- Degree
- PhD in Neuroscience
Dr rer nat
- Doctoral degree or degree awarded by
- University of Bonn
- Course location
- Bonn
- In cooperation with
- University of Bonn
German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE)
- Teaching language
- • English
- Languages
- Courses and writing requirements are completely in English. Students are required to write and defend their doctoral thesis in English.
Knowledge of German is not required to be admitted, but German language courses are offered for free for interested PhD students.
- Full-time / part-time
- • full-time
- Programme duration
- 8 semesters
- Beginning
- Only for doctoral programmes: any time
- Application deadline
- The application period starts in autumn 2025. Please apply online (https://imprs-brain-behavior.mpg.de/apply). Applications must be submitted by 1 November.
Exceptional candidates will be invited to an online selection symposium in February 2026. Successful candidates will have the option to come to Bonn for an on-site visit to meet with faculty members and current IMPRS PhD students. Following the online selection symposium, admitted PhD students can start at any time between March and October.
- Tuition fees per semester in EUR
- None
- Combined Master's degree / PhD programme
- No
- Joint degree / double degree programme
- No
- Description/content
- Join our fully-funded international PhD programme in neuroscience!
The International Max Planck Research School for Brain and Behaviour is a unique collaboration between the Max Planck Institute for Neurobiology of Behavior – caesar (MPINB) (https://mpinb.mpg.de/en/), the University of Bonn (https://www.uni-bonn.de/en), and the German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) in Bonn (https://www.dzne.de/en/about-us/sites/bonn/?amp%3BL=2&cHash=882be7b3a6d42603276c68aea7541043). It offers a completely funded international PhD training and research programme in neuroscience in Bonn, Germany. The focus of the programme is neuroethology.
We offer an exciting opportunity to outstanding Master's degree holders (or equivalent) from any relevant field (life sciences, mathematics, physics, computer science, engineering, etc.) to be immersed in a stimulating environment that provides novel technologies to elucidate the function of brain circuits from molecules to animal behaviour. The comprehensive and diverse expertise of the faculty in the exploration of brain-circuit function using advanced imaging and optogenetic techniques combined with comprehensive training in fundamental neuroscience provides students with an exceptional level of knowledge to pursue a successful independent research career.
IMPRS for Brain and Behaviour has 18 laboratories with an enormous variety of research projects being carried out. Successful candidates can choose to do lab rotations in the first six months of their PhD.
Doctoral candidates receive both theoretical training and hands-on training in a large range of cutting-edge techniques. In addition, they are exposed to a variety of research areas all touching on how sensory information is encoded in neural circuits and is ultimately transferred to behaviour.