THE MAX PLANCK SCHOOLS

The Max Planck Schools are a joint graduate program of currently 27 universities and 35 institutes from non-university research organizations.

Ambitious and promising PhD candidates engage in cutting-edge interdisciplinary research in the fields of Cognition, Matter to Life, and Photonics and study in the context of a unique network, closely supervised by outstanding scientists, who are leaders in their respective field. The PhD candidates benefit from early access to a versatile, first-class research infrastructure and innovative teaching methods, as well as fully financed PhD positions for Bachelor and Master graduates.

OUR OFFER

Our PhD candidates benefit from:

cutting-edge interdisciplinary research in the fields of
Cognition, Matter to Life, and Photonics;
close supervision by outstanding scientists in their respective field;
a unique network of leading German universities and non-university research organizations;
An integrated MSc and PhD program (or standalone PhD program)
early access to first-class research infrastructures and innovative teaching formats;
an internationally competitive funding scheme without tuition fees.

A graphic design showing a person typing on a laptop. In the upper left corner, there is an illustration of a rocket and a ladder. In the center, the text "KICKSTART YOUR CAREER" appears on a white bar, and at the bottom right, there is a yellow circle with the text "APPLY NOW".

APPLY NOW – until DECEMBER 1

The application phase for the fall 2025 intake has just started and the application portals are now open. Kickstart your scientific career with our stellar interdisciplinary PhD program and apply now to one of the three Max Planck Schools. For more information on how to apply and which School to choose, please visit our application page. The application portals are open until December 1.

Apply Now - for your future career in Cognition, Matter to Life or Photonics!

The Max Planck Schools bring together talented PhD candidates and Germany's leading scientists within a joint graduate program in the future-oriented fields of Cognition, Matter to Life and Photonics. Based on a unique network of German universities and non-university research organizations, the Max Planck Schools offer ambitious and talented PhD candidates fully funded doctoral programs in an excellent scientific environment.

As Fellows, these outstanding scientists mentor ambitious PhD candidates and provide them with personal and academic guidance at the beginning of their scientific careers. Young scientists benefit early on from a versatile and first-class infrastructure, state-of-the-art teaching and a highly interdisciplinary approach.

THE THREE MAX PLANCK SCHOOLS

Max Planck School
of Cognition

Cognition research covers topics from disciplines as diverse as psychology, physics, computer science, philosophy, biology and medicine. In this rapidly developing research field scientists with access to the methods and approaches of the various disciplines are in high demand.

Max Planck School
Matter to Life

What, exactly, is life? Can processes, functions and objects related to life be simulated and recreated in the laboratory? These are the overarching questions addressed in the curriculum and research training of the Max Planck School Matter to Life.

Max Planck School
of Photonics

Photonics is the science of light, enabling numerous modern technologies such as non-contact sensors, quantum computers and energy and information carriers. The Max Planck School of Photonics unites research in many subdisciplines to light up the world.

“Excellent training is a key factor”

July 22, 2024

Max Planck School of Photonics

With an impressive career in science and innovation, Holger Hanselka is a name that is inextricably linked to the German research landscape. As the former President of the renowned Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), one of the nine teaching universities of the Max Planck Schools, the mechanical engineer headed one of Germany's leading universities for many years. In 2023 he became President of the Fraunhofer Society in a role that is also crucial for the Max Planck Schools: heading one of the many key partners of the program. Certainly enough reasons to interview Holger Hanselka for our website!

Results as word cloud for this year's Max Planck Schools Day

“Science as Peace-Building Project Across Borders”

October 31, 2023

Max Planck School Matter to Life Max Planck School of Cognition Max Planck School of Photonics

The atmosphere was vibrant at the former industrial site in Berlin: Almost 200 participants came together on October 16 to celebrate the annual Max Planck Schools Day with this year's leading theme "The Role of (Fundamental) Science Amidst a Global (Climate) Crisis". Once again, the day provided fascinating insights into the research of the three Schools, exciting discussions and, above all, the opportunity to get to know each other and get together. In keeping with the motto of the Max Planck Schools Day "3 Schools, 1 Community", the new cohort in particular was welcomed to the program.

The Deputy Federal Chairman of the BÜNDNIS 90/DIE GRÜNEN, Heiko Knopf, in conversation with the Chairman of the Management Board of the Wübben Foundation for Science, Peter-André Alt

"Say what you want to say!"

June 05, 2023

Max Planck School of Photonics

A conversation with Peter-André Alt and Heiko Knopf: Initially intended as a dialog interview between two “alumni” of the Max Planck Schools, the conversation between the deputy federal chairman of BÜNDNIS 90/DIE GRÜNEN, Heiko Knopf, and the chairman of the management board of the Wübben Foundation for Science, Peter-André Alt, quickly developed into a lively discourse with a stirring dynamic of its own. The variety of topics ranged from Thomas Mann and the social responsibility of science to the role of a Post-It that proved very helpful for Heiko Knopf’s successful PhD thesis.

Anne Felsenheimer is one of nine PhD candidates in the newly established Clinician Scientist Program at the Max Planck School of Cognition.

Student Insights: Anne Felsenheimer

April 28, 2023

Max Planck School of Cognition

Anne Felsenheimer started last fall as one of nine candidates in the newly created Clinician Scientist Program of the Max Planck Schools of Cognition. She was named for the fellowship program by ZEIT as Zia - "Visible Women in Science". In the interview, she talks about her career, first experiences in the novel clinical doctoral program, and her motivation for wanting to dive deeper into research in the field of cognitive science.

Prof. Bernhard Eitel, Rector of Heidelberg University (left), and Göttingen University President, Prof. Metin Tolan (right), signed the agreement. From now on, the universities of Heidelberg and Göttingen will offer a joint master's degree in the interdisciplinary "Matter to Life" study program.

Matter to Life - Prepared for the future

February 08, 2023

Max Planck School Matter to Life

It is official: The partner universities in Heidelberg and Göttingen finalize the unique joint degree within the Max Planck School Matter to Life. Last Thursday the two university heads from Heidelberg and Göttingen, Rector Prof. Bernard Eitel and President Prof. Metin Tolan, signed an agreement for a joint Master's program based on the already close cooperation between the two universities within the Max Planck School (MPS) Matter to Life – an interdisciplinary joint degree program which is now unique in Germany.

The three new decision-makers in the strategically most important committee of the Max Planck Schools: Prof. Anja Steinbeck, Prof. Ulrike Cress, and Prof. Anita Schöbel

Three Women, three questions

January 30, 2023

New additions to the Max Planck Schools Steering Committee: At the end of last year, three new members joined the strategically most important body of the Max Planck Schools - Anita Schöbel, Anja Steinbeck, and Ulrike Cress are now contributing their expertise and multi-faceted experience to the programm. With this interview, we would like to not only briefly introduce the three scientists, but also convey the importance of such a decision-making body - consisting of representatives from the partner institutions involved in the Schools - for our cross-organizational program.