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For applicants

What does the IMPRS PhD program offer?

The Max Planck Institute for Physics participates in the IMPRS program of the Max Planck Society. Our IMPRS EPP (International Max Planck Research School on Elementary Particle Physics) offers an excellent scientific education within a structured framework. PhD students receive a three-year contract, which can be extended for one more year. With your doctoral work you have the possibility to gain insights into fascinating research questions: for example, what dark matter is made of, what accounts for the matter/antimatter imbalance in the universe, whether supersymmetry exists, or what significance string theory has for particle physics.

The research topics offered are in the fields of high-energy physics, astroparticle physics, or cosmology and have an experimental or theoretical focus.

Who is eligible for a PhD study at the IMPRS?

In order to become a PhD student at the IMPRS:

  • you must have completed your master’s study in physics with outstanding results
  • you must provide your written master’s thesis as documentation of a research project lasting at least six months
  • you should be able to show very good proficiency in English.

How can you apply?

Each year there are three calls to apply for admission to the IMPRS. The closing dates for applications are typically at the end of January, May, and September.

The next application deadline is May 16th, 2025. The shortlisting will take place in June 2025. The shortlisted  candidates will be invited to participate in the IMPRS Recruitment Workshop on July 17th, 2025. Thereafter decisions will be made.

Please apply exclusively with our application form. For your application, the following items are required:

  • your CV
  • your academic records/University transcripts
  • your master’s thesis, in German or English, or a (preliminary) summary and abstract of this work
  • two letters of recommendation, which will be transmitted from the referees to the MPP.

The Executive Committee, which consists of members of all three IMPRS EPP institutions, examines the applications. Selected candidates will be invited to the MPP for a presentation and interviews.

Successful applicants will receive an offer for admission to the IMPRS. The beginning of the doctoral work will be determined in consultation with the advisor.

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