Application

Application start date: October 1, 2025

Deadline: November 15, 2025

Invitation of applicants: expected end of November 2025

Selection interviews: approx. 1 week after invitation

Start of semester: April 1, 2026 (administration)

Start of lectures: April 14, 2026

Please use the online application system.

To get an overview of the structure of the program and planned changes, you can find information material here.

Application start date: February 1, 2026
Deadline: March 15, 2026
Interviews: expected in April 2026
Semester start date: October 1, 2026 (administration)
Lectures start date: October 12, 2026

Please use the online application system.

We welcome applications from students who have already completed their bachelor's degree with above-average grades* or who will have completed it by the end of the semester before starting their master's degree. The degree should be in molecular biotechnology or other natural sciences such as biology, physics, chemistry, mathematics, or computer science with a focus on the life sciences.

Applications will be evaluated by the selection committee and eligible applicants will be invited to interviews. Invitations will be sent by email by the IPMB's study coordination office. During the interviews, each applicant will have the opportunity to present their personal suitability for the program to a member of the selection committee in two 15-minute interviews. The interviews will be conducted in German and English.

It is not possible to apply for a place on the program without knowledge of German and English! Please find out about the various test procedures.

You must demonstrate German language skills at TestDaF level 4 or DSH level 2 (67%) - level C1. Further information on German courses is available from the “International Study Center”.

In exceptional cases, we accept language certificates for German with an intermediate level (B2), e.g., DSH level 1 (57%) or TestDaF level 3, if you have an above-average English test result.

Another requirement is the English test. We accept the following certificates: TOEFL (minimum 90 out of 120 or ITP 570 out of 677), IELTS (minimum 6.5), Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English (CAE), or a high school or bachelor's degree from a US or British university. It is not sufficient if the bachelor's thesis was written in English! Upon prior agreement, you can also submit your language tests after the application deadline.

International university certificates can currently be submitted as simple copies instead of certified copies, but a translation into English or German must be provided.

Unfortunately, we must inform you that Heidelberg University does not award scholarships. This means that you will have to finance your studies yourself. The cost of living in Heidelberg is very high; you should expect to spend around €1,000 per month. In addition, non-EU citizens are required to pay tuition fees of €1,500 per semester. Tuition fees of €650 per semester were also introduced for all students pursuing a second degree in the 2017/18 winter semester. However, a consecutive master's program following a bachelor's program is not subject to this regulation.

Applicants from the People's Republic of China, India, and Vietnam with foreign educational qualifications from these countries should apply for the APS certificate at an early stage. This must be done by the end of the application deadline at the latest.