Your Application
Qualified PhD candidates are invited to submit applications to HBIGS throughout the whole year, exclusively through the HBIGS online application system. The requirement for admission to HBIGS is a university degree that will allow the applicant to be accepted as a PhD student at the Faculty of Biosciences according to the regulations stipulated by the Board of PhD studies. HBIGS does not accept doctoral candidates from other faculties.
Application Scheme
All candidates who wish to become a member of HBIGS are to submit their online application prior (!) to the start of their PhD project. Students who have already started their PhD project are not eligible to apply (the starting date of your PhD term is usually identical to the starting date of your work contract).
1. Applicants who are already accepted as a prospective PhD student in the research group of an HBIGS Faculty member are requested to submit an unsolicited application and to fill in and upload the “Statement of acceptance as a prospective PhD student" (see form at sidebar) under “Academic Records” in your application file.
2. Applicants who are NOT yet accepted as a prospective PhD student by a member of the HBIGS Faculty are invited to submit their applications to advertised PhD positions and/or to submit an unsolicited application.
2.1 Students may apply for up to three advertised PhD positions within the deadlines set for the respective projects.
Please note that projects are removed from the website even before the deadline is reached if an appropriate candidate is found. We, therefore, recommend to apply as early as possible to announced projects.
2.2 Students who do not find an advertised research project of their interest but have a general interest in a research area or a research group may submit an unsolicited application. Applicants who submit an unsolicited application are asked to name the principal investigator(s) they would like to apply to in their Statement of Purpose.
Register & Apply
Please note: Only applications submitted via the online application system will be considered. Applications sent by e-mail or mail will be discarded without further notice.
Admission Scheme
After the applicant´s eligibility and qualification has been checked - this might include a pre-interview with the candidate - the application files will be sent to the respective group leaders for further evaluation.
1a. PhD candidates who are eligible to be unconditionally accepted as PhD student by the Faculty of Biosciences are, in general, also eligible to become a member of HBIGS without further assessment.
1b. Applicants who are NOT eligible to be unconditionally accepted as PhD student according to the rules set by the Faculty have to pass a Qualifying Exam ("Kenntnisstandprüfung").
Qualifying Exams are scheduled for 25 Sep, 27 Nov 2025, 22 Jan, 26 Mar 2026. More dates for 2026 will follow.
2. Applicants who are shortlisted, but not yet accepted by an HBIGS faculty member will be invited to Heidelberg upon the principal investigator's request. They will be given the opportunity to meet with the principal investigators they have applied to. These candidates will take the Qualifying Exam during their stay, if requested by the Faculty of Biosciences or the principal investigator.