Frequently Asked Questions about the IMPRS-BAC application

August 16, 2024


Click on each title to learn more about the application process at the International Max Planck Research School for Biology And Computation (IMPRS-BAC). 

Timeline

When will the next call for applications be announced?

A new call for applications has been announced in October 2024. The deadline to submit written applications is the 7th of January 2025 (18:00 CET). We do not accept any materials after the application has closed. The deadline for recommendation letters is the 14th of January 2025 (18:00 CET).
 

I missed the deadline, can I still apply?

Not through the application platform. We have one central admission round per year, which is open from October to January, with selection taking place in March/April. Successful candidates can start between April and November (exceptions possible). If you are looking for a PhD position at short notice, you can try to contact participating PIs directly.
 

How does the application procedure work?

The application procedure comprises four stages. All written applications are first reviewed for completeness by the IMPRS coordinator. In a second step, the IMPRS-BAC faculty reviews all complete written applications and invites the most promising candidates to upload a video presentation describing a research project they were involved in. Online Q&A sessions (15 minutes per candidate) with our faculty about the uploaded presentation follow some days later. The most promising candidates among them are invited to Berlin for personal interviews with our recruiting faculty members, a journal club-like paper discussion, lab tours, and meetings with our current doctoral candidates. Decisions on the awarding of doctoral positions are made based on candidates’ performance throughout the selection process. Successful applicants are offered a position soon after the selection meeting. 

When will I hear about my application?

All candidates will be informed by email of the status of their written application by the end of January 2025. Candidates on the shortlist will be invited for interviews at the end of March. Acceptance decisions should be communicated in April 2025. 

Requirements

What kind of academic degree do I need to apply to the IMPRS-BAC?

By the time of doctoral start at the IMPRS-BAC, applicants must have completed a bachelor’s degree (preparatory program​​​​​​, see below​) and/or master’s degree in molecular biology, biochemistry, mathematics, bioinformatics or any related areas.
 

I have a bachelor's degree. Can I apply to the IMPRS-BAC?

While it is common to start a PhD with a bachelor’s degree in the US, this is not possible in most European universities. You need to have master's degree. Nevertheless, exceptional candidates with a bachelor's degree in the computational/mathematical sciences and aiming for a doctorate in those fields can apply to the "preparatory program". You can tick a box to that effect in the application form. In the preparatory program you will be required to take lectures at the Freie Universität Berlin for the first 18 months, and then take an oral qualifying exam. Upon passing this exam, you may start your doctoral project. You may gain a master's degree in the preparatory program. Depending on your background, some knowledge of German may be essential, as some lectures at that level are given in German only.

If your degree is in the biological sciences and you are aiming for a lab-based doctorate, unfortunately, we cannot offer you entry into the preparatory program.
 

I have a 5-year combined bachelor's and master's degree. Can I apply to the IMPRS-BAC?

Yes.
 

My degree will be granted in January/February/March 2026. Can I apply to the IMPRS-BAC?

You must have completed your master's degree by the time you start your doctoral project. We would like all new students to attend a Welcome Week in November 2025. This means that in most cases, your degree should be granted by October 2025. Exceptions may be possible.
 

I already have a doctorate. Can I apply to the IMPRS?

In Germany, you cannot receive another doctorate in the same field twice. Please explain your situation clearly in your motivation letter. If in doubt, contact the PhD coordinator. However, the majority of our doctoral students come to us for their first doctorate.

Can I complete the doctoral program on a part-time basis?

No. Our doctoral program requires a full-time commitment from all doctoral candidates.

Recruitment

How many calls for applications are organised each year?

We recruit new doctoral candidates once a year. The annual call for applications is usually open from the beginning of October to the beginning of January of the next, recruiting year. 
 

How does the IMPRS-BAC deal with underrepresented groups and potential evaluation bias during the application process?

The doctoral positions are awarded to applicants based on the excellence and quality of their application. All applications are treated equally with regard to gender, ability and disability, sexual identity, nationality, ethnicity, religion, age, social background, possible care obligations, and any other factors. The Gender Equality Officer of the MPI for Molecular Genetics is involved in all stages of the application process and can be contacted confidentially in advance of or during any application should you have any concerns or questions regarding equal opportunities.
 

Are all faculty members recruiting this year?

No. You can assume everyone who has provided short proposals here is interested in hiring a doctoral candidate this year. But there may be other faculty members who are also recruiting. As this may depend on available third-party funding, this information is liable to change up until the interview days.

Funding

Do I need to apply for funding separately?

No. Accepted candidates will receive a funded doctoral position for a minimum of three years. Extensions are possible. Funding details vary between IMPRS groups and should be discussed during the selection. In addition, after a successful application to the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), the IMPRS-BAC will provide international doctoral candidates with up to two further scholarships funded by the DAAD’s Graduate School Scholarship Programme (GSSP) in 2025 and 2026.

Application process and documents

How do I apply to the IMPRS-BAC?

To apply for the IMPRS-BAC you must use the online application form on the Application page. We do not accept applications through email or regular mail.
 

What should I do before I apply?

Before submitting any documents, please familiarize yourself with the application procedure (Application page). Please also take a close look at the IMPRS-BAC faculty website and the faculty members’ individual websites and publications to find out more about the focus of their research. Think about how your research project might fit in with their research interests. On the online application form, identify up to five IMPRS-BAC faculty members who you think might serve as your doctoral thesis supervisor.
 

Is there an application fee?

No, there is no application fee.
 

What information should be included in my curriculum vitae (CV)?

Please list all levels of education and work experience in reverse chronological order (most recent first). The CV must include a clear statement of your current status, including information on current employment, unemployment or parental leave. You should also list your skills, publications, conferences and talks, awards, scholarships, social, cultural or sporting activities. Your CV should be no longer than two pages.
 

What should my letter of motivation include?

You should describe in one to two pages why you would like to pursue a PhD within the IMPRS for Biology And Computation. Explain why you want to pursue a career in these fields, what your research interests are, and how this graduate program is best suited to help you achieve your goals. You can also include details of research experience, internships, employment, extracurricular activities and any other information (e.g., publications) that are relevant to your application. Your letter of motivation must be written in English. 
 

Do I need to submit certified copies of all my certificates?

Non-certified copies are sufficient for the application process. Accepted candidates must produce the original documents at Freie Universität Berlin for enrolment. 
 

Do I need to use one of the short proposals given on your website?

No. You may use them as a starting point for a longer proposal but you can also submit an idea of your own. Please make sure it is within the scope of our research school.
 

What should a proposal include?

It should be about 2-3 pages long and include a title, a brief introduction to the field, the research question you wish to ask, some methods you would use to answer this question, if possible some speculation as to the impact of the potential results, and finally references. Moreover, we encourage you to explain how you plan to include both sides of the experimental-theoretical spectrum in your project. For instance, how could laboratory experiments help support the conclusions of your bioinformatics project? Which bioinformatics tools do you plan to include in your wet laboratory project? Your proposal must be written in English. Please also mention which research group is targeted by your project proposal. 
 

Do I need to provide several proposals if I am interested in more than one group?

No, please submit only one research proposal based on a single project. You can indicate your interests in the other groups in the "Research interests" section. You can also include a note in your motivation letter or at the top of your research proposal, explaining that this is just one of the projects you are applying for, mentioning the others.

 

Do I need to contact a potential supervisor before submitting my application?

No. You may contact them, e.g., if you have a scientific question about a proposal you are tailoring to fit their group. However, a lack of response does not mean that this PI is not interested in you - they may simply not always be able to address all questions.
 

Why do I need to provide the names of the PIs I am interested in already now?

This way we can ensure that your application will be seen by the most suitable faculty members. If you are invited for an interview and your preferences change in the meantime, this is not a problem and you will have a chance to speak to the PIs whose research is most interesting to you at that point.

Referees and references

How to choose my referees?

You should spend enough time choosing suitable referees as they give extra information about your academic and lab performance, skills, character, and conduct and this can decide whether you are offered a doctoral position or not. The best reference letters are provided by people who know you well. We recommend you pick persons you worked very closely with, your current/previous supervisor, mentor, boss, teacher, lecturer or tutor. Please, make sure you obtain permission from the referees that you can nominate them, preferably beforehand, and inform them of the application deadline. Please provide their institutional email address. Never use a friend or family member as a referee. 
 

How will my referees be contacted?

When completing your application, you need to supply the email addresses of two referees. Your referees will be automatically contacted by email AFTER YOU SUBMIT THE FULL APPLICATION and asked to fill out an online reference form. Any other reference letter format is invalid.

The deadline for referees is one week later than the deadline for applicants, i.e., 14th of January 2025. Letters of recommendation are not accepted after this deadline. Please give your referees enough time to do so by submitting early, notify them that they will receive an email from support@drs.fu-berlin.de, so it is not deleted or overlooked, and encourage them to submit their reference letter in a timely manner. If your referees have not received the email, it is suggested to check the spam folder.

You will be able to see whether your letters of reference have been uploaded in "My progress" on the left-hand side of your application page. For this, log in at https://www.drs.fu-berlin.de/user using the username and password set when you created your DRS account. 
 

I submitted my application but my referees have still not received an email asking them to submit their reference letter. What can I do?

The email sent by support@drs.fu-berlin.de may be in their spam folder. Please ask them to check.
 

Can I submit additional reference letters with my application?

No. Only reference letters provided through the application platform by your two referees will be accepted. Faxed, mailed or emailed reference letters will not be considered.
 

What if one of my referee does not provide a reference before the deadline?

Your application will be considered incomplete and therefore not qualify for the application phase. We strongly recommend you check in with your referees until submission.

Application submission

Can I save the data of my application, complete it and submit it later?

Yes, you can. Once your application has been submitted, revisions cannot be made anymore. Please review your application carefully before submitting it. We strongly recommend that you submit your application as early as possible to give enough time to your referees to send references.
 

I submitted my application but I have not received any confirmation email. Did I do everything correctly?

Yes, we do not send confirmation emails. You can check the status of your application in "My progress" on the left hand side of your application page. For this, log in at https://www.drs.fu-berlin.de/user using the usename and password set when you created your DRS account. 
 

Interviews

Will you pay for my trip to attend the interview days in Berlin?

Yes, up to a reasonable limit. We will also provide accommodation in Berlin for the duration of the interviews.
 

I may not be able to attend the interview days. Is this a problem?

We would prefer it if everyone who is invited to the interview attends them in person. However, in some cases, visa processing times may not permit attendance and we will interview you via video call. During the pandemic, personal interviews may not be possible at all.

Language

What is the IMPRS's working language?

English. Fluency in spoken and written English is required. Knowledge of German is not necessary but we do encourage learning German and offer financial support to learn German to our IMPRS doctoral candidates.
 

Do I need to take language tests such as TOEFL or IELTS before applying?

To be accepted into this program, you need to have a good command of the English language. Nevertheless, we do not require language tests for application. In your application, you can indicate which formal English test you attended, if any, and how you scored. In some cases, Freie Universität Berlin will require formal proof of English upon registration.

 

If you have any additional questions, please contact imprs-bac@molgen.mpg.de

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