International Max Planck Research School for Molecular and Cellular Life Sciences is inviting applications for IMPRS-LS PhD Program in molecular and cellular life sciences. Successful applicants will receive stipend starts with 1450 Euro and will cover living expenses in the Munich area.

The IMPRS for Molecular Life Sciences: From Biological Structures to Neural Circuits is a center of excellence for the training of PhD students in the areas of biochemistry, cell biology, molecular medicine, neurobiology and structural biology.

• Stipends: The net stipend for accepted IMPRS-LS fellows typically starts with 1450 Euro and will cover living expenses in the Munich area.
• Tuition: There are no tuition fees for doctoral students of IMPRS-LS. The only fee required is a registration fee at the Ludwig Maximilian University Munich or the Technical University Munich that amounts to around 110 Euro per semester.
• Housing: Rent for an apartment or a flat for a single person starts at approx. 400-450 Euro per month. On average our students pay between 450 and 600 Euro for rent (including utilities). The coordination office will provide assistance in finding suitable housing.
• Health Insurance: Health insurance coverage for doctoral students is obligatory. The coordination office will help you finding a suitable health insurance plan.
• Living costs in Munich / Martinsried: The estimated costs of living in Munich/Martinsried are approx. 1000-1300 Euro minimum per month for a single person (living expenses and health insurance).

• Entry with a MSc degree: Entry level for doctoral studies at IMPRS-LS usually is a Master of Science degree or an equivalent degree. Most applicants either have a combination of BSc and MSc (with a total equivalent of 300 ECTS credits) or a five-year integrated MSc. We expect your academic background to be either in biology, biochemistry, biophysics, neuroscience or related disciplines.
• Entry with a 4-years BSc hons (or equivalent): Applicants with a first class BSc hons degree (typically including a 1-year research placement) and applicants with a first class degree from similar 4-year degree programs (equivalent to 240 ECTS credits) are eligible to apply. Dependent on the specifics of your curriculum and your academic background you may be assigned an additional courseload of 15 to 60 ECTS credits by the Munich universities that award the doctoral degree. You will have to fulfill these additional course requirements during your doctoral studies.
• Fast track program: Applicants with a three-year BSc degree (equivalent to 180 ECTS credits) typically are not eligible to apply unless they intend to join a research group that is affiliated with the school’s research branch “Circuit Neuroscience”. In that case, a cooperation with the LMU-Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences (link is external) will allow enrollment as doctoral student (and joint affiliation with both PhD programs). The so-called Fast track program (link is external)includes a very intense additional first year comprised of courses, practicals and lab-rotations. The goal is to bring fast track students up to the level of MSc students within the first year of studies. PhD thesis research will start in the second year.

Basic English required.