( AS ON 9TH OF FEBRUARY 2009 )
1) Before registration
2) Between registration and PhD defense
3) After PhD defense
For those of you who don't know it yet, there is a link where you can have some informations about the PhD defense with forms in English : http://www.fundamental-physics.uni-hd.de/index.php?m=5&s=3
On this web page, there is also the English version of application form for final examination : http://www.fundamental-physics.uni-hd.de/content/en/zubehoer/anhaenge/finalexamination/3_Gesamtfakultaet_Zulassung.pdf
As you know, it's the responsibility of the students to get the 4 examiners and to get an agreement on a date for the PhD defense. The examiners have to be in three different fields (see the list of fields in the second page of the "Registration form"). The list of potential examiner is available at the following web page : http://www.fundamental-physics.uni-hd.de/index.php?m=5&s=3
===> go to << Registration form for the final oral examination for the degree Dr. rer. nat. >> and click on << internal pages >> just below
===> username is "gradstudent" and password is "zG=4tk?2"
===> << List of examiners >> is now the last option on your left.
Remember also that there is defined schedule for registering, submitting your thesis and perform your PhD defense : for instance in the semester WS2008-2009, for a PhD defense planed on the 19th of November, submission of all you documents to admin offices deadline (and latest date for submission of all documents by the examinee and thesis reports by the examiners) is on the 6th of October, submission of the thesis must be done before 8th of September and the registration before 8th of August. The schedule for these things is given there : http://www.fundamental-physics.uni-hd.de/content/en/zubehoer/anhaenge/finalexamination/8_Doctoral_Exam_dates_WS2008-2009.pdf
The schedule for these things on SS2009 semester is given there : http://www.fundamental-physics.uni-hd.de/content/en/zubehoer/anhaenge/finalexamination/8_Doctoral_Exam_dates_SS2009_Dekanat.pdf
As it is indicated on this document at the end, << Additional dates for examinations within term time can be organized upon request. >>, so you *should* be able to make your defense, for instance, in February 2009, or to changes dates (by how much I don't know), but I know that some had problems with this situation. I'm very sorry, but I'm not aware of any new developement. If you have more information, please add them here.
Submission of your thesis and don't forget to submit all the other documents to the administration.
You can also send some emails to the examiners to remind them (1) to send their report and (2) the date, time and location of you PhD examination.
When you recover from your PhD defense, you have two things to do.
First, you have to bring your thesis to the University library. To do this, you have to bring 4 copies of the 10 copies you first gave to the Dean's office before your PhD defense. Among the 4 copies, be sure that one of them have the special stemp from the Dean's office. You also have to submit your PDF file of your thesis here :
http://www.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/helios/volltextserver/doku/diss.html
Upload your thesis and print the formular (that you will sign) and give this to the University library. Then, the person in charge at the library can sign the paper (see the link below) that you have published your thesis at the University library.
Second, you have to do a "unregistration" at Heidelberg University (or "exmatriculate"). I'm aware that there is (maybe) people that didn't do this and seems to have no problem at all. However, if the question is << Do we have to do a "unregistration" ? >> then the answer seem to be yes, based on the rules.
The following form (only available in German) can be used : http://www.uni-heidelberg.de/imperia/md/content/studium/download/allgemein/exmatrikulation.pdf
First, go to the University library and get the stamp for the exmatriculation document in the "Ausleihe" in the back left corner of the ground floor. This is done in order to proof that you don't have any book from the library. Afterwards, you need to go to the "Studentensekretariat" and go the office that have your last name on it, and its not the same place if you are or not from Germany. You then give your paper and stamp from the library and then you got the proof that you have unregistred from Heidelberg University.
This is all. If there is something I did forget, of if you have any new informations or comments, please add them there.
Best regards, and good luck for your thesis defense (and writing for those still in that step).
Steve Boudreault