University of Bonn
German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE)
Courses and writing requirements are completely in English.
Knowledge of German is not required to be admitted, but German language courses are offered for interested PhD students.
Following the selection symposium in February, admitted PhD students can start at any time between March and October.
Annually on 1 November
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), the University of Bonn, and the German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) in Bonn. 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 20 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.
The application period started on 1 August 2023. Please apply online before the 1 November 2023 deadline.
Exceptional candidates will be invited to attend a selection symposium in Bonn in February 2024, which provides the opportunity to meet with faculty members who have positions available and with current IMPRS PhD students.
The curriculum of the IMPRS comprises both theoretical and practical hands-on training elements divided into mandatory and optional courses. The range of expertise of the faculty provides rich coverage of the theory and methodology required for cutting-edge neuroscience research. The curriculum is structured in line with the graduation requirements of the degree-granting institutions (University of Bonn Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences as well as the Faculty of Medicine). IMPRS for Brain and Behaviour is a four-year programme, and the programme language is English.
The main curriculum elements are:
Lab rotations: PhD students can do lab rotations in the first six months of their projects.
Admitted candidates can perform lab rotations within the first six months of their projects. Students can also apply for travel grants for short research stays at other institutes.
The IMPRS programme does not have any teaching requirements. However, interested students can pursue opportunities for teaching or tutoring classes upon agreement with their supervisors.
The University of Bonn has semester fees. The semester fee for the summer semester 2023 was approx. 330 EUR. It includes a semester ticket that enables PhD students to use public transportation within the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It also allows you to have meals at the university cafeteria at reasonable prices.
The average cost of living in Bonn is around 1,300 to 1,500 EUR per month. The cost highly depends on the type and place of accommodation. You can choose to live a bit further from the city centre or share an apartment with other people to decrease the costs. You can compare the cost of living in Bonn with other cities here.
All of our PhD positions are fully funded with an employment contract throughout the whole duration of the PhD. The contract follows the public funding scheme corresponding to approx. 65% of the remuneration group 13 of the TVÖD Bund. This corresponds to around 2,700 EUR per month before taxes (approx. monthly net salary around 1,700 to 1,800 EUR, increasing over the years).
Travel grants: Separate funding opportunities to join international conferences, workshops, courses and research stays at other institutes.
You can apply if you meet the following requirements:
Note: The right to confer degrees remains with the University of Bonn, and you must meet all the admission and degree requirements of the faculty where you choose to study.
*Master's students who will obtain their degrees before October 2024 can apply.
We are committed to diversity and equal opportunity for all applicants.
Fluency in written and spoken English is an admission requirement. Non-native English speakers can provide copies of English proficiency test results or an official letter from their university ensuring that the medium of instruction is English. Language skills will be assessed during the interviews in the event that official test results have not been provided.
Annually on 1 November
The coordination office and the international offices provide support for all students in finding accommodation.
We organise "career talks" by bringing people from academia and industry to provide guidance and mentoring to our PhD students in their future career prospects. We also offer a career workshop tailored to neuroscientists upon request. Students in the IMPRS for Brain & Behaviour PhD programme are supported by their thesis advisory committee in how to move forward in their projects and careers.
Numerous resources are available to support students making the transition to life in Germany. In cooperation with the international offices at the University of Bonn and at caesar, we seek to help students make their home away from home more comfortable. Transition services are available to students and family members. We have dedicated support and mentoring personnel.
The MPI for Neurobiology of Behavior – caesar (MPINB) focuses on basic research in neuroethology.
The MPINB has two research departments and seven independent research groups. The institute is part of a cluster for neurosciences in the Bonn-Cologne region and has multiple ties with the University of Bonn and the University of Cologne.
The MPINB is run by the two scientific directors, Jason Kerr and Kevin Briggman. The current managing director is Jason Kerr. The Scientific Advisory Board evaluates the institute and gives scientific advice.
With a population of around 330,000, Bonn is a medium-sized city, and it combines the amenities of such a city with close proximity to nature. Bonn is situated on the Rhine River and is the second political centre of the Federal Republic of Germany. It is the German city of the United Nations and the birthplace of Ludwig van Beethoven. In Bonn, the Rhenish way of life meets art and culture, science and research meet trade, crafts, and industry. Tradition meets progress. The Rhenish Carnival, the Beethovenfest and Pützchens Jahrmarkt are celebrated here.
Bonn, a region for science and research
Embedded in the triangle of the "ABC region" marked by the cities of Aachen, Bonn, and Cologne (Köln), which is considered the densest research and technology landscape in Europe, Bonn has earned an international reputation as a centre of science. The starting point is the University of Bonn, founded in 1818, with its approximately 38,000 students today. In July 2019, it was awarded the status of a university of excellence. In addition, institutes, research facilities, and universities have developed into the Bonn science region over the past two decades. Together with the Max Planck Institute for Neurobiology of Behavior – caesar (MPINB) that conducts research in the field of neuroethology, and LIFE & BRAIN, a research centre for applied biomedicine, and the German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases Research (DZNE), Bonn forms a focal point in the field of neuroscience. Bonn is also home to a number of the leading scientific intermediary and funding organisations with international impact.
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