5-Year-Track Application

ELIGIBILITY

Talented, curious and open-minded scientists from Germany and abroad with strong backgrounds in neuroscience, biomedical sciences, computational science, applied mathematics, statistics, artificial intelligence, or engineering are welcome to apply. Successful candidates will possess a burning aspiration to shape the future of neuroscience and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, interdisciplinary environment.

The Max Planck Society strives for gender equity and welcomes applications from all backgrounds. We actively encourage applications from persons with disabilities.

  • Bachelor´s degree (GPA 2.5 or higher) or an equivalent qualification from a recognized university or accredited academic institution. Students from Asian countries need to obtain the APS certificate.
  • Two letters of recommendation stating that there is strong evidence that the applicant is capable of successfully completing the Master´s program and conducting appropriate research at the doctoral level.
  • Proof of English proficiency All applicants whose native language is not English must show proof of English proficiency (TOEFL, IELTS or CAE). Exempted from this proof are students who (1) graduated from a college/university where the medium of instruction was English or (2) German students who had English as a foreign language at a German Gymnasium for at least 8 years.

 

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

Calls for applications for the combined MSc/PhD track are issued once a year.

To make sure we consider all applicants thoroughly and fairly, there are several stages to our admissions process. Each one is outlined below. It is important you understand your role in each of these stages and are aware of the deadlines. The admissions timeline provides an overview of the process.


 

 

 

We strongly recommend submitting an application as early as possible. Submitting early will give us more time to check the application carefully and contact candidates if we have any questions.

To apply to the IMPRS-MMFD MSc/PhD track, please submit the following essential documents:

  • Transcripts & Degree Certificate. Complete academic records and copies of degrees awarded. Documents issued in languages other than German or English must be accompanied by a German or English translation. The Grade Point Average (GPA) must be indicated on the transcript. Applications are welcome even if the required degree (B.Sc.) has not been awarded by the time of application, as long as the degree will be conferred before courses start in October.
  • English Proficiency Requirements (TOEFL, IELTS, CAE). All applicants whose native language is not English must show proof of English proficiency (TOEFL, IELTS or CAE). Exempted from this proof are students who (1) graduated from a college/university where the medium of instruction was English or (2) German students who had English as a foreign language at a German Gymnasium for at least 8 years. 
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • Motivational Letter (2 pages at most!). Present and discuss your academic and career objectives. Be as specific as you can about your particular interests in neuroscience and why you plan to pursue your graduate studies in Tübingen. Describe your preparation for the neuroscience program (e.g., research projects in which you have participated) beyond what is apparent from your transcripts. Your statement is an important part of the application. It should be clear, concise, and well-crafted (2 pages at most). If you have contacted a potential supervisor, please indicate this.
  • Names and contact details of two referees who will provide reference letters in response to our request. Referees should be professionally established at the level of independent investigator, principal scientist, group leader, lecturer or above.
  • optionally, you can upload additional documents (e.g. your bachelor's thesis, published papers or descriptions of projects in which you have been involved may be submitted as well).
  • Applicants from The People’s Republic of China, Mongolia and Vietnam must enclose an original copy of the APS certificate.


Please note, only applications with all two recommendation letters provided by December 10th, 2022, will be considered.



The next deadline for applications is November 30, 2022 at 11:59pm CET.
The deadline for reference letters is December 10, 2022 at 11:59pm CET.


How does the selection procedure work?

Only completed applications will be evaluated.

The selection procedure has three parts: Online application → 1st shortlist Subject test (in Tübingen, in Germany or world-wide) → 2nd shortlist Interviews → final selection and offer

First complete applications will be checked for background, academic records and grades, resulting in an initial shortlist of eligible applicants. Second, shortlisted applicants will be invited to take an online subject test.

The subject test covers various topics, depending on the master´s program of choice:

Neural Behav Sci: neurobiology, psychology, cognitive science, brain imaging, maths, statistics
Cell Molec Neurosci: neurobiology, molecular biology, cell biology, biochemistry
Neural Inf Process: maths (linear algebra/analysis), statistics, elementary probability theory, physics

Third, based on the results of these tests, shortlisted candidates will be invited for online interviews. Based on the interviews, applicants: (1) will get an offer for a place in the program; (2) will be placed on the waiting list; (3) or will not be considered further.

DECISION

Finalists will be informed by mid-March 2021. As final step, selected IMPRS applicants will have to submit their application package to the University of Tübingen online application portal by latest March 31, 2023. The IMPRS coordinator will guide you through this process.