Proof of best third

§ 2 para. 2 no. 4 of the doctoral regulations stipulates that a doctoral candidate must prove that, based on the degree entitling him or her to admission to doctoral studies (e.g. master's, magister’s (German university degree awarded mainly in the humanities), diploma state exams), he or she belongs to the best third of successful graduates of this particular degree examination in the respective examination year or examination round.

This means that an application must be accompanied by documents proving that applicants with the degree entitling them to admission to doctoral studies in Speyer are among the best 33% of successful graduates at their previous university.

If the relevant documents or proofs are not provided in the application, the doctoral committee cannot decide on admission.

Proof may be provided in different ways:

Various higher education institutions show ECTS grades in their degree certificates or diploma supplements, especially for master's degree programmes; relevant ECTS overall grades are A or B.
Various examination offices issue place number certificates or rankings which show that a student holds a certain place among a certain number of successful graduates (e.g. 20th place out of 99); from this you can deduce whether the best third criterion is thus fulfilled.
Upon request, various examination offices confirm in short letters or e-mails that a graduate is among the best 5%, 10%, 20% or 33%.
Various disciplines or faculties award certificates and prizes for the respective year's best.
For graduates of the First and/or Second Legal Examinations, it may be worthwhile to take a look at the training statistics of the Federal Office of Justice, from which it is often possible to deduce that they belong to the best third.

If applicants are not able to provide such a document, they should enquire about it at the examination office that issued their degree certificate.

If such proof cannot be submitted, § 19 para. 1 no. 3 of the doctoral regulations only allows the submission of such proof to be waived in justified exceptional cases. A justified exceptional case exists if two professors appointed for life at Speyer University approve of this.

For this purpose, they must prepare two independent reviews that take into account the applicant's previous academic achievements. In this case, it is the responsibility of the doctoral candidate to approach the respective professors independently and to seek appropriate expert opinions. If this is the case, it is recommended to first consult with the intended supervisor of the dissertation. If the supervisor is a professor at Speyer University, one of the two reviews can be written by him or her.

§ 2 Para. 2 No. 4 of the doctoral regulations

These are the requirements for admission as a doctoral candidate:

….

4. Proof that the applicant´s final examination according to No. 1, 2 or 3, final examination of the Magister degree programme (German university degree awarded mainly in the humanities) or the Master's degree programme of Speyer University or with the second state examination according to Section 5 (1) of the German Judges Act belongs to the best third of the successful graduates of the final examination in the respective examination year or examination round.

Only in justified exceptional cases: § 19 Para. 1 No. 3 of the doctoral regulations

Exceptions may be granted if there are special reasons:

…

3. Upon request of the doctoral candidate, the requirement of § 2 Para. 2 No. 4 may be disregarded by the doctoral committee in justified exceptional cases. As a rule, a justified exceptional case exists if two professors appointed for life at Speyer University approve of this in two independent reviews which take into account the doctoral candidate's previous academic achievements.