MPI Brain

The ninth call for applications is now closed. The next call will open in the Fall of 2019.

We welcome also non-German students to apply. More than half of our graduate students is actually not from Germany.

We invite students from various backgrounds, including neuroscience, mathematics, physics, computer science, (bio) chemistry, biology and medicine to apply. If you do not have a background in neuroscience, it is even more important to motivate your choice to do a PhD in our IMPRS.

We offer an online platform where you can register, you can upload supplementary materials and two referees can upload their letters of recommendation as well as evaluate.

Fast track students can apply like students holding a Master’s as their highest degree.

No, the IMPRS does not offer any Master’s. The Goethe University however does. See also the websites of the INS Master and other Masters.

No, you can only apply online.

No, the system does not offer this function. It is advisable to copy the text before applying.

No, you need to motivate your language skills in the application.

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Your application can be evaluated if we received your supplementary materials (in the correct format) and two letters of recommendation. Only in exceptional cases, we evaluated an application with only one letter of recommendation.

The deadline for the letters of recommendation is also December 1, 2018. You might want to inform your referees about this and give them time to submit (e.g. do not apply too close to the deadline).

A selection of about 25 students is made who will invited to an interview symposium.

The interview symposium will take place on February 6-7, 2019. We have invited all 25 students to the symposium.

The symposium is an integral part of the selection procedure. This means that attendance is obligatory.

You will be informed at least three weeks in advance, allowing time to arrange visa etc. Update: We have invited all the students to the symposium.

Yes, all travel and accommodation costs will be reimbursed as well as the majority of meals are offered by the Institute.

We currently recruit for the positions starting in the Fall of 2019. Students who are selected can start in August, September or October.

We offer a contract for one year (funded via the graduate program). Afterwards, you will be paid by your lab of choice and for the remainder of your doctoral studies.

A PhD in Germany is three years. Usually, it takes doctoral students longer to graduate.

We offer rotations in the first phase of the doctoral studies (until Thesis Proposal Day in April/May of the next year).

At the Thesis Proposal Day, you are asked to report about your rotations and describe your future project. The lectures are attended by IMPRS Faculty members, fellow IMPRs students as well as others interested in your talk.

We do not offer an entrance examination. We do however offer one directly after the Thesis Proposal Day.

IMPRS organizes Thesis Advisory Committee (TAC) meetings. Directly at the start, a advisory meeting will be organised to discuss the educational needs and future rotations. The next step is the Thesis Proposal Day where you present your rotations and your plans.

Here are the checkpoints during the PhD:

• Checkpoint 1: Thesis Proposal Day (April or May in the year after starting)
• Checkpoint 2: Project progress (within 12 months after Thesis Proposal Day), a Statement of Agreement will be signed. 
• Checkpoint 3: Project progress and outlook (within 24 months after Thesis Proposal Day)
• Checkpoint 4: Project progress (within 36 months after Thesis Proposal Day)
• Checkpoint 5: Final meeting (more than 36 months after Thesis Proposal Day

During the TAC meeting. the minutes are made by the coordinator in a checkpoint form, which will be signed at checkpoint meeting 2.

A Thesis Advisory Committee consists of at least three members, including your supervisor, who can not chair the meeting. At least two members should be IMPRS Faculty members.

• At the start, the doctoral student will leave the room so that the committee can have a brief discussion.
• The student will be asked in and will present the progress (usually a presentation of about 20 minutes is prepared). Questions can be taken during the talk and/or afterwards
• After the discussion, the student leaves the room and the committee discusses progress and prepare feedback to be given by the chair person.
• The student will be asked back in and the supervisor leaves so that the committee can discuss supervision without the supervisor.
• When everyone is back in the room, the chair delivers the feedback to the student.

The coordinator will take notes and will ask all participants to sign a supervision agree (latter only at the first TAC meeting). Both documents will be send to all present.

TACs should not be considerably longer than 60 minutes!

The Max Planck Society can not award doctoral degrees. You will receive the degree from a German university, usually the Goethe University (Frankfurt).