A doctorate in computer science (Promotion in der Informatik) can run alongside a position at a university chair, within a project with a company, or while you work full time. The form you choose affects not only your funding but also whether you are insured as an employee or as a student.
Short answer: A PhD candidate in computer science is funded by a chair position, by a job in a company (industrial doctorate), by a scholarship or by their own resources. With a salaried position you are usually compulsorily insured as an employee. Destatis reports 28,800 completed doctorates in the 2025 examination year, but the sources used here give no figure for computer science alone. Last updated: October 2026.
The most important points at a glance
- Industrial doctorate: you do your PhD alongside employment in a company, supervised by a university.
- Chair position: the post sits at the university, and research and teaching duties can be part of the contract.
- Fixed-term contracts: the WissZeitVG (Fixed-Term Contracts in Academia Act) applies to universities and research institutions, with up to six years before the doctorate.
- Insurance: with pay you are insured as an employee. The student working exemption applies only if the dissertation starts before you finish your degree (TK, status 27 May 2026).
- Scholarship: a doctoral scholarship is not earned income, and your health insurer checks your status in the individual case.
How do you fund a doctorate in computer science?
The routes differ mainly in who your contract partner is and who pays the salary. An overview of positions and scholarships is available in Promotionsstelle oder Stipendium.
| Route | Contract partner | Health insurance |
|---|---|---|
| Chair position | University, fixed term under WissZeitVG | Compulsory insurance as an employee if you are paid |
| Industrial doctorate | Company, supervised by the university | Compulsory insurance as an employee if you are paid |
| Doctoral scholarship | Foundation or scholarship body, maximum 1,750 euros basic scholarship (October 2026) | Student insurance or voluntary insurance, check in your case |
| Own resources | None, funded from your own income | Student insurance if the conditions are met, otherwise voluntary insurance |
Industrial doctorate or chair position: what to compare
Both routes lead to the dissertation, but the rules differ considerably. The table sets out the points that should appear in your contract.
| Criterion | Chair position | Industrial doctorate |
|---|---|---|
| Employment contract | With the university or research institution | With the company |
| Fixed-term rules | WissZeitVG | Other rules, check the contract |
| Teaching duties | Can be part of the post | Only if the contract provides for them |
| Research topic | Shaped by the chair | Must fit the company project and the doctoral regulations |
The WissZeitVG is directed at universities and research institutions. A contract with a company follows other rules, so read it carefully before you sign.
Which fixed-term limits apply to a university contract?
The Academic Fixed-Term Contracts Act (WissZeitVG) covers contracts at universities and research institutions, not a contract with a company. An average duration of a doctorate in computer science is not documented in the sources used here, so no figure is given. For the contract term, section 2(1) WissZeitVG sets these limits:
- Before the doctorate, a contract may be fixed-term for up to six years in total, provided the post serves your own qualification (sentence 1).
- After the doctorate, up to six further years are possible (sentence 2).
- The agreed term must suit the intended qualification (sentence 3).
- For each child under 18 whom you care for, the limit extends by two years (sentence 4).
Laws change. Read the current version on gesetze-im-internet.de before you sign.
How much does student health insurance cost without a position?
Without an employment relationship and without a scholarship that counts as earnings, student health insurance may apply if its conditions are met. The contribution depends neither on the scholarship nor on your income. It is calculated on a fixed value: one thirtieth of the BAföG need rate for students who do not live with their parents (section 236 SGB V). For 2026 that is 855 euros per month.
Calculation using the GKV-Spitzenverband fact sheet (status 1 January 2026): health insurance comes to 87.38 euros, the average additional contribution of 2.9 percent to 24.80 euros and long-term care insurance for childless people aged 23 or over to 35.91 euros. Together that is 148.09 euros per month. The assumption is an average additional contribution; your insurer may differ.
What to check in computer science in particular
- Doctoral regulations: check whether your faculty requires a monograph or allows a cumulative thesis based on peer-reviewed publications.
- Teaching load: clarify in writing how many teaching hours you owe and whether they count toward the post.
- Rights to software and results: set out in the contract who owns code, models and data from the project before you start.
- Project end: plan your submission to fall within the project or contract term, otherwise you will need follow-on funding alongside the dissertation.
Frequently asked questions
Can I work in a company while doing my doctorate in computer science?
Yes, that is exactly the plan of an industrial doctorate. A salaried job usually creates compulsory insurance as an employee. Whether and how much work beside a university post is allowed is set by your contract and the doctoral regulations.
Am I insured as a working student if I start my PhD after my master?
No, not under the student working exemption. According to the Techniker Krankenkasse, working as a student worker is possible only if the dissertation starts before you finish your degree. If you start after the master and work for pay, you are usually insured as an employee, unless the job is marginal or short term.
What happens if the third-party funded project ends early?
A fixed-term contract ends when its term ends, unless it is extended. Whether an extension is possible depends on the funds. Clarify with your supervisor what applies if the project ends early.
Do I need to tell my health insurer if I change my position?
A change of employment can alter your insurance status. Contact your health insurer as soon as your status changes and keep the answer in writing.
How to proceed now
- Decide whether you are aiming for a chair position, an industrial doctorate or a scholarship.
- Check the doctoral regulations of your faculty, especially the form of the dissertation.
- Get the contract term, teaching load and rights to results confirmed in writing.
- Ask your health insurer before you sign the contract.
- Enter the contract end and the submission deadline in your calendar.
Related reading
- PhD in Germany: routes, titles and requirements
- Health Insurance for PhD Students in Germany
- Promotion in Biologie: Finanzierung, Befristung und Versicherung
- Promotion in Physik: Dauer, Finanzierung und Versicherung
Sources: Fixed-Term Contracts in Academia Act § 2 (gesetze-im-internet.de, retrieved October 2026), SGB V § 236 (gesetze-im-internet.de, status 2026), GKV-Spitzenverband, fact sheet on contribution parameters (status 1 January 2026), Heinrich Böll Foundation, scholarship rates (status October 2026), Destatis, press release on doctorates 2025 (2 October 2026).
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
