International Graduate Program Medical Neurosciences 

Meta menu:

From here, you can access the Emergencies page, Contact Us page, Accessibility Settings, Language Selection, and Search page.

  • Contact us:

    Humboldt Graduate SchoolCharitéplatz 1 (local address: Luisenstraße 56)
    10117 Berlin

  • Accessibility:
    Contrast Settings Change contrast
    Font size
    Font size bigger: STRG+ Font size smaller: STRG-

    You can enlarge or reduce the browser window. Please use CTRL and + to zoom in or CTRL and - to zoom out. Press CTRL and 0 to reset your browser window to normal size.

Open Menu

Application Master's Program

The Master's Program Medical Neurosciences accepts about 20 to 25 students each year, including students from our partner programs of the Neurasmus network.

We receive many applications from all over the world. The admission’s committees of our program and the Neurasmus program carefully reviews each application, and aims to get a decision within a couple of weeks after the application deadline.

You are here:

Application to the MSc Program

Next application deadline: 15 January 2023 – for program start in October 2023.

Please note that the application process will not start before the end of November each year: https://application.ecn-berlin.de/.

Five Good Reasons to Apply:

  • Cutting edge science by world class scientists on the interface between bench and bedside
  • Excellent basic research in neuroscience
  • Intense theoretical training combined with extensive practical lab work, preparing you perfectly for a PhD program and subsequent research career
  • Friendly, international learning environment
  • Small classes and close faculty contact

Semester and tuition fees

Please note that from the winter term of 2017 on, we have to charge EUR 2,500 per semester. There is also an administrative fee of roughly EUR 315 per semester.

Documents to be submitted

The next deadline is 15 January 2023, 11:59 PM CET.

Application: https://application.ecn-berlin.de/.

  1. Curriculum Vitae (CV)
  2. Letter of motivation
  3. 2 letters of recommendation (official letter head; referee's signature and stamp); scanned copies are sufficient
  4. Simple copy of the transcript from your current academic institution
  5. Proof of proficiency in English, if not a native speaker, e.g. TOEFL or IELTS test score. Alternatively, an official statement certifying that relevant parts of your previous academic work (e.g. bachelor thesis) have been completed in English. Can be handed in after the application deadline.
  6. One year of practical experience (e.g. work in a lab, studying abroad, internship, 1st job after graduation, experimental Bachelor thesis, etc.). Can be handed in after the application deadline.

Selection Process and Timeline

Admission to MedNeuro is highly competitive. Therefore, we have developed a multiple-step selection process which runs from the application deadline on 15 January to a final admission decision by the end of March:

Step 1: Submission of Application – by 15 January

You apply to our program via our online application system. The call for applications will alway close at 15 January at 11:59 CET each year!

Applications submitted by post or email will not be considered without any notification.

Step 2: Admission Test (Subject Test) – Cancelled!

We ask you to sit a first admission test which we co-ordinate with other German Graduate Schools of Neuroscience. The test will be held at various locations in Germany and abroad. This test will check your basic to advanced knowledge in biology, cell-biology, chemistry and physics.

The two-hour test consists of multiple choice questions in the fields of

  • general and neurobiology (10 questions)
  • molecular biology (10 questions)
  • cell biology (20 questions)
  • chemistry (10 questions)
  • physics (10 questions)
  • cognitive science/statistics (20 questions).

The test will ask for your knowledge (Bachelor's level) in these fields. For each multiple choice question 5 answers are offered of which only one answer is correct. Negative marking will not be applied for incorrectly answered questions.

The style and level of the multiple choice questions are similar to the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) Subject Tests. Handbooks for this GRE subject test as well as common undergraduate textbooks are therefore recommended for preparation. Free sample questions from the GRE subject test are available on the GRE website (see "Test Preparation/Subject Tests").

More details on our partner's website.

Step 3: Submission of Final Documents – After your application

The admission committee would like to get a better picture of you and your academic career and ambitions to join the program. Before the interviews will take place, either via Skype or in person, please submit the following document:

  • Summary of your Bachelor thesis or previous academic project in 450 (min) to 750 (max) words (see our guidelines)

Step 4: Interviews – February to March

In order for us to get to know promising applicants, we will conduct interviews either in person or via Skype with two members of our admission committee. Additionally, you have to take another admission test, based on the publication of the Society for Neuroscience, Brain Facts.

Step 5: Final Selection by the Admission Committee – April

Once all interviews have been conducted and all test results are in, the admission committee will convene for final selection of the applicants. You will be informed of the admission decision shortly thereafter. Please note that your admission is conditional depending on the evaluation of your credentials.

Proficiency in English

  • IELTS (acad.) min. Band 6.5
  • CAE min. Grade C
  • TOEFL paper min. 580
  • TOEFL computer min. 237
  • TOEFL internet min. 92