All courses are taught in English.
English scientific writing classes are integrated into the curriculum.
Lecture periods run from early April till mid-July and from late October till mid-February, preceded and followed by exam periods. Courses are based on physical attendance. The programme only starts in April, there is no winter intake.
Application periods are set early (September) to enable international students to apply for their student visas in time. Procedures and deadlines can be checked on the Medical Life Sciences website.
To lay the foundation for working in molecular disease research, Medical Life Sciences (MedLife) provides knowledge in human biology, pathology and systems biology.
Courses in molecular biology, bioinformatics, clinical cell biology, medical statistics and human genetics make the interfaces between medicine and the sciences visible. You learn how to acquire knowledge, verify and use it in research.
Starting in the second semester, you specialise in one of three focus areas:
Evolutionary Medicine investigates how interrelations between humans and their environment have led to current disease susceptibility. Why do we suffer from chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and obesity? Why are certain genetic variants maintained in populations despite their disease risk? Those are only two of the many questions that come to mind when looking at diseases ailing us.
Inflammation takes you deep into the molecular mechanisms of chronic inflammatory diseases, the causal network between inflammatory processes and disease, genetics and environment.
Oncology leads you into molecular research of malignant diseases, the interplay of genetics and environment, cell biology of tumours and many other aspects.
Experts in their fields guide you through lectures and seminars. Lab practicals and project work in state-of-the-art research labs as well as your Master's thesis provide ample opportunity to improve your skills and be involved in research projects.
You will also choose electives that complement your focus area. Tracing Disease through Time looks at disease etiology by analysing biomolecules, diets and pathogens in archaeological specimens. Imaging in medical research is also on the menu. MolOcular can lead to insights while focusing on the eye.
Molecular Diagnostics, Metabolomics, Tissue Engineering, Neurosciences, Epithelial Barrier Functions, Cardiovascular Epidemiology explore the interface between medicine and the sciences.
How to process and analyse your data is part of what you learn in Bioinformatics and System Biology. Soft skills such as project management, career orientation and English scientific writing are integrated into the curriculum as well to prepare you for work life.
For an overview of courses, examinations and credit points, check the information pages about the modules.
First semester (summer semester):
Second semester (winter semester):
Third semester (summer semester):
Fourth semester (winter semester):
Lab practicals (molecular biology, molecular lab methods, lab project) are part of the curriculum. You choose your lab group yourself and organise the project topic.
The Master's thesis is based on lab work. Large parts of the thesis period (six months) are spent in a research lab of your choice that is connected to your focus area. If you are especially interested in computational analyses of lab results, your Master's thesis could focus on this field as well.
An enrolment fee ("Einschreibgebühr") of 55 EUR is charged for the first enrolment at Kiel University. A semester contribution ("Semesterbeitrag") currently amounting to 277 EUR must be paid each semester at Kiel University. This covers free public transport ("landesweites Semesterticket") for trains and buses in Schleswig-Holstein and Hamburg, reduced lunch prices, and other benefits for students.
The monthly costs of living in Germany are currently at least 934 EUR per month. Please note that when applying for a visa (from countries requiring a visa) and also later in Germany when extending a residence permit, financial means in the amount of the living costs for one year (11,208 EUR) must be proven.
More information can be found here: www.international.uni-kiel.de/en/advising-activities-services/service-information/visa.
A very good knowledge of English is required (minimum: level C1 CEFR).
Application periods are set early (September) to enable international students to apply for their student visas in time. Procedures and deadlines can be checked on the Medical Life Sciences website.
Please check application procedures on the Medical Life Sciences homepage.
Many of the institutes involved in Medical Life Sciences offer student jobs (scientific assistants) depending on project funding as well as your skills and interests. A match of skills offered and skills required is necessary.
Please find information on accommodation in Kiel on the following website: www.international.uni-kiel.de/en/advising-activities-services/service-information/accomodation-in-kiel/.
Studies and Career introduces you to different career paths in academia and the industry and discusses opportunities, necessary skills and ways to acquire them. Project Management with guest lecturers from various institutions and companies familiarises you with aspects of project preparation, management and practical organisation of a project.
Kiel University (also referred to as the CAU) was founded in 1665. It is Schleswig-Holstein's oldest, largest and best-known university, with 27,000 students and 3,700 staff members. It is also the only full-fledged university in the state. Seven Nobel Prize winners have worked here. The CAU has been successfully taking part in the Excellence Initiative since 2006.
We use research, teaching and the transfer of science to address the great challenges of our time in health, environmental and cultural change, nutrition and energy. In doing so, we ensure peace and preserve livelihoods for future generations. We use responsible actions to make sure that scientific discoveries are transferred into all sectors of our society by interdisciplinary thought – regardless of short-lived trends – where they are incorporated into political, economic and social decisions aimed at securing peace and prosperity.
When it was founded back in 1665, the CAU had the motto “Pax Optima Rerum: peace is the most valuable asset.” This maxim is as applicable today as it was over 350 years ago. We want to follow this key idea and contribute towards creating a peaceful, fair world in which everyone lives freely and comfortably. We aim to create a world in which treating the environment with respect also enables future generations to enjoy the same benefits.
CAU’s mission:
Our mission is to deliver research and teaching that contribute to peace, prosperity and maintaining a pluralistic, free society as well as address the challenges we are facing. Our strong disciplines carry out this mission. The fulfilment of this mission requires interdisciplinary collaboration and involves transdisciplinary issues. We find solutions to today’s pressing problems and implement these solutions together with stakeholders from society, industry and politics.
Teaching profile:
We are dedicated to research-based teaching and learning. Therefore, the development of new teaching approaches is evolving constantly at the interfaces between research from the different scientific disciplines. Students from all over the world benefit from this: research results are quickly integrated into programme curricula and our academic staff is trained in state-of-the-art teaching methods.
Research profile:
The CAU is Schleswig-Holstein’s only full-fledged university with a major focus on research. Over time, four dynamic priority research areas have systematically developed. These are based on strong disciplines interacting together – Marine Science, Life Science, Societal and Cultural Change, and Nano Surface and Interface Science. Each individual research area makes a substantial contribution towards dealing with at least one of the grand challenges of our time.
Transfer profile:
A university is not an island. It is an entity that impacts on, with and for society in a number of ways, by offering space for new ideas, passing on knowledge and values, and enabling debates about controversial subjects. Universities train specialists, produce innovative products and start-ups, help companies to develop further and assist politics by giving advice and warnings. The CAU encompasses top quality, innovative science, a sense of responsibility and the transfer of knowledge. We advocate for the university’s active role in society and aim to work closely together with the community to be the driving force behind regional, national and international development by looking for and finding pioneering solutions for our most pressing issues. This is the reason why we maintain a variety of active connections with our partners in science, industry, politics and society.
The city of Kiel is located directly on the Baltic Sea coast and is the capital of the northernmost German federal state, Schleswig-Holstein. Famous for its sailing tradition, Kiel has hosted two Olympic sailing competitions. The city's annual "Kiel Week" is the world's largest sailing event and one of the biggest cultural festivals in northern Europe. Kiel's international flair is enhanced by its port, where Scandinavian ferries dock next to cruise liners and historic ships. Those who enjoy going out will benefit from the city's lively cultural life as well as the many clubs and bars to be found between the campus and the city centre. Kiel is a strong centre of science and research. Our students benefit from studying by the sea in a city that offers short distances and a wide range of leisure facilities by the waterside. It takes less than 20 minutes to get from the lecture hall to the beach. A fresh breeze on your face and the right books on hand create a great atmosphere for learning. The social conditions for studying in Kiel are excellent. Freshmen receive a welcome payment of 100 EUR when they come to Kiel to commence their undergraduate studies. Here, they have the opportunity to live in one of the many halls of residence, which are reasonably priced and situated close to the universities. In our bicycle-friendly city, not only the universities but also other inner-city locations can be reached conveniently by bike. The new scientific generation represents the most important resource for making Kiel, the state capital, fit for the future.
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