phd max planck institute

Programs for Graduate and Master Students

Do you study life sciences or medicine?

Are you interested in a bachelor's, master's ,  or doctoral thesis at our institute?

Then you are welcome to apply directly to our directors and research group leaders. 

You can find information on the various doctoral programs at the Göttingen Campus , in which our institute participates, here. If you have general questions regarding your application, please contact our coordinator Antje Erdmann (see contacts on the left).

All our students doing research at the institute for a thesis or doctoral thesis must be enrolled at a university at the same time. With a few exceptions, academic titles in Germany are only awarded by the nationwide universities. The institute, therefore, cooperates closely with the University of Göttingen in the IMPRS doctoral programs listed below, where our directors and research group leaders also teach and give seminars.

International Max Planck Research Schools (IMPRS)

Max Planck School Matter to Life

Max Planck School of Photonics

There are also programs for young scientists within the framework of further cooperations between the institute and the University of Göttingen, the Max Planck Institutes for Dynamics and Self-Organization and for Experimental Medicine as well as the German Primate Center. These include:

• the  European Neuroscience Institute Göttingen  (ENI)
• the  Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience   Göttingen  (BCCN Göttingen)
• the  Göttingen Excellence Cluster nad DFG Research Center  Nanoscale Microscopy and Molecular Physiology of the Brain (CNMPB)

PhD Programs

You are creative, curious and passionate about basic research? You would like to live in the oldest university town in Germany and work at one of the famous Max Planck Institutes? You would enjoy doing research in a supportive, stimulating and diverse environment?

We welcome graduate students from all over the world and a wide range of disciplines. Because Max Planck Institutes cannot confer PhD degrees, our students are simultaneously enrolled at Heidelberg University and receive their doctorate from one of the university’s faculties (  Biosciences Faculty ,  Chemistry Faculty ,  Physics Faculty ). These faculties have their own specific requirements, which students must fulfill.

PhD students at the institute perform research work and write a thesis under the supervision of a scientist who leads a research group in one of the institute’s departments. Students are usually enrolled in a graduate program. We offer access to a number of graduate schools, such as the  Max Planck School Matter to Life , the IMRPS-QD or other graduate schools of Heidelberg University. Most group leaders are associated with one or more of these graduate schools. Joining a graduate school makes you part of the Heidelberg life science community and gives you opportunities for scientific and social exchange outside of the institute.

For students who are not enrolled in a structured PhD program we offer support and guidance through individual Thesis Advisory Committees (TAC). The TAC monitors the progress and development of the PhD student and provides advice to both the student and his/her supervisor. The TAC members are also available for one-to-one consultations with the student and can become an important networking partner. Our PhD students can contact their committee members for personal discussions at any time.

For more information about the different PhD programs and the application procedure, please follow the links provided below. Alternatively, you may also directly contact the head of the department or group leader of the program you’re interested in. Just send an e-mail including your CV and a short description of your interests and expertise to establish first contact. Feel free to contact the PhD representatives or scientific coordinator with any general questions about working at our institute.

PhD Life at the Institute

Graduate Schools in Heidelberg

IMPRS Quantum Dynamics in Physics, Chemistry and Biology

Max Planck School Matter to Life

Doctoral Research

Doctoral research programs.

Qualified students are encouraged to apply to one or more of the following doctoral programs. Highly qualified, broadly interested students who would like to have the opportunity to work with faculty at any MPI or partner university should apply to the cs@max planck program. Students who are already committed to a specific research area should apply also to the more specialized programs listed below.

The Max Planck Graduate Center for Computer and Information Science

CS@max planck is a highly selective doctoral program that grants admitted students full financial support to pursue doctoral research in the broad area of computer and information science, with faculty at Max Planck Institutes and the best German universities.

Max Planck Doctoral Program in Software Systems

The MPI for Software Systems offers a vibrant, dynamic, multi-cultural environment for research and graduate education. Qualified candidates can pursue doctoral degrees under the supervision of any Max Planck faculty, and in cooperation with a university.

The Saarbrücken Graduate School of Computer Science

The Graduate School provides an optimal environment for pursuing doctoral studies in computer science at an internationally competitive level. The Department of Computer Science at Saarland University runs the Graduate School in close cooperation with the Max Planck Institute for Informatics and Max Planck Institute for Software Systems.

International Max Planck Research School on Trustworthy Computing (IMPRS-TRUST)

The International Max Planck Research School on Trustworthy Computing (IMPRS-TRUST) is a graduate program jointly run by the Max Planck Institute for Informatics (MPI-INF), the Max Planck Institute for Software Systems (MPI-SWS), the Computer Science Department at Saarland University, and the Computer Science Department at TU Kaiserslautern.

International Max Planck Research School for Intelligent Systems (IMPRS-IS)

The International Max Planck Research School for Intelligent Systems (IMPRS-IS) brings together the MPI for Intelligent Systems with the University of Stuttgart and the University of Tübingen to form a highly visible and unique graduate school of internationally recognized faculty, working at the leading edge of the field. The goal of the IMPRS-IS is to train doctoral students to investigate and understand the organizing principles of artificially intelligent systems that can successfully interact with complex environments.

Cambridge – Tübingen PhD Fellowships in Machine Learning

The Cambridge – Tübingen PhD fellowship program is a graduate program of the University of Cambridge Machine Learning Group and the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems Empirical Inference Department in Tübingen. We encourage applications from outstanding candidates with academic backgrounds in mathematics, physics, computer science, engineering, and related fields, and a keen interest in doing basic research in machine learning and its scientific applications.

Max Planck ETH Center for Learning Systems

This is the first Center linking the German Max Planck Society and the leading Swiss university ETH Zurich and brings together leading researchers in the field of learning systems. The Center offers a unique fellowship program, where PhD students are co-supervised by one advisor from ETH Zurich and one from the MPI for Intelligent Systems in Tübingen and Stuttgart. PhD students are expected to take advantage of the opportunities offered by both organizations and to actively seek cross-group collaborations.

International Max Planck Research School for Computational Biology and Scientific Computing (IMPRS-CBSC)

The International Max Planck Research School for Computational Biology and Scientific Computing is a joint graduate program of the Freie Universität Berlin (FU) and the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics (MPI-MG). Courses, seminars, and joint research work and networking form the foundation for a thorough education of young scientists in biology-related computer science.

International Max Planck Research School for Cell, Developmental and Systems Biology (IMPRS-CellDevoSys)

The IMPRS-CellDevoSys is a joint program of the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG), the Max Planck Institute of the Physics of Complex Systems (MPI-PKS), and the Technische Universität Dresden (TUD).  It is the partner of, and cooperates with, the Dresden International Graduate School for Biomedicine and Bioengineering (DIGS-BB).

Individual Doctoral Positions

Students interested in pursuing a doctoral degree at a particular Max Planck Institute may apply directly to departments and research groups.

Application for PhD study

The autumn application call starts on August 1st 2024!

--- Current application c all is now open !!! ---

We do not accept any applications by mail or fax. Only complete applications via online registration are considered.

1. Online registration:

The first step of the application process is the online registration. You will have to provide the following data:

• Personal data: You will be asked to enter your personal data and information regarding your previous academic studies .
• Referees: The application program will ask you for name and e-mail address of two academic teachers or supervisors who are able and willing to evaluate your personality, experience, and intellectual merit.
• Research interests: Please select up to five potential thesis supervisors from the list of research group leaders .
• Motivation Statement:  Please give a short(!) statement of max. 1000 characters why you apply for IMPRS-CMS and give reasons for your choice of potential supervisors
• Supporting documents: You have to upload your certificates, transcripts and other supporting documents as PDF-files .

Successful online registration is confirmed directly on your screen and within 30 min by e-mail.

2. Supporting documents:

You will have to upload the following documents in PDF format:

• curriculum vitae in short form (mandatory)
• transcripts / record of study / certificates, e.g. Bachelor's or Master's degree (mandatory)
• TOEFL/IELTS, GRE, honors and awards (if available, not mandatory)
• Publications (only first page)

Note: Upload only in PDF-format! All submitted documents have to be in English or in German!

3. Reference letters:

Email requests will be automatically send to your referees by the database system. Your referees will be asked to upload their recommendation letters onto our server and to answer a short form. After submitting the referee reports your referees and you will get confirmations by e-mail. If it is necessary to change a referee during the application process or if there are any other problems please contact the coordination office. Deadline for recommendation letters is seven days after application deadline.

4. Application link:

The application call for start in spring 2025 opens from August 1 st until September 30 th 2024 Click here to apply

Please submit your application using our online form  HERE . Only applications submitted through our online application portal can be considered.

PhD Program

The scientific mission of our PhD program is to study fundamental biological processes in plants and to create knowledge and material that can empower innovative plant breeding. More than 30 research groups study regulatory networks controlling fundamental traits such as reproductive development, organ geometry and growth, innate immunity and microbiome effects on plant performance. They apply and develop a broad range of interdisciplinary technologies ranging from genetics and genomics to structural biochemistry, advanced imaging and computational modelling in established and novel model species.

We adhere to the core values of the Max Planck Society, treat each other with respect and do not tolerate any forms of discrimination based on ethnicity, gender, disability, religion or belief, age or sexual orientation or identity.

Our Program

Together with our university partner in Cologne , we train about 90 mostly international PhD students and encourage talented young researchers to apply for individual  open positions or, once per year, to our International Max Planck Research School,  IMPRS . Please contact the PhD Office if you need further information. 

On top of working in a scientifically excellent and highly inspiring environment, all PhD students become part of a structured program which is designed to last three to four years. The program mission is to develop students into independent and creative researchers and to strengthen their scientific and technical background.

A core component of the PhD program is the thesis advisory committee, TAC. The TAC consists of the direct supervisor and additional co-supervisors that guide our PhD students until they have successfully completed their PhD program.  TAC Meetings  with the student take place on a regular basis and are essential to jointly evaluate past and future directions of each PhD project.

Alongside regular seminars at group or department level, PhD students have the opportunity to present their projects at an annual  PhD Retreat and in an early career researchers' seminar series.

The PhD Office, the Max Planck Society and the University of Cologne make further offers that support your scientific and personal development and set you up for a successful career. We offer

• Courses and workshops in professional skills
• German classes
• Mentoring frameworks

Information for Graduate Students

The Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence welcomes students of life sciences and medicine who would like to conduct their research for their bachelor, masters or doctoral degree at the institute. Applicants for a graduate position are strongly encouraged to apply with our Graduate School IMPRS-BI or one of the associated programs (see below).

Max Planck Institutes can not award degrees. Our students are therefore also enrolled at one of our local partner universities, the Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich (LMU)  and the Technical University Munich (TUM) . 

Our International Max Planck Research School (IMPRS-BI)

The faculty of the Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence is part of the corresponding International Max Planck Research School – Biological Intelligence (IMPRS-BI) . Young scientists accepted into the programs will have an opportunity to participate in, and contribute to the groundbreaking research carried out by the institute, while pursuing their doctoral degrees.

Research in biological intelligence explores how animals acquire, store, apply and transfer knowledge about their environment. The new approach integrates neuroscience, behavioral ecology and evolutionary biology and bridges all scales of biological organization, from molecules to organisms and from organisms to societies and ecosystems. The research of IMPRS-BI students will be shedding light on the evolution, development and diversity of animal behavior and will, among many other questions, unravel what distinguishes natural from artificial intelligence. 

Associated Graduate Schools

Our department and research group leaders are also part of, and recruiting doctoral students through, the following graduate programs:

• IMPRS for Molecules of Life ( IMPRS-ML ), at our neighboring Max Planck Institute for Biochemistry , sharing many trainings and events with our IMPRS-BI students. 
• IMPRS for Translational Psychiatry ( IMPRS-TP ), at the Max Planck Institute for Psychiatry
• Graduate School for Systemic Neuroscience ( GSN-LMU ) at the Ludwig Maximilians University Munich.

How to apply for a PhD position in the Max Planck Society

How do I apply?

Are you keen to carry out research at a Max Planck institute while studying for your doctorate? This video explains how to apply, who to contact and which steps you must take.

How to apply for a PhD position in the Max Planck Society

In Germany, the universities alone have the right to award doctorates. So it is not possible to sit your doctoral examinations at a Max Planck institute.

However, the International Max Planck Research Schools (IMPRS) – in cooperation with the universities – offer a structured doctoral training program. After completing the usually three-year training period, during which you will be supported both by university supervisors and the Max Planck institute, you will be examined by these two bodies jointly. Since 2009, the figure of Minerva – the logo of the Max Planck Society – has graced many IMPRS doctoral certificates.

In addition, the opportunity exists at most Max Planck institutes to prepare your dissertation even outside of this centrally funded programme. You will find vacancies advertised on the websites of the institutes, at the MPG Jobs Exchange, as well as in the daily papers and scientific journals.

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