Knowing that a PhD takes at least three to four years to complete and taking into account that this means four years of social and financial uncertainty and sometimes even the voluntary abandonment of other promising opportunities, this is a question worth considering in some depth. You should discuss it with your family, with your friends, with professors you know. Here, at Freie Universität, there is also professional advice available from the “Studienberatung”. You should at least be able to answer the following essential questions to yourself in a satisfying way:

• Am I sure that the PhD will foster my career, be it inside or outside academia?
• Does the rather long period of time I am going to spend on my PhD harmonize with my general plans for my life?

• How much time can I realistically invest, and do I want to invest it?

• How do I earn my living in the years to come?

 To help you with the decision, we have compiled a short check list for you, which you can download here (PDF).