Georg-August-Universität Göttingen Neuroscience Coordination Office
Grisebachstr. 5
37077 Göttingen Germany
PhD Program
Students who have passed the examinations at the end of the first year with good or excellent results qualify for direct admission to a three-year doctoral project in one of the participating research groups without being required to complete a Master's thesis first.
The PhD program emphasizes independent research of the students. Doctoral students select three faculty members as their doctoral committee which closely monitors progress and advises students in their research projects.
Laboratory work is complemented by a PhD curriculum in which a student completes the equivalent of at least 30 credits by choosing courses which are suitable with respect to her/his special area of study:
- Scientific Colloquia and Seminars
- International Research Conferences
- Deepening Subject Matter
- Courses
- Electives
At the end of the PhD program, a doctoral thesis is submitted either in the traditional format, or as a collection of scientific publications in internationally recognized journals along with a general introduction and discussion of the results.
The degree of a "Doctor of Philosophy" (Ph.D.) or, alternatively, "Doctor of Natural Sciences" (Dr. rer. nat.) will be awarded after successful defense of the doctoral thesis. Candidates that have previsously graduated from Medical School can receive an MD-PhD degree.
Application Requirements: Applicants must hold a Bachelor's degree, or equivalent degree, in biology, psychology, medicine, physics, or related fields. Applications are welcome even if the required degree has not been awarded by the time of application as long as this will be conferred before courses start in October.
Applicants who are not native speakers of English should demonstrate an adequate competence of the English language by acceptable results in an internationally recognized test ( e.g. TOEFL, IELTS, APIEL, CPE). Participation in such a test is recommended but not mandatory as language skills can also be evaluated during the personal interviews with selected candidates (see Selection and Admission). Proven higher education in English or a reasonably long stay in an English speaking country are also acceptable.
Application Period:
The application period starts on September 15 and ends on January 15 of the year of enrollment.
Online Registration:
Prior to preparing the application form, all applicants should register online. In the online registration you will be asked to enter your personal data and information regarding your previous education. Successful online registration is confirmed by e-mail. This mail contains a registration number required for your application. The online registration is designed to accelerate the selection and admission procedure but DOES NOT substitute a signed version of all required application documents (see below) which should be sent by air mail or surface mail to the coordination office. Scanned documents submitted by e-mail can NOT be accepted.
Application Form and Documents:
The application form (pdf file, Adobe Reader required) can be downloaded or processed in your browser window. On the browser level, you may enter all relevant information and print the form (see cover sheet of application form for detailed instructions). One copy of the completed form must then be sent to the coordination office by air or surface mail, together with all the documents in the check-list below.
The following documents must have arrived at the coordination office by January 15 of the year of enrollment:
- Application Form: 1 hard copy.
- Financial Statement (attached to application form, page 8): 1 copy.
- Official Transcript / Record of Study: Detailed documentation of your academic work (list of courses attended; grades if applicable): 1 copy.
- Diplomas: Certificates of relevant examinations (e.g. Bachelor's or Master's degree, Physikum; NO (high)school diplomas etc.): 1 copy.
- 2 Photographs: Indicate your name on the back of both photos!
- 2 Reference Letters: Signed letters of two academic teachers who are able to evaluate your personality, academic experience, and intellectual merit (in closed envelopes; preferably mailed to the coordination office directly). The use of the reference report form (download here) is recommended.
- Proof of proficiency in English: If applicable (see above): 1 copy.
All submitted documents must be in English or German. Please do not staple the documents (unless they already are, which is sometimes the case with official transcripts etc.) or copy them double sided. Certified copies of documents are not required for the application (i.e. regular copies are sufficient). Only upon admission to the program, all relevant documents (e.g. diploma, transcripts) must get certified. This can be done, for example, by the dean's or registrar's office of your university, a German embassy or consulate, or a public notary.
Further information regarding your application and other issues is summarized in the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) section. The program receives many inquiries regarding the application package. Please have a look at this site before contacting the coordination office.
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