Apply to the Integrated Master’s/ PhD Program in Matter to Life

Choose the MPS Matter to Life - Graduate Program. Within the application form, you will be able to select your preferred Master study focus and location at either University of Göttingen or Heidelberg University. Since Matter to Life is a joint degree program, you will be enrolled at both universities.

If you have questions or doubts while filling out the application form, please check the FAQ page on our website.

• Certificates/ Diplomas of all higher education degrees (e.g. B.Sc., etc.) – if already obtained. If you do not have a certificate of graduation yet, please submit your preliminary transcript. At the latest, your final certificate must be submitted at the time of enrollment at the university.
   
• Official transcripts of all completed and ongoing degrees
   
• All submitted documents including certificates and transcripts should be in either English or German. Alternatively, only official certified translations of the originals are accepted.
   
• The English language test is required for admission to the program, but not for the application submission.
  Proof of English language proficiency is required for non-native English speakers unless your previous program was taught in English. If you cannot complete the test before applying, you will be able to indicate this within the portal under the “English Language Proficiency” section. Please submit the results of a valid English test no later than July 15^th of the year in which your program begins (you will find a list of accepted English test within the FAQs).
   
• Students within non-ECTS programs/degrees, please provide a grading scheme of your institution as well as a description of your program/degree/major's requirements/curriculum/course modules, as outlined by your institution either in English or German. Alternatively, translation along with the originals are also accepted. Please also provide a conversion of how many work hours equals one credit in your program.
   
• Students who received their educational certificate from China, India or Vietnam need to hand in a verification by the Academic Evaluation Center (APS). Please note that degrees received from institutions in Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan are exempt from this. 
   
• We do not need or accept letters of reference

You will find a form to fill in your motivation letter directly in the application portal. Please use only the template in the application portal. Individual letters of motivation cannot be accepted. 
This letter of motivation includes questions about your scientific education, your interest in the subject and the program of Matter to Life, particularities that make you a good candidate for this program, and your plans for your future career if accepted into the program.

Add all required information and uploading the necessary documents. Click “save” when you add new content. You can revisit and modify your application at any time before final submission. Please make sure you have thoroughly revised the application before you submit your application. You cannot make any changes after submission.

First, your application will be reviewed to ensure that all necessary requirements for a successful application are met - you must provide proof of an above-average Bachelor's degree, demonstrated by either a minimum GPA of 2.3 or evidence that you ranked in the top 20% of your graduating class. Additionally, you must show completion of 96 ECTS credits in the study-relevant natural science and/or engineering subjects and/or mathematics.

After this, all eligible applications will be reviewed and ranked based on your GPA and letter of motivation. Based on this evaluation you will be invited to an interview via video conference.

The first interview lasts about 15 minutes and is designed to determine your academic suitability and motivation for the program. To prepare, please use the questions in the motivation letter as a reference.

Applicants will receive an invitation by e-mail at least one week before the interview.

Whether you are invited for a second interview depends on the results of the first and second evaluation round.

The second interview will also be held virtually and will be a scientific discussion based on selected publications in the areas of Matter to Life to assess your knowledge of relevant scientific topics. For this purpose, you will be provided with at least two scientific publications in the field of Matter to Life by one of our Fellows via e-mail at least one week prior to the interview. Check our faculty website to get an impression about the research topics of our Fellows.

General information: The interviews will be held via the video conference platform Zoom. If Zoom is not supported in your country, please contact us as soon as you receive our invitation to the interview at mattertolife@maxplanckschools.de.

The final top twenty candidates will be selected based on the evaluation of all three rounds.
The admissions committee makes the selection and will try to match students to their preference of “Complex Systems and Biological Physics” at the Göttingen study site or “Molecular Systems Chemistry and Engineering” at the Heidelberg study site.