but professors expect to be contacted by prospective doctoral candidates — it's a normal part of academic life. The key is to be professional, concise, and prepared. Write a brief email (no more than one page) introducing yourself, explaining your research interest, and asking whether they'd be open to discussing potential supervision. Attach a short sketch of your research idea (2–3 pages) and your CV. Don't send a generic email to 20 professors — tailor each message to the specific person and explain why you're approaching them in particular. Reference their work specifically. If they agree to meet, come prepared with questions and a clear sense of what you want to study. First impressions matter, and showing that you've done your homework demonstrates the kind of initiative that supervisors value.

Tip

Before committing, talk to the professor's current and former doctoral candidates. Ask them honestly about the supervision experience — meeting frequency, feedback quality, responsiveness, and how the supervisor handles problems. This insider perspective is invaluable and will tell you things no website or publication list ever will.

When the Relationship Doesn't Work

Not every supervisor-candidate relationship works out, and that's something nobody talks about enough. Maybe your supervisor becomes unresponsive. Maybe your research direction diverges from their interests. Maybe there's a personality clash that makes every meeting tense. Whatever the reason, a dysfunctional supervision relationship is one of the top reasons people abandon their doctorates. If you find yourself in this situation, don't suffer in silence. Start by trying to address the issue directly — a candid conversation about expectations and communication can resolve many problems. If that doesn't work, seek support from your graduate school, the doctoral committee, or a trusted professor in the department. In some cases, changing supervisors is the right move. It's bureaucratically complicated and emotionally difficult, but it's far better than quitting your doctorate entirely. Many universities now have formal supervision agreements and conflict resolution mechanisms — use them.

Choose Wisely, Then Invest in the Relationship

Finding the right supervisor is one of the most consequential decisions you'll make in your doctoral journey. Take your time with it. Do your research. Talk to people. And once you've found the right person, invest in the relationship. Keep your supervisor informed, meet your commitments, be honest about problems, and show initiative. A strong supervisor-candidate relationship is built on mutual respect and clear communication — and when it works well, it's one of the most rewarding aspects of the entire doctoral experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I do a doctorate in Germany without a Doktorvater?

What if my supervisor moves to another university?