© MM/Sterntaucher

Starting at Mathematics Münster

Before diving into your research, there are a few organisational things to do and to know. Here we have collected the most important information.

  • Employment contract

    • Salary: We offer fully funded positions for doctoral researchers (75 %) and postdoctoral researchers (100 %), meaning that you will be employed as a scientific employee (in German: wissenschaftliche*r Mitarbeiter*in) by the university. In Germany, universities are state-funded and part of the public sector (öffentlicher Dienst).
      Scientific employees receive a salary according to the tariff agreement for public service employees (Tarifvertrag der Länder, TV-L). Remuneration is determined by the salary group (Entgeltgruppe) and prior experience (Erfahrungsstufe). Doctoral and postdoctoral researchers are usually employed in salary group 13. Experience steps are determined by previous working experiences as researchers. Doctoral researchers usually start in step 1, while postdoctoral researchers can start in higher experience steps (e.g. counting previous employment during the doctorate). A table with gross salaries for TV-L can be found here: TV-L Entgelttabelle 2026 [de].
    • Teaching: Depending on your funding, you may or may not have some teaching obligation, you can ask your supervisor about this. If you do not have any teaching obligation, but wish to gather experience anyway, you can talk to your supervisor to see if anything can be done (some funding schemes might explicitly forbid teaching).
    • Income tax: Income tax will be automatically deducted from your salary. At the end of every calendar year, you can declare your taxes to the tax office in the town or city in which you reside. This declaration may possibly lead to a reimbursement of some of the taxes you have paid. A tax consultant can help with filing the tax declaration.
    • Pension contributions: You can receive a pension from the German statutory pension scheme when you reach retirement age, provided you have at least five qualifying years. If you have not paid into the system for a full five years and return abroad, you can, under certain conditions, apply to have the pension contributions reimbursed.
    • Occupational pension provision: With your work contract you will also be signed up for the occupational pension at VBL. If your contract is less than five years, you can choose to opt into a different pension plan. Information by the VBL for scientific employees [de].
    • Vacation: Employees are entitled to 30 days of (paid) leave per calendar year, based on a five-day workweek. Further information on vacation days can be found in MyUniMünster/holiday.

    Information for new employees in the University's Intranet.

  • For international researchers: formalities and language

    Formalities

    As an international researcher (doctoral or postdoctoral) at the University of Münster, there are some formalities that you need to take care of before and after you arrive. 
    The Uni Münster Welcome Centre is the main advice and service centre for international employees from postdoc-level onwards.
    The Münster Centre for Emerging Researchers (CERes) provides support for international doctoral researchers (except on visa matters, see below). CERes handbook for international doctoral researchers.

    • Visa and Residence permit: Citizens of certain countries require an entry visa when arriving in Germany. If you are a non-EU citizen and wish to stay in Germany for longer than three months, usually you will have to replace your visa with a residence permit after you arrive.
      The Uni Münster Welcome Centre advises on visa and residence permits for international researchers:
      Postdoctoral researchers: please use the contact form for international researchers & staff.
      Doctoral researchers: please refer to the email address visaphd@uni-muenster.de.
    • Registration of address must take place two weeks at the latest after arrival in Münster. New citizens from EU member states should not forget registering at the Citizens Office [de]. Those moving to Münster from non-EU states require a certificate regarding their residence status.
    • Opening a bank account: a German bank account is required by the university for you to receive your salary and expense reimbursements.
    • Insurances: You will need the following:

    Language

    The working language at Mathematics Münster is English, however to make the most of your time at Mathematics Münster and experience life in Münster, it helps to be fluent in English and German.
    If German is not your native language and you feel like you would like to improve your language skills, the Uni Münster Language Centre offers German courses for international researchers on different levels.

  • For doctoral researchers

    Doctoral degree

    Doctoral researchers obtain their doctoral degree according to the doctoral regulations of the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science of the University of Münster. The faculty awards the academic degree "Doctor of Natural Sciences" (Doctor rerum naturalium, abbreviated Dr. rer. nat.).

    Enrolling as doctoral student

    Doctoral enrolment offers a lot of benefits, e.g. for

    • ticket for regional public transportation (regional trains, buses, and trams) within North Rhine-Westphalia, also to Osnabrück and Enschede (NL),
    • reduced prices in the Mensa (students pay significantly less) and for the university sports programme,
    • possibility to attend courses at the Language Centre, Münster Centre for Emerging Researchers (CERes) and Career Service.

    To enrol as a doctoral student at the University of Münster you need to

    1. Ask your supervisor to sign the form for Betreuungszusage/Confirmation of doctoral supervision.
    2. Complete the online enrolment form. You may enrol for the winter semester from mid-August to 15 November and for the summer semester from mid-February to 15 May. You will then receive an email with a PDF (your online application for enrolment sheet).
    3. Sign the PDF and send or take it to the Student Admissions Office along with the required documents (original or certified) as mentioned on the PDF.
    4. Pay the semester fee. The semester fee is approx. 350 €.

     Information booklet for international doctoral researchers by the Münster Centre for Emerging Researchers (CERes)

    Mathematics Münster Graduate School

    The Mathematics Münster Graduate School (MMGS) was founded in June 2019. The MMGS is a joint graduate programme of the Cluster of Excellence “Mathematics Münster” (MM) and the mathematical institutes of the University of Münster. Resolution of the MMGS (Gründungsbeschluss MMGS) [de].

    To formally become a member of MMGS and MM, you need to sign some additional paperwork (mostly concerned with data protection). Being a member of MMGS and MM is independent of enrolment as a doctoral student!

    The admission form to MMGS can be signed at  Elke Enning's [de] office at Einsteinstr. 62.

  • Buddy Programme

    Doctoral and postdoctoral researchers who have been working at Mathematics Münster for some time are available as contact persons for newly starting researchers. The "Buddies" not only answer questions about work and the University of Münster but also provide tips for life in Münster and organise social events. With the Buddy Programme, we are creating an exchange through which the newcomers are integrated into the community of Mathematics Münster right from the start.

  • Life and Work at Mathematics Münster

    Accommodation

    We recommend all incoming scientists look for suitable accommodation as early as possible. The housing market in Münster is tense, especially at the beginning of the university semesters (April and October).

    Living

    • Lunch/food: The Mensa (student dining hall, also frequented by a lot of employees) is located right across the street. Payments are possible with cash and debit card.
    • Münster offers a wide variety of restaurants, cafés and pubs in every price class. For tips on where to go, check out the external platform "Münster geht aus" [de].
    • Cycling: Münster is a great place to cycle with lots of options to buy or rent bikes, e.g. SwapFiets [de] or the bike station [de]. Public transport [de] by bus, is available throughout the city. If you, however, do need a car, you can apply for a university parking permit.

    Health Care 

    • In many cases, the first port of call for any health issues is the family doctor. Family doctors treat many conditions, conduct medical check-ups and have often cared for their patients for many years. If necessary, they can arrange for their patients to access further medical services. In Germany, people are free to choose their own doctor. This means you select which family practice (GP practice, primary care center) to attend as a patient. 
      Doctor search via gesund.bund.de
      List of english-speaking GPs in Münster (via Doctolib) [de]

    Library

    •  KatalogPlus [de] is the central starting point for your literature search. Using a single interface, you can search all the resources that are available at Münster University. This includes the catalogue for all the libraries of Münster University, i.e. the central (ULB), branch and departmental libraries. Furthermore, you can search a growing number of resources like articles, journals, databases or videos.
    • Find the Mathematics and Computer Science Library at Einsteinstr. 64, first floor.

    Family and Career

    Mathematics Münster embraces a family-friendly environment and offers support:

    The Family Service Office of the University provides services for (expecting) parents and employees with relatives in need of care so that they can meet their personal and career challenges to the satisfaction of all. The Family Service Office offers a wide range of advice and support services that take one’s family circumstances into account. The Family Service Office organises holiday programmes for university staff and their children aged between six and twelve when the school holidays coincide with the lecture period. Information can be found in their newsletter.  

    Registration for a daycare place in Münster is handled via the Kita Navigator [de]. For the following childcare year (starting in August), the application deadline is usually January 31.

    Information on child care by the University. 

     The parent-child room at the department is equipped with toys, a baby-changing facility and a workspace. During the weekly colloquia as well as during other periods, we arrange for professional child care to look after children while their parents attend the colloquia. Also, during conferences child care can be easily arranged there.

    Psychological well-being

    If you are in need of psychological or social support, the University of Münster has a range of offers. Find a collection of links in the members-only section.

  • Cluster of Excellence Mathematics Münster

    Membership requests: The Cluster is open to all new researchers (at the doctoral, postdoctoral and professorial levels) at the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science in Münster whose research fits into the outline of Mathematics Münster. A membership can be applied for at the Cluster office. The application consists of the signed data protection statement, and in the case of doctoral and postdoctoral researchers, their supervisor or mentor needs to provide a supporting statement (2-3 lines). Memberships will be decided upon by the executive board.
    Researchers who are funded by the Cluster will automatically become members of the Cluster.

    In the Members-Only section you find information about the Cluster and its committees. You can also apply for funding/support, e.g.:

    • Travel and Expenses (Reiseantrag stellen): Use this form to apply for financial support for your travel to conferences, workshops, summer schools, research stays, ...
    • Guests (Gäste ankündigen/beantragen): Use this form if you want to invite (travel reimbursement, accommodation) or announce guests you have invited to Mathematics Münster, e.g., to collaborate on research or for a talk.
    • Gender Equality Funds (Gleichstellungsmittel beantragen):
      Use this form if you want to apply for child care support, e.g.
    • Travel companion for childcare during conferences
    • Childcare at the parent-child room during lectures/conferences…
    • Emergency childcare at home
    • A mobile children’s room “kidsbox”
    • One person office for pregnant women and young parents
    • Support for returning from family-related time-out
    • Interim funding of one's own job
    • Maternity leave extension

    Publication database/CRIS: Please keep your CRIS database updated, especially the text, summary and link fields, if available in English or in German. Publications which are especially important to you can be highlighted by “selected publications”. The content will be integrated onto the mathematics-muenster.de website. This way, your research profile will be up-to-date, and applicants can get an accurate insight into your research topics.

    Additionally, we like to present all new publications on the webpage and iDisplays. Please send your publications (including preprints) as BibTeX entries to mm-publications@uni-muenster.de, indicating to which research topic it relates to.

    Acknowledgement
    Please always include the wording to acknowledge DFG funding in publications: "Funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) under Germany's Excellence Strategy EXC 2044/2 –390685587, Mathematics Münster: Dynamics–Geometry–Structure."

  • Workspace

    Intranet and User ID

    The IT Center of the University of Münster (CIT) offers a wide range of services and information to support new employees in their work and make everyday life at the university easier.

    • After you sign your work contract, the CIT will issue you a Uni Münster user ID (Uni-Kennung). This user ID is used for (almost) all things IT-related at the University of Münster. You can change a lot of settings of your CIT account via the Uni Münster IT portal.
    • Attached to your Uni Münster user ID is your official email account (per Mail); please find here Instructions for setting up your mail programme. An alias for your email address can be set up in the Uni Münster IT portal.
    • My Uni Münster: Intranet of the university with plenty of information about university life, rules and forms. Use your uni ID and password to access the intranet.

    Office, IT and accounts

    • You will be provided with a computer (either desktop or laptop) which falls under the ‘jurisdiction’ of the so-called IVV5 (IT Support Unit 5). Depending on your preferences (and preferred OS), this computer can be set up to be administered by the IVV5 or by yourself.
    • If you want to enter the building outside opening hours, you need an additional (electronic) key (transponder). The transponder can be requested from the caretaker/janitor located in the building on Einsteinstr. 62. To apply for a transponder you will need your Uni user ID.
    • Personal homepage: You have a very basic personal homepage stating your office location, contact details and affiliation. You can edit this information and keep it up to date. To navigate to your homepage, find your name on the List of People at the Department.
      HTML can be used to edit the "Freifeld".
    • Your office (floor and bins) will be cleaned regularly. You are, however, in charge of cleaning your desk, shelves, equipment, etc. yourselves.

    Secretary

    • Depending on your area of research, you are associated with a secretary whom you can ask questions regarding formalities, contracts, offices, etc.
    • Office equipment (pens, paper, technical equipment) can usually be ordered. Please speak to your secretary and/or your supervisor.
    • Your mail, e.g. your salary statement, is usually collected by your secretary. Please drop by regularly to check if you have mail.
    • Being sick/ill: If you are sick, please tell the secretary assigned to you (and your supervisor) on the first day of your illness. If you miss work for more than 3 working days, you will need a medical certificate. If you are well again/are back at work, please tell the secretary assigned to you again so they can handle the necessary paperwork.

We collected relevant information, making your start here easier. If there is something missing or unclear, please let us know. Suggestions are welcome to improve this list.

Ready for take off – leaving Mathematics Münster

  • Formalities on handing in your dissertation

    • Faculty's doctoral study regulations/ Promotionsordnung [de].
    • The PhD committee of the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science decides on admission to the doctorate.
    • Layout: There is no official Uni Münster layout for your dissertation except for two pages with mandatory information to be included in your dissertation. A template for the cover and the first page of the dissertation is available from the Prüfungsamt/Doctoral Examinations Office. You may include the logo of Mathematics Münster on the title page or in the acknowledgements.

  • Staying in contact

    • Give a talk at MM Connect and talk about the next step in your career.
    • Use your Uni Münster e-mail address as a forwarding address.
    • Stay in touch with Mathematics, Münster, via LinkedIn.